48 HUDSON. 



carpenter made his rejoinder by telling Hudson he knew 

 his duty, that he was no house-carpenter. Such, at 

 least, is the story of Pricket, one of those who came 

 home in the vessel ; but the subsequent noble conduct 

 of the carpenter, in refusing to desert Hudson, shows 

 that the latter must have stood high in his esteem and 

 affection, notwithstanding this altercation. The house 

 was ultimately built, but proved to be of no use. 



The winter was intensely cold, and the ship's com- 

 pany ill provided with necessaries. Their sufferings 

 were great, and most of them were lamed, or some way 

 injured. They eked out their provisions by wild fowl 

 of several kinds, having taken more than a hundred 

 dozen of " white partridges," as they styled them. 

 When these birds left in the spring, they had swans, 

 geese, ducks, and teal. When these had gone away, 

 they devoured moss, frogs, and buds. One of the crew 

 having brought the buds of a tree full of some substance 

 like turpentine, a decoction of it was made by the sur- 

 geon for drink, and much ease was experienced by 

 applying it hot to their frozen limbs. While the spring 

 lasted, about the time the ice was breaking up, the 

 savages visited them, and they trafficked with them, 

 and gave the crew furs in exchange for knives, looking- 

 glasses, and buttons. 



Hudson now prepared to return home. He delivered 

 out the last pound of bread to each man, just as they 

 were preparing for along and perilous voyage, without 

 provisions for the entire crew for more than ten days ; 

 and also gave what Pricket calls a " bill of returne," 

 that if ever they got home they might show it, and 

 he wept as he gave it to them. Fourscore small fish, 

 taken just afterwards, were a seasonable relief to them, 

 though but little towards satisfying their hunger beyond 

 the moment. 



