50 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. June 



CHAPTER II. 



DECIDE TO RETURN SOUTH SETTING-IN OF THE THAW — MUSK-OXEN 



SHOT — INCREASE AND DECREASE OF POLAR FLOES FORMATION 



OF PEN-KNIFE ICE DISRUPTION OF FLOES — CHARR GREENLAND 



ICE-CAP DRIFT- WOOD — ARCTIC FLOWERING PLANTS ' ALERT ' 



STARTS FOR DISCOVERY BAY. 



The return of the travellers to the ' Alert ' so com- 

 pletely broken down in health naturally caused me 

 much anxiety. Out of fifty-three men on board, 

 twenty-seven were under treatment for decided scurvy, 

 four others were slightly affected, and eight had only 

 lately recovered ; five men were in a doubtful state of 

 health from the same or other causes, leaving only 

 nine who in addition to the officers could be depended 

 on for hard work. 



Our great desire was to endeavour to obtain fresh 

 meat for the invalids, and the officers diligently scoured 

 the neighbourhood in hopes of procuring game. A 

 small supply of mutton which had remained frozen 

 in the rigging during the winter had fortunately been 

 saved ; this, with the birds obtained from time to time, 

 enabled Dr. Colan to give the scurvy-stricken patients 

 a fair change of diet, on which their health rapidly 

 improved. 



Although I confidently looked forward to the in- 

 valids being speedily restored to health, yet when I con- 



