170 GLOOMINESS OF THE CREW. 



the very rocks, and with the aid of the gale, 

 the whole mass having been driven away, an 

 interval was produced, which was already firmly 

 frozen over. As to the rest, no water was 

 visible ; but what gave us infinitely more 

 pleasure, the sun peeped over the distant moun- 

 tains, gladdening us with his returning beams, 

 after a short absence of twelve days. It was a 

 glorious and a joyful sight, when we considered 

 that each day would make its influence more 

 felt, and that at last, having liberated us from 

 our crystal bonds, it might light us to a happy 

 issue of our labours. 



Sailors, it is proverbial, are naturally light 

 hearted, and have in general a great flow of 

 animal spirits ; but in this respect ours most 

 assuredly differed from their brother tars. Whe- 

 ther this arose from the services in which they 

 had been brought up, or from their never having 

 been subject to the salutary influence of naval 

 discipline, I know not, but certainly their want 

 of cheerfulness was not attributable to any lack 

 of example or encouragement on the part of the 

 officers. For about six hours every day except 

 Sundays, they were kept at some easy work on 

 the ice, as was absolutely requisite for their 

 health ; but it was in vain that we endeavoured 

 to lead them into the wholesome habit of amusing 

 themselves with games or dancing, to cheer their 



