e degree of vigour might,
humanly speaking, be ensured at least as long as our present liberal
resources should last. Present appearances, however, seemed to indicate
differently; for, though our sick-list had scarcely a name upon it, and
almost every individual was performing his accustomed duty, yet we had
at length been impressed with the unpleasant conviction that a strong
predisposition to disease existed among us, and that no very powerful
exciting cause was wanting to render it more seriously apparent. Such a
conviction at the present crisis was peculiarly disagreeable; for I
could not but lament any circumstance tending to weaken the confidence
in our strength and resources at a time when more than ordinary exertion
was about to be required at our hands.

The 1st of August had now arrived; and yet, incredible as it may appear,
the ships were as securely confined in the ice as in the middle of
winter, except that a pool of water, about twice their own length in
diameter, was now opened around them. I determined, therefore,
notwithstanding the apparent hopelessness of sawing our way through four
or five miles of ice, to begin that laborious process; not, indeed, with
the hope of cutting a canal sufficiently large to allow the passage of
the ships to sea, but with a view to weaken it so much as in some
measure to assist its disruption whenever any swell should set in upon
its margin. On this and the following day, therefore, all the gear was
carried down for that purpose, and a large tent pitched for the ships'
companies to dine in, the distance being too great to allow them to
return on board to their meals. On the 3d, however, we were saved a
great deal of unnecessary labour, by the ice opening out at the crack
before mentioned, so that our sawing might now be commenced within a
mile of the Fury. After divine service, therefore, all hands were sent
from both ships to bring back the tent and tools to the point of
Oongalooyat, and the parties were recalled from the walrus-fishery,
except a single boat's crew: these also returned on board a few days
after, the whole number of seahorses killed being eight, and one large
seal.

On the 4th our sawing work was commenced, with the usual alacrity on the
part of the officers and men, and three hundred and fifty yards of ice
were got out before night, its thickness varying from one to four feet,
but very irregular on account of the numerous pools and holes. An equal
lengt