1876 LIEUT. BEAUMONT ARRIVES. 135 



latter part of the summer, the moisture again collects 

 as dew and the earth hardens completely. 



The tops of the hills were now covered with 

 newly fallen snow which remained unmelted. The 

 water in the small ravines had stopped running, and 

 the large ones could be easily crossed on stepping- 

 stones without wetting our feet. 



Although ice did not form on the largest water- 

 spaces in the pack, the floes were already being 

 cemented together during calm weather, and all the 

 water-pools on the surface of the floes were covered 

 with ice almost strong enough to bear a man's weight. 



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On the 14th our anxiety concerning Beaumont's 

 party was put an end to by our seeing his encampment 

 only two miles distant from us on the ice. A relief 

 party was immediately despatched to his assistance, and 

 after a few hours I had the satisfaction of seeing: the 



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members of the Expedition collected together again. 

 This satisfaction was, however, considerably marred 

 by the thought that four of our original number had 

 sacrificed their lives in the performance of their duties. 



Beaumont gave the following account of his perilous 

 journey across Hall's Basin, during which, notwith- 

 standing the indomitable perseverance of the leader 

 and his companions, but for a providential south-east 

 wind setting in, they would have been driven into 

 Kennedy Channel, and in all human probability have 

 sacrificed their lives. 



' August 8th. Polaris Bay. — A bright beautiful day, 

 but still blowing;. 



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6 Everything is packed up and ready, and we are 

 only waiting for the wind to go down. A thick mist 



