The 10th of this month the harbour was totally froze up, and all communication with the shore cut off, at which time we had a gang of men on shore fitting the rigging. Captain [Charles] Hudson directed me to take a quartermaster with me, and endeavour, by breaking the ice, to get a boat on shore with provisions for the people. With the utmost difficulty we got into the boat astern, for it must be remarked that though the ice was four feet thick, it was of a substance incapable of bearing the weight of a man, occasioned by the rapidity of the tides. Having with the utmost difficulty reached about half way on shore, we began to discover the danger we were exposed to, as we made no progress but with the tide, which was setting us directly at sea in a large field of ice. Thus situated, Captain Hudson made the signal for us to return to the ship, but that I found totally impracticable. The Commodore [Marriot Arbuthnot], Captain [John] Symons of the Cerberus and the master attendant was hailing me from the wharf also to return to the ship; in complying with which I increased my danger by getting more in the centre of the tide, and hundreds of people were assembled to see the fatal consequences that would befall two boats ー another with a man and his son ー attempting at that time to cross the harbour. However, just at dark, with the greatest exertions, we got near enough for a man to throw us a lead from the Cerberus' jib-boom end, and at length was hauled by it alongside of the wharf where she lay, having been six hours in the above situation, and both myself and the quartermaster frostbit, and a sad witness of the other boat's distress, which was drove to sea and both the man and his son froze to death, having two days after been picked up at the entrance of the harbour. I did not return to the Orpheus for two days, during which I received all possible care and attention from Mr. Prowse, the master attendant, who was master of the Torbay when I belonged to her.