ELISHA KENT KANE. 65 



resolved to do his whole duty, and every thing went 

 on cheerily and bravely. For my own part, I had 

 become quite an invalid, so much so as to prevent 

 my taking an active part in the duties of the vessel 

 as I had always done, or even from incurring the 

 exposure necessary to proper exercise. However, 

 I felt no apprehensions that the vessel would not be 

 properly taken care of, for I had perfect confidence 

 in one and all by whom I was surrounded. I knew 

 them to be equal to any emergency; but I felt under 

 special obligations to the gallant commander of the 

 Rescue for the efficient aid he rendered me. "With 

 the kindest consideration and the most cheerful 

 alacrity, he volunteered to perform the executive 

 duties during the winter and relieve me from every 

 thing that might tend in the least to retard my re- 

 covery. 



"During the remainder of December the ice re- 

 mained quiet immediately around us, and breaks 

 were all strongly cemented by new ice. In our 

 neighborhood, however, cracks were daily visible. 

 Our drift to the eastward averaged nearly six miles 

 per day ; so that on the last of the month we were 

 at the entrance of the Sound, Cape Osborn bearing 

 north from us. 



"As the season advanced, the cases of scurvy be- 

 came more numerous ; yet they were all kept under 



E 6* 



