We had previously discovered that when we were landing from the boat on the night of May 10 we had lost the rudder.

The 'James Caird' had been bumping heavily astern as we were scrambling ashore, and evidently the rudder was then knocked off.
A careful search of the beach and the rocks within our reach failed to reveal the missing article.

This was a serious loss, even if the voyage to the head of the sound could be made in good weather.

At dusk the ice in the cove was rearing and crashing on the beach.

It had forced up a ridge of stones close to where the 'James Caird' lay at the edge of the tussock-grass.