Within an hour or two we had
ceased to be savages and had become civilized men again. Then came a
splendid meal, while Mr. Sorlle told us of the arrangements he had made
and we discussed plans for the rescue of the main party on Elephant
Island.
I arranged that Worsley should go with the relief ship to show the
exact spot where the carpenter and his two companions were camped,
while I started to prepare for the relief of the party on Elephant
Island. The whaling-vessel that was going round to King Haakon Bay was
expected back on the Monday morning, and was to call at Grytviken
Harbour, the port from which we had sailed in December 1914, in order
that the magistrate resident there might be informed of the fate of the
'Endurance'. It was possible that letters were awaiting us there.
Worsley went aboard the whaler at ten o'clock that night and turned in.
The next day the relief ship entered King Haakon Bay and he reached
Peggotty Camp in a boat. The three men were delighted beyond measure
to know that we had made the crossing in safety and that their wait
under the upturned 'James Caird' was ended. Curiously enough, they did
not recognize Worsley, who had left them a hairy, dirty ruffian and had
returned his spruce and shaven self. They thought he was one of the
whalers. When one of them asked why no member of the party had come
round with the relief, Worsley said, "What do you mean?" "We thought
the Boss or one of the others would come round," they explained.
Pages:
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353