At last we were about to leave our encampment and take up our stations (some of the sailors were there already), when cries of amazement and fear were raised.

What a frightful scene, and, short as it may have been, what an impression of terror it left on our minds! One of the enormous blocks which formed the bank of the mud-bed where the _Halbrane_ lay, having become loose owing to the melting of its base, had slipped and was bounding over the others down the incline.
In another moment, the schooner, being no longer retained in position, was swinging on this declivity.
On board, on deck, in front, there were two sailors, Rogers and Gratian.

In vain did the unfortunate men try to jump over the bulwarks, they had not time, and they were dragged away in this dreadful fall.
Yes! I saw it! I saw the schooner topple over, slide down first on its left side, crush one of the men who delayed too long about jumping to one side, then bound from block to block, and finally fling itself into space.
In another moment the _Halbrane_, staved in, broken up, with gaping planks and shattered ribs, had sunk, causing a tremendous jet of water to spout up at the foot of the iceberg.
Horrified! yes, indeed, we were horrified when the schooner, carried off as though by an avalanche, had disappeared in the abyss! Not a particle of our _Halbrane_ remained, not even a wreck! A minute ago she was one hundred feet in the air, now she was five hundred in the depths of the sea! Yes, we were so stupefied that we were unable to think of the dangers to come--our amazement was that of people who "cannot believe their eyes." Prostration succeeded as a natural consequence.

There was not a word spoken.

We stood motionless, with our feet rooted to the icy soil.
No words could express the horror of our situation! As for West, when the schooner had disappeared in the abyss, I saw big tears fall from his eyes.