2.21. p. 18. That tree was the weakest link in the chain and took the full pressure of the stream. To hear every drop rain given to fall as we were completely the fragile lot & it doesn't take long before the river rises. Well two-thirds of the baggage was across & Heely & I went over. Then all that half a dozen pieces were over. By this time the stream was stronger & a number of our dogs were chest deep in the torrent dragging the bridge. Just as the last three cargo came on to the tree the trestle gave way & each half severing downstream from its respective tree. But our dogs were not beaten & the strongest with poles got the weak ones with their loads (dogs) across the open gap chest-deep. I felt terribly apprehensive after the bridge span gave way that some of them would lose this footing & be swept down stream. With that worry as well as the knowledge that we are working against time to get out & send the posters back to Willis' made me feel pretty worked up. We camped half an hour later at Heely's old site a short way down river. Checked a few bearings & find the barometer reading (8:30 pm) 2:20 meters. What a relief to be across that river. If we hadn't got over this afternoon there's no say but we'd have lost another 24 hours. So things are we are comfortably in camp on the right side & have issued an extra half ration of rice to the boys to celebrate. Friday, July 17th A hard day. From the camp by the Snake (Palmer) River, which was decided higher this morning 4 hours up to Willis's camp where the 6 bags of rice were left. Of those bags four were found spoiled while the rice in the other two was only doubtfully usable. Pushed on fine-This another 3\1/2 hours while brought us down to Heely's fully camp. Rain came on quite heavily & everyone cold soaked