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frustration had cost me so much cautious
labour. I felt convinced that Godfrey's
return was for the purpose of concocting
with John another attempt
and that the meat was obtained upon
some false pretence from poor Hans
and to be used as a means of conciliation
to affect his reception in board.
His refusal to enter the brig, although
at first view contradictory, was evidently
for the purpose of making terms. We
were alone man to man upon the ice-
foot and he was unaware of my being
armed. When therefore he failed in this
attempt but was compelled by force to
return he seized the first opportunity
which offered to escape.

Be all this as it may, whatever
were Godfreys intentions in our present
enfeebled state his labour was essential
to us. Therefore I compelled him to return.
The loss of our sledge and dogs nor or hereafter would
have had a critical influence upon the lives
of my party. An example of decision
and severity was called for by the
presence on board of his colleague John. It was also called for by
the nature of our party, some better than
others and a journey of fearful hardship
ahead which would require for the
preservation of the sick the sternest fidelity
on the part of the well. All of these
inducements made me determine to punish
by immediate death any overt act of mutiny
or desertion. For these reasons I
fired at him which retreating, compelled
his return to the brig under the
alternative of death and ordered Mr.
Bonsall to the effect stated in my
preceeding account.