126 EMPLOYMENT OF THE CREW. 



Chatham Dock-yard, an industrious and active 

 man, set to work with seeming delight, and in 

 a few days the worm was replaced and again 

 bricked up. I determined, however, on a gene- 

 ral inspection of the whole range before the fire 

 should be again lighted. In the meantime the 

 steam and vapour on the lower deck spread over 

 the whole upper surface and sides, as well as on 

 the beams and stanchions, and then becoming 

 condensed and falling in every direction, acted 

 something like a shower bath. Rather than 

 suffer this, the consequences of which on the 

 general health might soon have been felt, the 

 hatches were again thrown open, and the clouds 

 of dense vapour suffered to escape. It was my 

 intention, in case the heat generated by the 

 warming apparatus should not be adequate to 

 the absorption of the moisture, to have iron tanks 

 placed on the upper deck as condensers ; but the 

 plan for the present was delayed, for being quite 

 ignorant of what the next spring-tides might 

 produce, I was more tardy in making final ar- 

 rangements for the winter as well as in organis- 

 ing occupations for keeping up the health and 

 spirits of the crew, than was consistent with my 

 own wishes. Not a day, however, had been suf- 

 fered to pass without some active employment, 

 either in the duties of the ship, or on the ice, 

 where healthy exercise was turned to profitable 



