1853.] WANT OF MATERIAL FOR CAIRNS, ETC. 225 



was also found to be very tedious.* Independent of our 

 instructions, the would-be monitors, who write to see 

 themselves in print in the public journals, insist on our 

 building cairns in even impossible localities. If any of 

 these should be honourable (right or wrong) Members of 

 Parliament, I would advise them to amend the next vote 

 for Arctic Service by the increase of the supply for the 

 purchase of gloves, etc., as well as of some simple suc- 

 cedaneum for the cairns themselves. It is not often that 

 stones can be found, and when found, that they can be 

 detached from their ice-bound beds. Many shovels and 

 picksf are destroyed, which break easily in cold weather. 

 Our predecessors omitted to hint at this ; indeed many 

 here have kept their secrets most religiously, to our dis- 

 comfort. But it is really grating to my feelings to hear 

 the oft-repeated tale amongst my crew of " how many 

 pairs of mits they bought, how many were supplied by 

 Government, and that they are now reduced to take up 

 Purser's." In this manner the Commander often hears 

 very unpleasant truths, beyond his power to remedy ! 



March 25. The depot division having departed, and 

 left me free, I determined to avail myself of the inter- 

 val by exploring one of the creeks at the southern end 

 of this Sound, which seemed to promise some chance of 

 connection with the Northern Sea. I was under the im- 

 pression that it might possibly, by slight portage, enable 



* In England pay might enable a man to devote part of the sum 

 given for the endurance of such a climate : but no money here could 

 buy a serviceable pair of gloves or clothing ! 



f All these tools were wretched, very inferior even for ice, and kept 

 our blacksmith constantly employed. 



VOL. I. Q 



