GLAD MOMENTS 



lowered down the crevasse. On reaching the bottom he 

 transferred the rope by which he had been lowered to 

 Mawson, and with a long pull and a strong pull and a pull 

 altogether, the company of the Nimrod soon had Mawson 

 safe on top, none the worse for the accident with the 

 exception that his back was slightly bruised. As soon 

 as the rope was cast free from Mawson, it was let down 

 again for Davis, and presently he, too, was safely on 

 top. 



And now we had a moment of leisure to see who 

 constituted the rescue party. There were the dear old 

 faces so well known on our voyage together the previous 

 year, and interspersed with them were a few new 

 faces. Here were our old comrades Armytage and 

 Brocklehurst, Dr. Michell, Harbord (the officer who — 

 as we learned later — ^had sighted our depot flag), our 

 good stewards Ansell and Elhs, the genial boatswain 

 Cheetham, Paton, and a number of others. What a 

 joyous grasping of hands and hearty all-round welcoming 

 followed. Foremost among them all to welcome us 

 was Captain Evans, who had commanded the s.s. 

 Koonya, which towed the Nimrod from Lyttelton to 

 beyond the Antarctic Circle, and it goes without saying 

 that the fact that the Nimrod was now in command of 

 a master of such experience, so well and favourably 

 known in the shipping world of New Zealand and 

 Australia, gave us the greatest satisfaction. He hastened 

 to assure me of the safety and good health of my wife 

 and family. While willing hands packed up our sledge, 

 tent and other belongings, Captain Evans walked with 

 us to the rope ladder hanging over the bows of the 

 Nimrod. 



Quickly as all this had taken place, Mackay had 

 already found time to secure a pipe and some tobacco 

 from one of our crew, and was now puffing away to his 



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