o complete our enterprise, and to return home.

April 6.--This day is the deepest snow we have had all this year; it
hath filled up all our paths and ways.

April 16.--This is the most comfortable sunshine that hath come this
year, and I have put some to clear off the snow from the upper decks of
the ship, and to clear and dry the great cabin by making fire in it.
Others have I put to dig down through the ice to come by our anchor.

April 25.--Now have we labored so hard that we are mightily encouraged,
for the water doth rise without the ship, and yet doth not make its way
into the hold. I have bid the cook that he pour hot water into the
pumps, and so thaw them.

April 27.--One of the pumps is cleared, and by means of this we have
drawn two feet of water from the hold, and we find to our satisfaction
that it doth not rise again.

May 2.--It doth snow and blow so that we must keep house all day; our
sick men are so grieved at this unexpected cold that they grow worse and
worse.

May 3.--To-day some of the snow melted on the land, and some cranes and
geese have come to it. I and the surgeon have been with a couple of
fowling-pieces to see if we could kill any for our sick men, but never
did I see such wild-fowl; they would not endure to see anything move,
therefore we have been obliged to return empty-handed and wearied.

May 9.--We have at last come to and got up our five barrels of beef and
pork which were sunk in the hold, and we have also found four butts of
beer, which will be as a cordial to our sick men. God make us ever
thankful for the comforts that He gives us!

May 13.--This is the Sabbath day, which we have solemnized, giving God
thanks for those hopes and comforts which we daily have.

May 21.--This is the warmest day we have yet had. Two of my men have I
sent a fowling, and myself, the master, the surgeon, and one more with
our guns and our dogs, have been into the woods to see what comfort we
could find. We have wandered full eight miles from the house, and have
searched with all diligence, but returned comfortless; not an herb, no
leaf eatable, that we could find. Our fowlers have had as bad success.
The snow is by this time pretty well wasted in the woods. We have a high
tree on the highest part of the island which we call our watch-tree, and
from the top thereof we can see far over the seas, but we find no
appearance of breaking up yet.

May 24.--Very warm sunshine. The ice doth consume by t