42 SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION [December 



through which we passed to the north afford space into which 

 bodies of pack can be pushed. The exasperating uncertainty 

 of one's mind in such captivity is due to ignorance of its cause 

 and inability to predict the effect of changes of wind. One can 

 only vaguely comprehend that things are happening far beyond 

 our horizon which directly affect our situation. 



Tuesday, December 27. Dead reckoning 69 12' S., 178 

 18' W. We made nearly 2 miles in the first watch half push, 

 half drift. Then the ship was again held up. In the middle the 

 ice was close around, even pressing on us, and we didn't move a 

 yard. The wind steadily increased and has been blowing a 

 moderate gale, shifting in direction to E.S.E. We are reduced 

 to lower topsails. 



In the morning watch we began to move again, the ice open- 

 ing out with the usual astonishing absence of reason. We have 

 made a mile or two in a westerly direction in the same manner 

 as yesterday. The floes seem a little smaller, but our outlook is 

 very limited; there is a thick haze, and the only fact that can 

 be known is that there are pools of water at intervals for a 

 mile or two in the direction in which we go. 



We commence to move between two floes, make 200 or 300 

 yards, and are then brought up bows on to a large lump. This 

 may mean a wait of anything from ten minutes to half an hour, 

 whilst the ship swings round, falls away, and drifts to leeward. 

 When clear she forges ahead again and the operation is repeated. 

 Occasionally when she can get a little way on she cracks the 

 obstacle and slowly passes through it. There is a distinct swell 

 very long, very low. I counted the period as about nine 

 seconds. Everyone says the ice is breaking up. I have not seen 

 any distinct evidence myself, but Wilson saw a large floe which 

 had recently cracked into four pieces in such a position that 

 the ship could not have caused it. The breaking up of the big 

 floes is certainly a hopeful sign. 



' I have written quite a lot about the pack ice when under 

 ordinary conditions I should have passed it with few words. 

 But you will scarcely be surprised when I tell you what an 

 obstacle we have found it on this occasion.' 



I was thinking during the gale last night that our position 

 might be a great deal worse than it is. We were lying amongst 

 the floes perfectly peacefully whilst the wind howled through the 



