SOUTH 
" All this time we were coasting along beneath towering 
rocky cliffs and sheer glacier-faces, which offered not the slightest 
possibility of landing anywhere. At 9.30 a.m. we spied a 
narrow, rocky beach at the base of some very high crags and 
cliff, and made for it. To our joy, we sighted the James Caird 
and the Stancomh Wills sailing into the same haven just ahead 
of us. We were so delighted that we gave three cheers, which 
were not heard aboard the other boats owing to the roar of 
the surf. However, we soon joined them and were able to 
exchange experiences on the beach." 
Our experiences on the James Caird had been similar, 
although we had not been able to keep up to windward as 
well as the Dudley Docker had done. This was fortunate as 
events proved, for the James Caird and Stancomh Wills went 
to leeward of the big bight the Dudley Docker entered and 
from which she had to turn out with the sea astern. We thus 
avoided the risk of having the Stancomh Wills swamped in the 
following sea. The weather was very thick in the morning. 
Indeed at 7 a.m. we were right under the cliffs, which plunged 
sheer into the sea, before we saw them. We followed the 
coast towards the north, and ever the precipitous cliffs and 
glacier-faces presented themselves to our searching eyes. The 
sea broke heavily against these walls and a landing would have 
been impossible under any conditions. We picked up pieces 
of ice and sucked them eagerly. At 9 a.m. at the north-west 
end of the island we saw a narrow beach at the foot of the 
cliffs. Outside lay a fringe of rocks heavily beaten by the surf 
but with a narrow channel showing as a break in the foaming 
water. I decided that we must face the hazards of this unattrac- 
tive landing-place. Two days and nights without drink or 
hot food had played havoc with most of the men, and we could 
not assume that any safer haven lay within our reach. The 
Stancomh Wills was the lighter and handier boat — and I called 
her alongside with the intention of taking her through the 
gap first and ascertaining the possibilities of a landing before 
the James Caird made the venture. I was just climbing into 
the Stancomh Wills when I saw the Dudley Docker coming up 
astern under sail. The sight took a great load off my mind. 
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