It was an unusual and startling experience.

The effect of tidal action on ice is not often as marked as it was that day.

The advancing ice, accompanied by a large wave, appeared to be travelling at about three knots; and if we had not succeeded in pulling clear we would certainly have been swamped.
We pulled hard for an hour to windward of the berg that lay in the open water.

The swell was crashing on its perpendicular sides and throwing spray to a height of sixty feet.

Evidently there was an ice- foot at the east end, for the swell broke before it reached the berg- face and flung its white spray on to the blue ice-wall.