ummer and life, but
towards evening a chill breeze sprang up, and we in the motor-launch had
to beat against it. By the time we had reached the head of the harbour,
Hoadley had several fingers frost-bitten and all were feeling the cold,
for we were wearing light garments in anticipation of fine weather.
The wind strengthened every minute, and showers of fine snow were soon
whistling down the glacier. No time was lost in landing the cargo, and,
with a rising blizzard at our backs, we drove out to meet the 'Aurora'.
On reaching the ship a small gale was blowing and our boats were taken
in tow.

The first thing to be considered was the mooring of the 'Aurora' under
the lee of the ice-wall, so as to give us an opportunity of getting the
boats aboard. In the meantime they were passed astern, each manned by
several hands to keep them bailed out; the rest of us having scrambled
up the side. Bringing the ship to anchor in such a wind in uncharted,
shoal water was difficult to do in a cool and methodical manner. The
sounding machine was kept running with rather dramatic results; depths
jumping from five to thirty fathoms in the ship's length, and back again
to the original figure in the same distance. A feeling of relief passed
round when, after much manoeuvring, the anchor was successfully bedded
five hundred yards from the face of the cliff.

Just at this time the motor-launch broke adrift. Away it swept before a
wind of forty-five miles per hour. On account of the cold, and because
the engine was drenched with sea-water, some difficulty was found in
starting the motor. From the ship's deck we could see Bickerton busily
engaged with it. The rudder had been unshipped, and there was no chance
of replacing it, for the boat was bobbing about on the waves in a most
extraordinary manner. However, Whetter managed to make a jury-rudder
which served the purpose, while Hunter, the other occupant, was kept
laboriously active with the pump.

They had drifted half a mile, and were approaching the rocks of an islet
on which the sea was breaking heavily. Just as every one was becoming
very apprehensive, the launch began to forge ahead, and the men had soon
escaped from their dangerous predicament. By the united efforts of all
hands the boats were hoisted on board and everything was made as "snug"
as possible.

The wind steadily increased, and it seemed impossible for the anchor to
hold. The strain on the cable straightened out a steel ho