c 26 c 2 cook's voyage TO AUG, 



plank in the wale were found to be so exceedingly 

 rotten, as to make it necessary to shift it. This left 

 us for some time at a stand, as nothing was to be 

 found, in either ship, wherewith to replace it, unless 

 we chose to cut up a top- mast ; an expedient not to 

 be had recourse to, till all others failed. The car- 

 penters were therefore sent on shore in the afternoon 

 in search of a tree big enough for the purpose. 

 Luckily they found a birch, which I believe was the 

 only one of sufficient size in the whole neighbourhood 

 of the bay, and which had been sawed down by 

 us when we were last here; so that it had the 

 advantage of having lain some time to season. This 

 was shaped on the spot, and brought on board the 

 next morning. 



As the season was now so far advanced, I was 

 fearful lest any delay or hindrance should arise, on 

 our parts, to Captain Gore's farther views of dis- 

 covery, and therefore gave orders that no more 

 sheathing should be ripped off, than was absolutely 

 necessary for repairing the damages sustained by the 

 ice. This I did, being apprehensive of their meet- 

 ing with more decayed planks, which, I judged, had 

 much better remain in that state, than be filled up 

 with green birch, upon a supposition that such was to 

 be had. All hands were at present, busily employed 

 in separate duties, that every thing might be in 

 readiness for sea, against the time our carpenters 

 should have finished their work. We set apart four 

 men to haul the seine for salmon, which were caught 

 in great abundance, and found to be of an excellent 

 quality. After supplying the immediate wants of 

 both ships, we salted down near a hogshead a-day. 

 The invalids, who were four in number, were em- 

 ployed in gathering greens, and in cooking for the 

 parties on shore. Our powder was also landed, in 

 order to be dried ; and the sea-horse blubber, with 

 which both ships, in our passage to the north (as has 

 been before related), had stored themselves, was now 



