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104 THIRD VOYAGE OF THE DUTCH
know the time, for the froft had fufpended the motion of the dials, though they had
increafed the counterpoifes.
On the fixth the cold was fo great, that not being able to fupport it any longer, they
regarded each other with langu‘fhing looks and pity, believing the cold would ftill en-
creafe and extinguifh their lives: in fact, however great they made the fire, they could
no more warm themfelves. The dry wine of Serez, which is of a very hot nature, alfo
froze then, and they were obliged to thaw it on the days of diftribution, which was per-
formed every other day, when each man had half a pint, and after that they had only
water, a drink very little fit for their condition, and the cold which overwhelmed them,
and befides it was {now water.
The feventh was as fad a day as the preceding. This day they confulted together as to
the beft means of refifting the cold: it was refolved to fetch from the veflel the pit-coal
which was there, becaufe it affords great heat, and burns fora long time. Inthe evening
they made a large fire of this coal, which warmed them furprifingly ; but they thought
not of the return and the fad effects this pleafure might poffefs. This warmth, which had
done them fo much good, they were willing to preferve as much as poffible, and for this
purpofe they entirely clofed the windows and went to bed, very contented to lie fo
warmly, which rendered them gayer than ordinary, and occafioned them to talk toge-
ther for a long time after being in bed.
In the end they found themfelves all attacked with vertigos and fwimmings in the
head, fome more than others, which they perceived by the means of one of them who
being fick could lefs fupport them, and made lamentations. ‘They all found themfelves
in exceflive pain, not being able to ftand up: fome however crawled to the chimney
and door and opened them ; but the man who opened the door fainted and fell down on
the fnow. De Veer, whofe head was near to the door, having heard the fall, threw
fome vinegar in the face of the man who had fallen, and brought him to himfelf.
When the door was opened, the cold, which had done them fo much harm, was of
fervice and recovered them ; without it they muft all have inevitably expired during
the fainting which feized them. The matter diftributed to each a glafs of wine to
ftrengthen their fpirits.
On the ninth, tenth, and eleventh, the weather was fine and clear, and the fky flarry;
yet the cold increafed to fo great a degree, that thofe who have not felt it are unable to
conceive: the leather of their fhoes froze on the feet as hard as if it had been horn, fo
that they were of no more fervice. They made a kind of covering, refembling large
flippers, of the upper part of fheep fkins, which they might wear with three or four pair
of focks over one another, in order to warm their feet : their garments were even quite
white with fnow and froft: when they remained without fufficiently long, the puftules
and pimples on their body, face, and ears alfo, were frozen.
On the fourteenth of the fame month of December they obferved the altitude, and
found themfelves in lat. 76°. On the eighteenth feven of them went to obferve the
ftate of the veffel. The water had rifen an inch in eighteen days, during which time
they had not vifited the veffel, though it was not properly water but ice, becaufe the
water froze immediately it appeared above the ice. ‘The water brought from Holland
in cafks was alfo completely frozen. ;
The twenty-fourth, which was Chriftmas-eve, they difengaged their hut from the
fnow, in order that they might go out; a labour they were at that time obliged to per;
form every day. Although there was no day-light, they were enabled to fee to a tolerable
diftance, and they perceived there were feveral places in the fea perfectly free, which was
eccafioned no doubt when the violent cracking of the ice was heard. Chriftmas-day
was
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