CHAP. X 



THE TRIDENT 



l S* 



GREGORY STARTING FOR ADVENT BAY. 



"Yambuya Camp, July 9, 1896. 

 " I ended my last letter thinking that three hours later 

 our boat would be taking it back from Sassen Bay, and 

 that I should be on my way inland with two strong sledges, 

 which would enable us to cross the glaciers to the East 

 Coast. But the chances for delay in this country are in- 

 finite. It had been arranged that our boat should be at a 

 given station in Sassen Bay on Friday afternoon, and I 

 accordingly left Waterfall Camp on Saturday afternoon, feel- 

 ing no doubt that the boat had already arrived. When, 

 therefore, while wading a river, my pockets were filled with 

 water and my biscuits turned into sop, I did not mind ; 

 and only laughed when the enterprising pony Spits seized 

 the opportunity of their being spread out on the sledge-end 

 to dry, to devour the lot. I was a little more concerned 

 when, on arriving at the trysting-place, I found no sign of 

 the boat. There was much loose drift ice in the mouth of 

 the bay, but Pedersen, in his broken fo'castle English, de- 

 clared that no weather could be more favourable for the 



