enabled us to bear up closer to the island. A little later the Dudley Docker ran down to the James Caird , and Worsley shouted a suggestion that he should go ahead and search for a landing-place. 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. A cross-sea was running and I could not feel sure that all was well with the missing boat. The waves could not be seen in the darkness, though the direction and force of the wind could be felt, and under such conditions, in an open boat, disaster might overtake the most experienced navigator. I flashed our compass-lamp on the sail in the hope that the signal would be visible on board the Dudley Docker , but could see no reply. We strained our eyes to windward in the darkness in the hope of catching a return signal and repeated our flashes at intervals. My anxiety, as a matter of fact, was groundless. I will quote Worsley's own account of what happened to the Dudley Docker: "About midnight we lost sight of the James Caird with the Stancomb Wills in tow, but not long