HURLEY’S PHOTOGRAPHS OF SHACKLETON’S EXPEDITION

Against All Odds

After the Endurance was crushed and sank the expedition was faced with the prospect of getting themselves and their thousands of pounds of supplies across the seas ice to the Antarctic Peninsula, 350 nautical miles (6004 kms) to the west.

On October 30, 1915, the crew was ready to begin the journey. “Now we shoot for Robertson Island, boys”. Shackleton appraised and they all cheered. Dog teams ferried small loads of supplies back and forth from the ship while another party headed down impossible ice; behind them camethe rest of the men hauling the excessively heavy James Cairn.

That first day they made less than one mile’s headway – a backbreaking effort. But there were many more days of hauling ahead: “We all followed with the heavier boat on the composite sledge. It was terrific work to keep it going. We all did our
best but were practically exhausted by the time we reached the next camp… barely ¾ miles away”. – Thomas Orde-
Lees Diary.

The travel conditions on the sea ice were appalling. The soft, wet snow meant their footing was unstable. They often
sank up to their hips and soaked their boots. The going was horrendous and their pace demoralizing. The huge
efforts they were expending were getting them nowhere.

They established Ocean Camp. After a month’s waiting Shackleton ordered a resumption of the march, in part to get
his men active and lessen their sagging moral. But the conditions on the ice had worsened further. On December
27th, McNish, the carpenter, dropped his trace and refused to carry on hauling the boat, perhaps demoralized further
by the recent loss of his beloved cat, Mrs. Chippy, to a bullet by Crean’s gun (on Shackleton’s orders when some of
the older and less healthy dogs were put down). McNish declared that because they were no longer on the ship, he
was not under contract nor anyone’s authority. This was a rebellious act in Shackleton’s eyes and the first real test
of his authority. The Boss declared the Ship’s Articles to still be in force on the ice, and threatened in private to shoot
McNish if the carpenter continued his rebellion.

Two days later Shackleton called an end to the march and established Patience Camp. Here they waited on the
deteriorating sea ice for almost three and a half months, bringing their drift to over 1000 miles before they could launch the boats and row for land.

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