NORTHERN OCEAN. 
nuous exertions : it not only enfeebles the body, 
but cepreffes the {pirits, in {pite of every effort to 
prevent it. Befides, for want of action, the fto- 
mach fo far lofes its digeftive powers, that after 
Jong fafling it refumes its office with pain and 
reluctance. During this journey I have too fre- 
quently experienced the dreadful effects of this 
calamity, and more than once been reduced to 
fo low a ftate by hunger and fatigue, that when 
Providence threw any thing in my way, my fto- 
mach has fcarcely been able to retain more than 
two or three ounces, without producing the 
-moft oppreffive pain. Another difagreeable cir- 
cumftance of long fafting is, the extreme diffi- 
culty and pain attending the natural evacuations 
for the firft time; and which is fo dreadful, that 
of it none but thofe who have experienced can 
have an adequate idea. 
To record in detail each day’s fare fince the 
commencement of this journey, would be little 
more than a‘dull repetition of the fame occur- 
rences. A fufficient idea of it may be given ina 
few words, by obferving that it may juftly be faid 
to have been either all feafting, or all famine: 
fometimes we had too much, feldom juft enough, 
frequently too little, andoften none at all. It 
will be only neceffary to fay that we have fatted 
many times two whole days and nights; twice 
upwards of three days; and once, while at She- 
than-nee, near feven days, during which we taft- 
ed not a mouthful of any thing, except a few 
D cran- 
