Capt. Parry's Voyage of Discovery, 387 



in what manner they passed their time, during three months of 

 nearly total darkness, in the middle of a severe winter, and in a 

 climate where Europeans never wintered before : 



' The officers and quarter-masters were divided into four 

 watches, which were regularly kept, as at sea, while the remain- 

 der of the ship's company were allowed to enjov their night's rest 

 undisturbed. The hands were turned up at a quarter before six, 

 and both decks were well rubbed with stones and warm sand be- 

 fore eiglit o'clock, nt which time, as usual at sea, both officers 

 and men went to breakfast. Three-quarters of an hour being 

 allowed after breakfast for the men to prepare themselves for 

 muster, we then beat to divisions punctually at a quarter past 

 nine, when every person on board atteirJed on the quarter-deck, 

 and a strict inspection of tlie men took place, as to their personal 

 cleanliness, and the good condition, as well as sufficient warmth, 

 of their clothing. The reports of the officers having been made 

 to n)e, the people were then allowed to walk about, or, more 

 usually, to run round the upper deck, while I went down to ex- 

 amine the state of that below, accompanied, as 1 before men- 

 tioned, by Lieut. Beechey and Mr. Edwards. The state of this 

 deck may be said, indeed, to have constituted the chief source of 

 our anxiety, and to have occupied by far the greatest share of our 

 attention at this period. Whenever any dampness appeared, 

 or, what more frecpiently happened, any accumulation of ice had 

 taken place during the preceding ni[;ht, the necessary means were 

 immetliately adopted for removing it ; in the former case, usually 

 by rubbing the wood with cloths, and then directing the warm 

 air-pipe towards the place ; and in the latter, by scraping off the 

 ice, so as to prevent its welting the deck by any accidental in- 

 crease of temperature. In this respect, the bed-places were par- 

 ticularly troublesome ; the inner partition, or that next the ship's 

 side, being almost invariably covered with more or less dampness 

 or ice, according to the temperature of the deck during the pre- 

 ceding night. This inconvoiiencc might, to a great degree, h;ive 

 !>een avoided, bv a sufficient (luantity of fuel to keep up two good 

 fires on the lower dock, throughout the twenty-four hours ; but 

 our stock of coals would by no means permit this, bearing in 

 mind the possibility of or.r spending a second winter witiiin the 

 Arctic circle ; and this comfort could only, therefore, be allowed 

 on a few occasions, during the most severe part of the winter. 



* In the course of my examuiation of the lower deck, I had 

 always an opporttmitv of seeing those k^w men who were on the 

 sick list, and of receiving from Mr. Edwards a report of their 

 respective cases; as also of consulting that ;;eiiileman as to the 

 mciius of improving the warmth, ventilation, auci general comfort 

 of the inhabited parts of the ship. Having performed this diily, 

 .*] C 2 vvc 



