328 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA, May 



On Feilden Peninsula there appeared to be a con- 

 siderable amount of vegetation, judging from the 

 remains of former seasons, and we came across more 

 than one skeleton of musk-oxen, so that I have no 

 doubt that later in the year it is a favourite resort of 

 these animals. 



On the 3rd of June we started on our return to the 

 ship, burying three hares, the only game that we had 

 been fortunate enough to procure, in a crack in a floe- 

 berg, for Markham and his men. Little did we think 

 at the time that they were actually encamped on the 

 ice only two miles distant from us, though com- 

 pletely hidden from our view by a thick mist, which, 

 shrouding their outward track, had landed them in a 

 wilderness of heavy ice in a truly deplorable state. 



Out of a party of two officers and fifteen once 

 powerful men, five were lying helpless on the sledges 

 dragged by the two officers and six men, all of whom 

 were themselves considerably crippled; whilst four 

 others, unable to lend a hand at the drag-ropes, just 

 managed to crawl along, keeping pace with the slow 

 advance. The boats, and every article of provisions or 

 clothing which could possibly be spared, had been cast 

 aside in order to lighten to the utmost the sledges 

 weighted with the invalids. 



In all probability, had we known of their being in 

 our neighbourhood, the life of poor George Porter, 

 who died six days afterwards, would have been 

 spared. 



On the 4th, we encamped on a gravel spit forming 

 the south point of the second bay south of .Cape 

 Eichardson, greatly enjoying the dry ground after a 



