ThefirstweekofJanuarywasdevotedtothemanufactureofthelinengarmentsrequiredbythecolony.Theneedlesfoundintheboxwereusedbysturdyifnotdelicatefingers,andwemaybesurethatwhatwassewnwassewnfirmly.

           Therewasnolackofthread,thankstoCyrusHarding’sideaofre-employingthatwhichhadbeenalreadyusedinthecoveringoftheballoon.ThiswithadmirablepatiencewasallunpickedbyGideonSpilettandHerbert,forPencrofthadbeenobligedtogivethisworkup,asitirritatedhimbeyondmeasure;buthehadnoequalinthesewingpartofthebusiness.Indeed,everybodyknowsthatsailorshavearemarkableaptitudefortailoring.

           Theclothofwhichtheballoon-casewasmadewasthencleanedbymeansofsodaandpotash,obtainedbytheincinerationofplants,insuchawaythatthecotton,havinggotridofthevarnish,resumeditsnaturalsoftnessandelasticity;then,exposedtotheactionoftheatmosphere,itsoonbecameperfectlywhite.Somedozenshirtsandsock—thelatternotknitted,ofcourse,butmadeofcotton—werethusmanufactured.Whatacomfortitwastothesettlerstoclothethemselvesagainincleanlinen,whichwasdoubtlessratherrough,buttheywerenottroubledaboutthat!andthentogotosleepbetweensheets,whichmadethecouchesatGraniteHouseintoquitecomfortablebeds!

           Itwasaboutthistimealsothattheymadebootsofseal-leather,whichweregreatlyneededtoreplacetheshoesandbootsbroughtfromAmerica.