132 LOSS OF AN ENGLISH SLOOP. 
filled, and to let it freeze like a coating to a certain thickness. 
My companions laughed at my scheme, and could not, without 
reluctance, be prevailed upon to assist me. But this simple 
method succeeded beyond my hopes ; all the apertures were 
so well closed that they were at length convinced that no 
water could penetrate through them as long as the frost con- 
tinued to be equally severe. 
We made a successful trial of it on the 27th. Though the 
boat became heavy and difficult to be managed, by the quan- 
tity of ice with which it was covered, yet in the course of the 
day she proceeded twelve miles from the place of our depar- 
ture. This new service rendered her more valuable in our eyes, 
and we took care to remove her on our oars to a place more 
favorable to her security, A thick forest, situated near the 
spot, afforded us two advantages, of which we had been de- 
prived for so many nights ; a slight shelter against the pierc- 
ing wind, and an abundance of wood to keep up a great fire, 
which warmed us while we slept. This two-fold enjoyment 
was to us the height of pleasure. Our stock of finder being 
almost consumed, I was obliged to renew it by burning a piece * 
of my shirt, the same that I had worn ever since the loss of 
my effects. 
The following day a deluge of rain unfortunately melted all 
the ice from our boat, and we had the mortification to lose 
the advantage of a fine day, which might probably have for- 
warded us several miles on our way. We resolved to wait 
the return of the frost ; and what augmented our impatience 
and regret, was, that our provisions were now reduced to two 
pounds and an half of beef to each man. 
The frost not returning till the afternoon of the 29th, the 
delay unavoidably occasioned by our preparations prevented 
us from proceeding above seven miles before night. The suc- 
ceeding day a very heavy gale, which surprised us at the be- 
ginning of our route, obliged us to land before we had gone 
more than two leagues. The thaw kept us on shore till the 
day after the next, the 1st of February, when an intense frost 
affi)rded us an opportunity of repairing our boat. But the 
pieces of floating ice were so large, that they constantly em- 
ployed one of us to break them with a pole; and it was not 
without the most fatiguing exertions that we proceeded five 
miles before the close of day. 
Our navigation was more fortunate on the 3d. The wind 
blew in a direction as favorable as we could wish. Though 
the boat made some water, which employed part of our hands 
