We found that we could get momentary relief by chewing pieces of raw seal meat and swallowing the blood, but thirst came back with redoubled force owing to the saltness of the flesh.

I gave orders, therefore, that meat was to be served out only at stated intervals during the day or when thirst seemed to threaten the reason of any particular individual.

In the full daylight Elephant Island showed cold and severe to the north-north-west.

The island was on the bearings that Worsley had laid down, and I congratulated him on the accuracy of his navigation under difficult circumstances, with two days dead reckoning while following a devious course through the pack- ice and after drifting during two nights at the mercy of wind and waves.

The 'Stancomb Wills' came up and McIlroy reported that Blackborrow's feet were very badly frost-bitten.