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Updated: May 5, 2025
The 'James Caird' was in the lead, where she bore the brunt of the encounter with lurking fragments, and she was holed above the water-line by a sharp spur of ice, but this mishap did not stay us. Later the wind became stronger and we had to reef sails, so as not to strike the ice too heavily. The 'Dudley Docker' came next to the 'James Caird' and the 'Stancomb Wills' followed.
The Burberry suits were drying and the ice was melting off our beards. The steaming food gave us new vigour, and within three-quarters of an hour we were off again to the west with all sails set. We had given an additional sail to the 'Stancomb Wills' and she was able to keep up pretty well.
Were it not for these cumbrous boats we should get along at a great rate, but we dare not abandon them on any account. As it is we left one boat, the 'Stancomb Wills', behind at Ocean Camp, and the remaining two will barely accommodate the whole party when we leave the floe.
The 'Stancomb Wills' came up and McIlroy reported that Blackborrow's feet were very badly frost-bitten. This was unfortunate, but nothing could be done. Most of the people were frost-bitten to some extent, and it was interesting to notice that the "oldtimers," Wild, Crean, Hurley, and I, were all right.
We used all the available ropes as a long painter to prevent her drifting away to the north-east, and then the 'Stancomb Wills' came alongside, transferred her load, and went back to the shore for more. As she was being beached this time the sea took her stern and half filled her with water. She had to be turned over and emptied before the return journey could be made.
The 'James Caird' swung astern of the 'Dudley Docker' and the 'Stancomb Wills' again had the third place. We ate a cold meal and did what little we could to make things comfortable for the hours of darkness. Rest was not for us. During the greater part of the night the sprays broke over the boats and froze in masses of ice, especially at the stern and bows.
His boat had the heels of the 'James Caird', with the 'Stancomb Wills' in tow. I told him he could try, but he must not lose sight of the 'James Caird'. Just as he left me a heavy snow-squall came down, and in the darkness the boats parted. I saw the 'Dudley Docker' no more. This separation caused me some anxiety during the remaining hours of the night.
Also, as a more personal note, I named the three ship's boats, in which we ultimately escaped from the grip of the ice, after the three principal donors to the Expedition the 'James Caird', the 'Stancomb Wills' and the 'Dudley Docker'. The two last-named are still on the desolate sandy spit of Elephant Island, where under their shelter twenty-two of my comrades eked out a bare existence for four and a half months.
The wind shifted from the south to the south-west, and the shortage of oars became a serious matter. The 'James Caird', being the heaviest boat, had to keep a full complement of rowers, while the 'Dudley Docker' and the 'Stancomb Wills' went short and took turns using the odd oar.
The boats were bumping so heavily that I had to slack away the painter of the 'Stancomb Wills' and put her astern. Much ice was coming round the floe and had to be poled off. Then the 'Dudley Docker', being the heavier boat, began to damage the 'James Caird', and I slacked the 'Dudley Docker' away.
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