134 THE WORLD OF ICE.

deeper water, where one night’s frost set her fast with
a sheet of ice three inches thick round her. In a few
weeks this ice became several feet thick ; and the snow
drifted up her hull so much that it seemed as if she
were resting on the land, and had taken final leave
of her native element. Strong hawsers were then
secured to Store Island, in order to guard against the
possibility of her being carried away by any sudden
disruption of the ice. The disposition of the masts,
yards, and sails was next determined on. The top-
gallant-masts were struck, the lower yards got down
to the housings. The top-sail-yards, gaff, and jib-
boom, however, were left in their places. The top-
sails and courses were kept bent to the yards, the
sheets being unrove and the clews tucked in. The
rest of the binding-sails were stowed on deck to pre-
vent their thawing during winter; and the spare spars
were lashed over the ship’s sides, to leave a clear
space for taking exercise in bad weather.

The stores, in order to relieve the strain on the
ship, were removed to Store Island, and snugly housed
under the tent erected there, and then a thick bank
of snow was heaped up round it. After this was
accomplished, all the boats were hauled up beside the
tent, and covered with snow, except the two quarter-
boats, which were left hanging at the davits all winter.
When the thermometer fell below zero, it was found
that the vapours below, and the breath of the men,
condensed on the beams of the lower deck and in the
cabin near the hatchway. It was therefore resolved