346 FIRST GRINNELL EXPEDITION. 



tide, which produces a most exhilarating effect ; in less 

 than ten minutes he tastes again and again, always 

 increasing the quantity ; and in half an hour he has a 

 gum-stick of condensed snow, which he masticates with 

 avidity, and replaces with assiduity the moment that it 

 has melted away. But his thirst is not allayed in the 

 slightest degree ; he is as hot as ever, and still per- 

 spires ; his mouth is in flames, and he is driven to the 

 necessity of quenching them with snow, which adds 

 fuel to the fire. The melting snow ceases to please the 

 palate, and it feels like red-hot coals, which, like a fire- 

 eater, he shifts about with his tongue, and swallows 

 without the addition of saliva. He is in despair ; but 

 habit has taken the place of his reasoning faculties, and 

 he moves on with languid steps, lamenting the severe 

 fate which forces him to persist in a practice which in 

 an unguarded moment he allowed to begin. ... I 

 believe -the true cause of such intense thirst is the ex- 

 treme dryness of the air when the temperature is low." 



The result of Captain Penny's labors, so far as explor- 

 ation is concerned, is already known. Sledging parties 

 went out in the spring. A large whaling-boat was 

 dragged bodily up Wellington Channel, and launched 

 in the clear water beyond the ice-barrier. Two thou- 

 sand miles were travelled over, seven hundred and ten 

 of which were in districts seen for the first time by human 

 eyes. No further traces of the missing expedition were, 

 however, found. The Lady Franklin and Sophia left 

 Assistance Bay, homeward bound, on the 12th of Au- 

 gust ; five weeks afterwards, they were in the Thames. 



We have seen that Mr. GrinnelFs expedition was 

 undertaken with two small brigs the Advance and the 

 Rescue. The Advance was intended originally for car- 

 rying heavy castings from an iron fou.ndery. Both ves- 

 sels were strengthened with great skill and at large 



