a large piece of mackintosh to spread
over the snow, to prevent it melting in contact with the human body,
and lastly, several blankets and buffalo-skins. They took the halkett
boat too.

The provisions consisted of five cases of pemmican, weighing about
four hundred and fifty pounds; they counted one pound of pemmican
for each man and each dog; there were seven dogs including Dick, and
four men. They also took twelve gallons of spirits of wine--that is
to say, about one hundred fifty pounds weight--a sufficient quantity
of tea and biscuit, a portable kitchen with plenty of wicks, oakum,
powder, ammunition, and two double-barrelled guns. They also used
Captain Parry's invention of indiarubber belts, in which the warmth
of the body and the movement of walking keeps coffee, tea, and water
in a liquid state. Johnson was very careful about the snow-shoes;
they are a sort of wooden patten, fastened on with leather straps;
when the ground was quite hard and frozen they could be replaced by
buckskin moccasins; each traveller had two pairs of both.

These preparations were important, for any detail omitted might
occasion the loss of an expedition; they took four whole days. Each
day at noon Hatteras took care to set the position of his ship; they
had ceased to drift; he was obliged to be certain in order to get
back. He next set about choosing the men he should take with him;
some of them were not fit either to take or leave, but the captain
decided to take none but sure companions, as the common safety
depended upon the success of the excursion. Shandon was, therefore,
excluded, which he did not seem to regret. James Wall was ill in bed.
The state of the sick got no worse, however, and as the only thing
to do for them was to rub them with lime-juice, and give them doses
of it, the doctor was not obliged to stop, and he made one of the
travellers. Johnson very much wished to accompany the captain in his
perilous enterprise, but Hatteras took him aside, and said, in an
affectionate tone:

"Johnson, I have confidence in you alone. You are the only officer
in whose hands I can leave my ship. I must know that you are there
to overlook Shandon and the others. They are kept prisoners here by
the winter, but I believe them capable of anything. You will be
furnished with my formal instructions, which, in case of need, will
give you the command. You will take my place entirely. Our absence
will last four or five weeks at the most.