heavy pack extending across the course. The weather was misty, but
cleared up before noon. We have been obliged to steer a northerly course
along the edge of the pack.

"The margin of this pack is some sixty miles farther north than that
which we followed in 1912.

"At midnight we were steering north-north-west; many bergs in sight and
a line of pack to port.

"February 20. At daylight we were able to steer southwest, being at noon
about twenty miles north of Termination Ice-Tongue. Pushing through
the looser edge of pack for a couple of hours we saw the loom of the
ice-tongue to the southward. The pack becoming closer, we turned back to
the north in order to try and push through farther west, where the sky
looked more promising.

"At dark we were in a patch of clear water, with ice all around. It
began to snow and, as the wind remained a light easterly, the ship was
allowed to drift until daylight.

"February 21. The morning was very foggy up till 11 A.M. We steered west
until noon and then entered the pack; there was a promising sky towards
the south. Fair progress was made through the ice, which became looser
as we advanced to the south. At 8 P.M. we passed through leads by
moonlight, having a favourable run throughout the night.

"February 22. At 4 A.M. the wind freshened from the south-east with some
snow; the floes were getting heavier and the advent of a blizzard was
not hailed with joy. About noon the ship approached open water and the
snow ceased.

"We were now on the confines of the sea of bergs where navigation had
proved so dangerous in 1912.

"At 8 P.M. the driving snow and growing darkness made it impossible to
see any distance ahead. The next seven hours were the most anxious I
have ever spent at sea. Although the wind blew hard from the south-east,
we passed through the sea of bergs without mishap, guided and protected
by a Higher Power.

"February 23. At 4 A.M. the loom of an ice-tongue was sighted and
we were soon standing in to follow this feature until we reached the
Shackleton Shelf.

"At 8 A.M. we found that we were some miles south of our reckoning.

"At 11 A.M. we sighted a depot-flag on the slope. Soon after the ship
was up to the fast floe at the head of the bay, the ice being nearly
a mile farther north than on the previous year. In fact, the
ice-conditions as a whole had changed considerably.

"At noon we reached the Base and found the party all well."

Wild and his comrades