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[The Personal Diary of Dr. Clawbonny] November 30th 1860

From: Harry Hayfield <harryhayfield~at~googlemail.com>
Date: Tue, 24 May 2011 03:47:23 -0700 (PDT)
To: jvf~at~gilead.org.il

Now, you are probably wondering why I have not made any observations
for well over three months. There is a very simple reason for this.
Ice. When I last made my observations we had passed Dundas Island and
were hoping to make good progress before reaching any significant ice.
Sadly though that was not going to happen as towards the end of August,
the icebergs advanced. I suppose it should have been expected, after
all the temperature was 13°F (prime iceberg making conditions) and sure
enough by September 8th there was an impenetrable ice-bank in front of
us. The captain did all he could to force a passage, continually
risking his ship and getting out of danger by force of skill. He could
be accused of imprudence, want of reflection, folly, blindness, but he
was a good sailor, and one of the best! The situation of the Forward
became really dangerous; the sea closed up behind her, and in a few
hours the ice got so hard that the men could run along it and tow the
ship in all security. When that idea failed, he resorted to the old
standby of blowing things up. However, the following day that plan
nearly came a cropper thanks to an avalanche of ice.
The avalanche came nearer, and got bigger by the addition of the blocks
of ice which it caught in its passage; Hatteras gave orders to fire the
cannon in the bow to break the threatening line. But it arrived and
rushed on to the brig; a great crackling noise was heard, and as it
struck on the brig's starboard a part of her barricading was broken.
Hatteras gave his men orders to keep steady and prepare for the ice. It
came along in blocks; some of them weighing several hundredweight came
over the ship's side; the smaller ones, thrown up as high as the
topsails, fell in little spikes, breaking the shrouds and cutting the
rigging. The ship was boarded by these innumerable enemies, which in a
block would have crushed a hundred ships like the Forward. Some of the
sailors were badly wounded whilst trying to keep off the ice, and
Bolton had his left shoulder torn open. The noise was deafening. Dick
barked with rage at this new kind of enemy. The obscurity of the night
came to add to the horror of the situation, but did not hide the
threatening blocks, their white surface reflected the last gleams of
light. Hatteras's orders were heard in the midst of the crew's strange
struggle with the icebergs. The ship giving way to the tremendous
pressure, bent to the larboard, and the extremity of her mainyard
leaned like a buttress against the iceberg and threatened to break her
mast.Hatteras saw the danger; it was a terrible moment; the brig
threatened to turn completely over, and the masting might be carried
away. An enormous block, as big as the steamer itself, came up
alongside her hull; it rose higher and higher on the waves; it was
already above the poop; it fell over the Forward. All was lost; it was
now upright, higher than the gallant yards, and it shook on its
foundation. A cry of terror escaped the crew. Everyone fled to
starboard. But at this moment the steamer was lifted completely up, and
for a little while she seemed to be suspended in the air, and fell
again on to the ice-blocks; then she rolled over till her planks
cracked again. After a minute, which appeared a century, she found
herself again in her natural element, having been turned over the
ice-bank that blocked her passage by the rising of the sea.
Heaving massive sighs of relief all round, we managed to make a good
amount of progress until September 15th when we became well and truly
stuck at 78° 15' North and 95° 35' West and stuck we have been since
then. And with the temperature falling consistently, (+7°F on September
15th, -3°F on October 10th, -4°F on October 25th, -5°F on November 3rd
(at 6.00am!), -24°F on November 15th, and -32°F just 48 hours ago)
which is leading to vast numbers of materials freezing solid, could
lead to this expedition perishing. But I have faith in the good captain
and am sure he will be able to figure something out sooner rather than
later.

--
Posted By Harry Hayfield to The Personal Diary of Dr. Clawbonny on
5/24/2011 11:47:00 AM

Received on Tue 24 May 2011 - 13:47:31 IDT

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