rt_, had crossed the
Arctic circle before, as had Captain Nares, and all that could be done
was done to make the voyage a success.

Sir George Nares had already seen considerable Arctic and sea service.
His scientific voyage in the _Challenger_, too, had given him an
unlimited fund of experience, in addition to his previous geographical
attainments. Captain H. Stephenson also had proved his mettle in many
parts of the world, and under these commanders were many trustworthy and
experienced officers. The expedition quitted Portsmouth amid
enthusiastic cheers on the 29th of May, 1875, and made their way across
the Atlantic. Here they met with most violent storms, which tried both
ships and ships' companies, as well as the _Valorous_ store ship, which
parted company in the ocean. The first ice was seen on the 27th of
June, and the _Valorous_ was picked up again all well.

Skirting the Greenland coast amid the ice, the vessels encountered heavy
weather, and at length anchored in Godhaven Harbour, in the Isle of
Disco. Here supplies and sledge dogs were embarked, and on the 15th of
July the _Alert_ towed the _Discovery_ out of harbour, and proceeded
northwards. They reached Upernavik and left it. Soon afterwards the
_Alert_ grounded, but cleared at high water. Cape York was gained in
seventy hours, an extremely rapid passage. The _Alert_ passed on by the
Crimson Cliffs and Cape Digges, which have been so often mentioned, and
reached the Cary Islands on the 27th of July. Depots were formed here
and records placed with letters, as also on Sutherland and Littleton
Islands. The advance into Smith's Sound was by no means easy, and
several times the ships had to return to the latitude of Kane's winter
quarters.

About this time the _Alert_ was nearly crushed by an iceberg, but got
clear, and the crew made the mountain tow the vessel by grappling it.
By very slow degrees, pushing and driving through the "pack," the
vessels at last reached Cape Constitution, to which Doctor Kane had
penetrated, but which he did not pass. Going still northwards the ships
cleared Kennedy Channel and reached Hall's Basin, in the north-east side
of which were the winter quarters of the unfortunate _Polaris_. Robeson
Channel had now to be cleared.

All this time the officers and men who could be spared from duty were
not idle. Parties went hunting and sketching. Many scientific
observations were made by dredging. Photographs were taken