WINDWARD ISLES AND THE GRENADINES 33 



The ship had left both boats operating from a camp south of 

 Nain and was unable to wait for Bingham to recover fully, but 

 he made his own way dovv-n the coast in a local open boat, being 

 storm-bound several days in windswept anchorages whilst on 

 passage. It was a good thing that Bingham was used to rugged 

 travel, for he was none the worse after this ordeal. He was 

 welcomed at Nain with open arms because his boat brought the 

 mail, the mail steamer having made her last run north of 

 Hopedale for the season. 



At the end of September the ship, leaving a large camp party 

 with both sounding boats in a landlocked bay south of Nain known 

 as Kauk Harbour, sailed south to Halifax for fuel and large stocks 

 of provisions needed for the winter party. By i2th October, in 

 the first flurry of winter snow these stores were being disembarked 

 at Nain. From now onwards the survey work was much hampered 

 by snow and gales; on 2nd November the temperature was down 

 to 1 9°F and spray was freezing as it fell on the canvas canopies of 

 the boats which were away placing secondary marks along the 

 coastline for the use of the winter party. 



While one of the boats was being hoisted on this day a brand 

 new fall parted in one of the blocks : as the whole weight of the 

 boats is taken by these ropes it was fortunate that no one was 

 hurt and that no damage was done. On examining the fall it was 

 found that owing to the low temperature the tarred fibres had 

 become frozen and brittle so that, when bent, the rope snapped 

 like a stick. So from now on falls had to be unrove after hoisting 

 or lowering a boat and stowed below until required again, a most 

 unpleasant nuisance in such conditions. 



On 9th November strong westerly winds were blowing the 

 snow off the hills like smoke and next day the ship proceeded to 

 Nain to establish the winter party. The temperature was down 

 to i3°F and ice was forming around the ship's water line. All the 

 stores were ashore and stowed in the old hospital at Nain by the 

 evening of 14th November and the party said farewell and went 

 onshore. The next day the glass fell very low — to 9^6 millibars — 

 but there was no wind until the afternoon when it began to blow 

 from the south-west and gradually increased to a gale at night. 

 The temperature fell to ^°F onboard and to zero ashore and, 

 when an attempt was made to veer more cable, it was found that 



