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.
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