418 ARCTIC VOYAGES. Chap. XI. 



treated him, as he valued her peace of mind and his 

 own glory, not to delay a moment on her account ; 

 that she was fully aware that her days were num- 

 bered, and that his delay, even if she wished it, could 

 only be to close her eyes. She died the day after 

 he left her. It was to this circumstance that allusion 

 is made in the following passage, " which," it was 

 well observed by a friend of his, " will speak to the 

 heart of every one who is capable of understanding 

 the grace that domestic tenderness lends to the gal- 

 lant fortitude of public enterprise." 



" During our absence, the men had pitched the tent on 

 the beach, and I caused the silk union-flag to be hoisted, 

 which my deeply-lamented wife had made and presented to 

 me, as a parting gift, under the express injunction that it 

 was not to be unfurled before the expedition reached the 

 sea. I will not attempt to describe my emotions as it ex- 

 panded to the breeze ; however natural, and, for the mo- 

 ment, irresistible, I felt that it was my duty to suppress 

 them, and that I had no right, by an indulgence of my own 

 sorrows, to cloud the animated countenances of my com- 

 panions. Joining, therefore, with the best grace that I could 

 command, in the general excitement, I endeavoured to re- 

 turn, with corresponding cheerfulness, their warm congratu- 

 lations on having thus planted the British flag on this remote 

 island of the Polar Sea." — p. 36. 



Circumstanced as he was with a party many of 

 whom had never seen the sea, and others in con- 

 stant apprehension of being attacked by the Esqui- 

 maux (an apprehension that was realized on the 

 second visit to the spot), it was expedient, how- 



