THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



pleted, most of the members of the expedition then on 

 board went ashore at Cape Royds to get the last of their 

 property packed ready for departure. The ship was lying 

 under Glacier Tongue when I arrived at Hut Point with 

 Wild on February 28, and after I had been landed with 

 the rehef party in order to bring in Adams and Marshall, 

 it proceeded to Cape Royds in order to take on board the 

 remaining members of the shore-party and some specimens 

 and stores. 



The Nimrod anchored a short distance from the 

 shore, and two boats were launched. The only spot 

 convenient for embarkation near the ship's anchorage 

 was at a low ice chfF in Backdoor Ray. Everything 

 had to be lowered by ropes over the cliff into the boats. 

 Some hours were spent in taking on board the last 

 of the collections, the private property, and various 

 stores. 



A stiff breeze was blowing, making work with the 

 boats difficult, but by 6 a.m. on March 2 there remained 

 to be taken on board only the men and dogs. The 

 operation of lowering the dogs one by one into the boats 

 was necessarily slow, and while it was in progress the 

 wind freshened to blizzard force, and the sea began to 

 run dangerously. The waves had deeply undercut 

 the ice-cliff, leaving a projecting shelf. One boat, in 

 charge of Davis, succeeded in reaching the ship, but a 

 second boat, commanded by Harbord, was less fortu- 

 nate. It was heavily loaded with twelve men and a 

 number of dogs, and before it had proceeded many 

 yards from the shore an oar broke. The Nimrod was 

 forced to sHp her moorings and steam out of the bay, 

 as the storm had become so severe that she was in danger 

 of dragging her anchors and going on the rocks. An 

 attempt to float a buoy to the boat was not successful, 

 and for some time Harbord and the men with him were 



224 



