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(12 1861 [[cross symbol]] Mar 17 Seeing an iceberg at our right we turned toward it. Setting ourselves by it, with our knives we chipped off piece after piece with which our thirst was partially allayed. The first piece I put into my mouth froze it fast together - tongue, roof of mouth & lips refused further service till the piece became of freezing water temperature. The cause of this of course, was that the ice contained a coldness, even far lower than the temperature of the air then around us. The air at XII & one OClk was only 42° below freezing point, while the berg was 60° - that is, 28° below Zero. I took the precaution of holding succeeding pieces of this fresh water ice in my mittened hand until I raised their temperature to near freezing point when with perfect safty I could introduce them to my parched tongue. By the by, I found one [[underlined]] serious [[/underlined]] obstacle to my stopping to rest. Cramps of a most excruciating character in the calves of my legs, threatened too overpower me! At one o'clock P.M. I suffered less of them. This complaint is undoubtedly from the over exertion of our starting out. At one O'Clock P.M. I & Wm Johnston saw the three ahead of us (Morgan, Sam & Fluker) throw themselves flat on the ice. By this we knew they had become exhausted. Fifteen minutes found us up with them, [[underlined]] & flat [[/underlined]] beside them. O, how glad I was to make my bed for a while upon this bosom of the deep! How refreshened we all were by that prostration of our weary limbs! While thus resting "Sam" exclaimed: 'Well, come let us now eat dinner'! these words being accompanied by the act of his drawing out of his pocket two Sea biscuit. One of the other men drew out another. These three cakes of bread made us a feast, though weighing but 3/4 of a lb. total. The foresight that made this provision should have kept in reserve that strength wh. could endure to the end. We were all invigorated by the repast [[end page]] [[start page]] (13 1861 [[symbol: cross]] [[Sunday]] Mar 17 & resting spell (of 15 minutes) we had there laying upon the ice. The 15 minutes were Johnston's & my resting time. Thirty minutes were the time of the three who had proceeded us. At h1-m30 P.M. We resumed our march. We now were on dangerous ice - near the mouth of "Rescue Bay", the tracks of the lost one still leading us sea-ward. A heavy sea might take us beyond the power of return. Every one felt that if Brown continued the course we were then following him, he must have arrived to a point where he had been carried out to sea on some flow ice. Most of our little company thought they could not think of trying to go farther - so exhausted were they. "Sam" was the 1st of the 5 to declare he would not - he could not go further. It will be recollected that "Sam Wilson" was one of the forward ones of the Morning, yet he did continue on with us until 10 minutes past two (2) P.M. - then all my companions announced they could not possibly proceede another step or they should never be able to return to the vessel - they felt they had tried to perform their duty. This was a terrible blow to me. I felt that [[underlined]] I could not give it up so, [[/underlined]] discourageing as was [[underlined]] my [[/underlined]] condition. I thought so long as God should spare my strength, I would follow on & on. And knowing [[underlined]] the risk, [[/underlined]] I did not feel to take the responsibility of persuading any one to accompany me. Up to this time the course of the tracks were tortureous - were sweeping almost in circles - now to S.E. - now to the East - now to the N.E. - now to the South - but mainly leading to the open sea far to the East. I regretted much that some
