PREFACE 



In the early days of the Expedition, before the shadow of 

 death had fallen across our path, and when there were three 

 eager and brave companions to share the work with me, I 

 always had the idea in my mind that when we were safe 

 home again we would go over the results of our work, each 

 gathering the harvest of his special line for embodiment in 

 a scientific record. At the same time I had hopes that a 

 general history of our journey would some day be written 

 by my brother, Claud, in whose literary capabilities for the 

 work I had the greatest confidence. But, alas ! those hopes 

 were never to be realised, and only a few pages of notes and 

 minute observations in a tiny, neat handwriting, and a few 

 pretty and quaint descriptions in letters written home -remain 

 to show what that book might have been. His share of the 

 work endures in the splendid map, which his co-worker, 

 Mr. Talbot, brought home and finished with untiring labours. 

 With my brother's death I abandoned all hope that the story 

 of the Expedition woidd ever be written, and I intended only 

 to collect the scientific records, publishing the notes on each 

 department in separate proceedings. 



But a friend pointed out to me that my contribution to 

 science would not be complete unless a faithful history of our 

 ^travels were written — of the difficulties overcome and the 

 resources used in the overcoming ; the good and the bad in 



