1876 RETURN OF THE WESTERN PARTY. 9 



Timing our departure in order not to disturb 

 Aldrich and his crew while taking their daily rest, a 

 large party started in the evening and met them when 

 about five miles distant from the ship. 



As in the case of Markham's men, scurvy had made 

 sad havoc in their ranks. Out of the eight members 

 composing the party Lieut. Aldrich and Adam Ayles 

 were alone able to work. James Doidge arid David 

 Mitchell were gallantly struggling along, each with the 

 assistance of a staff. The four others, after holding 

 out as long as human nature permitted, had to be 

 carried on the sledges. 



Although the disease had actually commenced 

 during the outward journey, it was not known to be 

 scurvy until they were half-way on their return to 

 the ship. Then the desolating scourge decidedly pro- 

 claimed itself, and most nobly was it combated with 

 by officer and men, the distressed invalids struggling 

 painfully and slowly along until they reached to within 

 half-a-mile of the depot at Cape Joseph Henry. At 

 the very moment when four out of the eight were 

 completely prostrated, and it was physically impossible 

 for the party to have advanced farther, and Aldrich 

 had arranged for Ayles to proceed by himself to the 

 ship for succour, as Lieutenant Parr had done only a 

 few clays previously, to their great and mutual joy 

 May with his relief party most providentially met them. 

 But so close a race were they running with the season 

 that the day after they crossed Black Cliff Bay the 

 thaw set in ; and Parr and Feilden, when returning 

 only twenty-four hours afterwards, were so frequently 

 imbedded up to their middles in the wet snow and 



