occasion to be a witness of the effect of the
water-cure process in enabling even, delicate women to resist cold and
damp, may form some notion of the great improvement that was made among
our sealers, by adopting and rigidly adhering to Stimson's cold water and
no-fire system. Those who had shivered at the very thoughts of ice-water,
soon dabbled in it like young ducks; and there was scarcely an hour in the
day when the half-hogshead, that was used as a bath, had not its tenant.
This tub was placed on the ice of the cove, with a tent over it; and a
well was made through which the water was drawn. Of course, the axe was in
great request, a new hole being required each morning, and sometimes two
or three times in the course of the day. The effect of these ablutions was
very soon apparent. The men began to throw aside their pee-jackets, and
worked in their ordinary clothing, which was warm and suited to a high
latitude, with a spirit and vigour at which they were themselves
surprised. The fire in the camboose sufficed as yet; and, at evening, the
pee-jacket, with the shelter of the building, the crowded rooms, and the
warm meals, for a long time enabled them to get on without consuming
anything in the largest stove. Stimson's plans for the protection of the
hut, moreover, soon began to tell. The skins, sails, and much of the
rigging, were brought over from the wreck; by means of the carts, so long
as there was no snow, and by means of sledges when the snow fell and
rendered wheeling difficult. Luckily, the position of the road along the
rocks caused the upper snow to melt a little at noon-day, while it froze
again, firmer and firmer, each night. The crust soon bore, and it was
found that the sledges furnished even better means of transportation than
the wheels.

There was a little controversy about the use of the skins, Daggett
continuing to regard them as cargo. Necessity and numbers prevailed in the
end, and the whole building was lined with them, four or five deep, by
placing them inside of beckets made of the smaller rigging. By stuffing
these skins compactly, within ropes so placed as to keep all snug, a very
material defence against the entrance of cold was interposed. But this
was not all. Inside of the skins Stimson got up hangings of canvass, using
the sails of the wreck for that purpose. It was not necessary to cut these
sails--Daggett would not have suffered it--but they were suspended, and
crammed into openings