SOUTH 
the ice. We managed to pole away a large lump tliat had 
become jammed between the rudder and the stern-post, but I 
could see that damage had been done, though a close examina- 
tion was not possible that day. 
After the ship had come to a standstill in her new position 
very heavy pressure was set up. Some of the trenails were 
started and beams buckled shghtly under the terrific stresses. 
But the Endurance had been built to withstand the attacks of 
the ice, and she lifted bravely as the floes drove beneath her. 
The effects of the pressure around us were awe-inspiring. 
Mighty blocks of ice, gripped between meeting floes, rose slowly 
till they jumped like cherry-stones squeezed between thumb 
and finger. The pressure of milUons of tons of moving ice 
was crushing and smashing inexorably. If the ship was once 
gripped firmly her fate would be sealed. 
The gale from the south-west blew all night and moderated 
during the afternoon of the 2nd to a stiff breeze. The pressure 
had almost ceased . Apparently the gale had driven the southern 
pack down upon us, causing congestion in our area ; the 
pressure had stopped when the whole of the pack got into 
motion. The gale had given us some northing, but it had 
dealt the Endurance what might prove to be a severe blow. 
The rudder had been driven hard over to starboard and the 
blade partially torn away from the rudder-head. Heavy 
masses of ice were still jammed against the stern, and it was 
impossible to ascertain the extent of the damage at that time. 
I felt that it would be impossible in any case to effect repairs 
in the moving pack. The ship lay steady all night, and the 
sole sign of continuing pressure was an occasional sHght rumbling 
shock. We rigged shelters and kennels for the dogs inboard. 
The weather on August 3 was overcast and misty. We had 
nine hours of twilight, with good fight at noon. There was no 
land in sight for ten miles from the mast-head. The pack as 
far as the eye could reach was in a condition of chaos, much 
rafted and consolidated, with very large pressure-ridges in all 
directions. At 9 p.m. a rough altitude of Canopus gave the 
latitude as 71° 55' 17" S. The drift, therefore, had been about 
37 miles to the north in three days. Four of the poorest dogs 
58 
