The Admiralty
"Sailing Directions," referring to the South Shetlands, mentioned a
cave on this island. None of us had seen that cave or could say if it
was large or small, wet or dry; but as we drifted on our floe and
later, when navigating the treacherous leads and making our uneasy
night camps, that cave seemed to my fancy to be a palace which in
contrast would dim the splendours of Versailles.
The swell increased that night and the movement of the ice became more
pronounced. Occasionally a neighbouring floe would hammer against the
ice on which we were camped, and the lesson of these blows was plain to
read. We must get solid ground under our feet quickly. When the
vibration ceased after a heavy surge, my thoughts flew round to the
problem ahead. If the party had not numbered more than six men a
solution would not have been so hard to find; but obviously the
transportation of the whole party to a place of safety, with the
limited means at our disposal, was going to be a matter of extreme
difficulty. There were twenty-eight men on our floating cake of ice,
which was steadily dwindling under the influence of wind, weather,
charging floes, and heavy swell. I confess that I felt the burden of
responsibility sit heavily on my shoulders; but, on the other hand, I
was stimulated and cheered by the attitude of the men.
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