The watchman and other members of the party made an immediate inspection and found a crack right under the 'James Caird' and between the other two boats and the main camp.

Within five minutes the boats were over the crack and close to the tents.

The trouble was not caused by a blow from another floe.

We could see that the piece of ice we occupied had slewed and now presented its long axis towards the oncoming swell.

The floe, therefore, was pitching in the manner of a ship, and it had cracked across when the swell lifted the centre, leaving the two ends comparatively unsupported.