OF THE POLAR SEA, S5« 



sufFering from cold, in a comfortless canvass tent 

 in such weather, with the temperature at 20°, 

 and without fire, will easily be imagined ; it 

 was, however, less than that which we felt from 

 hunger. 



The morning of the 7th cleared up a little, but 

 the wind was still strong, and the weather ex- 

 tremely cold. From the unusual continuance of 

 the storm, we feared the winter had set in with 

 all its rigour, and that by longer delay we should 

 only be exposed to an accumulation of difficulties ; 

 we therefore prepared for our journey, although 

 we were in a very unfit condition for starting, 

 being weak from fasting, and our garments stif- 

 fened by the frost. We had no means of making 

 a fire to thaw them, the moss, at all times diffi- 

 cult to kindle, being now covered with ice and 

 snow. A considerable time was consumed in 

 packing up the frozen tents and bed clothes, the 

 wind blowing so strong that no one could keep 

 his hands long out of his mittens. 



Just as we were about to commence our march, 

 I was seized with a fainting fit, in consequence of 

 exhaustion and sudden exposure to the wind; 

 but after eating a morsel of portable soup, I re- 

 covered, so far as to be able to move on. I was 

 unwilling at first to take this morsel of soup, 

 which was diminishing the small and only re- 



