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508 ALLISON’S VOYAGE FROM ARCHANGEL.
from them and others he fhewed me, I remembered they were almoft all of fuch kinds
as are found about England: and by him I was further informed, that the general Eng-
lifh names I had given to them were not improper; more diftin&tly he told me they
were perriwinkles, wilks, Scarborough couvins, limpets, mufcles, cockles, fea-eggs, &c.
Oyfter-fhells too I faw here and there, but not one whole, with the inwards or meat in it.
I left with him likewife a piece or two of coral, got when we dragged for thefe fhell
animals, having faved greater variety of the fame, which an unlucky boy threw over-
board. Moreover fome flate-like {tones, and thefe I obferved there of various colours,
which when we held againft the grind{tone, tinged the water (it turned in) ftrongly of
the fame colour. And in fome colour-fhops, where I expofed them here in London,
they concluded them fit for painters’ ufe, and of good value ; fo that this wretched coun-
try was not deftitute of all human food or commodity ; and had I been there in a fea-
fon when the fnow was gone, much more might have been obferved; or even then,
had I made it more my bufinefs to difcover what was odd or rare. Towards night the
wind came to the N. N. W., blowing hard, and fnowing.
Sunday, the fixth, it proved fair and clear till three in the afternoon ; then the wind
fhifted from the N.-W. to S., and began to blow and overcatt.
Monday, the feventh, it blew hard in the morning at N. N. W., and from thence the
wind fhifted to W. S. W. I took now into further confideration the quantity of pro-
vifion I had left, and finding not above two hundred and three pieces of beef, and peafe
proportionable ; and feeing no likelihood of getting any other relief while we {tayed here,
than what we had met with, I put my men to ftraighter allowance, viz. fix men to a
piece of beef a day, and a pint of peafe for four men. And to prevent all difcontent
and murmuring, I kept myfelf, as 1 had done all along, upon the level with them, giv-
ing them leave to take the firft piece in choice, and I the fecond for my own mefs,
Withal I encouraged them daily to get what provifion of fuftenance they could from
fhore: having finifhed our drag, and fixed two nets for catching fea-eggs, of which we
got this day three bufhels. ‘Thefe were the means of tempering, as well as {paring our
falt flefh, which we fhould have more need of at fea, where we fhould be bereaved of
the helps this harbour afforded us. Alas! had we but ftore of proper and cherifhing
food, our fufferings from the cold would have been eafily borne, by fo many hardy and
lufty men as I had then on board, with the plenty of firing we met with. Nay, had I
been fo lucky as to have brought, what I ufually did in former voyages, quantities of
Ruffia hams and neats’ tongues, they would have afforded great fupport under fuch
woeful diftrefles. But to heighten the misfortune, I was bafely difappointed at my
coming away of a thoufand weight of {tock-fifh, which I had agreed for, to take with
me as fhip provifion. Strong Ruflia beer too (not to mention high wines and brandy)
had been comfortable drinks in cold days, asI found by that little I had in bottles, which
I kept buried up in ftraw, and preferved moftly from the froft thereby ; howbeit now
and then the boy fetching a bottle, would bring the neck in one hand, and the bottom
in the other, without fpilling any, perhaps one of the uppermoft, and not well covered.
And | cannot forget, what I have more than once taken notice of, that a bottle of beer
ftanding behind us, while we fat before the fire, would contract ice in the time we were
drinking it.
‘Tuelday, the eighth, the weather was fair, and fomething warmer, the wind being
atthe S. W. I got my fheet anchor and beft bower on board, and made all clear for
the fea, riding only by our fmall bower and one cable afhore. Inthe evening our men
dragged, and ufed their nets, getting fome feallops and two bufhels of eggs, to our great
relief. his day we firft pumped the fhip, having in her about nine inches of water);
neither
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