1 4 o SIEGE OF THE SOUTH POLE 
and Beaufoy sailed for the South Shetlands, and en- 
countered very heavy pack ice in 62° S. Sometimes 
they skirted the edge of the pack looking for an opening, 
sometimes they tacked about in a pool of open water 
entirely surrounded by the pack and drifting rapidly to 
the eastward, and when at last, with infinite labour, the 
islands were sighted on October 28th, the ships were 
struck by a hurricane from the southwest, accompanied 
by bitter cold. Everything movable, including a whale- 
boat, was swept from the deck of the Jane and speedily, 
the deck, bulwarks, and lower rigging became a solid 
mass of ice; the rudder was frozen fast and could not 
be used, and the masses of frozen water on the fore- 
castle made the brig rise sluggishly to the sea. In spite 
of the danger thus occasioned, Weddell attributes his 
escape to the ice binding the ship together and prevent- 
ing, as he put it, “ the fastenings from being distressed.” 
Many of the crew were hurt by being thrown down by 
the wild rolling of the ship, and nearly all were frost- 
bitten, for the clothing of the improvident Jacks was worn 
out, and many had not even a second pair of stockings or 
a shirt to change. The captain parted with everything he 
had to make good deficiencies. His blankets were cut 
up to make stockings, and the pump leather was used 
to patch the shoes. But no complaints were made, the 
men well knowing that if they went back to temperate 
seas without a cargo the form of “ paying off ” would 
take place without any money changing hands. The little 
cutter had stood the storm better than the brig, and both 
continued to struggle to reach the South Shetlands until 
November 17th, when, after having been in the utmost 
peril in the pack, they worked out in a sorely battered con- 
dition and made for Cape Horn. The vessels were far 
