THE NIMROD ARRIVES 



depot, when Bang! went something, seemingly close 

 to the door of our tent; the sound thrilled us; in another 

 instant the air reverberated with a big boom! much 

 louder than the first sound. Mawson gave tongue 

 first, roaring out, "A gun from the ship!" and dived 

 for the tent door. As the latter was narrow and funnel- 

 shaped there was for the moment some congestion of 

 trafiic. I dashed my head forwards to where I saw a 

 small opening, only in time to receive a few kicks from 

 the departing Mawson. Just as I was recovering my 

 equilibrium, Mackay made a wild charge, rode me 

 down and trampled over my prostrate body. When 

 at length I struggled to my feet, Mawson had got a lead 

 of a hundred yards, and Mackay of about fifty. " Bring 

 something to wave," shouted Mawson, and I rushed 

 back to the tent and seized Mackay 's riick-sack. As I 

 ran forward this time, what a sight met my gaze. There 

 was the dear old Nimrod, not a quarter of a mile away, 

 steaming straight towards us up the inlet, her bows just 

 rounding the entrance. At the sight of the three of us 

 running frantically to meet the ship, hearty ringing 

 cheers burst forth from all on boao-d. How those 

 cheers stirred every fibre of one's being! It would be 

 hard, indeed, for any one, not situated as we had been, 

 to reahse the sudden revulsion of our feelings. In a 

 moment, as dramatic as it was hea,venly, we seemed to 

 have passed from death into life. My first feelings 

 were of intense relief and joy; then of fervent gratitude 

 to the kind Providence which had so mercifully led our 

 friends to our deliverance. 



A sudden shout from Mackay called me back to 

 earth, " Mawson's fallen into a deep crevasse. Look 

 out, it's just in front of you! " I then saw that Mackay 

 was kneeling on the snow near the edge of a small 

 oblong sapphire-blue hole in the neve. "Are you all 



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