same time in such very narrow space. He at last arranged his two
buffalo robes to his perfect satisfaction, and I soon spread my humbler
blankets to the best advantage. So much accomplished we retired to our
first sleep on shipboard.

We had left New York on the 19th June, 1878, a party of five, none of
us unaccustomed to hardship and adventure. Lieutenant Frederick
Schwatka, of the Third United States Cavalry, Polish by descent,
American by birth, had been distinguished in the war; and I, who was
second in command, had seen a good deal of active service. Henry
Klutschak, a Bohemian by birth, a civil engineer by profession, brought
us the advantage of his previous experiences in the Arctic; Frank E.
Melms was an experienced whaleman; and Joseph Ebierbing, well known as
"Esquimau Joe," had been with Captain Hall and Captain Hayes in their
journeys, and with the 'Pandora' expedition from England. The
'Eothen', that carried us, was commanded by Captain Thomas F.
Barry. Her crew included a first, second, and third mate, a carpenter,
blacksmith, cooper, steward and cook, three boat-steerers, and twelve
men before the mast. To prepare her for encounters with the ice, the
hull had been overlaid to the chain-plates with oak planking an inch
and a half thick, and the stem had been covered with oak about two feet
thick, over which was iron plating to the depth of three-quarters of an
inch. She was a stout vessel of one hundred and two tons. The stock of
provisions laid in on board of her for the use of the party included
hard bread, Indian-meal, flour, molasses, pemmican, canned meats,
preserved vegetables, preserved fruits, coffee, tea, and chocolate.
Horseradish was taken as a preventive against scurvy, and tobacco was
stored in abundance for the use of such Esquimaux as might have stories
to tell or assistance to offer. Arms and ammunition had been generously
presented to us by several manufacturers, and to individual bounty we