1876 MEETS RELIEF PARTY. Ill 



there was anyone there to help us ; if not, come back, 

 and sending Jones and Gray, who could still walk, to 

 the depot, remain with the sick and get them on as 

 best I could. But I thank God it did not come to 

 this, for as we were plodding along the now water- 

 sodden floe towards the shore, I saw what turned out to 

 be a dog-sledge and three men, and soon after had the 

 pleasure of shaking hands with Lieutenant Rawson and 

 Dr. Coppinger. Words cannot express the pleasure, 

 relief, and gratitude we all felt at this timely meeting ; 

 it did the sick men all the good in the world. 



' Lieutenant Rawson had, in my opinion, acted 

 with great judgment in planning his relief expedition, 

 for had he come sooner he not only might have 

 missed us altogether, but the small force at his disposal 

 would not have been of so much service. As it was, 

 he came in time, with sufficient provisions, and by 

 one great effort got us all into' safe quarters, as I shall 

 explain. 



' We met early on the morning of the 25th of 

 June, and with the help of his party reached the New- 

 man Bay depot the next day, Dr. Coppinger watching 

 the four now utterly prostrate sick with unremitting 

 attention. Half a day was spent here in an attempt to 

 obtain a seal, but without success, and so next morning 

 we started for the depot at Polaris Bay, the dogs, with 

 the assistance of the three officers, dragging both 

 sledges. It is mainly due to Hans' clever management 



o J o 



of the dogs, and his skill as a driver, that we were 

 enabled to advance so rapidly with such a heavy load. 

 That evening, when we camped, we were only twelve 

 or thirteen miles from the depot. Both Paul and 



