Page:Aurora Australis.djvu/60

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AURORA AUSTRALIS.

scribed for all of them a similar treatment.

Never shall we forget the delicious hot porridge and milk which our good friend “Bobs” produced for us, at a moment’s notice, as if by magic, and the prime boiled ham and sweet home-made bread and the fresh butter which followed. The way we made those victuals vanish must have astounded all but the old hands among our comrades; they had evidently been there before. After the meal came more talk and more congratulations, which filled the cup of our happiness to overflowing. Then followed rest, and the long sound sleep that comes to weary travellers.

The rest of the story is soon told. After some delay, on account of unfavourable weather, a party consisting of Adams, Armytage, David, Joyce, Wild and Marshall, started with a 7 ft. sledge, tent, and provisions, to fetch in the 11 ft. sledge, left near the nunatak at our first camp. After a fairly heavy pull over the soft new fallen snow, in cloudy weather, with the temperature at mid-day -20°, and the wind blowing from the south-east, we just managed to sight the nunatak, recovered the 11 ft. sledge, placed the 7 ft. sledge on top of it, and pulled them both back together as far as the Blue Lake. The following morning two of the Manchurian ponies were harnessed to the