A view of the upper deck of 'Alert' (1856) looking aft from behind the main mast
A view of the upper deck of 'Alert' (1856) looking aft from behind the main mast. The deck was covered with snow to act as insulation with a layer of ash and gravel added. The blocks are pemmican. During the first week of May 1876 Nares ordered that the snow was removed from the skylights and bull's-eyes in order to let light in between decks. The skylight in the foreground has been uncovered.