We were pushing through this loose pack all day, and the view from the crow's-nest gave no promise of improved conditions ahead.

A Weddell seal and a crab-eater seal were noticed on the floes, but we did not pause to secure fresh meat.
It was important that we should make progress towards our goal as rapidly as possible, and there was reason to fear that we should have plenty of time to spare later on if the ice conditions continued to increase in severity.
On the morning of December 12 we were working through loose pack which later became thick in places.

The sky was overcast and light snow was falling.

I had all square sail set at 7 a.m.in order to take advantage of the northerly breeze, but it had to come in again five hours later when the wind hauled round to the west.

The noon position was lat.