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Monday Oct 16

To day the after shoring commenced,
a score was cut into the sheathing on either
quarter and strong wooded cleets bolted
transversely above it to receive the head
of the shores. McGeary had to forge
these bolts out of the iron framing girders
of the galley House. Cold work at -20°.

At these temperatures we have to drive
the bolts while hot as the cold would [?wise]
splinter them like glass. I have now
in my possession a well wrought bolt
head, 3/4 in in diam and which had stood
the heavy wrenching of Aug 1853. ~ proving
its freedom from flaw - Clearly splintered
off by the heel of a boot. The temperature
being at the time 56 below zero. Even
with our present temperatures the carpenter
has suffered greatly with his chisels and
other tools.

Morton is still out.

Tuesday Oct 17.

Last night Mr. Willon and our
sight seer Thomas Hickey reported a
wolf at the meat house. I went out
the therm at -24°. Mittenless and
with a single cartridge in the Marston
rifle. After a vain search my hands
burning from contact with the metal,
I saw a black animal runing from me
at long shot. By a rare good fortune
my ball fired in the darkness gave but a slight flesh wound
for the poor thing turned out to be
one of our best dogs, escaped from
Mortons team.

The work of lifting the stern continued.
One part of the chain sling
was passed amidships, and the brig
released from the ice by the axe & saw.
Cold work! Mr. Wilson no better.