CHAP. VI.] OCCUPATIONS. 391 



did omit except on urgent occasions, the ob- 

 servance of divine service ; but a fine day was so 

 uncommon, that we were glad to take advantage 

 of it under any circumstances. The ice continued 

 as close as ever, there being only one small hole 

 of water near the ship. Here some narwhales 

 came to breathe ; and, as their timidity is extreme, 

 they would scarcely have ventured so near, had 

 there been any other place for the purpose. At 

 noon Salisbury Island was in sight from the deck, 

 much in the same bearing as before. The latter 

 part of the day was employed in erecting with 

 the spare topmasts a pair of sheers, to transport 

 the temporary rudder aft, and get it over the 

 ship's side, in case the original one could not be 

 brought into use when the ship floated. At mid- 

 night the ice round us was slightly in motion but 

 still kept close. 



July 10th. Water was discovered about six miles 

 off, from S. W. to S. E., along the Labrador coast, 

 and at noon Salisbury Island bore W.N. W. The 

 people resumed their sawing in the early morning ; 

 and, although from the hardness of the ice, they 

 did not make their usual progress, yet they kept 

 hard at work, in the hope of reaching the stern- 

 post in another twenty-four hours. Not far from 

 them, others were cutting a new trench at right 

 angles to the ship, where it was intended to saw, 

 in order, if possible, to disunite some of the ice 



c c 4 



