night it was learned that the 'Aurora' had left Hobart on
her way South, expecting to reach us about the 28th, as some sounding
and dredging were being done en route.

Everybody now became very busy making preparations for departure. Time
passed very quickly, and November 28 dawned fine and bright. The 'Rachel
Cohen', which had been lying in the bay loading oil, had her full
complement on board by 10 A.M., and shortly afterwards we trooped across
to say good-bye to Bauer and the other sealers, who were all returning
to Hobart. It was something of a coincidence that they took their
departure on the very day our ship was to arrive. Their many acts of
kindness towards us will ever be recalled by the members of the party,
and we look upon our harmonious neighbourly association together with
feelings of great pleasure.

A keen look-out was then kept for signs of our own ship, but it was not
until 8 P.M. that Blake, who was up on the hill side, called out, "Here
she comes," and we climbed up to take in the goodly sight. Just visible,
away in the north-west, there was a line of thin smoke, and in about
half an hour the 'Aurora' dropped anchor in Hasselborough Bay.

CHAPTER XXVIII THE HOMEWARD CRUISE

We bring no store of ingots,
Of spice or precious stones;
But what we have we gathered
With sweat and aching bones.
KIPLING.

As we sat in the wardroom of the 'Aurora' exchanging the news of months
long gone by, we heard from Captain Davis the story of his fair-weather
trip from Hobart. The ship had left Australian waters on November 19,
and, from the outset, the weather was quite ideal. Nothing of note
occurred on the run to Macquarie Island, where a party of three men were
landed and Ainsworth and his loyal comrades picked up. The former
party, sent by the Australian Government, were to maintain wireless
communication with Hobart and to send meteorological reports to the
Commonwealth Weather Bureau. A week was spent at the island and all the
collections were embarked, while Correll was enabled to secure some
good colour photographs and Hurley to make valuable additions to his
cinematograph film.

The 'Aurora' had passed through the "fifties" without meeting the usual
gales, sighting the first ice in latitude 63 degrees 33' S., longitude
150 degrees 29' E. She stopped to take a sounding every twenty-four
hours, adding to the large number already accumulated during her cruise