42 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. July 



matted, but their splendid row of even white teeth 

 showed to advantage out of the setting formed by the 

 flat mahogany-coloured visage. They were given a 

 supply of lucifer matches, biscuits, knives, &c, which 

 appeared to please them greatly. 



In the meantime the ' Alert ' proceeded on her way 

 towards the Cary Islands, there to establish a depot of 

 provisions and deposit a boat for use should we un- 

 fortunately be fated to retreat south from Smith Sound, 





GROUP OF AUCTIC HIGHLANDERS. 



leaving our vessels behind us, as two out of three 

 expeditions which preceded us had been forced to 

 do. Expecting to find a southerly current in the offing, 

 where there were few icebergs, I steamed along the 

 Greenland shores within a couple of miles of the land 

 and inside a long line of immense bergs lying aground 

 parallel to the coast, trusting to the grounded ice to 

 point out any hidden dangers. At this season little 

 snow remained on the Beverley Cliffs, though behind 



