14 FARTHEST NORTH 



too hard and britUe, and apt to have holes knocked in it 

 durini^ transport over the ice. Therefore I preferred to 

 steep it in a mixture of parafifin and tallow, which added 

 somewhat to the weight of the kayaks, so that altogether 

 they came to weigh about 36 pounds apiece. 



I had, moreover, some hand -sledges made especially 

 for this expedition ; they were supple and strong, de- 

 signed to withstand the severe tests to which an expedi- 

 tion with dogs and heavy freights over the uneven drift- 

 ice would necessarily expose them. Two of these sledges 

 were about the same length as the kayaks — that is, 12 

 feet. I also made several experiments with respect to the 

 clothes we should wear, and was especially anxious to 

 ascertain whether it would do to go in our thick wolfskin 

 garments, but always came to the conclusion that they 

 were too warm. Thus, on November 29th I write: 

 "Took another walk northward in my wolfskin dress; 

 but it is still too mild ( — 37.6" C). I sweated like a horse, 

 though I went fasting and quite gently. It is rather 

 heavy going now in the dark when one cannot use snow- 

 shoes. I wonder when it will be cold enouoh to use this 

 dress." 



On December 9th again we went out on snow-shoes. 

 " It was — 41° C. (-41.8° Fahr.). Went in wolfskin dress, 

 but the perspiration poured down our backs enough to 

 turn a mill. Too warm yet ; goodness knows if it ever 

 will be cold enough." 



Of course, we made some experiments with the tent 



