126 NEW CURE FOR A BROKEN NECK. [September, 



easterly winds ; and beneath, in warmer times, a very snug 

 little yacht harbour might be available within a tongue 

 of projecting shingle. But the ice on which we were 

 now to try our chance was most unpromising. The 

 ' Hamilton' could only have been conveyed on her own 

 carriage ; indeed, would have been deposited here pro tern. 



On the morning of the 23rd we advanced towards the 

 outer island, the western extreme of which forms Point 

 Sophia of the old chart, The travelling was difficult, by 

 reason principally of newly broken young ice, of every 

 imaginable angle, cemented together by the late frosts. 

 Over this, as it jarred my limbs walking, I tried the 

 dog-sledge, which answered admirably on the smooth 

 ice ; but meeting with an awkward lump, I experienced 

 a most unpleasant summerset, inflicting rather a severe 

 concussion to my head and neck, which had been in- 

 jured on the 1st of October, 1850, by a fall. As this 

 accident occurred to the opposite side, it tended to cure 

 it ; but the remedy would not, I suspect, be prescribed, 

 even in these days of innovation. (I have since perfectly 

 recovered.) 



We reached the island in safety, landed, and erected 

 our cairn. I found the rock to be composed of a dullish 

 dirty brown, sometimes variegated, swinestone, probably 

 susceptible of polish; it frequently exhibited veins or 

 layers of chert, the sharp fragments of which rendered it 

 very unpleasant to travel over. As this island was one 

 of the dreams of Penny, I retained Point Sophia, and 

 added Cracroft Island, in compliment to his enterprising 

 spirit. On my descent, I found some of the party an- 

 noying a few ducks in a pool of water ; but as they could 



