SOUTH 
Watching carefully that loose lumps of ice did not damage the 
propeller, we would reverse the engines and back the ship off 
200 to 300 yds. She would then be driven full speed into the 
V, taking care to hit the centre accurately. The operation 
would be repeated until a short dock was cut, into which the 
ship, acting as a large wedge, was driven. At about the fourth 
attempt, if it was to succeed at all, the floe would yield. A 
black, sinuous line, as though pen-drawn on white paper, 
would appear ahead, broadening as the eye traced it back to 
the ship. Presently it would be broad enough to receive her, 
and we would forge ahead. Under the bows and alongside, great 
slabs of ice were being turned over and slid back on the floe, 
or driven down and under the ice or ship. In this way the 
Endurance would split a 2-ft. to 3-ft. floe a square mile 
in extent. Occasionally the floe, although cracked across, 
would be so held by other floes that it would refuse to open 
wide, and so gradually would bring the ship to a stand- 
still. We would then go astern for some distance and again 
drive her full speed into the crack, till Anally the floe would 
yield to the repeated onslaughts. 
18 
