chap, viii STICKY KEEP 125 



can get out to Advent Bay we will ask your man to start 

 with the boat at once and bring you assistance. — Yours 

 very sincerely, 



•' Gerard de Geer." 



With this kind and timely relief Gregory was able to 

 await events. He stayed to geologise and watch the effect 

 of the tide upon the ice. Pedersen thought that a boat 

 might have entered the bay on the previous day, and pro- 

 phesied that in a few hours, with the wind in the quarter it 

 was, the ice would open again. After four in the afternoon 

 Gregory started away, leaving Pedersen with all the pro- 

 visions, to await the coming of Trevor-Battye. He made a 

 rapid march and arrived fairly done up. It is not the dis- 

 tances that are fatiguing in these parts, but the labour in- 

 volved in taking every step. 



A council was held on our sledgeless condition, and it 

 was decided to feed Gregory up and give him a good rest, to 

 the end that, on the morrow, he should walk back over Brent 

 Pass, and set things moving at Advent Point, whilst we pushed 

 camp across the flooded Esker River and explored the neigh- 

 bouring peaks and valleys. The delay was less annoying 

 than it might have been, for there was plenty to do in the 

 surrounding country. Now that the short northern summer 

 had set in, flowers were opening on all sides, and several 

 grasses put forth their tender shoots. A veritable Arctic 

 garden surrounded the tents, for the ground was gay with 

 blossom. There were large patches of Saxifraga oppositifolia 

 scattered about like crimson rugs. Dryas octopetala and the 

 Arctic poppy w r ere as common as buttercups and daisies in 

 an English meadow. Yellow Potentillas {verna and multifield) 

 added their welcome note of bright colour. The Alpine 

 Cerastium was the gracefullest blossom of the company. 

 Then there were two Drabas, a Silene, Lychnis apetala, Oxyria 



