22 CKUISE OF THE NEPTUNE 





Early next morning the launch was headed east, and, 

 assisted by a strong tide, soon reached the lower encampment. 

 The men were still absent, and did not return until the follow- 

 ing morning, when we secured about as many skins and as much 

 meat as at the upper camp. Leaving early in the afternoon, 

 we continued down the inlet ; at dark, the pilot became confused 

 amongst the many islands off Dangerous point, and advised 

 anchoring until daylight. An anchor watch was set, and the 

 remainder of the crew went to sleep, to be awakened at midnight 

 by the startling news that the launch was aground and the tide 

 still falling. Efforts were immediately made to float her, but 

 without avail. She soon fell over on her side, when the water 

 rushed in, partly filling her. Some of the crew were then set 

 to ferrying the cargo to a neighbouring island, while the rest 

 bailed out the water and endeavoured to keep it out as the tide 

 rose again, but without success, so the energies of all were 

 devoted to saving everything possible. Many things were lost 

 during the hurry and darkness, and daylight came to a cold and 

 forlorn party stranded on a small island. Arrangements were 

 made, during the morning, to erect the boat mast as a Spanish 

 windlass, and with the assistance of the small boat to raise 

 the launch upright with the next rising tide. Unfortunately 

 the tide did not fall low enough to free the boat of water, or to 

 permit a fair trial of our improvised tackle. The ponds of fresh 

 water were already frozen over, and the weather was becoming 

 cold and boisterous ; not a day, therefore, could be lost in send- 

 ing the twelve-foot dinghy to Eullerton for assistance. The 

 energies of the party were now devoted to transferring the goods 

 and cargo from the island to the mainland, about a mile distant, 

 as it would not do to leave the party on an island without means 

 of reaching the shores of the inlet. This work continued until 

 dark, when, after a hurried meal, Wells, Ford and Scotty were 

 sent off in the dinghy, with instructions to reach the Neptune as 

 soon as possible ; the remainder of the party, wrapped in their 



