278 GREENLAND. 



through with pick-axes, tooke so much water as served for 

 our drinking. 



This continued with us untill the tenth of Januarie, and 

 then were wee faine to make shift with snow-water, which 

 we melted by putting hot Irons into it. And this was our 

 drinke untill the twentieth of May following. 



By the last of Januarie were the dayes growne to some 

 seven or eight houres long, and then we again tooke another 

 view of our victuals, which we now found to grow so short 

 that it could no wayes last us above sixe weekes longer. 

 And this bred a further feare of famine amongst us. But 

 our recourse was in this, as in other our extremities, unto 

 Almighty God, who had helps, wee knew, though we saw no 

 hopes. And thus spent wee our time untill the third of 

 Februarie. This proved a marvellous cold day ; yet a faire and 

 cleare one ; about the middle whereof all cloudes now quite 

 dispersed, and nights sable curtaine drawne; Aurora, with 

 her golden face, smiled once againe upon us, at her rising out 

 of her bed ; for now the glorious Sunne, with his glittering 

 beames, began to guild the highest tops of the loftie moun- 

 taines. The brightnesse of the Sunne, and the whitenesse 

 of the snow, both together was such, as that it was able to 

 have revived even a dying spirit. But to make a new addi- 

 tion to our new joy, we might perceive two Beares (a shee 

 one with her Cubbe) now commiug towards our Tent ; 

 whereupon wee straight arming our selves with our lances, 

 issued out of the Tent to await her comming. Shee soone 

 cast her greedy eyes upon us, and with full hojjes of devour- 

 ing us shee made the more haste unto us ; but with our 

 hearty lances we gave her such a welcome as that shee fell 

 downe, and biting the very snow for anger. Her Cubbe 

 seeing this, by flight escaped us. The weather now was so 

 cold, that longer wee Avere not able to stay abroad ; retiring 

 therefore into our Tent, wee first warmed our selves, and 

 then went out a^^ainc to draw the dead Bearc in unto us. 



