34 
look for inhabitants, but thinking 
that St. Peter’s-island would be 
the nearest inhabited place (and 
it being impossible for us to take 
provisions with us to last until we 
got there), I determined that we 
should go upon an allowance, and 
remain there until the spring, ex- 
pecting the commencement ear- 
ly in March; but in that I was 
mistaken. We had a very severe 
winter, almost perished with hung- 
er and cold ! 
‘* We agreed to live on six 
ounces of beef aday. Wehad very 
little bread, only about a hundred 
weight, and it was wet; we had 
a very good stock of potatoes, but 
they, too; got wet in getting them 
on shore, and the greater part of 
them wasted by the frost. We had 
four potatoes a-piece served out, 
as long as they lasted, which was 
till the latter end of February. 
On the 30th of December the cook 
died ; he was a native of Africa. 
* In the'winter we got the long- 
boat decked, and on the 20th of 
April launched her down on the 
ice. On the 23rd the ice broke, 
and the wind being fair, we made 
sail from our dreary abode. At 
eight o'clock got in between the 
ice, and stuck so fast that we 
could not get out. On the 24th 
blowing very hardfromthe N.N.E. 
and snowing, the ice stove in two 
planks of the long-boat’s bow. 
Fortunately, having the jolly boat 
with us, we all got into her. It 
became moderate in the course of 
an hour, and froze very hard. It 
was one of the coldest nights I 
éver experienced. 
On the 25th, Wm. Hayton, 
Henry Todhunter, and William 
Crompton died ; the latter belong- 
ed to: Newcastle. The 26th, John 
Durham, of Whitehaven, and Tho- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
mas Chapman, of Ulverston, ‘car- 
penter, died. The 27th, Joseph 
Atkinson died, and on the 28th, 
John Cannon. We were still on 
the ice,and drifting out to sea. 
On the 30th, drifting close past 
the Bird Islands, we hauled the 
boat upon a large island of ice. 
On the 3rd of May, I am sorry to 
inform you, | buried Joseph Losh. 
On the 5th, in the morning, we 
were between St. Paul’s Island and 
Cape Breton. Theweatherclear- 
ing up, and the ice breaking, we 
got the jolly boat off, and pulled 
in towards Cape North. Finding 
we could not get within two miles 
of the shore for ice, we stood to 
the S. E. twenty miles round the 
ice, and landed the next night, 
one man, a boy, and myself’; the 
man being nearly exhausted. I got 
a fire on shore, having tinder and 
matches with me. As soon as I 
got warmed, I found great pain in 
my feet, J. Makinson the same, 
The bay being still full of ice, we 
could not reach any inhabitants. 
On the 12th, Thomas Walstaff, of 
Exeter, died. I kept him in the 
boat (to make use of), but’ for- 
tunately the ice cleared away on 
the 14th, and we arrived here onthe 
15th. Thus, out of fourteen, only 
John Makinson (the boy), and 
myself are remaining. Our legs 
swell very much, but we expect 
to be better soon. 
“Tam, &c. 
‘* THOMAS OsBORNE.” 
“To Mr. John Osborne, Workington.” 
23. This morning, between 4 
and 5o’clock, a very alarming fire 
broke out at Mr. Dunkin’s, tallow- 
melter,in Aldersgate-street, whose 
valuable premises were entirely 
destroyed, as also : great part of 
Mr. Cokerton’s, oil and colour- 
man : so rapid was the progress of 
