344 RETURN OF COMMANDER RICHARDS. 



at which latter place he was to await the arrival of Com- 

 mander Richards. 



Our cutting operations proved heavy and very tedious. 

 The snow bank between the ' Assistance 1 and the ' Pio- 

 neer' having formed into solid tough ice, compelled us 

 to remove it piecemeal. This afforded practice to the 

 men in the most effectual modes of removing ice : how- 

 ever, it soon became apparent that the off-shore pressure 

 closed the cuts as they were made, and that our efforts 

 nrast commence tie novo from the outer verge at the 

 water, where we had now sufficient space to float off our 

 cuttings. 



We had yet a difficult game to play ; as we were 

 threatened with infinite labour, should the ice move 

 after our canal was complete. My mind had been made 

 up to start on the 14th of July, and every effort was put 

 forth to effect this object. On the llth we had com- 

 pleted the first six hundred feet by sixty wide in twelve 

 hours, meals included : the ice had been removed to sea, 

 and dock-gates placed to secure it from closing. 



On the 12th, before noon, the cutter was discovered 

 under sail, and the ice-boat of the ' Pioneer,' with the 

 banner of Commander Richards flying, in tow. We ad- 

 vanced to the mouth of the canal, and, opening the gates, 

 admitted them. At three I had the pleasure of taking 

 Commander Richards by the hand, and congratulating 

 him on his safe return, after an absence of ninety-five 

 days. As we had much to talk of, I sent him to his 

 hot bath, reserving further communication until dinner. 



At eight this evening the 'Assistance' was once more 

 afloat, her course unimpeded, but we had yet to extri- 



