402	JEANNETTE INQUIRY.
long in going over the ice. In going over a hummock the stern of the boat would strike after the body of the boat had crossed, and the boat was badly stove. All the fastenings were shaken and the loggerhead was knocked out of the boat.
Q. Could it not have been repaired f—A. She was repaired by the ingenuity of Sweetman, assisted by Bartlett, Mr. Melville, superintend. ing. No, I am wrong there. Mr. Melville had not been in control of the boat, but Mr. Melville, in the ten-day camp, superintended the re-pairs and the fitting of the weather cloths.
Q. Was not the whale-boat a better boat for the purposes of your re-treat than Chipp's boat f—A. For the retreat over the ice, no.
Q. For the general purposes of the retreat, over the ice and in the water °?—A. As events proved, yes ; but at the time the second cutter was the favorite, and so was called by pet names.
Q. But as events proved, the whale-boat would have been better ?—A. Yes, sir ; as events proved.
Q. If so, then why was not the other whale-boat taken l—A. Because, in the judgment of the captain, there was sufficient boat capacity in those three boats for the party, and it would have been practically impossible to have hauled the whale-boat over the ice in addition to the other boats, and Lieutenant Chipp and Mr. Dunbar were perfectly satisfied in the second cutter, and used to speak of it in that way in coming over the ice. She was short and handy, and the whale-boat was looked upon as a very bad boat at that time.
By Mr. BOUTELLE :
Q. Did it take more men to transport the whale-boat than the cut-ter ?—A. Yes, sir. And it was so much more difficult to take it over the hummocks without shattering the boat.
By Mr. CURTIS:
Q. Would it not have been better for all on the retreat if you had had three boats of equal carrying capacity and rate of speed f—A. I think it would have been better, but it was impracticable, probably, to do it.
Q. Suppose you had had boats like this: "Each boat two feet shorter than the whale-boat, one foot wider and six inches deeper"?—A. How should they be built ?
Q. I ask you for information.—A. I think the whaleboat could be improved on. I think an American whale-boat, clinker-built, would have been better; it would have a stronger keel. Most of them are built the other way.
Q. Did any of these considerations enter into your mind at the time the expedition was fitted out ?—A. Yes, sir. The whale-boats were thoroughly overhauled, and the master boat-builder at the navy-yard told me that he had never seen better or stronger boats than the two whale-boats we had. They were very light and strongly copper-fastened, and of good material, and I was perfectly satisfied with the whale-boats at that time. But you are asking for my opinion in regard to building an Arctic boat. That is a wide subject, of course.
Q. Would not such boats as you have last described or such as I have called your attention to, boats 2 feet shorter than the whale-boat, 1 foot wider, and 6 inches deeper, have taken their crews safely through the storm such as Chipp was lost in f—A. No, sir ; not necessarily. I cannot say that.
Q. Would not the chances have been better f—A. I cannot say that. Mr. BOUTELLE. Why should they be safer; why would not a boat 10 feet long be just as likely to do as well ?