–from Sir James Wordie’s diary–
“Hopes that shoaling water was to lead us ultimately to land now seem to be rapidly dissolving. Today finds us as far north as we have been, but the water is now shallower than 174 fms. Approach to land should mean rapidly shoaling depths; the soundings we have been getting during the last week can only point to a submarine plateau.
“I must say we are being well fed at present and differ markedly from previous polar voyages; the men get exactly the same food as we do aft–a scheme which effectively bottles up all would-be complainers.”
