t 
500 COMMANDER DE HAVEn's 
was still found to be detached from the shore, and a narrow lane of water cut 
us from it. 
During the interval of comparative quiet, preliminary measures were taken 
for heating the Advance, and increasing her quarters, so as to accommodate 
the officers and crews of both vessels. No stoves had as yet been used in 
either vessel ; indeed, they could not well be put up without placing a large 
quantity of stores and fuel upon the ice. The attempt was made to do this, but 
a sudden crack in the floe where it appeared strongest, causing the loss of sev- 
eral tons of coal, convinced us that it was not yet safe to do so. It was not 
until the 20th of October we got fires below. Ten days later, the housing cloth 
was put over, and the officers and crew of the Rescue ordered on board the Ad- 
vance for the winter. Room was found on the deck of the Rescue for many of 
the provisions removed from the hold of this vessel. Still, a large quantity had 
to be placed on the ice. 
The absence of fires below had caused much discomfort to all hands ever 
since the beginning of September, not so much from the low temperature, as 
from the accumulation of moisture by condensation, which congealed as the 
temperature decreased, and covered the wood-work of our apartments with ice. 
This state of things soon began to v/ork its effect upon the health of the crews. 
Several cases of scurvy appeared among them, and, notwithstanding the inde- 
fatigable attention and active treatment resorted to by the medical officers, it 
could not be eradicated ; its progress, however, was checked. 
All through October and November we were drifted to and fro by the chang- 
ing Avind, but never passing out of Wellington Channel. On the 1st of No- 
vember, the new ice had attained the thickness of thirty-seven inches. Still, 
frequent breaks would occur in it, often in fearful proximity to the vessels. 
Hummocks, consisting of massive, gi-anite-like blocks, would be thrown up to 
the height of twenty, and even thirty feet. This action in the ice was accom- 
panied with a variety of sounds impossible to be described, but when heard 
never failed to carry a feeling of awe into the stoutest hearts. In the stillness 
of an Arctic night, they could be heard several miles, and often was the rest of 
all hands disturbed by them. 
To guard against the worst that could happen to us — the destruction of the 
vessels — the boats were prepared and sledges built. Thirty days' provisions 
were placed in for aU hands, together with tents and blanket bags for sleeping in. 
Besides this, each man and officer had his knapsack containing an extra suit 
of clothes. These were all kept in readiness for use at a moment's notice. 
For the sake of wholesome exercise, as well as to inure the people to ice- 
traveling, frequent excursions were made with our laden sledges. The offi- 
cers usually took the lead at the drag ropes ; and they, as well as the men, un- 
derwent the labor of surmounting the rugged hummocks with great cheerful- 
ness and zeal. Notwithstanding the low temperature, all hands usually re- 
turned in a profuse perspiration. We had also other sources of exercise and 
amusements, such as foot-ball, skating, sliding, racing, with theatrical repre- 
sentations on holidays and national anniversaries. These amusements were 
continued throughout the winter, and contributed very materially to the cheer- 
fulness and general good health of all hands. 
The drift had set us gradually to the southeast, until we were about five 
miles to the southwest of Beechy Island In this position we remained 
/ 
