42 SPITSBERGEN 



cumstances, consisted, first in our avoiding the intense 

 and oppressive glare from the snow during the time of 

 the sun's greatest altitude, so as to prevent in some 

 degree the painful inflammation in the eyes called 

 snow-blindness which is common in all snowy coun- 

 tries. We also thus enjoyed greater warmth during 

 the hours of rest and had a better chance of drying our 

 clothes ; besides which no small advantage was derived 

 from the snow being harder at night for travelling. 

 When we rose in the evening we commenced our day 

 by prayers, after which we took off our sleeping dresses 

 and put on those for travelling, the former being made 

 of camlet lined with racoon skin, and the latter of 

 strong blue, box cloth. We made a point of always 

 putting on the same stockings and boots for travelling 

 in, whether they had dried during the day or not, and 

 I believe it was only in five or six instances that they 

 were not either still wet or hard frozen." When halted 

 for rest the boats were placed alongside each other, 

 with their sterns to the wind, the snow or wet cleared 

 out of them, and the sails, held up by the bamboo 

 masts and three paddles, were placed over them as 

 awnings with the entrance at the bow. 



Progress was not great, sometimes fifty yards an hour, 

 occasionally twelve miles a day, that is on the ice, for 

 soon it was apparent that the distance gained by 

 reckoning was greater than that given by observation, 

 and Parry realised to his dismay that the pack was 

 drifting south while he was going north. But he 

 kept on till on the 21st of July he reached 82 45', 

 which remained the farthest north for forty - nine 

 years. 



