NOTES. 
457 
and continued distillation of water through protecting mosses—give a local 
richness to the Arctic flora which seems to render it independent of arbitrary 
zones. No less than five Crucifers were collected at this favored spot, two 
species of Draba, the Cochle&ria fenestrata, Hesperis pallasii, and Vesicaria 
arctica. The poppy grew at a little distance from the stream; and, still further 
shaded by the rocks, was the Oxyria digyna in such quantities as to afford 
bountiful salads to our party. The immediate neighborhood of the water¬ 
course presented a beautiful carpet of Lychnis and Ranunculus, varied by Dryas 
octopetala and Potentilla pulchella growing from beds of richest moss. For the 
determination of the species of these plants I am indebted to Mr. Durand: it 
was not until my return and my plants had been subjected to his able analysis 
that I was aware that Vesicaria was upon my list. I had never seen it north 
of Egedesminde, latitude 68°; yet both it and Ilesperis are also among Dr. 
Hayes’s collections. 
Note 25, p. 101. 
The lines of junction of floes serve rudely as an index to the direction of drift. 
The hummocks are generally at right angles to the axis of drift. 
i 
Note 26, p. 110. 
The dimensions and general structure of the sledge are of vital importance 
for a successful journey. Very slight, almost imperceptible, differences cause 
an increase of friction more than equal to the draught of an additional man or 
dog. The curvature of the runners—that of minimum resistanco—dcpends 
upon elements not easily computed: it is best determined experimentally. The 
“Faith” — which for the heavy and snow-covered ice of Smith's Straits was the 
best sledge I ever saw—differed somewhat from the excellent model of Captain 
# McClintock, furnished me by the British Admiralty: its increased breadth of 
runner kept it from burying in the snow; while its lesser height made it 
stronger and diminished the strain upon the lashings. I subjoin the dimensions 
of two nearly similar sledges, — Mr. McClintock’s and my own :— 
McClintock.'s. 
ft in. 
Leugth of runner.13 0 
Height of do. oil! 
Horizontal width of all parts. 0 2} 
Thickness of all parts. 0 11 
Length, resting on a piano surface. 5 0 
Cross-bars, six in number, making a 
%\Idth of.... 3 0 | 
The Faith. 
ft. in. 
Length of runner... 13 0 
Height of do. 0 8 
Horizontal width of rail... 0 2} 
u “ base of runner.. 0 3J 
« “ other parts.. 0 2 
Thickness of all parts. 0 1J 
Length, resting on a piano surface. 6 0 
Cross-bars, five in number, making a 
width of... 3 8 
The shoeing of the largo sledges of English expeditions was of burnished one* 
eighth-inch iron; our own were of annealed thrce-sixteenths-inch steel, as light 
as possible, to admit of slightly countersunk rivets. Seal-skin lashings were 
