318 FLOCK OF BIRDS. [CHAP.V. 



able to do their duty and free from pain, con- 

 tinued to walk lame from the rigidity of which 

 I have so often spoken. 



April 20th. The outside caulking of the ship 

 was completed as far as practicable j and though 

 under some disadvantage, on account of the 

 pressure of our inclined position, yet the carpen- 

 ters were desired to proceed with the same 

 operation along the water ways and upper deck. 

 The sails were also under examination, and had 

 prudence permitted us to restow the six months' 

 provisions, which sadly lumbered the quarter 

 deck and gangways, we might soon have assumed 

 something of a ship-shape appearance. This 

 however could not be until the ship was fairly 

 afloat, and it was necessary therefore to be satis- 

 fied with having all in readiness for good or 

 evil. At noon the ice, affected by the con- 

 stant blowing of the northely wind, w r hich had 

 prevailed since the day before, was found to 

 have gone considerably to the eastward. A 

 large flock of birds, supposed to be ducks, though 

 more likely dovekies, was observed flying north- 

 ward. 



At daylight of the 21st, it was found that 

 the spring tide had set us farther east than 

 we had yet been : a hole or two of water also 

 was seen within a few hundred yards of the ship, 

 and the ice had the appearance of easing down, 



14 



