Another seal, a bull Weddell, was secured on the 26th.
The return of seal-life was opportune, since we had nearly finished the
winter supply of dog-biscuit and wished to be able to feed the dogs on
meat. The seals meant a supply of blubber, moreover, to supplement our
small remaining stock of coal when the time came to get up steam again.
We initiated a daylight-saving system on this day by putting forward
the clock one hour. "This is really pandering to the base but universal
passion that men, and especially seafarers, have for getting up late,
otherwise we would be honest and make our routine earlier instead of
flogging the clock."
During the concluding days of September the roar of the pressure grew
louder, and I could see that the area of disturbance was rapidly
approaching the ship. Stupendous forces were at work and the fields of
firm ice around the 'Endurance' were being diminished steadily.
September 30 was a bad day. It began well, for we got two penguins and
five seals during the morning. Three other seals were seen. But at 3
p.m. cracks that had opened during the night alongside the ship
commenced to work in a lateral direction. The ship sustained terrific
pressure on the port side forward, the heaviest shocks being under the
forerigging. It was the worst squeeze we had experienced.
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