At 7 a.m.lanes of water and leads could be seen on the horizon to the west.

The ice separating us from the lanes was loose, but did not appear to be workable for the boats.
The long swell from the north-west was coming in more freely than on the previous day and was driving the floes together in the utmost confusion.

The loose brash between the masses of ice was being churned to mudlike consistency, and no boat could have lived in the channels that opened and closed around us.

Our own floe was suffering in the general disturbance, and after breakfast I ordered the tents to be struck and everything prepared for an immediate start when the boats could be launched." I had decided to take the 'James Caird' myself, with Wild and eleven men.

This was the largest of our boats, and in addition to her human complement she carried the major portion of the stores.