138 THE WORLD OF ICE.

if that were the chief end and object of their life in
those regions. But we must remind him that though
many more pages might be filled in recounting all
the particulars, but a small portion of their time was,
after all, taken up in this way; and it would have
been well for them had they been able to find more
to amuse them than they did, for the depressing
influence of the long-continued darkness, and the
want of a sufficiency of regular employment for so
many months added to the rigorous nature of the
climate in which they dwelt, well-nigh broke their
spirits at last.

In order to secure warmth during winter, the deck
of the ship was padded with moss about a foot deep,
and down below the walls were lined with the same
material. The floors were carefully plastered with
common paste and covered with oakum a couple of
inches deep, over which a carpet of canvas was
spread. Every opening in the deck was fastened
down and covered deeply over with moss, with the
exception of one hatch, which was their only entrance,
and this was kept constantly closed except when it
was desirable to ventilate. Curtains were hung up
in front of it to prevent draughts. A canvas awning
was also spread over the deck from stem to stern, so
that it was confidently hoped the Dolphin would
prove a snug tenement even in the severest cold.

As has been said before, the snow-drift almost
buried the hull of the ship, and as snow is a good
non-conductor of heat, this further helped to keep up