Page:Furcountryorseve00vernrich.djvu/57

 A FACTORY. 2$ peditioii for crossing the Polar regions. Everything had to be taken with them — food, clothes, tools, arms, ammunition, and a nonde- script collection of various requisites. The troops, under the command of Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson, were one chief and two subordinate officers, with ten soldiers, three of whom took their wives with them. They were all picked men, chosen by Captain Craventy on account of their energy and resolution. We append a list of the whole party : — 1. Lieutenant Jaspar Hobson. 11, Sabine, soldier. 2. Sergeant Long. 12. Hope, do. 3. Corporal Joliffe. 13. Kellet, do. 4. Petersen, soldier. 14. Mrs Rae. 5. Belcher, do. 15. MrsJoliflfe. 6. Rae, do. 16. Mrs Mac-Nab. 7. Marbre, do. 17. Mrs Paulina Barnett. 8. Garry, do. 18. Madge. 9. Pond, do. 19. Thomas Black. 10. Mac-Nab, do. In all, nineteen persons to be transported several hundreds of miles through a desert and imperfectly-known country. With this project in view, however, the Company had collected everything necessary for the expedition. A dozen sledges, with their teams of dogs, were in readiness. These primitive vehicles consisted of strong but light planks joined together by transverse bands. A piece of curved wood, turning up at the end like a skate, was fixed beneath the sledge, enabling it to cleave the snow without sinking deeply into it. Six swift and intelligent dogs, yoked two and two, and controlled by the long thong brandished by the driver, drew the sledges, and could go at a rate of fifteen miles an hour. The wardrobe of the travellers consisted of garments made of reindeer-skins, lined throughout with thick furs. All wore linen next the skin as a protection against the sudden changes of tempera- ture frequent in these latitudes. Each one, officer or soldier, male or female, wore seal-skin boots sewn with twine, in the manufacture of which the natives excel. These boots are absolutely impervious, and are so flexible that they are admirably adapted for walking. Pine-wood snow-shoes, two or three feet long, capable of supporting the weight of a man on the most brittle snow, and enabling him to pass over it with the rapidity of a skater on ice, can oe fastened