Page:The open Polar Sea- a narrative of a voyage of discovery towards the North pole, in the schooner "United States" (IA openpolarseanarr1867haye).pdf/423

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from the journey to make, during the first few days, that thorough inspection which was needed to form a correct judgment. I was consoled, however, in some measure for the delay, by realizing the necessity of writing up the occurrences of my return journey, while they were fresh in my mind, and of defining on my chart the observations and geographical discoveries which I had made.

These duties performed, and my strength sufficiently restored to justify me in leaving my cabin, I made a careful examination of the schooner and the means which had been adopted for repairing her. These means were altogether unexceptionable, and reflected much credit upon Mr. McCormick and also upon the mate, Mr. Dodge, who had given him zealous assistance.

McCormick had begun by digging the ice away from the bows down to the very keel, thus exposing all the forward part of the vessel as completely as if she lay in a dry-dock. The damage proved to have been even greater than we had anticipated, and it seemed remarkable that the forward planks and timbers had not opened to such a degree as to let the water through in torrents and sink us at once. The heads of the planks which were let into the stem were all started; the outer planking was loose and gaping open; the iron sheathing of the cut-water and bows was torn and curled up as if it had been pine-*shavings; the stem-post was started, and the cut-water itself was completely torn away.

By dint of much earnest exertion and the use of bolts and spikes,—by replacing the torn cut-water, careful calking, and renewal of the iron plates,—it seemed probable that the schooner would be sea