Page 18

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[verso]
Mon.
Apr. 23.

Hard at it, all our light sail is
triced up to dry in order to await McGea-
ry
s recovery when the spare canvas will
be used for boat sails. He is an old and prodigal whaler I will leave the fitting out of the whale boats entirely to him. Morton and others continue
at the saw, two half lengths of the beam are
already cut. The broken whale boat was
carried to the sunny side of the brig. On the [after] starboard [?] quar-
ter where Petersen and Ohlsen have their
joint workshop. A tent with black india
rubber cloth presenting to the sun I rigged
upon a stage on the forecastle as a thawing
spot for Goodfellow Wilson, Sonntag and
our stiff legged patients. Every thing is
cheerful bustle and alacrity. It is hard
to realise the changes wrought by our
last two loads of walrus meat: it com-
forts me - who still am sore and stiff with
the long journey, that my people are so
loosened out.

Hans has not returned but
although our meat gives out tomorrow we
give ourselves little concern about it. I am
momentarily looking for the boy, not liking
the condition of the team who are overtraveled
and foot sore, both "Jenny" and "Big Yellow"
wear boots.

Tomorrow have determined to
clear off our snow [and] turf roof on deck. This
will be a hard but necessary job for the
increasing heat of the sun. Now + 26o max. by
a puched therm: will soon thaw us out. I
am not without hopes that this dislodge-
ment of winter snow will now as much
increase our warmth as its presence did
during the winter cold.

Our winter lodge room before being
dismantled may be understood a rough
section. We are completely entombed in
moss. While the galley by acting as a
ventilating [?] gives us ready

[recto]
Section of Brig looking aft
I Galley House Ventilator
II Our lodge room
III Cable line
a Snow drift
b deck covering 3 feet deep
c Turf lining
e [Fig 2?] Entry
[Sketch depicting brig from two angles and showing the sections listed above]

access to the outer air. It is but the work of a
minute to flood our room with fresh air, and
renew atmosphere after atmosphere. By a single
current I can condense the cold air of -50o
in a white hoars frost over wood work metal
and every tolerably conducting surface, close
my valves let my fire have its full draught
and in a few minutes after we will be clean
warm and dry. The non conducting wall
which encases having hardly changed its tempe-
rature. This contrivance alone has enabled
me to lodge eighteen men in an apartment of
18. x 16. x 6.

Tuesday
Apr. 24

Completed one slab of the beam,
Ohlsen is placing bottom timbers - good and strong
in our whale boats. These will stiffen and
strengthen them much for sledge carriage.
McGary is able to lay up by hand small cordage
for his boats.

Have got the port side of deck cleared of
snow [and] moss, and the guage taken for flour
[and] bread bags. Tarpaulined [and] hung out to
dry 14 bags of measured sizes. These were
made up during winter by my poor sick folks.
Every body is busy - working too with a will
I have but one bos[s] - I my self. Tis hard
this but can't be helped.

Bim! Bim! Bim! The signal
again - Hans has come. We will have
meat for supper if we did dine on beans!

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