22 CRUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 
Early next morning the launch was headed east, and, 
assisted by a strong tide, soon reached the lower encampment. 
The men were still absent, and did not return until the follow- 
ing morning, when we secured about as many skins and as much 
meat as at the upper camp. Leaving early in the afternoon, 
we continued down the inlet; at dark, the pilot became confused 
amongst the many islands off Dangerous point, and advised 
anchoring until daylight. An anchor watch was set, and the 
remainder of the crew went to sleep, to be awakened at midnight 
by the startling news that the launch was aground and the tide 
still falling. Efforts were immediately made to float her, but 
without avail. She soon fell over on her side, when the Water 
rushed in, partly filling her. Some of the crew were then set 
to ferrying the cargo to a neighbouring island, while the rest 
bailed out the water and endeavoured to keep it out as the tide 
rose again, but without success, so the energies of all were 
devoted to saving everything possible. Many things were lost 
during the hurry and darkness, and daylight came to a cold and 
forlorn party stranded on a small island. Arrangements were 
made, during the morning, to erect the boat mast as a Spanish 
Windlass, and with the assistance of the small boat to raise 
the launch upright with the next rising tide. Unfortunately 
the tide did not fall low enough to free the boat of water, or to 
permit a fair trial of our improvised tackle. The ponds of fresh 
water were already frozen over, and the weather was becoming 
cold and boisterous; not a day, therefore, could be lost in send- 
ing the twelve-foot dinghy to Fullerton for assistance. The 
energies of the party were now devoted to transferring the goods 
and cargo from the island to the mainland, about a mile distant, 
as it would not do to leave the party on an island without means 
of reaching the shores of the inlet. This work continued until 
dark, when, after a hurried meal, Wells, Ford and Scotty were 
sent off in the dinghy, with instructions to reach the Neptune as 
soon as possible; the remainder of the party, wrapped in their 
