INTRODUCTION. 



By Ludwig Kumlien. 



Tlie vessel conveying the Howgate preliminary Polar Expedition was 

 the "Florence" of ISTew London, Conn. She is a fore-and-aft schooner of 

 fifty-six tons, and was built in Wells, Me., in 1851, for mackerel, and 

 was subsequently used as a sealer in the southern seas. 



Although a staunch and fair sea-boat, as far as her diminutive dimen- 

 sions could allow, a less suitable vessel for the purpose could hardly 

 have been chosen. To say that she was too smaU for thorough scientific 

 work covers the ground, but quite fails to convey a proper idea of what 

 drawbacks all scientific labors were subjected to on this account. 



The schooner was fitted out in New London, and sailed on the morn- 

 ing of August 3, 1877, unfortunately at least two months later than 

 desirable, had her object been purely scientific. 



The primary object of the expedition, by Captain Howgate's order, 

 was to collect material, skins, skin clothing, dogs, sledges, and Eskimo, 

 for the use of a future colony on the shores of Lady Franklin Bay. 

 The secondary object of the exi^editiou was scientific work ; and, thirdly, 

 whaling was to be one feature of the cruise. 



So far as the primary object is concerned, the expedition was as suc- 

 cessful as could be expected : a large amount of skins was collected 

 and made into clothing; the services of sixteen Eskimo were secured, 

 who were wilhng to accompany the coming steamer northward; nearly 

 thirty dogs were secured, and several good sledges, with an ample sup- 

 ply of whales' jaw-bones for shoeing the runners for some years. 



As has been stated by Captain Howgate, " the peculiar nature of her 

 mission lifted the enterprise from the level of an ordinary whaling voy- 

 age to the higher plane of geographical discovery." Every one, except 

 the scientists, had a " lay" in the voyage; and, so far as the crew was 

 concerned, theu" "lay" was to be their only remuneration; as a natural 

 consequence, whaling became the primary object to them. The expe- 

 dition was also fairly successful in this direction. 



As far as the scientific work is concerned, some valuable work was 



