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TO THE NORTH OF‘ EUROPE, 103
portion only lafting for five or fix days. As to the fifh and meat they imagined there
was no neceflity of diftributing them; but for the drink, they were in want of it, and
what beer remained poffeffed no ftrength nor tafte. On the eleventh they fixed a net
made of rope yarn on a hoop, to catch foxes: fo that when a fox was underneath, he
remained there caught as in a trap, and they could draw the trap and the fox into the
hut. The fame day they took a fox.
On the twelfth the diftribution of the wine was fixed at two {mall cups each day, and
they had nothing befides to drink but water from melted fnow which they took from
without. On the eizhteenth the matter diftributed to each perfon a piece of thick
cloth, to cover themfelves, or to ufe inany manner they fhould choofe againft the cold.
On the twenty-ninth the cheft of fheets was opened, which were alfo diftributed to make
fhirts, for the prefling neceflity obliged them to. feek every method to relieve their
perions.
On the twentieth, the weather being tolerably fine, they wafhed their linen, but it
was not perfectly wathed : for as foonas they drew it from the boiling water, in order to
wring it, itfroze. It even continued frozen near the fire on the outer fide, and only
the fide facing the fire thawed; fo that it was neceflary to plunge the other fide again
into the boiling water in order to thaw it.
On the twenty-fecond they ate together a large Dutch cheefe, one of feventeen which
they ftill poffefled, and the remainder was divided that each man might manage his
portion at difcretion. On the twenty-third as they faw foxes, they conitructed traps of
thick planks, which they furnifhed with ftones in order to render them the heavier,
and fixed fhori {takes in the ground about the place where the planks fell, in order
to prevent the foxes from digging, and efcaping; and they took fome by this me-
thod.
On the twenty-fourth two men who were indifpofed bathed, and on leaving the bath,
the furgeon made them take a purgative medicine from which they derived much benefit.
On the twenty-fixth, twenty-feventh, and twenty-eighth there fell fuch a prodigious
quantity of fnow, that they remained buried in their hut, without being abl2 to leave
it on any occafion whatever. But the weather clearing up on the twenty-ninth, they
began to dig the fnow with fhovels, made an opening, and finally got out, by crawling
through they hole they had dug. They found their traps covered with fnow, but dil=.
engaged them, and onthe fame day took a fox; an aliment which became neceflary,
there being no other to be found in the fnow, even when it was poflible to remove it.
By this they were alfo furnifhed with fkins, to make caps proper to fecure their heads
from the feverity of the cold.
On the firft of December the fnow ftill environed their hut on all fides; which oc-
cafioned fo great a {moke when they wifhed to make a fire, that they were obliged to
lay in bed almoft ail day, except the cook who at length arofe to prepare fome victuals.
On the fecond day they made ufe of {tones which they heated and placed around them
in their beds, becaufe the cold and f{moke being equally infupportable, they could.
{carcely find means to protect themfelves at the fame time from both of thefe evils,
On the third, while in their beds, they heard the iceof the fea crack with fo horri-
ble anoife, that they imagined the mountains of ice which they had feen during the
fummer, and which had appeared of fo many fathoms in height were detached and
heaping upon one another.
In the mean time as during two or three days that they had not fo much fire as ufual,
it froze fo hard within the hut, that on the floor and walls was ice of the thicknefs of two
fingers, and there was fome even in their beds where they lay. ‘They then prepared
the fand-glatfs of twelve hours, and took care to keep it in good order, that they might
2 know
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