n the surface was therefore thin; in a moment
nothing was to be seen of poor Dawkins but his bundle! Fortunately he
held tight on to it, and we hauled him out, soaked to the skin. The
thermometer stood at 35 degrees below zero, the coldest day we have had
up to this time; and in two minutes the unfortunate man's clothes were
frozen so stiff that he could scarcely walk! We had to break the ice on
his legs and arms at the joints, and even then he had to be half hoisted
on board and carried below. We all dress in seal-skin and fox-skin
garments now. Dawkins had on a rough coat, made of white and grey
foxes; trousers of the same; boots of seal-skin, and mittens ditto.
When all this was soaked and frozen he was truly a humbling sight!

"The undressing of him was a labour of difficulty as well as of love.
However, when he was rubbed dry, and re-clothed, he was none the worse.
Indeed, I am inclined to think he was much the better of his ducking.

"To-morrow we are to make some curious experiments with boats, sledges,
and kites. The captain is anxious to take our largest boat over the ice
as far to the south as possible, and leave her there with a quantity of
provisions, so that we may have her to fall back upon if any misfortune
should befall the brig, which I earnestly pray that God may forbid.

"Davy Butts, who is an ingenious fellow in his way, says that we can
sail a boat on the ice almost as well as on the water, and that we may
drag sledges by means of kites, if we choose. The captain means to
attempt a journey to the north with sledges in spring, so, if the kites
answer, Butts will have done us good service. But I have my doubts.

"The nights are closing in fast; very soon we shall be without the sun
altogether. But the moon is cheering us. Last night, (28th October)
she swept in a complete circle round the sky _all day_ as well as all
night. She only touched the horizon, and then, instead of setting, she
rose again, as if the frozen sea had frightened her.

"_October 30th_.--Baker came in to-day and reported open water about six
miles off, and walrus sporting in it. I shall set out to-morrow on a
hunt."

The hunt which the young doctor here wrote of came off the following
day, but it was a very different one from what any of the men had
expected.

Early in the morning, Baker, Davy Butts, and Gregory set off on foot,
armed with a rifle and two muskets, besides a couple of harpoons, a
whale-lance, and