We worked all day and throughout most of the next day in a strenuous effort to get the ship into the lead ahead.

The men cut away the young ice before the bows and pulled it aside with great energy.

After twenty-four hours' labour we had got the ship a third of the way to the lead.

But about 400 yards of heavy ice, including old rafted pack, still separated the 'Endurance' from the water, and reluctantly I had to admit that further effort was useless.

Every opening we made froze up again quickly owing to the unseasonably low temperature.