HOMEWARD ! 443 



respectively. This was a most unfortunate state of affairs, and 

 might be positively fatal to us. 



On Sunday, August 24, we lay south-westward with a slack 

 breeze, and at noon discovered a sailing-ship to leeward. We saw 

 at once that it was a ship belonging to the Eoyal Greenland Trade, 

 and I decided to speak her and ask if they could let us have a 

 couple of men. At two o'clock the ' Train's ' head was accordingly 

 put round, and we approached the vessel, which proved to be the 

 barque ' Ceres.' At half- past four we spoke her, but were 

 answered 'No I' We turned at once, and stood westward. 



However, we had not been sailing more than half an hour 

 before we saw that the vessel had braced aback and was signalling 

 us. We turned again, and bore down on her. When we were 

 close under her lee the captain called out that he could let us have 

 one man. We accepted the offer with joy, put out a boat, and 

 rowed aboard. The ' Ceres ' had not recognized us at first, but we 

 were now received with all the greater friendliness. 



An hour later we saw another sailing vessel. This proved to 

 be the brig ' Tjalfe,' also belonging to the Royal Greenland Trade. 

 From her we also got a man. We were destined to want them 

 both more than we had any idea of at the time. 



During the night it blew up from the south, and we had more 

 dirty weather. 



Neither the Danish captains nor we could discover any ice 

 down at Cape Farewell, nor could either of them remember the 

 water ever having been so warm before. We observed a tempera- 

 ture of 52 to 54 Fahr. (11 to 12 Cent.). 



At midday, August 31, our latitude was 57 46 - 5' N., and our 

 longitude 47 47' west of Greenwich. About half-past three Olsen 

 came up from the engine-room and told me that the crowns 

 had been burned down. As soon as the accident had been 

 discovered the fires had been raked out, and the safety valve 

 opened. Both the crowns were a good deal knocked about ; 

 one especially so. On closer inspection it proved that the acci- 

 dent had been caused by some grease, which had burned itself 

 in. A couple of stays had sprung leaks. When they had been 

 caulked and the boiler filled, we tried a cold water pressure of 



