28 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. MAT 



for five minutes to eat some pemmican, biscuit, &c. 

 Two hours afterwards we passed their luncheon-place, 

 and then found they had gone on under sail, before a 

 wind which was now blowing a fresh gale, with tre- 

 mendous drift. My companion began to show signs of 

 fatigue (which with Ayles means a great deal), but we 

 tramped on before the gale at a rattling pace. 



6 We followed the meandering sledge track for 

 nearly another two hours, with comparative ease, after 

 which we lost it very frequently from its being entirely 

 obliterated for yards at a time. Our plan now was 

 for Ayles to stand still, while I walked round in a 

 circle until we found the track again. We had almost 

 prepared ourselves for an uncomfortable lodging in 

 the snow, by the aid of our friendly pickaxe, when 

 the tent came in sight, about fifty yards distant. Just 

 as we saw it a gun was fired, and the boatswain's 

 mate's pipe sounded above and among an unearthly 

 yelling, and the row of the wind a continuation of 

 the programme they had been assiduously carrying out 

 in case we might be passing. 



6 We arrived after an absence of fourteen hours ; 

 and never were men more rejoiced, I believe, than 

 they were when they saw us. Although they had 

 been camped for some three hours, there they were, 

 seated anyhow, without having shifted or eaten any- 

 thing, and as anxious as they could be. The cook 

 bustled out into the drift and gale, only too glad to 

 have the chance of giving us all our supper ; and hot 

 tea and pemmican soon, put all to-rights. After a 

 short yarn as to the day's proceedings, w^e rolled our- 

 selves up and slumbered peacefully, and fully appre- 



