INTRODUCTION. XXXvii 



one winter in the ice, though happily the mortality 

 exceeded that of no former expedition. If we turn to 

 the records of the condition of the crews of Collinson 

 and M'Clure's ships after three and four winters passed 

 in a much lower latitude, we find an absence of any 

 severe cases of the same disease, and so in other 

 voyages of shorter duration ; but where the exposure 

 and labour of the travelling parties was excessive, we 

 find a still more marked exemption ; while, on the other 

 hand, we learn from the recovered records of Franklin's 

 fatal expedition, which wintered more than 700 miles 

 to the south, and whose crews were not subject to the 

 labour of sledging until they finally quitted their ships, 

 that before three years had elapsed no less than, 

 twenty-four deaths had occurred (nine among them 

 being officers), whether by scurvy or not none can say. 

 These are significant facts, the causes of which have 

 hitherto been past man's finding out. 



As regards steam-power, its advantages, up to a 

 certain point, cannot be overrated. Formerly ships 

 were compelled to hold on where they could by the 

 fixed land ice, sometimes for weeks, and where they 

 could not, were drifted to the south, helpless in the 

 moving pack. With steam-power, where a ship can 

 find sufficient room to move in an ice-encumbered sea, 

 she can force her way ; hence a distance which in the 

 days of sailing ships required some six or eight weeks 

 to accomplish has been made good with steam in half 

 the number of days, and the harassing labour of 

 warping with hawsers and cutting into dock for con- 

 tinuous days and nights has been entirely spared. 

 This is much ; but here the advantage ends. When 

 this partial navigation ceases and the solid floe is 

 reached, however inconsiderable its thickness, steam is 



