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1862 Jan 17 Fri 5 toes amputated, Fluker gave a terrible exhibition of the drift of many a Sailor's mind. Capt B. was a few seconds longer amputating this than any one of the others - besides, the operation caused more pain than any of the others. The last stroke of the knife being made, Fluker in the height of passion exclaimed: [[underlined]] 'D-n that toe to h-l!' [[/underlined]] Under the circumstances it was enough to make one's blood run cold so extraordinary & wicked was the speech. Fluker may yet see the day when he will cry: 'God be merciful to me a Sinner'! Capt. B. declared on completing the operation that he would not for 500 dollars go through again the trials he has experienced relating to Fluker's frozen feet. It is uncertain whether the amputating of these toes will be sufficient to arrest mortification extending further or not. [[end page]] [[start page]] 1862 Jan 17 Fri The ice & sledge - How are we to decide where the limit of the sensation of breezing one's self is? Opening provision deposites of the Innuits Cold feet - Job's Comforter - Chess The Innuit mother & little daughter the only natives now about. Smith (Robert) has made some cross bars & lashed them to the sledge runners wh. I obtained of Ook-gook-al-lo. With this we are to obtain ice every other day from the bergs out in the Bay for making the water used [[end page]] [[start page]] 1862 Jan 17 Fri Aft. The forward hands get their own ice & we aft get ours. Smith, Steward, Anton & myself went out & got a load to-day. Anton belongs forward but he went in place of Capt B. The question: 'How is one to decide where the limit of the sensation of Freezing is'? or in other words How is one to know when his noze or any part of his person is freezing? - a question that needs more space to answer than I shall occupy to-night. The Forward hands have been opening & abstracting therefrom some of the Innuits deposites of Whale Beef & Black Skin out on the Islands about here to-day. The act is reprehensible. I am a great sufferer at all times from cold feet especially so this Winter - though they are well enveloped in native gear. "Job's Comforter" that now is to be found beneath the front of my jacket is a huge one. It will soon grow less. Occasionally take a game of Chess with Capt. B. during our long Winter evenings. The Innuit widow & her little daughter are our guests. Breakfast = Fried Whale Coffee & Bread Dinner = Pemican Soup Supper = Coffee & Bread [[end page]] [[start page]] Saturday, Jan 18. 1862 28.800 AM -31° N W Light Thick Cloudy 28.850 M -26° N W " " [[dittos for: Light Thick Cloudy]] 28.900 PM -25 N W " " " [[dittos for: Light Thick Cloudy]] It was Capt. B's intention of delaying dressing Fluker's feet till morrow morning, but at V this evening all at once the limbs commenced paining him severely. Capt. B. ordered water to be made tepid - & when ready he proceeded forward, myself accompanying carry with us prepared plasters, hot water & bandages. The feet were placed in a tepid bath to soak the blood dried dressing around the feet. Fluker's eyes were kept blindfolded by one of the men's hands during all the kindly operations of Capt B. in bathing, washing & dressing his limbs. One leg was much swollen. The poor sufferer has many a hard day & night before him ere he can recover. I cannot see that there is anything under the circumstances on wh. to base any strong hopes that he will escape with his life! Indeed if there is it must be on the ground that Fluker will consent to lose both feet by almost immediate amputation.
