Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
ALLISON’S VOYAGE FROM ARCHANGEL, 497
coming to the N. N. E. with fomewhat more moderate weather. At this time two of
our company were mightily for fitting up a houfe upon land, and putting provifions
therein for fubfiftence, in cafe we fhould be forced afhore and wrecked. But I could
not comply with fuch advice ; knowing the fhip to be warmer than any thing we could
build afhore, with the materials, time, and light we had to do it. Withal I imagined,
that if we had had a place to our wifh upen Terra Firma, | could not have perfuaded
them to do what they did; but that the only way of preferving ourfelves and all we
had about us, was by keeping it together, and making the fhip the fole place of retreat
and refuge. Befides, J ever fpurred them up to action, exprefling daily the hopes I
had of getting out; forefeeing that by their fitting altogether by the fire, they
might grow difeafed and unfit for fervice: on the contrary, that exercife, and the ex-
pofing themfelves to the air frequently, would render them more hardy and healthy.
Wednefday, the feventeenth, ‘twas handfome weather of wind, and that at N. W.,
but with much fnow, yet we hauled out our fheet anchor again.
Thurfday, the eighteenth, for wind as before. I began now to confider, that the froft
might render our iron anchors fo brittle, as to make our dependence on them not fecure.
Thereupon taking with me fome men afhore with iron crows and fhovels, I endeavoured
to break ground ; which when I found poflible, I ordered the carpenter to cut a new
mizen mait I had on board, not yet ufed. Of the biggeft end I took twelve foot, and
(after a hole of feven foot deep had been digged, with no fmall labour), I placed it,
filling the hole with earth, ftores and water, which being frozen, ,might the better
fix it, as a poft for a cable to be faftened to. But that night I forbore ufing it ; being
not willing to fhake it, before it was fully eftablifhed. The little light we had was not
above five hours continuance.
Friday, the nineteenth, it blew ftrongly from the S.S. E. and held very clear. As
foon as it was light, I got my beft bower cable hauled up; I took alfoa piece of a junk
cable about twenty fathoms long, and made it faft to the ftake above-mentioned (which
ftood off to the S. and by W.) and feafed an eye at the other end. Then I took one
end of my beft bower cable, (the other being faft to the anchor), and after I had made
an eye on that alfo, with two luff tackles, I brought both as near asI could together,
which was within three fathoms, and feafed them.
This I had fcarce done, but there came down fo much wind at S.S. E. that we feared
all would have been pulled to pieces: but {every thing holding fo well, our men could
not but acknowledge the hand of divine providence in what had been done that day :
for hereby we were preferved, not only then, but all the winter.
Saturday, the twentieth, by the firft light of our flender day, we perceived our {kiff
full of water at our ftern, which we hoifted on board to mend again. You mutt note
au could keep no right watch ; our men not being able to walk the deck halfan hour
or cold.
I now made ftri& inquiry into the quantity we had of peafe left, getting a barrel out,
and meafuring them. Of thefe afterwards I delivered out four quarts a day for all our
fhip’s company, being twenty-four men and boys, and this I did four days in a week.
I likewife made fearch into our other provifions, and found we had five hundred and
thirty pieces of beef, of four pounds each. Of fifh we had but fix days left; allowing
four North-fea codsa day: nine days flour and cheefe ; allowing two pounds of cheefe
a day, for four men, with a kettle of hafty pudding, for the whole fhip’s company ;
that being the beft way of ufingmy flour. Seeing now little hopes of getting home
before March at the fooneft, we confidered, that ftore muft be kept for the fea, when
VQL; I. 38 it
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
