THE BOAT JOURNEY 
a cork in breaking surf. We were in a seething chaos of tortured 
water ; but somehow the boat lived through it, half-full of 
water, sagging to the dead weight and shuddering under the 
blow. We baled with the energy of men fighting for life, flinging 
the water over the sides with every receptacle that came to our 
hands, and after ten minutes of uncertainty we felt the boat 
renew her life beneath us. She floated agam and ceased to lurch 
drunkenly as though dazed by the attack of the sea. Earnestly 
we hoped that never agam would we encounter such a wave. 
The conditions in the boat, uncomfortable before, had been 
made worse by the deluge of water. All our gear was thoroughly 
wet again. Our cooking-stove had been floating about in the 
bottom of the boat, and portions of our last hoosh seemed to 
have permeated everything. Not until 3 a.m., when we were 
all chilled almost to the limit of endurance, did we manage to 
get the stove alight and make ourselves hot drinks. The 
carpenter was suffering particularly, but he showed grit and 
spirit. Vincent had for the past week ceased to be an active 
member of the crew, and I could not easily account for his 
collapse. Physically he was one of the strongest men in the 
boat. He was a young man, he had served on North Sea 
trawlers, and he should have been able to bear hardships better 
than McCarthy, who, not so strong, was always happy. 
The weather was better on the following day (May 6), and 
we got a gUmpse of the sim. Worsley's observation showed 
that we were not more than a hundred miles from the north- 
west corner of South Georgia. Two more days with a favour- 
able wind and we would sight the promised land. I hoped that 
there would be no delay, for our supply of water was running 
very low. The hot drink at night was essential, but I decided 
that the daily allowance of water must be cut down to half a 
pint per man. The lumps of ice we had taken aboard had 
gone long ago. We were dependent upon the water we had 
brought from Elephant Island, and our thirst was increased by 
the fact that we were now using the brackish water in the breaker 
that had been slightly stove in in the surf when the boat was 
being loaded. Some sea-water had entered at that time. 
Thirst took possession of us. I dared not permit the 
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