COMPOSITE FLOES 
53 
the berg until, as the pressure relieved, she slid out into 
the open water close to the berg. Here it was possible 
to ' wear ship,' and we saw a fair prospect of getting away 
to the east and afterwards south. Following the leads up 
we made excellent progress during the morning watch, and 
early in the forenoon turned south, and then south-west. 
We had made 8|' S. 22 E. and about $' S.S.W. by 
1 p.m., and could see a long lead of water to the south, 
cut off only by a broad strip of floe with many water holes 
in it : a composite Hoc. There was just a chance of 
getting through, but we have stuck half-way, advance 
and retreat equally impossible under sail alone. Steam 
has been ordered but will not be ready till near midnight. 
Shall we be out of the pack by Christmas Eve ? 
The floes to-day have been larger but thin and 
very sodden. There arc extensive water pools showing 
in patches on the surface, and one notes some that run 
in line as though extending from cracks ; also here and 
there close water-free cracks can be seen. Such floes 
might well be termed £ composite 9 floes, since they evi- 
dently consist of old floes which have been frozen together 
— the junction being concealed by more recent snowfalls. 
A month ago it would probably have been difficult to 
detect inequalities or differences in the nature of the parts 
of the floes, but now the younger ice has become water- 
logged and is melting rapidly, hence the pools. 
I am inclined to think that nearly all the large floes 
as well as many of the smaller ones arc ' composite,' 
and this would seem to show that the cementing of two 
floes does not necessarily mean a line of weakness, 
