178 
THE PLEDGES. 
dination to command: and that the thirteen hundred 
miles of ice and water that lay between us and North 
Greenland could be traversed with safety for most of 
us, and hope for all. I added, that as men and mess¬ 
mates it was the duty of us all, enjoined by gallantry 
as well as religion, to postpone every consideration of 
self to the protection of the wounded and sick; and 
that this must be regarded by every man and under all 
circumstances as a paramount order. In conclusion, I 
told them to think over the trials we had all of us gone 
through, and to remember each man for himself how 
often an unseen Power had rescued him in peril, and 
I admonished them still to place reliance on Him who 
could not change. 
I was met with a right spirit. After a short confer¬ 
ence, an engagement was drawn up by one of the 
officers, and brought to me with the signatures of 
all the company, ■without an exception. It read as 
follows:— 
“Second Grinnell Expedition, 
“Brio Advance, May 20, 1855. 
“The undersigned, being convinced of the impos¬ 
sibility of the liberation of the brig, and equally con¬ 
vinced of the impossibility of remaining in the ice 
a third winter, do fervently concur with the com¬ 
mander in his attempt to reach the South by means 
of boats. 
“ Knowing the trials and hardships which are before 
us, and feeling the necessity of union, harmony, and 
discipline, we have determined to abide faithfully by 
