THE "plover" afloat. 203 



out, and always carried fire-arms. By the time this 

 task was concluded we had begun to cut out of our 

 icy prison, a work which fully employed our small 

 crew for the major part of a month. The distance 

 from the ship to the edge of the ice was about a 

 mile and a quarter, and the ice averaged quite five 

 feet in thickness. This work was continued through 

 some very severe weather, without other than una- 

 voidable cessation, and we were heartily glad on the 

 13th of June to see a clear lane of water reaching to 

 the long imprisoned " Plover," which soon quitted her 

 " icy cradle " and lay once more free on the bosom of 

 the wave. This event well nigh concluded our 

 communications with the Tuski. We anchored near 

 Woorel and were invaded by an almost unbroken 

 stream of atwoits, which were crowded with natives, 

 who came to take a last farewell of the friends so lately 

 made to be so soon separated. The greater number 

 of our visitants were women, the men being diligently 

 engaged in making the most of thek brief season of 

 summer : they came laden with presents, wild-fowl, 

 which had now arrived in numbers ; eggs ; boots, 

 belts, and gloves all finely embroidered, and whatever 

 else they thought would be appreciated. I have much 

 satisfaction in recording an instance of grateful feeling 

 which occurred at this time, a lively proof of the 



