Drift-ice is always attracted to the lee side of a heavy floe, where it bumps and presses under the influence of the current.

I had determined not to risk a repetition of the last night's experience and so had not pulled the boats up.

We spent the hours of darkness keeping an offing from the main line of pack under the lee of the smaller pieces.

Constant rain and snow squalls blotted out the stars and soaked us through, and at times it was only by shouting to each other that we managed to keep the boats together.

There was no sleep for anybody owing to the severe cold, and we dare not pull fast enough to keep ourselves warm since we were unable to see more than a few yards ahead.