unexpectedly recovered on the first day of his sore throat. The
Esquimaux also kept up their spirits, and even the rough heathen
Kassigiak declared that it was proper to be thankful that they were
still alive, adding, that if they had remained a very little longer
upon the ice yesterday, all their bones would have been broken to
pieces in a short time. He had however his heels frozen, and suffered
considerable pain. In the evening the missionaries sung an hymn with
the Esquimaux, and continued to do it every morning and evening. The
Lord was present with them, and comforted their hearts by his peace.

Towards noon of the thirteenth, the weather cleared up, and the sea
was soon, as far as the eye could reach, quite freed from ice. Mark
and Joel went up the hills to reconnoitre, and returned with the
disagreeable news that not a morsel of ice was to be seen even from
thence in any direction, and that it had been forced away from the
coast at Naasornak. They were therefore of opinion that nothing could
be done, but force their way across the mountain Kiglapeit. This day
Kassigiak complained much of hunger, probably to obtain from the
missionaries a larger proportion than the common allowance. They
represented to him that they had no more themselves, and reproved him
for his impatience. Whenever the victuals were distributed, he always
swallowed his portion very greedily, and put out his hand for what he
saw the missionaries had left, but was easily kept from any further
attempt by serious reproof. The Esquimaux eat to-day an old sack made
of fish skin, which proved indeed a dry and miserable dish. While they
were at this singular meal, they kept repeating in a low humming tone,
"You was a sack but a little while ago, and now you are food for us."
Towards evening, some flakes of ice were discovered driving towards
the coast, and on the 14th, in the morning, the sea was covered with
them. But the weather was again very stormy, and the Esquimaux could