The 5 of December it was faire weather with an east wind, and then we made our springes[309] cleane againe to take foxes.
The 6 of December it was foule weather againe, with an easterly wind and extreame cold, almost not to be indured; whereupon wee lookt pittifully one vpon the other, being in great feare, that if the extremity of ye cold grew to be more and more we should all die there with cold, for that what [[129]]fire soeuer we made it would not warme vs: yea, and our sack,[310] which is so hotte,[311] was frozen very hard, so that when [at noon] we were euery man to haue his part, we were forced to melt it in[312] the fire, which we shared euery second day about halfe a pint for a man, wherewith we were forced to sustain our selues, and at other times we drank water, which agreed not well with the cold, and we needed not to coole it with snowe or ice,[313] but we were forced to melt it out of the snow.
The 7 of December it was still foule weather, and we had a great storme with a north-east wind,[314] which brought an extreme cold with it; at which time we knew not what to do, and while we sate consulting together what were best for vs to do, one of our companions gaue vs counsell to burne some of the sea-coles[315] that we had brought out of the ship, which would cast a great heat and continue long; and so at euening we made a great fire thereof, which cast a great heat. At which time we were very careful to keepe it in,[316] for that the heat being so great a comfort vnto vs, we tooke care how to make it continue long; whereupon we agreed to stop vp all the doores and the chimney, thereby to keepe in the heate, and so went into our cabans[317] to sleepe, well comforted with the heat, and so lay a great while talking together; but at last we were taken with a great swounding and daseling in our heads,[318] yet some more then other some, [[130]]which we first perceiued by a sick man and therefore the lesse able to beare it, and found our selues to be very ill at ease, so that some of vs that were strongest start[319] out of their cabans, and first opened the chimney and then the doores, but he that opened the doore fell downe in a swound[320] [with much groaning] vppon the snow; which I hearing, as lying in my caban[321] next to the doore, start vp[322] [and there saw him lying in a swoon], and casting vinegar in his face[323] recouered him againe, and so he rose vp. And when the doores were open, we all recouered our healthes againe by reason of the cold aire; and so the cold, which before had beene so great an enemy vnto vs, was then the onely reliefe that we had, otherwise without doubt we had [all] died in a sodaine swound.[324] After yt, the master, when we were come to our selues againe, gaue euery one of vs a little wine to comfort our hearts.
The 8 of December it was foule weather, the wind northerly, very sharpe and cold, but we durst lay no more coles on as we did the day before, for that our misfortune had taught vs that to shun one danger we should not run into an other [still greater].
The 9 of December it was faire cleare weather, the skie full of starres; then we set our doore wide open, which before was fast closed vp with snowe, and made our springes ready to take foxes.
The 10 of December it was still faire star-light weather, the wind north-west.[325] Then we tooke two foxes, which were good meate for vs, for as then our victuals began to be scant and the cold still increased, whereunto their skins serued vs for a good defence. [[131]]
The 11 of December it was faire weather and a clear aire,[326] but very cold, which he that felt not would not beleeue, for our shoos[327] froze as hard as hornes vpon our feet, and within they were white frozen, so that we could not weare our shooes, but were forced to make great pattens,[328] ye vpper part being ship[329] skins, which we put on ouer three or foure paire of socks, and so went in them to keepe our feet warme.
The 12 of December it was faire cleare weather, with [330] frozen a finger thicke, yea and the clothes vpon our backs were white ouer with frost [and icicles]; and although some of vs were of opinion that we should lay more coles vpon the fire to warme vs, and that we should let the chimney stand open, yet we durst not do it, fearing the like danger we had escaped.
The 13 of December it was faire cleare wether, with an east wind. Then we tooke another foxe, and took great paines about preparing and dressing of our springes, with no small trouble, for that if we staied too long without the doores, there arose blisters[331] vpon our faces and our eares.
The 14 of December it was faire wether, the wind north-east and the sky full of starres. Then we tooke the height of ye right shoulder of the Reus,[332] when it was south south-west and somewhat more westerly (and then it was at the [[132]]highest in our [common] compas), and it was eleuated aboue the horison twenty degrees and eighteen[333] minutes, his declination being six degrees and eighteene minuts on the north side of the lyne, which declination being taken out of the height aforesaid there rested fourteen degrees, which being taken out of 90 degrees, then the height of ye Pole was seuenty sixe degrees.