630 ABATEMENT OF THE GALE. 



kayak, and got it also. Mr. Meyer and Fred. Jamkins 

 fell into the water. Luckily, we had two or three dry 

 shirts left, so that they could change. Most every man is 

 more or less wet. Have taken our tent down and pitched 

 it on the middle of our little piece of ice, with our boat 

 alongside. Joe has built another hut alongside the tent. 

 We have made our breakfast on a few ounces of pemmi- 

 can and bread. Have set a watch, and the remainder of 

 us have laid down to get some sleep, which we are in need 

 of. Wind W. N. W. ; still blowing a gale. I think there 

 is a northeaster outside, by the way the pass has closed. 



"April 9. Things were quiet last night. Wind N. W. ; 

 blowing a N. E. gale outside. The sun has shown himself 

 for a few minutes. Mr. Meyer shot him ; latitude 55 

 51' north. The sea runs very high, threatening to wash 

 ins off every minute. We are in the hands of God ; may 

 he preserve us ! The ice is much slacker, and the water is 

 coming nearer. Things look very bad. God knows how 

 the night will end. Evening. Washed out of our tent ; 

 Hannah from her snow-hut. . Have gotten everything in 

 the boat ready for a start ; she can never live in such a 

 sea. The sun has set very good. Land in sight. It has 

 cheered us up. The women and children are in the boat. 

 We have not a dry place to walk about, nor a piece of 

 fresh-water ice to eat. The sea has swept over all ; the 

 ice is closing in fast; the wind and sea going down. Mid- 

 night, twelve o'clock. Things look so quiet and the ico 

 so closed around that we have pitched our tent, intending 

 to have a sleep, for we are worn out." 



The 10th brought slight relief in the abatement of the 

 gale. The ice still beset them, however, and no movement 

 in the boat was practicable. The succeeding days, till tho 

 14th, showed no change, and no opportunity offered either 

 to escape from their little ice-cake or to procure seals, 

 Of the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th, the diary tells the story 

 graphically and briefly : 



