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ALLISON’S VOYAGE FROM ARCHANGEL. 507
the deck. How long they had been both filled I cannot fay puntually: the firft might
be one of them brought on board the Friday before; the other poflibly had lain longer,
as defigned for a fea (tore. This brings into confideration the daily toil our cook had,
with an iron crow, to break afunder lumps of ice to put into the pot. In doing which
he was obliged to arm his hands with fur gloves and mittens, otherwife the iron would
have cleaved to his fingers, and carried the fkin along with it. The fame cloathing or
defence our men conitantly ufed, not only abroad in wooding and watering, but alfo in
their work aboard, as handling the ropes, or whatever elfe they touched or moved.
Over and above, when they went in the boat upon frequent expedi-ions, whether for
carrying out or weighing of anchors, or going afhore for the many purpofes before cited,
they put on their Ruffia boots, which were wide like thofe worn by fifhermen, and lined
with bear fkin: thefe they were all furnifhed with, but two or three, who were glad to
fupply the want of them by tying old pieces of canvas about their legs, and over their
feet.
Tuefday, the firft of February, it continued ftill blowing hard at S. by E., clear
withal, and about noon we faw the fun fhine into the mouth of the harbour: he might
fhew the whole of his face, but little of his power ; for it froze fo exceflively this day,
that the ice hung upon the fhip in fome places full two feet thick, and at the edge of
the water it was of a great breadth; fo that the fhip, having a {mall motion, made
fuch a noife, that the night before we could not fleep for it. To prevent which we
hauled the long-boat about the fides, and with two great beetles or mauls broke it off;
and fometimes a piece of half a ton weight would drop at once.
Wednefday, the fecond, it blew hard at S., with clear weather, but froze fo very hard
that now all the cables were paft handling ; which mightily difcouraged us, and almoft
ftifled all thoughts of going. ‘To mention all the difcourfes our people had at times,
upon feveral occurrences, would fill a bigger volume; and a great many more I had
fet down, had it not been fo great a trouble to write. ” T’was vexatious enough to get
my ink ready for ufe, and no lefs to keep it fo, a boy being forced to thaw it as oft as
Thad occafion to dip my pen.
Thurfday, the third, all the night paft ftormy, and the wind foutherly, but it froze
not fo hard as the day before ; we got a boat load of wood, and another of water. As
moderate as the weather was for cold, poffibly on fuch a day we might get the water on
board in the hogfheads with little or no ice on the furface of it; but after ftanding
half an hour upon deck, we fhould have it thick enough to bear an empty pipe. This
was a warm day comparatively, I fay, and cherifhed our dying hopes of getting from
this place ; and towards night we got up our fore-topmatts, fore-yard, and mizen-yard,
to be in readinefs for the fea.
Friday, the fourth, in the morning, it blew a hard ftorm at S., fo that I was com-
pelled once more to {trike our yards and top-mafts; but towards night the wind eafed,
and we got our {tream cable on board, leaving a piece of twenty fathom behind us, fo
deep buried under the ice on shore as not to be got out.
Saturday, the fifth. This day began with fine weather, the wind at S.S. W.- Our
men difcovered fcallop-thells near the fhip, but they lay in deep water. I caufeda broad
_ flat piece of iron to be bent, like a dredge to fith for oyfters with, and ordered a bag to be
made to it of rope-yarn; and that night we went a dragging and got fixteen {callops,
which were very good victuals. I brought home with me fome of thefe, and feveral
other fhells, of which I carelefsly difpofed of, or loft the moft part ; but when I waited
upon that ingenious and worthy perfon, Mr. James Petiver, apothecary, in Alderfgate-
ftreet, and fellow of the Royal Society, to prefent him with thofe few | had eva
aia rom
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