morning of Christmas Eve, about a fortnight after we had entered the
pack, "we have come into a region of where the open water exceeds the
ice; the former lies in great irregular pools three or four miles or more
across and connecting with many leads. The latter--and the fact is
puzzling--still contain floes of enormous dimensions; we have just passed
one which is at least two miles in diameter...." And then, "Alas! alas!
at 7 A.M. this morning we were brought up with a solid sheet of pack
extending in all directions, save that from which we had come."[79]

Delay was always irksome to Scott. As time went on this waiting in the
pack became almost intolerable. He began to think we might have to winter
in the pack. And all the time our scanty supply of coal was being eaten
up, until it was said that Campbell's party would never be taken to King
Edward VII.'s Land. Scott found decisions to bank fires, to raise steam
or to let fires out, most difficult at this time. "If one lets fires out
it means a dead loss of over two tons, when the boiler has to be heated
again. But this two tons would only cover a day under banked fires, so
that for anything longer than twenty-four hours it is economy to put the
fires out. At each stoppage one is called upon to decide whether it is to
be for more or less than twenty-four hours."[80] Certainly England should
have an oil-driven ship for polar work.

The Terra Nova proved a wonderfully fine ice ship. Bowers' middle watch
especially became famous for the way in which he put the ship at the ice,
and more than once Scott was alarmed by the great shock and collisions
which were the result: I have seen him hurry up from his cabin to put a
stop to it! But Bowers never hurt the ship, and she gallantly responded
to the calls made upon her. Sometimes it was a matter of forcing two
floes apart, at others of charging and breaking one. Often we went again
and again at some stubborn bit, backing and charging alternately, as well