SOUTH 
sufficiently broken for our purposes, and I decided that, unless 
the conditions forbade it, we would make a start in the James 
Caird on the following mornmg. Obviously the pack might 
close at any time. This decision made, I spent the rest of the 
day looking over the boat, gear, and stores, and discussing plans 
with Worsley and Wild. 
Our last night on the soUd ground of Elephant Island was 
cold and uncomfortable. We turned out at dawn and had 
breakfast. Then we launched the Stancomb Wills and loaded 
her with stores, gear, and ballast, which would be transferred to 
the James Caird when the heavier boat had been launched. The 
ballast consisted of bags made from blankets and filled with 
sand, making a total weight of about 1000 lb. In addition 
we had gathered a number of round boulders and about 250 lb. 
of ice, which would supplement our two casks of water. 
The stores taken in the James Caird, which would last six 
men for one month, were as follows : 
30 boxes of matches. 
6| gallons paraffin. 
1 tin methylated spirit. 
10 boxes of flamers. 
1 box of blue lights. 
f2 Primus stoves with spare parts and prickers. 
]. Nansen aluminium cooker. 
6 sleeping-bags. 
A few spare socks. 
A few candles and some blubber-oil in an oil-bag. 
Food : 
3 cases sledging rations = 300 rations. 
2 cases nut food = 200 
2 cases biscuits = 600 biscuits. 
1 case lump sugar. 
30 packets of Trumilk. 
1 tin of Bovril cubes. 
1 tin of Cerebos salt. 
36 gallons of water. 
112 lb. of ice. 
162 
