ould be impossible to
build a snow-house; a large sheet of mackintosh to spread over the
snow, so that it should not melt at contact with their bodies; and,
last of all, many coverings of wool and buffalo-skin. In addition,
they carried the Halkett-boat.

Their provisions consisted of five chests of pemmican, weighing four
hundred and fifty pounds; a pound of pemmican was allotted for each
man and dog; of the latter there were seven, including Duke; there
were to be four men. They carried, besides, twelve gallons of spirits
of wine, weighing nearly a hundred and fifty pounds; tea and biscuit,
in proper amounts; a little portable kitchen, with a great many wicks;
and much tow, ammunition, and four double-barrelled guns. The men of
the party made use of Captain Parry's invention, and wore girdles of
india-rubber in which the heat of the body and the motion in walking
could keep tea, coffee, and water in a liquid state.

Johnson took special care of the preparation of snow-shoes, with their
wooden frames and leathern straps; they served as skates; on
thoroughly frozen spots deerskin moccasins could be worn with comfort;
every man carried two pairs of each.

These preparations, which were so important because the omission of a
single detail might have caused the ruin of the whole expedition,
required four whole days. Every day at noon Hatteras took an
observation of the ship's position; it was no longer drifting, and
this had to be perfectly sure in order to secure their return.

Hatteras undertook to choose the four men who were to accompany him.
It was not an easy decision to take; some it was not advisable to
take, but then the question of leaving them on board had also to be
considered. Still, the common safety demanded the success of this
trip, and the captain deemed it right to choose sure and experienced
men.

Hence Shandon was left out, but not much to his regret. James Wall was
too ill to go. The sick grew no worse; their treatment consisted of
repeated rubbing and strong doses of lemon-juice; this was easily seen
to without the presence of the doctor being essential. Hence he
enrolled himself among those who should go, and no voice was raised
against it. Johnson would have gladly gone with the captain in his
dangerous expedition; but Hatteras drew him to one side and said to
him in an affectionate, almost weeping voice,--

"Johnson, you are the only man I can trust. You are the only officer
with whom I can