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 ships, and had full confidence in their officers. About
noon, the ice appeared rather more open near the vessels; and as the
wind was easterly, though there was but little of it, the sails were
set, and they got about a mile to the westward. They moved very slowly,
and were not now nearly so far to the westward as when they were first
beset. However, all sail was kept upon them, to force them through
whenever the ice slacked the least. Whatever exertions were made, it