OF THE POLAR SEA. 575 



day I felt very weak and sore in the joints, par- 

 ticularly between the shoulders. At eight we 

 encamped among a small clump of willows. 



On the 6th we set out at an early hour, pursu- 

 ing our route over a range of hills, at the foot of 

 one of which we saw several large pines, and a 

 great quantity of willows ; a sight that encourag- 

 ed us to quicken our pace, as we were now certain 

 we could not be far from the woods. Indeed we 

 were making considerable progress, when Be- 

 langer unfortunately broke through the ice, and 

 sunk up to the hips. The weather being cold, he 

 was in danger of freezing, but some brushwood 

 on the borders of the lake enabled us to make a 

 fire to dry him. At the same time we took the 

 opportunity of refreshing ourselves with a kettle 

 of swamp tea. 



My increasing debility had £ot some time 

 obliged me to use a stick for the purpose of ex- 

 tending my arms ; the pain in my shoulders being 

 so acute, that I could not bear them to remain in 

 the usual position for two minutes together. We 

 halted at five among some smaU brushwood, and 

 made a sorry meal of an old pair of leather 

 trowscrs, and some swamp tea. 



The night was cold with a hard frost, and 

 though two persons slept together, yet we could 

 not by any means keep ourselves warm, but re- 



