The Life of Horatio Lord Nelson | Page 4

seemed no probability of getting the ships out without a strong E.
or N.E. wind. The season was far advanced, and every hour lessened
the chance of extricating themselves. Young as he was, Nelson was
appointed to command one of the boats which were sent out to explore
a passage into the open water. It was the means of saving a boat
belonging to the RACEHORSE from a singular but imminent danger.
Some of the officers had fired at and wounded a walrus. As no other
animal has so human-like an expression in its countenance, so also is
there none that seems to possess more of the passions of humanity. The

wounded animal dived immediately, and brought up a number of its
companions; and they all joined in an attack upon the boat. They
wrested an oar from one of the men; and it was with the utmost
difficulty that the crew could prevent them from staving or upsetting
her, till the CARCASS's boat came up; and the walruses, finding their
enemies thus reinforced, dispersed. Young Nelson exposed himself in a
more daring manner. One night, during the mid-watch, he stole from
the ship with one of his comrades, taking advantage of a rising fog, and
set off over the ice in pursuit of a bear. It was not long before they were
missed. The fog thickened, and Captain Lutwidge and his officers
became exceedingly alarmed for their safety. Between three and four in
the morning the weather cleared, and the two adventurers were seen, at
a considerable distance from the ship, attacking a huge bear. The signal
for them to return was immediately made; Nelson's comrade called
upon him to obey it, but in vain; his musket had flashed in the pan;
their ammunition was expended; and a chasm in the ice, which divided
him from the bear, probably preserved his life. "Never mind," he cried;
"do but let me get a blow at this devil with the butt-end of my musket,
and we shall have him." Captain Lutwidge, however, seeing his danger,
fired a gun, which had the desired effect of frightening the beast; and
the boy then returned, somewhat afraid of the consequences of his
trespass. The captain reprimanded him sternly for conduct so unworthy
of the office which he filled, and desired to know what motive he could
have for hunting a bear. "Sir," said he, pouting his lip, as he was wont
to do when agitated, "I wished to kill the bear, that I might carry the
skin to my father."
A party were now sent to an island, about twelve miles off (named
Walden's Island in the charts, from the midshipman who was intrusted
with this service), to see where the open water lay. They came back
with information that the ice, though close all about them, was open to
the westward, round the point by which they came in. They said also,
that upon the island they had had a fresh east wind. This intelligence
considerably abated the hopes of the crew; for where they lay it had
been almost calm, and their main dependence had been upon the effect
of an easterly wind in clearing the bay. There was but one alternative:
either to wait the event of the weather upon the ships, or to betake

themselves to the boats. The likelihood that it might be necessary to
sacrifice the ships had been foreseen. The boats accordingly were
adapted, both in number and size, to transport, in case of emergency,
the whole crew; and there were Dutch whalers upon the coast, in which
they could all be conveyed to Europe. As for wintering where they
were, that dreadful experiment had been already tried too often. No
time was to be lost; the ships had driven into shoal water, having but
fourteen fathoms. Should they, or the ice to which they were fast, take
the ground, they must inevitably be lost; and at this time they were
driving fast toward some rocks on the N.E. Captain Phipps sent for the
officers of both ships, and told them his intention of preparing the boats
for going away. They were immediately hoisted out, and the fitting
begun. Canvas bread-bags were made, in case it should be necessary
suddenly to desert the vessels; and men were sent with the lead and line
to N. and E., to sound wherever they found cracks in the ice, that they
might have notice before the ice took the ground; for in that case the
ships must instantly have been crushed or overset.
On the 7th of August they began to haul the boats over the ice, Nelson
having command of a four-oared cutter. The men behaved excellently
well, like true British seamen: they seemed reconciled to the thought of
leaving the