and the preceding voyage, and which, when mixed with six or seven times its own quantity of water, was sufficiently acid for every purpose.  This vinegar, when exposed to the temperature of 25 deg. below zero, congealed only into a consistence like that of the thickest honey, but was never sufficiently hard to break any vessel which contained it.  There can be no doubt, therefore, that on this account, as well as to save stowage, this kind of vinegar should exclusively be used in these regions; and for similar reasons of still greater importance, the lemon-juice should be concentrated.

We had now reached the shortest day, Wednesday, the 22d, and such was the occupation which we had hitherto contrived to find during the first half of our long and gloomy winter, that the quickness with which it had come upon us was a subject of general remark.  So far, indeed, were we from wanting that occupation of which I had been apprehensive, especially among the men that it accidentally came to my knowledge about this period that they complained of not having time to mend their clothes.  This complaint I was as glad to hear as desirous to rectify; and I therefore ordered that, in future, one afternoon in each week should be set aside for that particular purpose.

The circumstances of our situation being such as have never before occurred to the crews of any of his majesty’s ships, it may not, perhaps, be considered wholly uninteresting to know in what manner our time was thus so fully occupied throughout the long and severe winter which it was our lot to experience, and particularly during a three months’ interval of nearly total darkness.

The officers and quartermasters were divided into four watches, which were regularly kept as at sea, while the remainder of the ships’ company were allowed to enjoy their night’s rest undisturbed.  The hands were turned up at a quarter before six, and both decks were well rubbed with stones and warm sand before eight o’clock, at which time, as usual at sea, both officers and men went to breakfast.  Three quarters of an hour being allowed after breakfast for the men to prepare themselves for muster, we then beat to divisions punctually at a quarter past nine, when every person on board attended on the quarter deck, and a strict inspection of the men took place as to their personal cleanliness, and the good condition, as well as sufficient warmth of their clothing.  The reports of the officers having been made to me, the people were then allowed to walk about, or, more usually, to run round the upper deck, while I went down to examine the state of that below.  The state of this deck may be said, indeed, to have constituted the chief source of our anxiety, and to have occupied by far the greatest share of our attention at this period.  Whenever any dampness appeared, or, what more frequently happened, any accumulation of ice had taken place during the preceding night, the necessary means were immediately adopted for removing it; in