282 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. ArRiL 



v 



CHAPTEE XII. 



DEPARTURE OF THE SLEDGE PARTIES NEWS FROM THE 'DISCOVERY' 



— ACCOUNT OF EGERTON's JOURNEY TRIP TO GREENLAND — DR. 



MOSS AND MR. WHITE RETURN — ARRIVAL OF SLEDGES FROM THE 

 'DISCOVERY' — ARCHER VISITS POLARIS BAY CAPTAIN STEPHEN- 

 SON'S. ARRIVAL — GIFFARD'S RETURN HIS PARTY ATTACKED BY 



SCURVY — EGERTON AND FEILDEN RETURN — EXCURSION TO CAPE 

 JOSEPH HENRY — MOUNT JULIA RETURN TO THE 'ALERT.' 



On the morning of the 3rd, the day fixed for the de- 

 parture of the sledge travellers, general disappointment 

 was felt at the non-arrival of Eawson and Egerton with 

 news from the ' Discovery.' We had hoped that the 

 dog-sledge would have returned by that date, and that 

 our parties might have left the ship with the gratifying 

 knowledge that our friends on board the ' Discovery ' 

 had passed a comfortable winter. 



The weather, however, being settled and favourable, 

 with the temperature ranging between minus twenty - 

 five and minus thirty degrees below zero, the tempera- 

 ture usually experienced by Arctic travellers early in 

 April, I gave the order for departure. The party con- 

 sisted of fifty-three officers and men, all apparently in 

 robust health ; those remaining on board the ' Alert ' 

 numbered six officers and six men. All hands assem- 

 bled for prayers on the ice alongside of the laden 

 sledges, which were drawn up in line, their silk banners 



