the lemon-juice was thus destroyed, and the remainder rendered
nearly inefficient.

It was at first supposed that this accident might have been
prevented by not quite filling the bottles, but it was afterward
found that the corks flying out did not save them from breaking.
We observed that the greatest damage was done in those cases which
were stowed nearest to the ship's side, and we therefore removed
all the rest amidships; a precaution which, had it been sooner
known and adopted, would probably have prevented at least a part
of the mischief. The vinegar also became frozen in the casks in
the same manner, and lost a great deal of its acidity when thawed.
This circumstance conferred an additional value on a few gallons
of very highly concentrated vinegar, which had been sent out on
trial upon this and the preceding voyage, and which, when mixed
with six or seven times its own quantity of water, was sufficiently
acid for every purpose. This vinegar, when exposed to the
temperature of 25° below zero, congealed only into a consistence
like that of the thickest honey, but was never sufficiently hard
to break any vessel which contained it. There can be no doubt,
therefore, that on this account, as well as to save stowage, this
kind of vinegar should exclusively be used in these regions; and
for similar reasons of still greater importance, the lemon-juice
should be concentrated.

We had now reached the shortest day, Wednesday, the 22d, and such
was the occupation which we had hitherto contrived to find during
the first half of our long and gloomy winter, that the quickness
with which it had come upon us was a subject of general remark. So
far, indeed, were we from wanting that occupation of which I had