OUR STORES AND EQUIPMENT. 113 



into the interior, unless with guides, to whom every 

 feature of the hills was familiar as the pages of his 

 breviary to an eremite; and even under the most 

 favourable circumstances I should deem it at all times 

 hazardous. 



None of our number had ever practised Arctic 

 travelling ; we knew little or nothing of the use of 

 snow-shoes, and it was vain to think of journeying 

 on foot without those appendages ; besides which, it 

 would have been slow and laborious work to have 

 carried our stores of provisions, instruments, and 

 presents. Reindeer would have been delightful 

 steeds, fleet as the wind — and then so romantic ; but 

 we knew nothing about driving them, nor was 

 their food to be always easily obtained ; thus we 

 came to the only easy and convenient mode of 

 travelling, namely, by sledges and dogs, which were 

 therefore universally employed. 



We were provided with provisions for twelve days, 

 a number of tools, trinkets, &c., for the natives, and 

 the necessary instruments for taking observations, 

 such as the dipping-needle and thermometers, 

 sextants and artificial horizon, pocket chronometers, 

 &c. We also carried a copper fiddle, made on board 

 by our clever armourer, which had already visited 

 more than one community to enliven its members. 



