Fast in the Ice | Page 9

the
sea close to her side, causing her to rock violently on the waves that
were raised by it.

Indeed the bergs are dangerous neighbours, not only from this cause,
but also on account of their turning upside down at times, and even
falling to pieces, so that Captain Harvey always kept well out of their
way when he could; but this was not always possible. The little brig
had a narrow escape one day from the falling of a berg.
It was a short time after that day on which they had the game of
football. They passed in safety through the floes and bergs that had
been seen that evening, and got into open water beyond, where they
made made good progress before falling in with ice; but at last they
came to a part of Baffin's Bay where a great deal of ice is always found.
Here the pack surrounded them, and compelled them to pass close to a
berg which was the largest they had fallen in with up to that time. It
was jagged in form, and high rather than broad. Great peaks rose up
from it like the mountain tops of some wild highland region. It was
several hundred yards off the weather-beam when the brig passed, but
it towered so high over the masts that it seemed to be much nearer than
it was. There was no apparent motion in this berg, and the waves beat
and rolled upon its base just as they do on the shore of an island. In fact
it was as like an island as possible, or, rather, like a mountain planted in
the sea, only it was white instead of green. There were cracks and rents
and caverns in it, just as there are on a rugged mountain side, all of
which were of a beautiful blue colour. There were also slopes and crags
and precipices, down which the water of the melted ice constantly
flowed in wild torrents. Many of these were equal to small rivulets, and
some of the waterfalls were beautiful. The berg could not have
measured less than a mile round the base, and it was probably two
hundred feet high. It is well known that floating ice sinks deep, and that
there is about eight or ten times as much of it below as there is above
water. The reader may therefore form some idea of what an enormous
mass of ice this berg was.
The crew of the Hope observed, in passing, that lumps were continually
falling from the cliffs into the sea. The berg was evidently in a very
rotten and dangerous state, and the captain ran the brig as close to the
pack on the other side as possible, in order to keep out of its way. Just
as this was done, some great rents occurred, and suddenly a mass of ice

larger than the brig fell from the top of a cliff into the sea. No danger
flowed from this, but the mass thus thrown off was so large as to
destroy the balance of the berg, and, to the horror of the sailors, the
huge mountain began to roll over. Fortunately it fell in a direction away
from the brig. Had it rolled toward her, no human power could have
saved our voyagers. The mighty mass went over with a wild hollow
roar, and new peaks and cliffs rose out of the sea, as the old ones
disappeared, with great cataracts of uplifted brine pouring furiously
down their sides.
Apart from its danger, this was an awful sight. Those who witnessed it
could only gaze in solemn silence. Even the most careless among them
must have been forced to recognise the might and majesty of God in
the event, as well as His mercy in having led them to the right side of
the berg at such a dangerous moment.
But the scene had not yet closed. For some time the ice mountain
rocked grandly to and fro, raising a considerable swell on the sea,
which, all round, was covered with the foam caused by this tremendous
commotion. In a few minutes several rents took place, sounding like
the reports of great guns. Rotten as it was, the berg could not stand the
shock of its change of position, for it had turned fairly upside down.
Crack after crack took place, with deafening reports. Lumps of all sizes
fell from its sides. Then there was a roar, long continued like thunder; a
moment after, the whole berg sank down in ruins, and, with a mighty
crash, fell flat upon the sea!
The Hope was beyond the reach of danger, but she rose and sank on the
swell, caused by the ruin of this berg, for some time after.
It