“But let us suppose that, after many hours of this sort of unprofitable labor, the floes release their pressure, or the ice becomes frail and light. "Get ready the lines!" Out jumps an unfortunate with a fortypound "hook" upon his shoulder, and, after one or two duckings, tumbles over the ice and plants his anchor on a distant cape, in line with our wished-for direction. The poor fellow has done more than carry his anchor; for a long white cord has been securely fastened to it, which they "pay out" from aboard ship as occasion requires. This is a whale-line-cordage thin, light, strong, and of the best material. It passes inboard through a block, and then, with a few artistic turns, around the capstan. Its "slack" or loose end is carried to a little windlass at our main-mast. Now comes the warping again. The first or heavy warping we called "heaving:" this last is a civilized performance; "all hands" walking round with the capstan-bars to the click of its iron pauls, or else, if the watch be fresh, to a jolly chorus of sailors' songs.”
[The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, Kane, 1854]
Elisha Kent Kane (1820 – 1857)