KANE'S EXPEDITION (1855) 43 



we had all of us gone through, and to remember each 

 man for himself how often an unseen Power had rescued 

 him in peril, and I admonished them still to place reliance 

 on Him who could not change.'" 



On reaching the boats, the party were regularly 

 mustered and divided between the two. A rigid inspec- 

 tion was made of every article of personal equipment. 

 Each man had a woollen under-dress and an Esquimaux 

 suit of fur clothing — kapetah, nessak, and nannooke 

 complete, with boots of their own make. One pair of 

 boots was made of canvas faced with walrus-hide, and 

 another inside these made of the cabin Brussels carpet. 

 In addition to this, each man carried a rue-raddy — a 

 shoulder-belt to drag by — adjusted to fit him comfortably, 

 a pair of socks next his skin, and a pair of large goggles 

 for snow-blindness, made Esquimaux-fashion by cutting a 

 small slit in a piece of wood. The provision-bags and 

 other stores were numbered, and each man and officer had 

 his own bag and a place assigned for it, to prevent con- 

 fusion in rapid stowing and unstowing. Excluding four 

 sick men, who were unable to move, and Dr. Kane, who 

 had to drive the dog-team and serve as common carrier 

 and courier, they numbered but twelve men, which would 

 have given six to a sledge — too few to move it. It was 

 therefore necessary to concentrate the entire force upon 

 one sledge at a time. 



The routine established by Dr. Kane was the most 

 precise : — " Daily prayers both morning and evening, all 

 hands gathering round in a circle and standing uncovered 

 during the short exercise ; regulated hours ; fixed duties 

 and positions at the track-lines and on the halt ; the 

 cooking to be taken by turns, the captains of the boats 

 alone being excused. The charge of the log was confided 

 to Dr. Hayes, and the running survey to Mr. Sonntag. 

 The thermometer was observed every three hours." 



