ESCAPE FROM THE ICE 
heavy north-westerly swell was undermining the ice. A great 
piece had broken oii within eight feet of my tent. We made 
what inspection was possible in the darkness, and found that 
on the westward side of the berg the thick snow covering was 
yielding rapidly to the attacks of the sea. An ice-foot had 
formed just under the surface of the water. I decided that 
there was no immediate danger and did not call the men. The 
north-westerly wind strengthened during the night. 
The morning of April 11 was overcast and misty. There 
was a haze on the horizon, and daylight showed that the pack 
had closed round oiu* berg, making it impossible in the heavy 
swell to launch the boats. We could see no sign of the water. 
Numerous whales and killers were blowing between the floes, 
and Cape pigeons, petrels, and fulmars were circling round om 
berg. The scene from our camp as the daylight brightened 
was magnificent beyond description, though I must admit that 
we viewed it with anxiety. Heaving hills of pack and floe were 
sweeping towards us in long undulations, later to be broken 
here and there by the dark lines that indicated open water. 
As each swell lifted around our rapidly dissolving berg it drove 
floe-ice on to the ice-foot, shearing off more of the top snow- 
covering and reducing the size of our camp. When the floes 
retreated to attack again the water swirled over the ice-foot, 
which was rapidly increasing in width. The launching of the 
boats under such conditions would be difficult. Time after 
time, so often that a track was formed, Worsley, Wild, and 
I climbed to the highest point of the berg and stared out 
to the horizon in search of a break in the pack. After long 
hours had dragged past, far away on the lift of the swell there 
appeared a dark break in the tossing field of ice. ^ons seemed 
to pass, so slowly it approached. I noticed enviously the calm, 
peaceful attitudes of two seals which lolled lazily on a rocking 
floe. They were at home and had no reason for worry or cause 
for fear. If they thought at all, I suppose they counted it an 
ideal day for a joyous journey on the tumbling ice. To us it 
was a day that seemed likely to lead to no more days. I do 
not think I had ever before felt the anxiety that belongs to 
leadership quite so keenly. When I looked down at the camp 
127 
