s, directions, weights,
and material were duly considered. Hopes rose high, as every one felt
that the field was thrown open to individual ability and skill. Every
one, naturally, (for orders "to put the men in training" did not come
out until afterwards,) commenced to "harden up" for the labour before
them. Zealous individuals might be daily seen trying all sorts of
patents. Out of their hard-earned wages some of the men bought and made
sails of peculiar cut for their sledges; others, after the "working
hours" were over, constructed water-bottles, velocipedes, cooking-tins;
in fact, neither pains nor trouble were spared--officers and men vying
in zeal.

Early in March an interchange of visits between our squadron and that
under Captain Penny opened the communication. His vessels had got
through the winter equally well with ourselves, and he, in like manner,
was hard at work, preparing for the foot journeys; and, as no sledges
or other equipment had been brought by him from England, in consequence
of his hurried departure, every nerve had to be strained, and every
resource called into existence, to enable him to overcome his
difficulties in lack of material.

On the 8th of March, at 11 A.M., the temperature in the shade having
been a couple of hours previously at 41 deg. below zero, and mercury solid
in the open air, we were delighted to see a solitary drop of water
trickle down the black paint of the "Pioneer's" side: at that moment,
oddly enough, the temperature in the shade was 36 deg.--, and in the sun
the thermometer only rose to 2 deg. below zero! Water, however, it
undoubtedly was, and as such we cheerfully hailed it, to prove the
increasing heat of the sun, and to promise a coming summer. All March
was a scene of constant business, diversified with sledge parades and
amusing military evolutions, recalling to our minds unpleasant
recollections of sweltering field-days and grand parades.

Having briefly touched upon the leading incidents connected with our
winter, and brought events up to the preparations for a search on foot,
it may not here be out of place to give a brief sketch of the causes
which had brought about the necessity for so many Englishmen to be
sojourning in these inclement regions, as well as occasioned the voyage
of that distinguished navigator whose squadron we hoped to rescue.

The seamen of Northern Europe, the Norsemen and Scandinavians, seem,
from the earliest records extant, to have sou