ice, including old rafted pack, still separated the 'Endurance' from
the water, and reluctantly I had to admit that further effort was
useless. Every opening we made froze up again quickly owing to the
unseasonably low temperature. The young ice was elastic and prevented
the ship delivering a strong, splitting blow to the floe, while at the
same time it held the older ice against any movement. The abandonment
of the attack was a great disappointment to all hands. The men had
worked long hours without thought of rest, and they deserved success.
But the task was beyond our powers. I had not abandoned hope of
getting clear, but was counting now on the possibility of having to
spend a winter in the inhospitable arms of the pack. The sun, which
had been above the horizon for two months, set at midnight on the 17th,
and, although it would not disappear until April, its slanting rays
warned us of the approach of winter. Pools and leads appeared
occasionally, but they froze over very quickly.

We continued to accumulate a supply of seal meat and blubber, and the
excursions across the floes to shoot and bring in the seals provided
welcome exercise for all hands. Three crab-eater cows shot on the 21st
were not accompanied by a bull, and blood was to be seen about the hole
from which they had crawled. We surmised that the bull had become the
prey of one of the killer-whales. These aggressive creatures were to be
seen often in the lanes and pools, and we were always distrustful of
their ability or willingness to discriminate between seal and man. A
lizard-like head would show while the killer gazed along the floe with
wicked eyes. Then the brute would dive, to come up a few moments
later, perhaps, under some unfortunate seal reposing on the ice.
Worsley examined a spot where a killer had smashed a hole 8 ft. by 12
ft. in 12½ in. of hard ice, covered by 2½ in. of snow. Big blocks of
ice had been tossed on to the floe surface. Wordie, engaged in