the life of horatio lord nelson-第2章

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ted　over　with　young　ice。　On　the　next　day　the　ice　closed　upon　them；　and　no　opening　was　to　be　seen　anywhere；　except　a　hole；　or　lake　as　it　might　be　called；　of　about　a　mile　and　a　half　in　circumference；　where　the　ships　lay　fast　to　the　ice　with　their　ice…anchors。　From　these　ice…fields　they　filled　their　casks　with　water；　which　was　very　pure　and　soft。　The　men　were　playing　on　the　ice　all　day；　but　the　Greenland　pilots；　who　were　further　than　they　had　ever　been　before；　and　considered　that　the　season　was　far　advancing；　were　alarmed　at　being　thus　beset。

The　next　day　there　was　not　the　smallest　opening；　the　ships　were　within　less　than　two　lengths　of　each　other；　separated　by　ice；　and　neither　having　room　to　turn。　The　ice；　which　the　day　before　had　been　flat　and　almost　level　with　the　water's　edge；　was　now　in　many　places　forced　higher　than　the　mainyard　by　the　pieces　squeezing　together。　A　day　of　thick　fog　followed：　it　was　succeeded　by　clear　weather；　but　the　passage　by　which　the　ships　had　entered　from　the　westward　was　closed；　and　no　open　water　was　in　sight；　either　in　that　or　any　other　quarter。　By　the　pilots'　advice　the　men　were　set　to　cut　a　passage；　and　warp　through　the　small　openings　to　the　westward。　They　sawed　through　pieces　of　ice　twelve　feet　thick；　and　this　labour　continued　the　whole　day；　during　which　their　utmost　efforts　did　not　move　the　ships　above　three　hundred　yards；　while　they　were　driven；　together　with　the　ice；　far　to　the　N。E。　and　E。　by　the　current。　Sometimes　a　field　of　several　acres　square　would　be　lifted　up　between　two　larger　islands；　and　incorporated　with　them；　and　thus　these　larger　pieces　continued　to　grow　by　aggregation。　Another　day　passed；　and　there　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　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　could　not　be　possible　to　get　the　boats　to　the　water's　edge　before　the　14th；　and　if　the　situation　of　the　ships　should　not　alter　by　that　time；　it　would　not　be　justifiable　to　stay　longer　by　them。　The　commander　therefore　resolved　to　carry　on　both　attempts　together；　moving　the　boats　constantly；　and　taking　every　opportunity　of　getting　the　ships　through。　A　party　was　sent　out　next　day　to　the　westward　to　examine　the　state　of　the　ice：　they　returned　with　tidings　that　it　was　very　heavy　and　close；　consisting　chiefly　of　large　fields。　The　ships；　however；　moved　something；　and　the　ice　itself　was　drifting　westward。　There　was　a　thick　fog；　so　that　it　was　impossible　to　ascertain　what　advantage　had　been　gained。　It　continued　on　the　9th；　but　the　ships　were　moved　a　little　through　some　very　small　openings：　the　mist　cleared　off　in　the　afternoon；　and　it　was　then　perceived　that　they　had　driven　much　more　than　could　have　been　expected　to　the　westward；　and　that　the　ice　itself　had　driven　still　further。　In　the　course　of　the　day　they　got　past　the　boats；　and　took　them　on　board　again。　On　the　morrow　the　wind　sprang　up　to　the　N。N。E。　All　sail　was　set；　and　the　ships　forced　their　way　through　a　great　deal　of　very　heavy　ice。　They　frequently　struck；　and　with　such　force　that　one　stroke　broke　the　shank　of　the　RACEHORSE's　best　bower…　anchor；　but　the　vessels　made　way；　and　by　noon　they　had　cleared　the　ice；　and　were　out　at　sea。　The　next　day　they　anchored　in　Smeerenberg　Harbour；　close　to　that　island　of　which　the　westernmost　point　is　called　Hakluyt's　Headland；　in　honour　of　the　great　promoter　and　compiler　of　our　English　voyages　of　discovery。

Here　they　remained　a　few　days；　that　the　men　might　rest　after　their　fatigue。　No　insect　was　to　be　seen　in　this　dreary　country；　nor　any　species　of　reptilenot　even　the　common　earth…worm。　Large　bodies　of　ice；　called　icebergs；　filled　up　the　valleys　between　high　mountains；　so　dark　as；　when　contrasted　with　the　snow；　to　appear　black。　The　colour　of　the　ice　was　a　lively　light　green。　Opposite　to　the　place　where　they　fixed　their　observatory　was　one　of　these　icebergs；　above　three　hundred　feet　high；　its　side　toward　the　sea　was　nearly　perpendicular；　and　a　stream　of　water　issued　from　it。　Large　pieces　frequently　broke　off　and　rolled　down　into　the　sea。　There　was　no　thunder　nor　lightning　during　the　whole　time　they　were　in　these　latitudes。　The　sky　was　generally　loaded　with　hard　white　clouds；　from　which　it　was　never　entirely　free　even　in　the　clearest　weather。　They　always　knew　when　they　were　approaching　the　ice　long　before　they　saw　it；　by　a　bright　appearance　near　the　horizon；　which　the　Greenlandmen　called　the　blink　of　the　ice。　The　season　was　now　so　far　advanced　that　nothing　more　could　have　been　attempted；　if　indeed　anything　had　been　left　untried；　but　the　summer　had　been　unusually　favourable；　and　they　had　carefully　surveyed　the　wall　of　ice；　extending　for　more　than　twenty　degrees　between　the　latitudes　of　80d　and　81d；　without　the　smallest　appearance　of　any　opening。

The　ships　were　paid　off　shortly　after　their　return　to　England；　and　Nelson　was　then　placed　by　his　uncle　with　Captain　Farmer；　in　the　SEAHORSE；　of　twenty　guns；　then　going　out　to　the　East　Indies　in　the　squadron　under　Sir　Edward　Hughes。　He　was　stationed　in　the　foretop　at　watch　and　watch。　His　good　conduct　attracted　the　attention　of　the　master　（afterwards　Captain　Surridge）；　in　whose　watch　he　was；　and　upon　his　recommendation　the　captain　rated　him　as　midshipman。　At　this　time　his　countenance　was　florid；　and　his　appearance　rather　stout　and　athletic；　but　when　he　had　been　about　eighteen　months　in　India；　he　felt　the　effects　of　that　climate；　so　perilous　to　European　constitutions。　The　disease　baffled　all　power　of　medicine；　he　was　reduced　almost　to　a　skeleton；　the　use　of　his　limbs　was　for　some　time　entirely　lost；　and　the　only　hope　that　remained　was　from　a　voyage　home。　Accordingly　he　was　brought　home　by　Captain　Pigot；　in　the　DOLPHIN；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　attentive　and　careful　kindness　of　that　officer　on　the　way；　Nelson　would　never　have　lived　to　reach　his　native　shores。　He　had　formed　an　acquaintance　with　Sir　Charles　Pole；　Sir　Thomas　Troubridge；　and　other　distinguished　officers；　then；　like　himself；　beginning　their　career：　he　had　left　them　pursuing　that　career　in　full　enjoyment　of　health　and　hope；　and　was　returning；　from　a　country　in　which　all　things　were　to　him　new　and　interesting；　with　a　body　broken　down　by　sickness；　and　spirits　which　had　sunk　with　his　strength。　Long　afterwards；　when　the　name　of　Nelson　was　known　as　widely　as　that　of　England　itself；　he　spoke　of　the　feelings　which　he　at　this　time　endured。　〃I　felt　impressed；〃　said　he；　〃with　a　feeling　that　I　should　never　rise　in　my　profession。　My　mind　was　staggered　with　a　view　of　the　difficulties　I　had　to　s