324 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



the sea went down, a long search was made along all the surrounding beaches for any 

 gear washed up, but nothing of value was recovered. 



It now became our task to patch the 'Alert' as well as possible and get her back into 

 the water. The repair was executed at low water with waterproof sheets and sleeping- 

 bag covers, the whole secured with strips of copper from the sheathing and a large 

 supply of copper tacks provided for such an emergency. It was carried out extra- 

 ordinarily well, as results showed. This work was done under terrible conditions, lying 

 on one's back with icy cold water swirling and splashing near, snow falling, and a 

 temperature seldom above freezing-point ; but throughout it was done with the utmost 

 cheerfulness. My assistant and his men showed the greatest resource and endurance, 

 working whenever there was light enough, and frequently getting wet. 



When all was finished, our attention was taken up with the task of turning the ' Alert ' 

 with bow to seaward and getting her as nearly afloat as possible. This was accomplished 

 at considerable pains by means of two or three small planks (the only ones on the 

 beach) used as skids and levers, and our cables rigged as Spanish windlasses — the latter 

 mainly at the motorman's suggestion. Finally, on December lo, she was pointing sea- 

 ward with all movable parts taken out, propeller ofl^, tanks out — in fact a mere shell. 

 The anchors, of course, were still laid out (one on each bow), and the 40-fathom cable 

 right ahead: all bar taut, and with a chain on either quarter keeping her upright. 



Meanwhile we had not neglected to make signals. On every clear night we had kept 

 a sharp look-out for passing whale-catchers, and whenever a light was seen a large 

 petrol fire was lighted on a prominent bluff. We sighted a catcher one night and four of 

 them two nights later. We were 10 miles from the entrance and no one saw us, but by 

 good chance one of our beacon poles on Skua Island, near the entrance, fell half-way, 

 and the flapping of the flag in this unnatural position attracted the attention of Gunner 

 Antonsen of the ' Southern Shore ' . He reported the matter, saying he had seen us waving 

 a flag from one of the islands. He did not come himself, as the spare whale-catcher from 

 Prince Olaf Harbour could make the passage in an hour, and he had whales in tow. 



This news was doubted in Prince Olaf Harbour, as they did not think we were on an 

 island ; but finally it was decided that as we had been away fourteen days there would be 

 no harm in sending us our mail and looking us up, and a whale-catcher was sent in 

 search of us. It was naturally thought that we were probably marooned on the island 

 from which the signal came, and this occasioned some delay in finding us, but ultimately 

 we were discovered. 



We attracted her attention by burning large fires, but being daylight they were not 

 readily seen. On reaching us she informed us that she could not wait, and since the tide 

 would not be up for three or four hours she promised to return next morning, if the 

 weather permitted our being moved. 



Unfortunately, during the night it began to blow again from the east and it became 

 necessary to do something lest all our work should be undone. We were forced, there- 

 fore, after having waited until i a.m. in the hopes that the weather would not become 

 very bad, to load her with large stones to the limit of her capacity and safety to prevent 



