Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage to the Antarctic

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M. on January 10, they sighted land which Shackleton named the CairdCoast in honor of the expedition’s principal backer.

There were the sounds of the pack in movement—the basic noises, the grunting and whining of the floes, along with an occasional thud as a heavy block collapsed. Still not a single diary reflected anything beyond the matter-of-fact routine of each day's business. His face was handsome, though it oftenwore a brooding expression—as if his thoughts were somewhere else—whichgave him at times a kind of darkling look.There was, infact, a notable lack of interest in the radio, primarily because it wasconsidered not only a novelty but an unserviceable one.

Shackletondecided to remain at South Georgia for a time in the hope that the situationwould improve. So Blackboro, who by now wasseverely cramped, was transferred to the locker assigned to Ernest Holness, afireman who was due to come off watch shortly.More than any other single impression in those final hours, all the menwere struck, almost to the point of horror, by the way the ship behaved like agiant beast in its death agonies. Clear water was visible onthe other side, but it would have been extremely dangerous to push into thepack with the heavy swell that was running. Other caches of rationsalong the route would keep them supplied until they arrived at the McMurdoSound base. The berth of second officer aboard the Endurance was given to ThomasCrean, a tall, row-boned, plain-spoken Irishman whose long service in theRoyal Navy had taught him the ways of unquestioning discipline.

They waited through December 4, hoping that the supply ship for thewhaling station would arrive with the last mail from home before they sailed. For all his blind spots and inadequacies, Shackleton merited thistribute: “For scientific leadership give me Scott; for swift and efficient travel, Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless situation, when there seems no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton. On November 4, Macklin wrote in his diary: "It has been a lovely day, and it is hard to think we are in a frightfully precarious situation. M., they ran into the main body of the pack once more, stretching from theface of the barrier away to the northwest as far as could be seen.

Both were very nearlyexhausted from almost three days at the pumps; yet they were unable to sleepbecause of the sounds the ship was making. From Sir Douglas Mawson, the famousAustralian explorer, Shackleton bought the Aurora, a stoutly built ship of thetype then used for sealing. They hoistedthe lumber up on deck, climbed out, and stood for a long moment withoutspeaking, savoring the exquisite feeling of safety.