lodged with Maidment and Pearce.

With the months whose names spoke of English summer, storms and terrible
cold began to set in. The verses that Gardiner wrote in his diary during
this frightful period are inexpressibly touching in the wondrous strength
of their faith and cheerfulness.

"Let that sweet word our spirits cheer
Which quelled the tossed disciples' fear:
'Be not afraid!'
He who could bid the tempest cease
Can keep our souls in perfect peace,
If on Him stayed.
And we shall own 'twas good to wait:
No blessing ever came too late."

This was written on the 4th of June; on the 8th their fishing-net was
torn to pieces by blocks of drifting ice. On the 28th Badcock died,
begging his comrades to sing a hymn to him in his last moments. In
August, Gardiner, hitherto the healthiest, was obliged to take to his bed
in the _Pioneer_, and there heard of the death of Erwin on the 23rd of
August, and of Bryant on the 27th. Maidment buried them both, and came
back to Captain Gardiner, who, as he lay in bed, had continued his
journal, and written his farewell letters to his wife and children.
Hitherto, the stores of food had been eked out by mussels and wild
celery, but there was now no one to search for them. Gardiner, wishing
to save Maidment the journeys to and fro, determined to try to reach the
_Speedwell_, and Maidment cut two forked sticks to serve as crutches, but
the Captain found himself too weak for the walk, and had to return. This
was on the 30th of August. On Sunday, the 31st, there is no record in
the diary, but the markers stand in his Prayer-book at the Psalms for the
day and the Collect for the Sunday. On the 3rd of September, Maidment
was so much exhausted that he could not leave his bed till noon, and
Gardiner never saw him again. He must have died in the _Pioneer_ cavern,
being unable to return. The diary continues five days longer. A little
peppermint-water had been left by the solitary sufferer's bed, and a
little fresh water he also managed to scoop up from the sides of the boat
in an india-rubber shoe. This was all the sustenance he had. On the 6th
of September he wrote--"Yet a little while, and through grace we may join
that blessed throng to sing the praises of Christ throughout eternity. I
neither hunger nor thirst, though five days without food! Marvellous
loving-kindness to me, a sinner. Your affectionate brother in
CHRIST,--ALLEN F. GARDINER."