ON BOARD THE NIMROD 



netic hut in the hope of attracting attention from the 

 ship, but we were not able to get it alight. We tried, 

 too, to tie the Union Jack to Vince's cross, on the hill, 

 but we were so played out that our cold fingers could 

 not manage the knots. It was a bad night for us, and 

 we were glad indeed when the light came again. Then 

 we managed to get a little warmer, and at 9 a.m. 

 we got the magnetic hut alight, and put up the flag. 

 All our fears vanished when in the distance we saw the 

 ship, miraged up. We signalled with the heliograph, 

 and at 11 a.m. on March 1 we were on board the Nimrod 

 and once more safe amongst friends. I will not attempt 

 to describe our feelings. Every one was glad to see us, 

 and keen to know what we had done. They had given 

 us up for lost, and a search-party had been going to 

 start that day in the hope of finding some trace of 

 us. I found that every member of the expedition was 

 well, that the plans had worked out satisfactorily, and 

 that the work laid down had been carried out. The ship 

 had brought nothing but good news from the outside 

 world. It seemed as though a great load had been lifted 

 from my shoulders. 



The first thing was to bring in Adams and Marshall, 

 and I ordered out a relief party at once. I had a good 

 feed of bacon and fried bread, and started at 2.30 p.m. 

 from the Barrier edge with Mackay, Mawson and 

 McGillon, leaving Wild on the Nimrod. We marched 

 until 10 p.m., had dinner and turned in for a short sleep. 

 We were up again at 2 a.m. the next morning (March 2) , 

 and travelled until 1 p.m., when we reached the camp 

 where I had left the two men. Marshall was better, the 

 rest having done him a lot of good, and he was able to 

 march and pull. After lunch we started back again, 

 and marched until 8 p.m. in fine weather. We were under 

 way again at 4 a.m. the next morning, had lunch at 



365 



