268 THE WORLD OF ICE.

These were the last words the dying man spoke.
Shortly after, he fell asleep.

Next day the body of Joseph West was put ina
plain deal coffin, and conveyed to Store Island, where
it was placed on the ground. They had no instru-
ments that could penetrate the hard rock, so were
obliged to construct a tomb of stones, after the man-
ner of the Esquimaux, under which the coffin was
laid and left in solitude,

New-Year’s day came, and preparations were made
to celebrate the day with the usual festivities, But
the recent death had affected the crew too deeply to
allow them to indulge in the unrestrained hilarity of
that season. Prayers were read in the morning, and
both Captain Guy and Captain Ellice addressed the
men feelingly in allusion to their late shipmate’s death
and their own present position. A good dinner was
also prepared, and several luxuries served out, among
which were the materials for the construction of a
large plum-pudding. But no grog was allowed, and
they needed it not. As the afternoon advanced, stories
were told, and even songs were sung; but these were
of a quiet kind, and the men seemed, from an innate
feeling of propriety, to suit them to the occasion,
Old friends were recalled, and old familiar scenes
described. The hearths of home were spoken of with
a depth of feeling that showed how intense was the
longing to be seated round them again, and future
prospects were canvassed with keen interest and with
hopeful voices. New-Year’s day came and went, and