224 THE LAST CRUISE OF THE MIRANDA. 



the dessert of wafers, Swiss cheese, bread, coffee with goat's 

 milk, brandy, and cigars. 



No epicure could have been more agreeably surprised with 

 a "feast fit for the gods" than was this Arctic shipwrecked 

 party with the dainties so freely given by our generous hosts. 



And now, good friend, comes the query : what benefit 

 to man have these Arctic explorations wrought ? A knowl- 

 edge of the natives of the wild northern wastes, whose origin 

 is unknown, their habits and mode of living, of the formation 

 of glaciers and their movements, the presence of whales, cod, 

 halibut, and of innumerable marine birds and polar bears, 

 and a cryolite formation, is about the sum and substance ; yet 

 so long as the faith of nations, of historical and scientific as- 

 sociations, and of purse-plethoric individuals is not exhausted, 

 the ambitious will continue attempts that are always fraught 

 with privations, horrible suffering, and death to fathom the 

 mysterious, if not mythical, elusive North Pole ; to render 

 possible the determination of the lines of variation in the 

 magnetic needle, for which mariners would be eternally 

 grateful, and to discover a northwest passage that would 

 never be frequented. Is it worth the while ? Old shipmate, 

 let you and me give all the chance and glory for future, 

 probably futile, attempts to those who think they like heroic 

 martyrdom. 



GEORGE W. GARDNER. 



To H. C. WALSH. 



