164 
LAST TOY AGE OF OAPT. ROSS* 
CHAPTER IV. 
PROCEEDINGS ON BOARD THE VICTORY IN FELIX HARBOUR, DURING THE WINTER 
OF 1829, AND THE SPRING OF 1330. 
The month of November set in with strong gales, which con¬ 
fined the crew to their exercise on deck, but it was now discovered 
that unless a stratum of some kind was placed between the snow 
and the decks, that no probability existed of keeping them in a 
state of dryness, or preventing the penetration of the snow-water, 
by which the insalubrity of the berths would be greatly augmented, 
it was therefore determined to employ the crew in digging holes 
on shore, and severe indeed was the labour, for so small was the 
progress which they made, that if they succeeded in penetrating 
a foot a day, they congratulated themselves on having accom¬ 
plished a great feat. Fortunately however they arrived at a 
stratum of gravel, with which they lined the upper deck, and 
then covered it with a thick layer of snow, which together formed 
a covering, which bade defiance to the influence of the frost, as 
far as the exterior condition of the ship was concerned. A large 
oven having been erected in the lower deck, a fire was made in it 
for the first time on this day, and in half an hour, the temperature 
had risen ten degrees, which rendered the berths of the crew 
more comfortable than they had hitherto experienced. * The crew 
were divided into five different watches, and it was the duty of 
the three which had the morning watch, to remain on board the 
whole of the day, for the purpose of drying the deck over head. 
The remainder of the crew were employed in banking the ship 
outside with snow, and completing the gravelling and snowing 
