124 THE WORLD OF ICE.

in which the safety of the crew or ship shall be im-
plicated, he will, if the men are so disposed, call a
council of the whole crew, in which case the decision
of the majority shall become law, but the minority,
in that event, shall have it in their option to separate
from the majority and carry along with them their
share of the general provisions.

“5th. Disobedience to orders shall be punishable
according to the decision of a council to be appointed
specially for the purpose of framing a criminal code,
hereafter to be submitted for the approval of the
crew.”

The rules above laid down were signed by every
man in the ship. Several of them could not write,
but these affixed a cross (x) at the foot of the page,
against which their names were written by the cap-
tain in presence of witnesses, which answered the
same purpose. And from that time, until events
occurred which rendered all such rules unnecessary,
the work of the ship went on pleasantly and well.