The Uruguayan Government offered to send the trawler to Punta Arenas and have her dry-docked there and made ready for another effort.  One of the troubles on the voyage was that according to estimate the trawler could do ten knots on six tons of coal a day, which would have given us a good margin to allow for lying off the ice; but in reality, owing to the fact that she had not been in dock for a year, she only developed a speed of six knots on a consumption of ten tons a day.  Time was precious and these preparations would have taken too long.  I thanked the Government then for its very generous offer, and I want to say now that the kindness of the Uruguayans at this time earned my warmest gratitude.  I ought to mention also the assistance given me by Lieut.  Ryan, a Naval Reserve officer who navigated the trawler to the Falklands and came south on the attempt at relief.  The ’Instituto de Pesca’ went off to Montevideo and I looked around for another ship.

A British mail-boat, the ‘Orita’ called at Port Stanley opportunely, and I boarded her with Worsley and Crean and crossed to Punta Arenas in the Magellan Straits.  The reception we received there was heartening.  The members of the British Association of Magellanes took us to their hearts.  Mr. Allan McDonald was especially prominent in his untiring efforts to assist in the rescue of our twenty-two companions on Elephant Island.  He worked day and night, and it was mainly due to him that within three days they had raised a sum of £1500 amongst themselves, chartered the schooner ‘Emma’ and equipped her for our use.  She was a forty-year-old oak schooner, strong and seaworthy, with an auxiliary oil-engine.

Out of the complement of ten men all told who were manning the ship, there were eight different nationalities; but they were all good fellows and understood perfectly what was wanted.  The Chilian Government lent us a small steamer, the ‘Yelcho’, to tow us part of the way.  She could not touch ice, though, as she was built of steel.  However, on July 12 we passed her our tow-rope and proceeded on our way.  In bad weather we anchored next day, and although the wind increased to a gale I could delay no longer, so we hove up anchor in the early morning of the 14th.  The strain on the tow-rope was too great.  With the crack of a gun the rope broke.  Next day the gale continued, and I will quote from the log of the ‘Emma’, which Worsley kept as navigating officer.

“9 a.m.—­Fresh, increasing gale; very rough, lumpy sea. 10 a.m.—­Tow-rope parted. 12 noon.  Similar weather. 1 p.m.—­Tow-rope parted again.  Set foresail and forestay-sail and steered south-east by south. 3 p.m.—­ ‘Yelcho’ hailed us and said that the ship’s bilges were full of water (so were our decks) and they were short of coal.  Sir Ernest told them that they could return to harbour.  After this the ‘Yelcho’ steamed into San Sebastian Bay.”

After three days of continuous bad weather we were left alone to attempt once more to rescue the twenty-two men on Elephant Island, for whom by this time I entertained very grave fears.