OF THE POLAR SEA. 



107 



returned in the afternoon of the 18th, hav- 

 ing found the blanket, together with a bag 

 containing two pistols, and some other things 

 which had been left beside it. We had 

 some tripe de roche in the evening, but Mr. 

 Hood from the constant griping it produced, 

 was unable to eat more than one or two 

 spoonfuls. He was now so weak as to be 

 scarcely able to sit up at the fire-side, and 

 complained that the least breeze of wind 

 seemed to blow through his frame. He 

 also suffered much from cold during the 

 night. We lay close to each other, but the 

 heat of the body was no longer sufficient to 

 thaw the frozen rime formed by our breaths 

 on the blankets that covered him. 



At this period we avoided as much as 

 possible conversing upon the hopelessness 

 of our situation, and generally endeavoured 

 to lead the conversation towards our future 

 prospects in life. The fact is, that with the 

 decay of our strength, our minds decayed, 

 and we were no longer able to bear the 

 contemplation of the horrors that surrounded 

 us. Each of us, if I may be allowed to 



