H.M. Ships Erebus and Terror, January 20th 1842, in Latitude 66°.37' South, Longitude 159°.48' West.

The present drawing by Davis records an incident on their second season in the Ross Sea, when a storm badly damaged both the Erebus and the Terror, the latter's rudder being broken to pieces by the ice and having to be replaced by the spare rudder: 'On the morning of the 20th it blew a heavy gale of wind; there we were in the midst of a very ice with a very heavy swell on. The ship at times striking it hard, it was very difficult to pass clear of the largest pieces which threatened at times to crush us... we were afraid for our bowsprit, it being so low, but we experienced a greater loss in our rudder which was broken and rendered useless at ten in the forenoon. A tongue of ice got under it and completely ground it round, splitting it all the way up...' (Capt. J.E. Davis, R.N. A Letter from the Antarctic, London: 1901, pp.17-18, with a sketch after the present drawing illustrated p.20).

The Erebus and Terror weathered the storm and on 4 February the ships continued southwards.

In a frame inscribed 'THIS FRAME IS MADE FROM THE REMAINS OF THE RUDDER OF THE TERROR.'