confronted by a belt of heavy pack-ice, half a mile broad and extending
north and south. There was clear water beyond, but the heavy south-
westerly swell made the pack impenetrable in our neighbourhood. This
was disconcerting. The noon latitude had been 57° 26´ S., and I had not
expected to find pack-ice nearly so far north, though the whalers had
reported pack-ice right up to South Thule.

The situation became dangerous that night. We pushed into the pack in
the hope of reaching open water beyond, and found ourselves after dark
in a pool which was growing smaller and smaller. The ice was grinding
around the ship in the heavy swell, and I watched with some anxiety for
any indication of a change of wind to the east, since a breeze from
that quarter would have driven us towards the land. Worsley and I were
on deck all night, dodging the pack. At 3 a.m. we ran south, taking
advantage of some openings that had appeared, but met heavy rafted pack-
ice, evidently old; some of it had been subjected to severe pressure.
Then we steamed north-west and saw open water to the north-east. I put
the 'Endurance's' head for the opening, and, steaming at full speed, we
got clear. Then we went east in the hope of getting better ice, and
five hours later, after some dodging, we rounded the pack and were able
to set sail once more. This initial tussle with the pack had been
exciting at times. Pieces of ice and bergs of all sizes were heaving
and jostling against each other in the heavy south-westerly swell. In
spite of all our care the 'Endurance' struck large lumps stem on, but
the engines were stopped in time and no harm was done. The scene and
sounds throughout the day were very fine. The swell was dashing
against the sides of huge bergs and leaping right to the top of their
icy cliffs. Sanders Island lay to the south, with a few rocky faces
peering through the misty, swirling clouds that swathed it most of the
time, the booming of the sea running into ice-caverns, the swishing