14/127 In fact, I found him a little later gravely concerned over the drying of a naturally not over-clean pair of socks which were hung up in close proximity to our evening milk. Occupation had brought his thoughts back to the ordinary cares of life. He fitted the mast of the 'Stancomb Wills' fore and aft inside the 'James Caird' as a hog-back and thus strengthened the keel with the object of preventing our boat "hogging"-- that is, buckling in heavy seas. He had not sufficient wood to provide a deck, but by using the sledge- runners and box-lids he made a framework extending from the forecastle aft to a well. It was a patched-up affair, but it provided a base for a canvas covering. |