other buoys had been removed ; but the three pilots onboard, including two that belonged to the ship, concurred in stating the practicability of ascending the river to Cuxhaven without the buoys provided Captain Wallis would proceed between half-ebb and half-flood, as they should then see the sands, the marks of which were perfectly well known to them.

Accordingly, on the morning of the 31st, the Proserpine weighed, and stood up the river, with the same favourable wind and weather as on the preceding day ; having ahead of her the Prince-of-.Wales packet, which had kept company from Yarmouth. At about 4 p.m., when within four miles of Cuxhaven, it began to snow, and soon came on so thick, that the Proserpine was compelled to anchor. At this time very little ice was seen in the river ; but at 9 p.m. the wind shifted to east by south, and blew a most dreadful snow-storm ; causing such heavy masses of ice to press on the frigate, that it was only by having all hands on deck, and using every precaution to save the cables from being cut, that she preserved her station till morning.

On the 1st of February, at 8 a.m., the flood-tide, having carried back the ice, and left an opening below ; while the river above was completely blocked up. No possibility now existing of proceeding higher up, the Proserpine weighed and stood out, to endeavour to make a landing on some part of the coast of Jutland, Mr. Grenville urging to Captain Wallis the necessity of his being put on shore as early as possible. Scarcely had the pilots declared that the Proserpine was clear of all the sands, when, at about 9 h. 30 m. p.m., the ship struck on nearly the extremity of the Scaron, or the sand that stretches out from Newark island. As it blew a very heavy gale of wind, the Proserpine, although with no other sail set than the foretopmast stay-sail, had struck with great force. On sounding, no more than 10 feet of water was found under the forepart of her keel.

Immediately the boats were got ready to carry out an anchor but, it being high water, the ice pressed so upon the ship as to render the attempt impracticable, and the boats were hoisted in again. All hands were now employed in shoring the ship, in order that she might heel towards the bank. The first run of the tide, however, brought down such heavy masses of ice, that the shores were carried away, the copper torn off from the starboard. side of the ship, and the rudder cut in two, the lower part lying on the ice under the counter. Hopes were still entertained of getting the ship off at the next high water ; and, in order to lighten her for that purpose, her guns and stores were thrown overboard, all of which were borne up by the ice.

At 10 p.m., which was the time for high water, the southeast gale had so kept back the tide, that there was less water by three feet than when the ship had struck. All hopes of saving the Proserpine were thus at an end ; and, on the return of the ebb-tide, the ship was expected every moment to be torn

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