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moonlight。
The longboat was lowering away to larboard； and I saw men；
struggling on the ice…sheeted deck with barrels of provisions；
abandon the food in their haste to get away。 In vain Captain
Nicholl strove with them。 A sea； breaching across from windward；
settled the matter and sent them leaping over the rail in heaps。 I
gained the captain's shoulder； and； holding on to him； I shouted in
his ear that if he would board the boat and prevent the men from
casting off； I would attend to the provisioning。
Little time was given me； however。 Scarcely had I managed； helped
by the second mate； Aaron Northrup； to lower away half…a…dozen
barrels and kegs； when all cried from the boat that they were
casting off。 Good reason they had。 Down upon us from windward was
drifting a towering ice…mountain； while to leeward； close aboard；
was another ice…mountain upon which we were driving。
Quicker in his leap was Aaron Northrup。 I delayed a moment； even as
the boat was shoving away； in order to select a spot amidships where
the men were thickest； so that their bodies might break my fall。 I
was not minded to embark with a broken member on so hazardous a
voyage in the longboat。 That the men might have room at the oars； I
worked my way quickly aft into the sternsheets。 Certainly； I had
other and sufficient reasons。 It would be more comfortable in the
sternsheets than in the narrow bow。 And further； it would be well
to be near the afterguard in whatever troubles that were sure to
arise under such circumstances in the days to come。
In the sternsheets were the mate； Walter Drake； the surgeon； Arnold
Bentham； Aaron Northrup； and Captain Nicholl； who was steering。 The
surgeon was bending over Northrup； who lay in the bottom groaning。
Not so fortunate had he been in his ill…considered leap； for he had
broken his right leg at the hip joint。
There was little time for him then； however； for we were labouring
in a heavy sea directly between the two ice islands that were
rushing together。 Nicholas Wilton； at the stroke oar； was cramped
for room； so I better stowed the barrels； and； kneeling and facing
him； was able to add my weight to the oar。 For'ard； I could see
John Roberts straining at the bow oar。 Pulling on his shoulders
from behind； Arthur Haskins and the boy； Benny Hardwater； added
their weight to his。 In fact； so eager were all hands to help that
more than one was thus in the way and cluttered the movements of the
rowers。
It was close work； but we went clear by a matter of a hundred yards；
so that I was able to turn my head and see the untimely end of the
Negociator。 She was caught squarely in the pinch and she was
squeezed between the ice as a sugar plum might be squeezed between
thumb and forefinger of a boy。 In the shouting of the wind and the
roar of water we heard nothing； although the crack of the brig's
stout ribs and deckbeams must have been enough to waken a hamlet on
a peaceful night。
Silently； easily； the brig's sides squeezed together； the deck
bulged up； and the crushed remnant dropped down and was gone； while
where she had been was occupied by the grinding conflict of the ice…
islands。 I felt regret at the destruction of this haven against the
elements； but at the same time was well pleased at thought of my
snugness inside my four shirts and three coats。
Yet it proved a bitter night； even for me。 I was the warmest clad
in the boat。 What the others must have suffered I did not care to
dwell upon over much。 For fear that we might meet up with more ice
in the darkness； we bailed and held the boat bow…on to the seas。
And continually； now with one mitten； now with the other； I rubbed
my nose that it might not freeze。 Also； with memories lively in me
of the home circle in Elkton； I prayed to God。
In the morning we took stock。 To commence with； all but two or
three had suffered frost…bite。 Aaron Northrup； unable to move
because of his broken hip； was very bad。 It was the surgeon's
opinion that both of Northrup's feet were hopelessly frozen。
The longboat was deep and heavy in the water； for it was burdened by
the entire ship's company of twenty…one。 Two of these were boys。
Benny Hardwater was a bare thirteen； and Lish Dickery； whose family
was near neighbour to mine in Elkton； was just turned sixteen。 Our
provisions consisted of three hundred…weight of beef and two
hundred…weight of pork。 The half…dozen loaves of brine…pulped
bread； which the cook had brought； did not count。 Then there were
three small barrels of water and one small keg of beer。
Captain Nicholl frankly admitted that in this uncharted ocean he had
no knowledge of any near land。 The one thing to do was to run for
more clement climate； which we accordingly did； setting our small
sail and steering quartering before the fresh wind to the north…
east。
The food problem was simple arithmetic。 We did not count Aaron
Northrup； for we knew he would soon be gone。 At a pound per day；
our five hundred pounds would last us twenty…five days； at half a
pound； it would last fifty。 So half a pound had it。 I divided and
issued the meat under the captain's eyes； and managed it fairly
enough； God knows； although some of the men grumbled from the first。
Also； from time to time I made fair division among the men of the
plug tobacco I had stowed in my many pocketsa thing which I could
not but regret； especially when I knew it was being wasted on this
man and that who I was certain could not live a day more； or； at
best； two days or three。
For we began to die soon in the open boat。 Not to starvation but to
the killing cold and exposure were those earlier deaths due。 It was
a matter of the survival of the toughest and the luckiest。 I was
tough by constitution； and lucky inasmuch as I was warmly clad and
had not broken my leg like Aaron Northrup。 Even so； so strong was
he that； despite being the first to be severely frozen； he was days
in passing。 Vance Hathaway was the first。 We found him in the gray
of dawn crouched doubled in the bow and frozen stiff。 The boy； Lish
Dickery； was the second to go。 The other boy； Benny Hardwater；
lasted ten or a dozen days。
So bitter was it in the boat that our water and beer froze solid；
and it was a difficult task justly to apportion the pieces I broke
off with Northrup's claspknife。 These pieces we put in our mouths
and sucked till they melted。 Also； on occasion of snow…squalls； we
had all the snow we desired。 All of which was not good for us；
causing a fever of inflammation to attack our mouths so that the
membranes were continually dry and burning。 And there was no
allaying a thirst so generated。 To suck more ice or snow was merely
to aggravate the inflammation。 More than anything else； I think it
was this that caused the death of Lish Dickery。 He was out of his
head and raving for twenty…four hours before he died。 He died
babbling for water