134 THE SIEGE OF THE NORTH POLE 



two heavy floes, one of the sledges broke through, and it 

 was with difficulty that it was dragged out again. 



On the 5th of June they reached land. Two days later, 

 Lieutenant Parr started on an arduous march to the ship, 

 in order to obtain assistance. Next day one of the invalids, 

 George Porter, died. On the 9th a dog-sledge arrived 

 from the ship, and on the following day a larger party, 

 headed by Captain Nares, arrived. The ship was reached 

 at 1.30 a.m. on the 14th of June. Out of the original party 

 of fifteen men, three only were capable of dragging the 

 sledge, the remaining eleven having to be carried along- 

 side the ship on the relief-sledges. 



Commander Markham on his return reported : " I feel 

 it impossible for my pen to depict with accuracy, and 

 yet be not accused of exaggeration, the numerous draw- 

 backs that impeded our progress. One point, however, 

 in my opinion is most definitely settled, and that is, the 

 utter impracticability of reaching the North Pole over the 

 floe in this locality ; and in this opinion my able colleague. 

 Lieutenant Parr, entirely concurs. I am convinced that 

 with the very lightest equipped sledges, carrying no boats, 

 and with all the resources of the ship concentrated in the 

 one direction, and also supposing that perfect health 

 might be maintained, the latitude attained by the party 

 I had the honour and pleasure of commanding would not 

 be exceeded by many miles, certainly not by a degree." 



To this Nares added : " In this I most fully concur. 

 Markham's journey, coupled with the experience gained 

 by Sir Edward Parry in the summer of 1827, and more 

 recently the memorable retreat of Lieutenant Weyprecht 

 and his companions after having abandoned the Tegett- 

 hoff off the coast of Franz-Josef Land, proves that a 

 lengthened journey over the Polar pack-ice with a sledge- 

 party equipped with a boat fit for navigable purposes is 

 impracticable at any season of the year." 



