The 3 of January it was all one weather [constantly boisterous, with snow and a north-west wind, and so exceedingly cold that we were forced to remain close shut up in the house], and we had little wood to burne.
The 4 of January it was still foule stormie weather, with much snow and great cold, the wind south-west, and we were forced to keepe [constantly shut up] in the house. And to know where the wind blew, we thrust a halfe pike out at ye chimney wt a little cloth or fether upon it; but [we had to look at it immediately the wind caught it, for] as soone as we thrust it out it was presently frozen as hard as a peece of [[138]]wood, and could not go about nor stirre with the wind [so that we said to one another how tremendously cold it must be out of doors].
The 5 of January it was somewhat still and calme weather.[366] Then we digd our doore open againe, that we might goe out and carry out all the filth that had bin made during the time of our being shut in the house, and made euery thing handsome, and fetched in wood, which we cleft; and it was all our dayes worke to further our selues as much as we could, fearing lest we should be shut up againe. And as there were three doores in our portall, and for yt our house lay couered ouer in snow, we took ye middle doore thereof away, and digged a great hole in the snow that laie without the house, like to a side of a vault,[367] wherein we might go to ease our selues and cast other filth into it. And when we had taken paines[368] al day, we remembered our selues that it was Twelf Even,[369] and then we prayed our maister[370] that [in the midst of all our troubles] we might be merry that night, and said that we were content to spend some of the wine that night which we had spared and which was our share euery second day, and whereof for certaine daies we had not drunke; and so that night we made merry and drunke to the three kings.[371] And [[139]]therewith we had two pound of meale [which we had taken to make paste for the cartridges], whereof we [now] made pancakes with oyle, and [we laid to] euery man a white bisket[372] which we sopt in [the] wine. And so supposing that we were[373] in our owne country and amongst our frends, it comforted vs as well as if we had made a great banket[374] in our owne house. And we also made[375] tickets, and our gunner was king of Noua Zembla, which is at least two hundred [800] miles long[376] and lyeth betweene two seas.[377]
The 6 of January it was faire weather, the wind north-east. Then we went out and clensed our traps [and springes] to take foxes, which were our uenison; and we digd a great hole in the snow where our fire-wood lay, and left it close aboue like a vault [of a cellar], and from thence fetcht out our wood as we needed it.
The 7 of January it was foule weather againe, with a north-west wind and some snow, and very cold, which put vs in great feare to be shut up in the house againe.
The 8 of January it was faire weather againe, the wind north. Then we made our [traps and] springes ready to get more uenison, which we longed for. And then we might [sometimes begin to] see and marke day-light, which then began to increase, that the sunne as then began to come towards vs againe, which thought put vs in no litle comfort.
The 9 of January it was foule wether, with a north-west wind, but not so hard wether as it had bin before, so yt we might[378] go out of the doore to make cleane our springes; but it was no need to bid vs go home againe, for the cold taught [[140]]vs by experience not to stay long out, for it was not so warm to get any good by staying in the aire.[379]
The 10 of January it was faire weather, with a north wind. Then seuen of vs went to our ship, well armed, which we found in the same state we left it in, and [in] it we saw many footsteps of beares, both great and small, whereby it seemed that there had bin more than one or two beares therein. And as we went under hatches, we strooke fire and lighted a candle, and found that the water was rysen a foote higher in the ship.
The 11 of January it was faire weather, the wind north-west[380] and the cold began to be somewhat lesse, so that as then we were bold to goe [now and then] out of the doores, and went about a quarter of a mile [one mile] to a hill, from whence we fetched certaine stones, which we layd in the fire, therewith to warme vs in our cabans.
The 12 of January it was faire cleare weather, the wind west.[381] That euening it was very cleare, and the skie full of stars. Then we tooke the height of Occulus Tauri,[382] which [[141]]is a bright and well knowne star, and we found it to be eleuated aboue ye horison twenty nine degrees and fifty foure minutes, her declination being fifteene degrees fifty foure minutes on the north side of the lyne. This declination being substracted from the height aforesaid, then there rested fourteene degrees; which substracted from ninety degrees, then the height of the pole was seuenty sixe degrees. And so by measuring the height of that starre and some others, we gest that ye sun was in the like height,[383] and that we were there vnder seuenty sixe degrees, and rather higher than lower.