It’s unlikely that any of us will find ourselves in Tom Crean’s situation when, in the closing days of the Antarctic autumn of 1912, at the end of a 1300-mile walk, he set out to go another 35 to save his companions. We no longer find ourselves trekking such extreme distances on such minimal resources, … More “Can You Do It?”
–from Shackleton’s account “South”— “That night we lay off the ice in a gale, hove to [about 108 miles offshore from Elephant Island] , and morning found the schooner [Emma] iced up. The ropes, cased in frozen spray, were as thick as a man’s arm, and if the wind had increased much we would have … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, July 23, 1916: “That night we lay off the ice in a gale, hove to . . .”
–from Shackleton’s account “South”— “At dawn on Friday, July 21, we were within a hundred miles of the island, and we encountered the ice in the half-light. I waited for the full day and then tried to push through. The little craft [schooner Emma] was tossing in the heavy swell, and before she had been … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, July 21, 1916: “. . . we were within a hundred miles of the island, and we encountered the ice. . .”
–from Shackleton’s account “South”— “[At Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, Mr. Allan McDonald] worked day and night, and it was mainly due to him that within three days they had raise a sum of £1500 amongst themselves, chartered the schooner “Emma” and equipped her for our use. She was a forty-year-old oak schooner, strong and seaworthy, … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, July 12, 1916: “. . . chartered the schooner “Emma” and equipped her for our use”
–from Shackleton’s account “South”— “At 1.30 p.m. we climbed a final ridge and saw a little steamer, a whaling-boat, entering the bay 2500 ft. below. A few moments later, as we hurried forward, the masts of a sailing-ship lying at a wharf came in sight. Minute figures moving to and fro about the boats caught … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 20, 1916: “We had touched the naked soul of man.”
–from Frank Worsley’s account ‘Endurance’— “At dawn we reached the top of another great transverse range. Looking over the dark waters of Fortuna Bay, some thousands of feet below us, and beyond two distant mountains, we recognized the Z-shaped stratification that told us Stromness Bay was in that direction. Seven o’clock came, and we listened … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 20, 1916: “It was the first signal of civilization that we had heard for nearly two years.”
–from Frank Worsley’s account ‘Endurance’— “When we attained the crest of the second pass and again looked down, we found the conditions almost as bad as at the first. The beauty of the scene only intensified the iron of our position. In front of us stretched a truly magnificent view: the exquisite purity of Alpine … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 19, 1916: “And we were in a solitude never before broken by man.”
–from Frank Worsley’s account ‘Endurance’— “At about nine o’clock in the morning we had our first hot meal, having been on the march for siz hours. The only nourishment we had taken en route had been a small piece of biscuit and a chunk of Streimer’s Nut Food. After this we cooked a meal over … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 19, 1916: “At about nine o’clock in the morning we had our first hot meal. . .”
–from Shackleton’s account “South”— “The carpenter [Harry McNeish] started making a sledge for use on the overland journey. The materials at his disposal were limited in quantity and scarcely suitable in quality. We overhauled our gear on Thursday, May 18, and hauled our sledge to the lower edge of the snouted glacier. Worsley and Crean … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 18, 1916: “We turned in early that night, but sleep did not come to me.”
–from Frank Worsley’s account ‘Endurance’— “We hoisted sail to a fine west breeze, and as the sun came out and the waters of the [King Haakon] Sound sparkled we felt very cheery indeed. . . . As we reached the head of the Sound we heard the raucaus roar of the bull sea-elephant. We hauled … More Shackleton’s ‘Endurance’ Expedition, May 15, 1916: Peggotty Camp
