PREFACE. 



In the following narrative I have endeavoured to give 

 a plain and faithful account of the voyage of H.M. 

 ships ' Alert ' and ' Discovery ' to and from the Polar 

 Sea ; together with the results of the explorations 

 which were made along its shores, and over the ice in 

 the direction of the North Pole, by means of sledging. 



I have written for the information of future Arctic 

 explorers ; and also under a feeling of duty to the 

 many, both in this country and abroad, whose earnest 

 good wishes and kind sympathies were with us during 

 our absence. 



As the expectations which were entertained re- 

 garding our reaching the North Pole were not realized, 

 I must, in justice to the gallant men whom I com- 

 manded, express my firm conviction that it was due 

 solely. to the fact that the North Pole is unattainable 

 by the Smith Sound route. 



The Illustrations in the present work are either 

 reproductions of photographs taken by Mr. F. Mitchell, 

 Paymaster of H.M.S. 'Discovery,' and Mr. George 



