SOUTH 
qiiently, since we found that tJje gear could not carry the 
accumulating weight of rime. Soundings proved that the sea 
continued to shoal as the Endurance drifted to the north-west. 
The depth on April 2 was 262 fathoms, with a bottom of glacial 
mud. Four weeks later a sonnding gave 172 fathoms. The 
presence of grit m the bottom samples towards the end of the 
month suggested that we were approaching land again. 
The month was not uneventful. During the night of the 
3rd we heard the ice giinding to the eastward, and in the 
morning we saw that yomig ice was rafted 8 to 10 ft. high in 
places. This was the first murmur of the danger that was to 
reach menacing proportions in later months. The ice was 
heard grinding and creaking during the 4th and the ship vibrated 
slightly. The movement of the floe was sufficiently pronounced 
to interfere with the magnetic work. I gave orders that 
accumulations of snow, ice, and rubbish alongside the Endurance 
should be shovelled away, so that in case of pressure there 
would be no weight against the topsides to check the ship rising 
above the ice. All hands were busy with pick and shovel 
during the day, and moved many tons of material. Again, on 
the 9th, there were signs of pressure. Young ice was piled up 
to a height of 11 ft. astern of the ship, and the old floe was 
cracked in places. The movement was not serious, but I 
realized that it might be the beginning of trouble for the Expe- 
dition. We brought certain stores aboard and provided 
space on deck for the dogs in case they had to be removed from 
the floe at short notice. We had run a 500-fathom steel wire 
round the ship, snow-huts, and kennels, with a loop out to the 
lead ahead, where the dredge was used. This wire was supported 
on ice-pillars, and it served as a guide in bad, weather when 
the view was obscured by driving snow and a man might have 
lost himself altogether. I had this wire cut in five places, 
since otherwise it might have been dragged across our section 
of the floe witli damaging effect in the event of the ice splitting 
suddenly. ^^ivj 
The dogs had been divided into six teams of nme dogs each. 
Wild, Crean, Macklin, Mcllroy, Marston, and Hurley each had 
charge of a team, and were fully responsible for the exercising, 
44 
