l assembled together in the cabin to decide on what we should
do. Some were for remaining on board, and making ourselves as
comfortable as we could; but Andrew at once pointed out the madness of
such a proceeding. He argued that even in summer the position under the
cliff was excessively cold; that the ship was in no way fitted to serve
as a habitation during the winter, when there were days no person could
be exposed for ten minutes together to the air without suffering; and
that, although there was an abundant supply of salt provisions, unless
we could procure some fresh meat, our health would materially suffer.

"My advice, mates, is," he continued, "that we travel along the coast as
we first intended, till we arrive at the sort of place we were in search
of when we fell in with this wreck. When we have found it, we will at
once build a warm house, and then set to at hunting and fishing till the
animals desert the country, and the sea is frozen over, and the long
winter nights set in. We will, however, first build some sledges, such
as the natives use, and we will carry on them all the things we require
from the ship to our station. If any one has a better plan to offer,
let him propose it."

"I think Andrew's plan is the one to follow, and I propose we set about
it without delay!" I exclaimed.

"And so do I," said Terence.

"And I don't see that it's a bad one," observed David.

"And I think it a good one," said Tom Stokes.

The rest offered no opposition; indeed they did not know what else to
propose. I must observe that now when we had nothing to do with
whaling, in which the others had more experience, Andrew fully showed
his superiority and fitness to command, so that we all readily obeyed
him whenever he thought fit to issue any orders. However, as he felt
that he only held his authority on sufferance, he judged it best, as in
the present instance, to consult all hands before the formation of any
fresh plan for proceeding.

The whole day was spent on board in examining the ship, and in forming
our plans, and in making some of the preliminary arrangements. The
first of them was to build a couple of sledges, which Andrew showed us
how to do, very similar to those used by the Esquimaux. We also packed
up some tea, cocoa, and sugar, as also some meat and bread to serve us
for present use, till we could bring up the remainder to our winter
station.

Among other valuable articles were some carpente