LOSS OF THE ENDURANCE 
drivers failed to save it alive. On the following day Wild, 
Hurley, Macklin, and Mcllroy took their teams to the Stained 
Berg, about seven miles west of the ship, and on their way back 
got a female crab-eater, which they killed, skinned, and left to 
be picked up later. They ascended to the top of the berg, which 
lay in about lat. 69'' 30' S., long. 51° W., and from an elevation of 
110 ft. could see no land. Samples of the discoloured ice from the 
berg proved to contain dust \vith black gritty particles or sand- 
grains. Another seal, a bull Weddell, was secured on the 26th. 
The return of seal-life was opportune, since we had nearly 
finished the winter supply of dog-biscuit and wished to be able 
to feed the dogs on meat. The seals meant a supply of blubber, 
moreover, to supplement our small remaining stock of coal 
when the time came to get up steam again. We initiated a 
daylight-saving system on this day by putting forward the 
clock one hour. This is really pandering to the base but 
universal passion that men, and especially seafarers, have for 
getting up late, otherwise we would be honest and make our 
routine earlier instead of flogging the clock.'' 
Diuring the concluding days of September the roar of the 
pressure grew louder, and I could see that the area of disturbance 
was rapidly approaching the ship. Stupendous forces were at 
work and the fields of firm ice around the Endurance were being 
diminished steadily. September 30 was a bad day. It began 
well, for we got two penguins and five seals during the morning. 
Three other seals were seen. But at 3 p.m. cracks that had 
opened during the night alongside the ship commenced to work 
in a lateral direction. The ship sustained terrific pressure on 
the port side forward, the heaviest shocks being under the fore- 
rigging. It was the worst squeeze we had experienced. The 
decks shuddered and jumped, beams arched, and stanchions 
buckled and shook. I ordered all hands to stand by in 
readiness for whatever emergency might arise. Even the dogs 
seemed to feel the tense anxiety of the moment. But the ship 
resisted valiantly, and just when it appeared that the limit 
of her strength was being reached the huge floe that was 
pressing down upon us cracked across and so gave relief. " The 
behaviour of our ship in the ice has been magnificent," wrote 
E 65 
