SIIERARD OSBORNE FJORD 



In the course of a week they reached Repulse Harbour and 

 built the beacon, which we passed on the 4th of May, where 

 Peary's record was found. In the same place a rather consider- 

 able depot was laid down for the return journey, and they con- 

 tinued their push forward on the 27th of April, no longer on the 

 ocean-ice, but along the ice-foot just as we ourselves had done. 

 Black Horn Cliffs were passed, and immediately afterwards a 

 new store was deposited for the return journeys. Dr. Cop- 

 pinger then left the party, as after the deposition of the stores 

 the assistance of him and his men was no longer required. On 

 the 10th of May the discovery was made that one of the men 

 had contracted scurvy, and Lieutenant Rawson was immediately 

 sent back with the sick man in an attempt to reach the ship. 

 The others continued to put down depots to secure their retreat ; 

 thus one was deposited by Cape Bryan, which is no more than 

 one day's journey from the previous depot. From this point 

 they went via Cape Fulford across to Dragon Point, where we 

 ourselves at present are camping. 



As the illness spread among the men it soon became obvious 

 to Beaumont that he could not succeed in reaching very much 

 further north. He now wished merely to climb a high moun- 

 tain on the north coast of Sherard Osborne Fjord so as to take 

 bearings in the direction of the land which must be found, but 

 which so far had remained hidden. For this purpose he chose a 

 large cone-formed mountain, Mount Hooker, and he now bent 

 all his energy towards reaching it. But the snow lay deep every- 

 where, and when the people could no longer bear up, Beaumont 

 set off alone to see what sort of travelling he would meet with 

 further on. Of this he himself writes the following : 



• The coast which we tried to reach did not appear to be 

 more than two miles away from us, and I therefore went on to 

 examine whether it would not be easier to travel by land. I 

 covered about one and a half miles in three hours, and then gave 

 it up. 



" My strength was nearly exhausted, and I hailed the men 

 and told them to have their lunch, but I myself would rather 

 forego three meals than walk all the way back." 



95 



