The 19 of March it was still foule and bitter cold weather, the wind north-east, the ice in the sea cleauing[495] faster and thicker together, with great cracking and a hugh[496] noyse, which we might easily heare in our house, but we delighted not much in hearing thereof. [[165]]
The 20 of March it was foule weather, bitter cold, and a north-east wind, then our wood began [by degrees] to consume,[497] so that we were forced to take counsell together;[498] for without wood we could not liue, and yet we began to be so weake that we could hardly endure the labour to fetch it.
The 21 of March it was faire weather, but still very cold, the wind north. The same day the sunne entred into Aries in the equinoxciall lyne, and at noone we tooke the hight of the sunne and found it to be eleuated 14 degrees aboue the horizon, but for that the sun was in the middle lyne and of the like distance from both the tropiks, there was no declination, neither on the south nor north side; and so the 14 degrees aforesaid being substracted from ninty degrees, there rested 76 degrees for the hight of the Pole.[499] The same[[166]] day we made shooes of felt or rudg,[500] which we drew vpon our feet,[501] for we could not goe in our shooes by reason of the great cold, for the shooes on our feet were as hard as hornes; and then we fetcht a slead-ful of wood home to our house, with sore and extreame labour and with great extremity of cold, which we endured as if March[502] went to bid vs fare-well. But[503] our hope and comfort was that the cold could not still continue in that force,[504] but that at length the strength thereof[505] would be broken.
The 22 of March it was cleere still weather, the wind north-east, but very cold; whereupon some of vs were of advice, seeing that the fetching of wood was so toylesome vnto vs, that euery day once we should make a fire of coales.
The 23 of March it was very foule weather, with infernall bitter cold,[506] the wind north-east, so that we were forced to make more fire as we had bin at other times, for then it was as cold as ever it had bin, and it froze very hard in the flore and vpon the wales of our house.[507]
The 24 of March it was a like cold, with great store of snow and a north wind, whereby we were once againe shut vp into the house, and then the coales serued vs well, which before by reason of our bad vsing of them we disliked of. [[167]]
The 25 of March it was still foule weather, the wind west, the cold still holding as strong as it was, which put vs in much discomfort.
The 26 of March it was faire cleere weather [with a west wind], and very calme; then we digd our selues out of the house againe and went out, and then we fetcht an other slead of wood, for the great cold had made vs burne vp all that we had.
The 27 of March it was faire weather, the wind west and very calme; then the ice began to driue away againe, but the ship lay fast and stird not.
The 28[508] of March it was faire weather, the wind south-west, whereby the ice draue away very fast [and we had much open water]. The same day sixe of vs went abord the ship to see how it lay, and found it still in one sort; but we perceiued that the beares had kept an euil fauoured house therein.[509]