12 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



them into and out of the boats, than their services in the 

 intervals, or their flesh ultimately used as food, would be 

 worth ; especially when it is considered how large a weight 

 of provender must be carried for their own subsistence. 



"In case of employing reindeer, which, from their 

 strength, docility, and hardy habits, appear the best suited 

 to this kind of travelling, there would be an evident 

 advantage in setting out much earlier in the year than we 

 did ; perhaps about the end of April, when the ice is less 

 broken up, and the snow much harder upon its surface, 

 than at a more advanced part of the season. But. this, it 

 must be recollected, would involve the necessity of passing 

 the previous winter on the northern coast of Spitzbergen, 

 which, even under favourable circumstances, would prob- 

 ably tend to weaken in some degree the energies of the 

 men ; while, on the other hand, it would be next to 

 impossible to procure there a supply of provender for a 

 number of tame reindeer, sufficient even to keep them 

 alive, much less in tolerable condition, during a whole 

 winter. In addition to this, it may be observed, that any 

 party setting out earlier must be provided with a much 

 greater weight of warm clothing, in order to guard 

 against the severity of the cold, and also with an increased 

 proportion of fuel for procuring water by the melting of 

 snow, there being no fresh water upon the ice, in these 

 latitudes, before the month of June." 



Parry's attempt to reach the Pole, hauling heavy boats 

 over the ice, brings into prominence the determination 

 and daring of English sailors. Parry's record of 82° 45' 

 remained unbroken forty-eight years, when a new record 

 Avas again made by English sailors in an exactly similar 

 way to that of Parry, but in a different region. 



The next expedition of importance after Parry's was 

 that of Sir John Franklin in search of the North- West 



