NATURAL HISTORY, 



569 



nortliern part of Spitzbergen, 

 which affords their natural food. 

 They could be yoked to sledges 

 framed of the lightest materials, 

 adapted for the accommodation of 

 the adventurers, and the convey- 

 ance of the requisites. Tlie pro- 

 visions for the adventurers, for 

 compactness, might consist of 

 portable soups, potted meats, &c., 

 and compressed lichen for the 

 rein-deer. The instruments and 

 apparatus might be in a great 

 measure confined to indispensa- 

 bles, and those of the most port- 

 able kinds ; such as tents, defen- 

 sive ■wea2)ons, sextants, chrono- 

 meters, magnetic needles, ther- 

 mometers, &c. 



As the rein-deer is, however, a 

 delicate animal, difficult to guide, 

 and might be troublesome if thin 

 or broken ice were required to be 

 passed, — dogs would seem in some 

 respects to be preferable. In 

 either case, the animals must be 

 procured from the countries where- 

 in they are trained, and drivers 

 would probably be required witb 

 them. The journey might be ac- 

 celerated by expanding a sail to 

 every favourable breeze, at the 

 same time the animals would be 

 relieved from the oppression of 

 their draught. It would appear 

 fiom the reputed speed of the 

 rein-deer, that, under favourable 

 circumstances, the journey might 

 be accomplished even in a fort- 

 night, allowing time for rest and 

 accidental delays. It would re- 

 quire a month or six weeks with 

 dogs, at a moderate speed ; and, 

 in the event of the failure of these 

 animals on the journey, it does 

 not seem impossible that the return 

 should be effected on foot, with 



sledges for the provisions and ap- 

 paratus. 



(a.) Soft snow would diminish 

 the speed, and augment the fa- 

 tigue of the animal J to avoid 

 which, therefore, it would be ne- 

 cessary to set out by the close of 

 the month of April or the begin- 

 ning of May; or, at least, some 

 time before the severity of the 

 frost should be too greatly re- 

 laxed. 



(6.) Want of continuity of the 

 ice, would certainly occasion a 

 troublesome interruption ; it might 

 nevertheless be overcome, by 

 having the sledges adapted to an- 

 swer the purpose of boats ; and it 

 is to be expected, that although 

 openings amidst the ice should 

 occur, yet a winding course might 

 in general be pursued, so as to 

 prevent any very great stoppage. 



(c.) Many of the most prodi- 

 gious fields are entirely free from 

 abrupt hummocks, from one ex- 

 tremity to the other, and field ice, 

 as it appears in general, would be 

 easily passable. 



(d.) The degree of interruption 

 from mountainous ice, would de- 

 pend on the quality of its surface. 



If, as is most probable, it were 

 smooth, and fiee from abrupt 

 slopes, it would not prevent the 

 success of the expedition. 



2. The direct route would be 

 pointed out, for some part of the 

 way at least, by the magnetic 

 needle ; and when its pole should 

 be directed towards the zenith, 

 should that position ever obtain, 

 the sun would be the only guide. 

 Or, the position of the true north 

 being once ascertained, three 

 sledges on a line, at a convenient 

 distance apart, might enable the 



leading: 



