^rARPvATIYE OF A VOYAGE TO SPITZBETIGEN. 461 



and assiduity that was really astonisliiDg, notwith- 

 standing every blow of his axe brought a shower of 

 water about his head. 



Meanwhile that we had good assistance, I allow- 

 ed our crew four hours rest, half of them at a time ; 

 for which purpose, some of their beds were removed 

 from the ice to the ship. Here, for the first time 

 during four days, they enjoyed their repose ; for, on 

 account of the cold and damp that prevailed when 

 they rested on the ice, several of them, I believe, 

 never slept. Some of the John's people, returning 

 to us, swayed up the top-masts, and rigged most of 

 the yards, while our men were employed stowing the 

 main hold, which, by the floating of the casks, was 

 thrown into a singular state of disorder. Some of 

 the casks were found without heads, and all the 

 blubber lost, and many were found bilged, or other- 

 wise damaged. 



After the carpenters had completely cleared the 

 roomsiead*^ they drove oakum into it, along with an 

 improved woollen sheathing substance, and occasion- 

 ally, where the spaces were very large, pieces of fat 

 pork. The spaces or crevices between the planks of 

 the ceiling and the timber being then filled, all the 

 above substances were firmly driven down by means 

 of pine wedges, and the space between each of the 



* Koomslead is the sj)ace between any two ribs or frames 

 of timber in a ship. 



