They had barely accomplished this when the berg gave indications of breaking up, so they cast off again in great haste, and not long afterwards a mass of ice, many tons in weight, fell from the edge of the berg close to where they had been moored.
The captain now beat up for the land in the hope of finding anchoring-ground.

At first the ice presented an impenetrable barrier, but at length a lead of open water was found, through which they passed to within a few hundred yards of the shore, which at this spot showed a front of high precipitous cliffs.
"Stand by to let go the anchor!" shouted the captain.
"Ay, ay, sir." "Down your helm! Let go!" Down went the anchor to the music of the rattling chain-cable--a sound which had not been heard since the good ship left the shores of Old England.
"If we were only a few yards farther in, sir," remarked the first-mate, "we should be better.

I'm afraid of the stream of ice coming round yonder point." "So am I," replied the captain; "but we can scarcely manage it, I fear, on account of the shore ice.

Get out a boat, Mr.Saunders, and try to fix an anchor.

We may warp in a few yards." The anchor was fixed, and the men strained at the capstan with a will, but, notwithstanding their utmost efforts, they could not penetrate the shore ice.