8 FARTHEST NORTH 



travel alone the coasts, but crossed the drift-ice itself to 

 the New Siberian Islands, and even north of them. 

 Nowhere, perhaps, have travellers gone through so many 

 sufferings, or evinced so much endurance. 



In America, too, the sledge was employed by English- 

 men at an early date for the purpose of exploring the 

 shores of the Arctic seas. Sometimes the toboggan or 

 Indian sledge was used, sometimes that of the Eskimo. 

 It was under the able leadership of M'Clintock that 

 sledge journeys attained their highest development. 

 While the Russians had generally travelled with a large 

 number of dogs, and only a few men, the English 

 employed many more men on their expeditions, and 

 their sledges were entirely, or for the most part, drawn 

 by the explorers themselves. Thus in the most ener- 

 getic attempt ever made to reach high latitudes, Albert 

 Markham's memorable march towards the north from 

 the Alerfs winter quarters, there were 'x,}, men who 

 had to draw the sledges, though there were plenty of 

 dogs on board the ship. It would appear, indeed, as 

 if dogs were not held in great estimation by the 

 English. 



The American traveller Peary has, however, adopted 

 a totally different method of travelling on the inland ice 

 of Greenland, employing as few men and as many dogs 

 as possible. The great importance of dogs for sledge 

 journeys was clear to me before I undertook my Green- 

 land expedition, and the reason I did not use them then 



