382 CAULKING, &C. [cHAP.VI. 



during the night, Barometer 29-95. A few 

 holes, some distance apart, showed themselves in 

 the evening, but, on the whole, the ice was ex- 

 tremely close. The carpenters completed and 

 had made a good job of the fore-foot, which was 

 well secured with three plates of iron. 



June 29th. Land was faintly seen from S. S. E. 

 to S. W. ; tiie work went on as usual. At noon 

 the south-east wind had drifted us a little to the 

 west, the ice being very close and no land in 

 sight. Temperature from 32° to 36° 4- . Nothing 

 transpired to alter our condition, for the wind 

 with singular constancy kept to its old point of 

 south-east, and consequently wedged the ice 

 closer than ever ; nevertheless all opportunities 

 were seized to do whatever might accelerate our 

 release from this icy cradle, and the carpenters 

 were again busied in caulking the butt ends of 

 the planking, as they came day by day within 

 reach. 



On June 30th, four white whales appeared 

 in a small hole of water near the ship, and 

 occasionally a seal popped up its head. The 

 laborious work upon the mounds went on cheerily, 

 and though some of the men began to be affected 

 with inflamed eyes, they did not on that account 

 shrink from their duty. They had all along 

 worn each a small screen of green veil ; but rinding 

 that this did not effectually answer the purpose, they 



