194 parry's polar attempt. 



losing any part of that scanty stock. Let any 

 one try to imagine to himself a situation of this 

 kind, and he will still have but a faint idea of the 

 exertions which the men under Captain Parry had 

 to make, and the sufferings and privations they 

 had to undergo."* 



It was at first intended to employ reindeer, 

 procured at Hammerfest, in drawing the boats, 

 but these animals proving useless, the seamen 

 were obliged to perform this laborious office, but 

 our adventurous countrymen, in no way discon- 

 certed by this failure, set out in excellent spirits. 

 Their plan of proceeding, we learn from Sir Ed- 

 ward Parry, was " to travel wholly at night and 

 to rest by day, there being of course constant 

 daylight in these regions during the summer 

 season. The advantages of this plan, which 

 was occasionally deranged by circumstances, con- 

 sisted, first in our avoiding the intense and op- 

 pressive glare from the snow, during the time 

 of the sun's greatest altitude, so as to pre- 

 vent in some degree the painful inflammation 

 in the eyes, called snow-blindness, which is 

 common in all snowy countries. 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 

 * Quarterly Review, LXXIV. p. 524. 



