4 AND TH-ATvE PKEPARATIOXS. 



vided with a square topsail and everything 

 requisite for a summer s campaign against the 

 ferae nature of the arctic regions; and including 

 casks to stow their blubber in, as I expected 

 to be reimbursed for at least a part of the 

 heavy outlay these preparations entailed, by 

 the proceeds of skins and oil. I also ordered 

 two suitable whale- (or rather walrus-) boats 

 to be constructed in Hanimerfest, of a size 

 slightly larger than those commonly used, so 

 as to admit of an amateur sitting comfortably 

 in the stern without his having necessarily to 

 act as one of the boat s crew ; and, finally, I 

 desired niv a^ent to enrao e two skilful har- 



/ o 



pooners, and men enough to man the boats 

 and navigate the &quot; jagt&quot; English sailors being 

 almost as useless as the boats for this descrip 

 tion of work. 



On mentioning my projected expedition to a 

 friend, renowned as a sportsman with the rifle 

 and the spear on the plains of India, and 

 telling him of the sport I expected amongst 

 the icebergs of the North, he at once agreed to 

 join me, and entered with heart and purse into 

 the arrangements ; and here let me state that, 

 during ten years I have spent in travelling in 

 different parts of the world, I have never fallen 



