1875 COMMANDER MARKHAM RETURNS. ]43 



on the shore abreast of the ship. Although we were 

 so close to the land, it was only by double manning 

 the oars of the cutter that during an opportune lull 

 Lieutenant Giffard was able to establish a hauling line 

 between the ship and the shore, and so communicate 

 with Markham. It appeared that his party had started 

 in the morning with a moderate wind blowing ; at 

 mid-day the gale rose, and they pitched their tents with 

 difficulty on a heavy floe. Shortly after tenting, this 

 floe commenced to break up and the party had to beat 

 an immediate retreat to the shore, fortunately crossing 

 the cracks with all their effects before the ice moved 

 away from the land. One man then became so greatly 

 disabled from exhaustion that Markham decided to 

 carry him to the ship. Having reached a ravine that 

 afforded some slight shelter, he tented the main party, 

 and selecting one sledge-crew to drag the sick man, 

 he himself pushed on in advance. 



Though desirous of returning to his sledge-party 

 and invalid, knowing his fatigued condition I despatched 

 Lieutenant Giffard and the crew of the cutter to assist 

 the tired men. 



After an hour's search in the snowstorm they met 

 the party, and, at midnight, by using the cutter's line 

 as a hauling rope, we had the satisfaction of seeing 

 the sledge-crew ferried across, and the frozen man's 

 life saved. This sledge-crew, who had faced the storm 

 to save their comrade's life, were all so much exhausted 

 that they did not recover themselves for three or four 

 days. * 



With the morning of the 15th the wind lulled con- 

 siderably, and the remainder of the travellers, under the 



