The refuse of this fishery, which we threw into the sea, attracted a
number of sea-dogs; we killed several for the sake of the skin and the
oil, which would be useful to burn in lamps, or even as an ingredient
in soap, which I hoped to make at some future time.
At this time I greatly improved my sledge, by placing it on two small
wheels belonging to the guns of the ship, making it a light and
commodious carriage, and so low, that we could easily place heavy
weights on it. Satisfied with our labours, we returned very happy to
Falcon's Nest, to spend our Sunday, and to thank God heartily for all
the blessings he had given us.
* * * * *
CHAPTER XXXI.
We went on with our labours but slowly, as many employments diverted us
from the great work. I had discovered that the crystals of salt in our
grotto had a bed of gypsum for their base, from which I hoped to obtain
a great advantage. I was fortunate enough to discover, behind a
projecting rock, a natural passage leading to our store-room, strewed
with fragments of gypsum. I took some of it to the kitchen, and by
repeated burnings calcined it, and reduced it to a fine white powder,
which I put into casks, and carefully preserved for use. My intention
was, to form our partition-walls of square stones, cemented with the
gypsum.
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