130 SC, WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 
first volume only having been as yet issued, he chartered a 
small vessel, the “Ripley,” at Eastport, Maine, for the pur- 
pose, and accompanied by four young gentlemen, fond of 
Natural History and adventure, set sail for the North. He 
describes his out-fit, mode of life on board and ashore. 
We had purchased our stores at Boston, with the aid of my 
generous friend Dr. Parkman of that city; but unfortunately 
many things necessary on an expedition like ours were omitted. 
At Eastport in Maine we therefore laid in these requisites. 
No traveller, let me say, ought to neglect anything that is 
calculated to insure the success of his undertaking, or to con- 
tribute to his personal comfort, when about to set out on a long 
and perhaps hazardous voyage. Very few opportunities of 
replenishing stores of provision, clothing or ammunition, 
occur in such a country as Labrador; and yet, we all placed 
too much confidence in the zeal and foresight of our purvey- 
ors at Hastport. We had abundance of ammunition, excellent 
bread, meat and potatoes; but the butter was quite rancid, 
the oil only fit to grease our guns, the vinegar too liberally 
diluted with cider, the mustard and pepper deficient in due 
pungency. All this, however, was not discovered until it was 
too late to be remedied. Several of the young men were not 
clothed as hunters should be, and some of the guns were not 
so good as we could have wished. We were, however, fortunate 
with respect to our vessel, which was a notable sailer, did not 
‘leak, had a good crew, and was directed by a capital seaman. 
The hold of the schooner was floored, and an entrance 
made to it from the cabin, so that in it we had a very good par- 
lor, dining-room, drawing-room, library, &c., all those apart- 
ments, however, being united into one. An extravagantly 
elongated deal table ranged along the centre; one of the 
party had slung his hammock at one end, and in its vicinity 
slept the cook and a lad who acted as armorer. The cabin 
was small; but being fitted in the usual manner with side 
berths, was used for a dormitory. It contained a small table 
