Commander Markham and Lieutenant Parr reached the autumn depôt at Cape Joseph Henry on the 10th April, 1876, and commenced their journey over the frozen sea with the thermometer at -33° Fahr. They encountered small floes surrounded by broad fringes of hummocks, across which roads had to be made for the sledges. Even then the sledges could only be got over by standing pulls, while the ground had to be gone over four times, dragging up the boat sledges. The work was tremendous, and the officers worked harder than the men, with less rest. Soon scurvy began to appear, the two first cases on the 16th and 17th April. On the 19th Commander Markham abandoned one of the boats. On the 24th the sledge crews were all day cutting a lane through hummocks. On the 11th May Markham reached the limit of human endurance and their furthest north in 83° 20′ 26″ N. Soundings were taken in 73 fathoms, showing that they were still on the continental shelf. On the 13th May the return journey was begun, on the 17th the second boat was abandoned, and on the 5th June the land was reached. Next day Lieutenant Parr started alone for the ship for help, for only three men, including Commander Markham, could drag the sledge. Two men were unable to walk, and were placed on the sledge; one died. The heroic resolution of all concerned enabled them to struggle on to the last in spite of difficulties and hardships, and the courage displayed while in the grip of this dread disease was magnificent. The party had gone over 600 miles. Lieutenant Pelham Aldrich’s western party had meanwhile made important discoveries along the north coast of Ellesmere Island during an absence of 84 days from the ship. He travelled over 630 miles, nearly all his sledge crew being more or less disabled by scurvy. His most northern point was 83° N., and was named Cape Columbia. The third principal effort was to be made along the north coast of Greenland. From April 10th to 18th Egerton and Rawson crossed the channel between Greenland and Ellesmere Island to pioneer a route, returning on the latter date. Lieutenant Beaumont of the _Discovery_ was to command the party. On the 16th April he and Dr Coppinger arrived at the _Alert_ with two 8-man sledges. There Rawson joined them with another sledge, and on the 20th they all crossed the channel to Greenland, with a fourth depôt sledge. On May 5th Coppinger parted company, and on the 11th Rawson followed with a man on his sledge who had shown symptoms of scurvy. Beaumont proceeded along the Greenland north coast, a new discovery. On May 19th he reached his turning point, naming a distant cape to the north-east Cape Britannia. His furthest point was in 82° 18′ N. and 50° 40′ W.