304 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [parti 
a sealer, built at Dundee in 1873 and named the Blood- 
hound, was purchased for the second ship. She was the 
best possible model for a vessel for Arctic service 1 . 
Captain Nares, who had served on board the Resolute 
in 1852-54, when he was in charge of Mecham's depot 
sledge, was recalled from the Challenger to take command 
of the expedition. The Captain of the second ship was 
Captain Stephenson, Albert Markham being Commander 
of the Alert, and Lewis Beaumont first lieutenant of 
the Bloodhound, whose name was changed to the Discovery, 
The officers Aldrich, May, Parr, Giffard, Egerton, Archer, 
Rawson, and Conybeare, nearly all attained distinction 
in after life, thanks to an Arctic training. Captain Feilden 
was the naturalist of the Alert, Mr Hart of the Discovery. 
The surgeons were Drs Colan and Moss in the Alert, Ninnis 
and Coppinger with Captain Stephenson. 
A volume was printed by the Geographical Society 
and presented to the Expedition, containing papers on 
Arctic geography and ethnology, and another manual 
was prepared by the Royal Society on various branches 
of science in their connection with the regions proposed 
to be visited. The sledge equipments were in the able 
and efficient hands of Sir Leopold, and were of course as 
perfect as it was possible to make them 2 . The provisions 
for ships and sledges were the same as for the search 
expeditions, or were intended to be the same. The 
Valorous paddle steamer was in company, to fill up the 
exploring ships at Disco, and take a line of deep-sea 
soundings across the Atlantic during her return voyage. 
The immense crowd, brought by trains from all parts 
of England, which was assembled on Southsea Common 
on the 29th May, 1875, when the Arctic ships left Ports- 
mouth Harbour, was a proof that a proper spirit had 
at length been aroused. Men and officers were the pick 
of the service, and the expedition started under most 
promising conditions. It encountered terrific gales, how- 
1 Length 166 ft, extreme breadth 30 it, depth of hold 18 ft., 
tonnage 668, nominal h.-p. 43. 
2 Each sledge'had its flag, which, at my suggestion, was designed on 
proper heraldic rules. The cross of St George at the hoist, the fly swallow- 
tailed, party per fess with the colours of the sledge-commander's arms, and 
his crest or principal charge over all, a border or fringe of the colours of 
the arms. The same pattern was adopted for the sledge flags of Captain 
Scott's Antarctic expeditions. 
