SOUTH 
the Chilian Minister for Foreign Affairs spoke from the platform 
and pinned an Order on my coat. I saw the President and 
thanked him for the help that he had given a British expedition. 
His Government had spent £4000 on coal alone. In reply he 
recalled the part that British sailors had taken in the making 
of the Chilian Navy. 
The Chilian Railway Department provided a special train 
to take us across the Andes^ and I proceeded to Montevideo 
in order to thank personally the President and Government of 
Uruguay for the help they had given generously in the earlier 
relief voyages. We were entertained royally at various spots 
en route. We went also to Buenos Ayres on a brief call. Then 
we crossed the Andes again. I had made arrangements by 
this time for the men and the staff to go to England. All hands 
were keen to take their places in the Empire's fighting forces. 
My own immediate task was the relief of the marooned Ross 
Sea party, for news had come to me of the Aurora's long drift 
in the Ross Sea and of her return in a damaged condition to 
New Zealand. Worsley was to come with me. We hurried 
northwards via Panama, steamship and train companies giving 
us everywhere the most cordial and generous assistance, and 
caught at San Francisco a steamer that would get us to New 
Zealand at the end of November. I had been informed that 
the New Zealand Government was making arrangements for 
the relief of the Ross Sea party, but my information was 
incomplete, and I was very anxious to be on the spot myself 
as quickly as possible. 
222 
