The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third VoyageKing, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third Voyage
King, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
At seven in the evening, the weather being hazy, and no ice in sight, we
bore away to the westward; but, at half past eight the fog dispersing,
we found ourselves in the midst of loose ice, and close in with the main
body; we therefore stood upon a wind, which was still easterly, and kept
beating to windward during the night, in hopes of weathering the loose
pieces, which the freshness of the wind kept driving down upon us in
such quantities, that we were in manifest danger of being blocked up by
them.
In the morning of the 23d, the clear water, in which we continued to
stand to and fro, did not exceed a mile and a half, and was every
instant lessening. At length, after using our utmost endeavours to clear
the loose ice, we were driven to the necessity of forcing a passage to
the southward, which at half past seven, we accomplished, but not
without subjecting the ship to some very severe shocks. The Discovery
was less successful. For, at eleven, when, they had nigh got clear out,
she became so entangled by several large pieces, that her way was
stopped, and immediately dropping bodily to leeward, she fell, broadside
foremost, on the edge of a considerable body of ice; and having, at the
same time, an open sea to windward, the surf caused her to strike
violently upon it. This mass at length either so far broke, or moved, as
to set them at liberty to make another trial to escape; but,
unfortunately, before the ship gathered way enough to be under command,
she again fell to leeward on another fragment; and the swell making it
unsafe to lie to windward, and finding no chance of getting clear, they
pushed into a small opening, furled their sails, and made fast with
ice-hooks.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account