THE VOYAGE BACK 



" We shifted eleven tons, and now Pennell's notice * can 

 be withdrawn. We now have enough to get back. Thank 

 goodness ! " 



We had a fairly uncomfortable time on board. The stove 

 below was faulty, and a change of wind filled the wardroom 

 with smoke. With a huge skylight, various hatchways and 

 companion ladders, and numerous portholes, it was hopeless 

 to keep out of draughts. 



Early on the 7th I was awakened by the fiendish clamour 

 which the propeller was making about a foot under my bunk ! 

 " I found that we were held up in a hole about twice the 

 size of the ship in heavy fixed pancake. We were over two 

 hours alternately advancing, sticking, putting on more steam, 

 reversing, and getting out. All the time huge blocks of ice 

 were being churned round and battered by the propeller. We 

 had been heading about N.E. when the ship struck, and in 

 next watch we had to turn round and retreat as we had come. 

 We were now about forty miles east of Mount Mel- 

 bourne. 



" She would steam steady for about ten minutes and 

 delude one into going on deck to see our progress, and we 

 were still in the same ice-hole ! Then we would reverse 

 with more regular vibrations, then catch a huge bit of ice in 

 the blades, and it would feel as if you were having three teeth 

 out yourself ! " 



At noon Pennell abandoned hope of getting near Camp- 

 bell. At each attempt the ice was thicker and wider. Each 

 time we got into worse positions and spent longer in extri- 

 cating ourselves. " We are later than any former ship, not 

 allowing for the extraordinary ice-bound conditions, this 

 autumn." So we turned homeward on the 7th March, and 

 headed for Cape Adare. 



On this voyage the ship was in charge of Lieutenant 

 Pennell, while Rennick and Bruce were the other officers, 

 assisted by Cheetham and Engineer Williams. Lillie carried 

 on his biological work, while Drake was busy as ever with 

 secretarial duties, varied by readings of the meteorological 

 instruments. 



We had left the rest of the Western Party at Cape Evans, 



1 Until the ship is able to ice ship again no water is to be used for the 

 purpose of washing clothes. — Harry Pennell, Lieutenant. 



