186 
VOYAGE FOR THE DISCOVERY 
1820 . and the men, as if determined not to forget that they were sailors, set a large 
blanket upon the cart as a sail, which, upon the present level ground, was 
found to be of material assistance. The snow was deep, and rather soft, 
which made the travelling heavy ; and as the wind produced a good deal of 
snow-drift, most of the bare patches of ground became covered up, so that 
when our time for halting had arrived, not a piece of ground could be seen on 
which to pitch the tents. Captain Sabine and myself went forward to look 
out for a spot, and at length were fortunate to meet with one, on which there 
was just room for our little encampment. It was with some difficulty, by 
building a wall with stones and our knapsacks, that we prevented its being- 
covered with snow before the party came up, which they did at half-past 
seven A.M., having travelled ten miles in a N.W.b.N. direction. We saw a 
few fox-tracks, but no animals, nor the smallest symptom of vegetation, 
during this march. It is not improbable, however, that these snowy plains, 
when uncovered by the warmth of summer, may present a more luxuriant 
vegetation than is elsewhere to be met with on this island. 
By the time we had secured the tents the wind blew hard, with a continued 
fall as well as drift of snow, so that we could not but consider ourselves for- 
tunate in having met with a spot of ground in good time. Notwithstanding 
the inclemency of the weather, we found the tents afford us very comfortable 
and sufficient shelter, the cart being tilted up to windward of them, so as to 
break in some measure the violence of the wind ; and when wrapped up, or rather 
enclosed in our blanket-bags, we were generally quite warm enough to enjoy 
the most sound and refreshing repose. I may here notice, once for all, that 
the moment the tents were pitched, however short the time for which it was 
proposed to halt, every man was directed immediately to change his shoes and 
stockings, and at the same time had his feet examined by Mr. Fisher. As it 
froze hard every night, we used only to get our things dried during the noon 
halting, so that we were always under the necessity of putting on the same 
wet boots and stockings after resting at midnight. This was the only way to 
make certain of dry stockings for sleeping in, and as we were sure to be wet 
in half an hour after starting, our putting on wet ones to walk in was of little 
consequence. I insist the more on this circumstance, because it is to our at- 
tention to these precautions that I attribute the good health we enjoyed 
during the journey. To this, indeed, we had one exception, Captain Sabine 
having suffered some uneasiness from indigestion, in consequence of having 
eaten some of the salep-powder badly mixed ; but by attention to his diet, 
