328 RETURN TO THE SHIP. \Jline. 



tenant May, who had returned to the ship on the 13th 

 of June, and was the bearer of intelligence from Com- 

 mander Richards, who had fallen in with Lieutenant Ha- 

 milton, of the ' Resolute/ by chance, about one hundred 

 miles west of the appointed rendezvous, to which he was 

 then proceeding. Fortunately, Commander Richards was 

 thus enabled to direct Lieutenant Hamilton where to 

 overtake Lieutenant Osborn, who was also instructed to 

 conduct him to the rendezvous. Lieutenant Osborn was 

 further directed to forward the documents brought by 

 Lieutenant Hamilton, by Lieutenant May, who had thus, 

 on reaching the ship, again despatched them by fresh 

 hands to meet me : the contents of these despatches will 

 be treated on in the following chapter. 



Leaving Mr. Cheyne to assist the other parties, after 

 a short rest at this spit island, I pushed on for the ship, 

 with two days' provision : on our outward journey it 

 took three days to get thus far, but now, using the 

 ' Hamilton' as a sledge under canvas, we reached Vil- 

 lage Point in four hours, viz. about 9.30 P.M. 



Having delayed a short time to obtain some angles, I 

 was in the act of setting up the theodolite : an ominous 

 jarring behind me caused me to start and leap aside with 

 the instrument ; providentially I escaped. This pile, con- 

 structed of very large stones, fell with a heavy crash on 

 the spot I had occupied ; it was twelve feet at base by 

 ten feet high, and flat-topped, to support an instrument. 



The work finished, onward we pushed, and at five 

 P.M. on the 23rd of June, ten hours only from the time 

 of starting, I was divesting myself, before a warm fire in 

 my cabin, of my travelling dress. 



