WINTER MONTHS 
is near. . . Clark finds that with returning daylight the 
diatoms are again appearing. His nets and line are stained a 
pale yellow, and much of the newly formed ice has also a faint 
brown or yellow tinge. The diatoms cannot multiply without 
light, and the ice formed since February can be distinguislied 
in the pressure-ridges by its clear blue colour. The older masses 
of ice are of a dark earthy brown, dull yellow, or reddish brown." 
The break-up of our floe came suddenly on Simday, August 1, 
just one year after the Endurance left the South- West India 
Docks on the voyage to the Far South. The position was 
lat. 72° 26' S., long. 48° 10' W. The morning brought a 
moderate south-westerly gale with heavy snoAV, and at 8 a.m., 
after some warning movements of the ice, the floe cracked 
40 yds. ofE the starboard bow. Two hours later the floe began 
to break up all round us under pressure and the ship listed over 
10 degrees to starboard. I had the dogs and sledges brought 
aboard at once and the gangAvay hoisted. The animals behaved 
well. They came aboard eagerly as though realizing their 
danger, and were placed in their quarters on deck without a 
single fight occurring. The pressure was cracking the floe 
rapidly, rafting it close to the sliip and forcing masses of ice 
beneath the keel. Presently the Endurame listed heavily to 
port against the gale, and at the same time was forced ahead, 
astern, and sideways several times by the grinding floes. She 
received one or two hard nips, but resisted them without as 
much as a creak. It looked at one stage as if the ship was to 
be made the plaything of successive floes, and I was relieved 
when she came to a standstill with a large piece of our old 
dock " under the starboard bilge. I had the boats cleared 
away ready for lowering, got up some additional stores, and 
set a double watch. All hands were warned to stand by, get 
what sleep they could, and have their warmest clothing at hand. 
Around us lay the ruins of Dog Town " amid the debris of 
pressure-ridges. Some of the little dwellings had been crushed 
flat beneath blocks of ice ; others had been swallowed and 
pulverized when the ice opened beneath them and closed again. 
It was a sad sight, but my chief concern just then was the 
safety of the rudder, which was being attacked viciously by 
57 
