8 VESSEL PURCHASED. 



had been made, I found the vessel lying at a wharf, 

 heavily laden with a cargo brought from the West 

 Indies. She was a strong, snug, jaunty looking craft, 

 and appeared to be well adapted for the peculiar 

 service to which she was destined. Her " register " 

 quaintly set forth that she was " A 1," that she meas- 

 ured one hundred and thirty-three tons burden, that 

 she was a fore-and-aft schooner, drew eight feet of 

 water, and was named Spring Hill. For this name 

 we at once substituted United States, which change 

 w r as, upon my memorial, subsequently confirmed by 

 act of Congress. 



The season was now growing very late. Before 

 the vessel had been purchased it was fully time that 

 I should have been upon my voj^age, and every day's 

 delay added to my anxiety lest I should be unable to 

 penetrate the Baffin's Bay ice, and secure a harbor 

 before the winter had shut out all access to the land. 

 It was therefore with no small degree of satisfaction 

 that I saw the schooner on the ways in the ship- 

 yard of Mr. Kelly in East Boston, and the work of 

 refitting her going rapidly forward. 



As a protection against the wear and pressure of the 

 ice, a strong sheathing of two and a half inch oak 

 planking was spiked to her sides, and the bows were 

 cased with thick iron plates as far aft as the fore- 

 chains. Internally she was strengthened with heavy 

 beams, crossing at intervals of twelve feet a little 

 below the water-line, which, as well as the deck-tim- 

 bers, were supported by additional knees and diagonal 

 braces. For convenience of working among the ice, 

 her rig was changed from a fore-and-aft to a foretop- 

 eail schooner. 



Owing to many unavoidable delays, the month of 



