A working party started to dig a hole in the snow-slope about forty feet above sea-level with the object of providing a site for a camp.

They made fairly good progress at first, but the snow drifted down unceasingly from the inland ice, and in the end the party had to give up the project.
The weather was fine on April 23, and we hurried forward our preparations.

It was on this day I decided finally that the crew for the 'James Caird' should consist of Worsley, Crean, McNeish, McCarthy, Vincent, and myself.

A storm came on about noon, with driving snow and heavy squalls.

Occasionally the air would clear for a few minutes, and we could see a line of pack-ice, five miles out, driving across from west to east.