1876 DETAINED BY A GALE. 359 



the Ships' commissioning we gave three cheers ; this was 

 taken up by the " Victoria," and then we commenced 

 to cheer each other, by way of keeping up our spirits. 



1 At five struck the tents and commenced the 

 march. Shirley being unable to walk, we were obliged 

 to place Him on one of the sledges, keeping him in his 

 sleeping bag, and wrapping him well up in the cover- 

 let and lower robe. This increases our weight to be 

 dragged, besides diminishing our strength. Crossed 

 the floe on which we were encamped, and cut our way 

 through a hedge of hummocks, about one-third of a 

 mile in breadth, on to another floe of apparently great 

 thickness. These floes, although of stupendous size 

 regarding their thickness, are unfortunately for us of 

 no very great superficial extent, varying only from a 

 quarter of a mile to a mile in north and south direction. 

 The recent strong wind, blowing the snow from off 

 the land to the floes, has made the travelling rather 

 heavier than it was before. Between some of the 

 large floes we occasionally meet small patches of young 

 ice along which the sledges run smoothly ; but, alas ! 

 they are never more than a few yards in extent. 

 Encamped for the night on a large floe. Men appear- 

 ing more done up, after lying so long idle in their bags, 

 than if they had had a hard clay's dragging. Beyond 

 Cape Parry, which is at present the most distant land 

 visible to the westward, can be seen two cloud-like 

 objects that may be Aldrich's " Cooper Key Moun- 

 tains ; " but again they may be clouds or mirage. 

 Distance marched seven miles ; made good one and a 

 quarter. 



' 11th. — Commenced the inarch at 11.30 a.m. 



