The ship was very steady in the
quarterly sea, but certainly did not look as neat and trim as she had
done when leaving the shores of England four months earlier. We had
filled up with coal at Grytviken, and this extra fuel was stored on
deck, where it impeded movement considerably. The carpenter had built
a false deck, extending from the poop-deck to the chart-room. We had
also taken aboard a ton of whale-meat for the dogs. The big chunks of
meat were hung up in the rigging, out of reach but not out of sight of
the dogs, and as the 'Endurance' rolled and pitched, they watched with
wolfish eyes for a windfall.
I was greatly pleased with the dogs, which were tethered about the
ship in the most comfortable positions we could find for them. They
were in excellent condition, and I felt that the Expedition had the
right tractive-power. They were big, sturdy animals, chosen for
endurance and strength, and if they were as keen to pull our sledges as
they were now to fight one another all would be well. The men in
charge of the dogs were doing their work enthusiastically, and the
eagerness they showed to study the natures and habits of their charges
gave promise of efficient handling and good work later on.
During December 6 the 'Endurance' made good progress on a south-
easterly course.
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