1876 SECOND BOAT ABANDONED. 385 



again doomed to a day of forced idleness. To pack the 

 sledges and place the invalids on them without their 

 being almost buried in the blinding snow-drift was 

 qnite out of the question, and even if there was a 

 chance of advancing it was impossible to see a sledge's 

 length ahead. This delay causes us great anxiety, as 

 every day, every hour, is of importance to us, as we 

 know not when we may, one and all, be attacked and 

 rendered useless for further work. 



' 21th. — Wind having moderated, we made a start, 

 the weather remaining thick and gloomy. The large 

 quantity of snow that has fallen renders the travelling 

 very heavy, in addition to which the high temperature, 

 causing a partial thaw, has made the snow assume a 

 sludgy consistency, which clings tenaciously to our legs 

 and sledge-runners, making the dragging very laborious. 

 The men are no better for their rest of yesterday, 

 indeed may be said to be worse ; the only two men 

 at present scatheless, with the exception of the officers, 

 being Eadmore and Maskell. This diminution of our 

 force was an event which we were quite prepared for, 

 therefore preparations were made for abandoning the 

 boat and all superfluous weights. Our object now 

 must be to reach the shore as speedily as possible. 



' Left the boat as conspicuous as possible, adopting 

 the same means as we did on the previous occasion, 

 and depositing a record in a tin cylinder stating the 

 approximate position of the floe and our reasons for 

 deserting the boat. Temperature 22°. Distance made 

 good one mile. 



' Our appetites are still on the wane ; scarcely more 

 than half a pannikin of pemmican is consumed by any 

 VOL. I, C C 



