VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
9 
strong with snow, and increased with a degree 
of violence, that caused the sea to rage to a greater 
height than I had ever before witnessed: part of 
the bulwark was stove in ; and, by a stroke on the 
rudder, a man was projected over the wheel, and 
nearly overboard. 
The gale beginning to subside, I felt 
2 1 
^ ’ better ; struggled to rally, and by the fine- 
ness of the day, was encouraged to go upon deck ; 
but was reduced to such a state of weakness and 
debility, that I was unable to walk without the aid 
of Captain Scoresby’s arm. As Saturday was 
generally closed with mirth by the crew, I took the 
opportunity of conforming to the custom expected 
of every one on his first voyage to Greenland, that 
is, to pay what is termed the “ cape bottle I 
therefore sent two pounds of sugar, half a pound 
of coffee, and one pound of tobacco, to each mess, 
as my tribute. It began to blow hard in the even- 
ing, and the following day, Easter-Sunday, the 
storm grew so violent, and the severity of tem- 
perature was so much beyond any thing to which 
I had hitherto been accustomed, (the thermometer 
being ten degrees below the freezing point) that I 
became quite unable to keep the deck. 
This day we crossed the Arctic or north- 
April 23 . polar circle in 6° 28', west longitude, 
about noon, the wind blowing hard. 
The swell occasioned by the gale having 
April 25 . harpoons were delivered to the 
harpooners to be cleaned, sharpened, and the fore- 
