[header] 84
[margin] Saturday Aug.2.
order to bring me the sledge and Hans if
necessary by force provided the party had
taken this sledge from the Ice fort where
they had [given?] their heads to McGeary
that She should be left -
At 6 a,m, while sitting anxiously w/o
thinking upon our destitution of resources and
the best methods of meeting them - I saw
two men approaching from the N.W. Cape-
[unclear] to meet them they turned out to be
[John?] and Riley who had deserted their
packs and came back to the brig - They
were very crestfallen but I received
them kindly - postponing any decision upon
their case - as regarded their re-admission
to the ships company - Riley is a good
man - John truculent and bad - Both
upon being asked the causes of their
leaving said it was on account of the
want of order of the party - each man
having his own opinion and his own
way - Strange that these fellows [think?]
practically [pursuing?] the same course - by
leaving the brig should when [cast?] upon
their own resources recognise the neces-
city of a systematic discipline.
At 6 A.M. McGeary returned
Sure enough they had taken the sledge
and Hans - McGeary found them
at Godsend Island - at first
they would not give up the sledge
but upon reading my letter they [greatly?]
[resigned?] her - Petersen only saying that
he would winter ashore rather than
return to the brig - A most insulting
and ungrateful speech -
I learnt from McGeary that
great dissatisfaction [prevailed?] among
EN