164 WANT OF PROPER BOOTS. [November, 



required. Every one had his opinion, and kept it for his 

 own use ; we now know, and feel too, what is requisite. 

 If time had permitted, I could have had the opinions of 

 the best practical men : lighter, better, and cheaper clo- 

 thing Avould have been prepared for every individual, and 

 submitted for approval ; the tents would have been ade- 

 quate to preserve life, if wrecked, and yet lighter for 

 travelling ; the stoves would have been serviceable now 

 and hereafter; the sledges would not have been con- 

 structed of soft Canada elm in the dockyards, but of 

 lance-wood, by some intelligent carriage-builder, and 

 shod with steel instead of soft iron : they would have 

 cost Government less money, and any North American 

 knows well the value of his polished runner. Steel will 

 pass over stone easily, and not be bitten ; iron is worse, 

 copper worse still, and lead, to the meanest capacity, a 

 dead drag. As regards the boots these are now really 

 so much matter of general supply, from the days of Parry 

 to the present, that it would be almost mutiny to dis- 

 agree upon such a subject ; yet they are far from water- 

 proof, and for wet work, if properly made, they are in- 

 dispensable. 



But the " travelling boot" is of more importance 

 everything is at stake here. We are totally unprovided, 

 simply because we trusted. " Who from faults is free ?" 

 We might, had the travellers of last cruise made known 

 all that has now leaked out, and given us the result of 

 their experience, have been ready for the field ; we are 

 at present totally unprepared, and with one shoemaker 

 and some sailmakers closely engaged making canvas 

 boots with leather soles : some have been made of the 



