Endurance Part VII and Epilogue

Stromness Whaling Station: first sign of civilization in
17 months for Shackleton and two other men

     After two days of rest, Shackleton decided him and two other men would attempt to cross the rugged land and find help. It was deemed impossible, but they had no other choice since their boat's rudder had been torn off when it hit they rocks. They set out and encountered many problems, having to retrace their steps multiple times. When Shackleton heard a steam whistle, he thought it was too good to be true, but looking down from a mountain peak he saw a whaling station. For the first time in seventeen months, they saw civilization. Shackleton asked one of the men working to take him to who was in charge, who they said was Thoralf Sorlle. Shackleton said he knew Sorlle so they went to meet him. Everyone believed that the Endurance had been lost in the Antarctic along with her entire crew so when Sorlle saw that it was Shackleton, he was overwhelmed.

Success is a journey; set a destination

     The men bathed and ate before planning a rescue for the other 22 men still on Elephant Island. For three months they attempted to break through the ice to no avail. Four months after the Caird left, on August 30, after three tries with three different boats, Shackleton was finally able to reach Elephant Island. The men were giddy with excitement and nothing, not even food, could distract them from the joyous moment of seeing that ship on the horizon. All 28 men had survived for over 20 months in the harshest climate here on earth and, even though they didn't accomplish what they set out to do, they still felt like they won. I imagine they must have had a sort of epiphany when they realized they had actually accomplished much more than what they set out to do because of the unfortunate situations they were in.

     My favorite part of the entire novel was when Shackleton and his two companions had to slide down the side of a mountain because climbing would have taken too long. They did not know what was awaiting them at the bottom or if they would even survive such a risky plunge. By doing this, the three men most definitely gave the phrase "taking a leap of faith" a whole new meaning and I found it very inspiring.

"So he suggested they slide...They seemed to hang poised for a slit second, then suddenly the wind was shrieking in their ears and a white blure of snow tore passed...They screamed-not in terror necessarily, but simply because they couldn't help it...They were breathless and their hearts were beating wildly. But they found themselves laughing uncontrollably...and they felt that special kind of pride of a person who in a foolish moment accepts an impossible dare-then pulls it off to perfection."

     This story gave me, as well as Shackleton and his men I'm sure, a new appreciation for nature and all of God's creation. It also gave me hope to see that, even in the worst situation, we are capable of surviving even the harshest climate on earth given the right amount of determination, courage, and a sense of adventure.

Endurance Part VI: Ch. 4-6

     All six men had to hurry in order to get the boat stabilized without the anchor. They made some progress throughout the night and by the morning, they saw that they were about halfway to South Georgia. Unfortunately, their sleeping bags had become so smelly and rotted that they threw two of them overboard and they only had enough good drinking water to last them another week. The sun came out for two days so they were able to dry out some of their items at least a little. However, on May 6, a huge gale threatened to sweep them off course and they were almost sunk by a huge wave that hit the boat, filling it with water. The men had to continually bale and pump water out just to stay afloat. They see a huge albatross flying over them and feel mocked by its grace and beauty even in the terrible storm.

An albatross flying through a storm

     I noticed that one of the men is definitely a flat character throughout the novel. McCarthy is still extremely optimistic even when the odds were so turned against them. He started out this way when he first stepped on the Endurance and now, so close to their destination but still so far away, he still comments on how beautiful the sun is when it decides to make an appearance. Something else I admire is the whole crews' determination and will to survive. I would imagine that it would have been much easier to just give up but they keep fighting and are still sure they will make it.

"But sufficiently provoked, there is hardly a creature on God's earth that ultimately won't turn and attempt to fight, regardless of the odds...They were possessed by an angry determination to see the journey through-no matter what...and now, by God, they deserved to make it."

     When they were finally close enough to see land, another heartbreaking discovery was made. They could not land due to reefs that could have torn the boat apart. Their hopes sunk as they tried to work out another route and still land safely. Yet again the wind picked up and tried to throw them into the reefs. It took everyone to keep the boat facing the wind and not be blown backward. Finally, 522 days after they first sailed from South Georgia, the men found a safe passage and landed on a small beach. Exhausted but extremely proud of themselves, they found a stream of fresh water and drank.

Endurance Part VI: Ch. 1-3

     Part 6 is the account of the journey Shackleton and the five other men with him made as they sailed toward South Georgia. The ice proved to be a problem more than once and the there clothing was not intended for the wetness they encountered; it is hard to decide who had a worse time: the men on land or the men in the boat. For the first time in the entire novel, Shackleton begins to show some doubt in his decisions and his ability as leader of this expedition. He also shows nervousness during this voyage that has not been present before.

"As for the journey itself, he seemed strangely doubtful...The truth was that he felt rather out of his element...It gave Shackleton a feeling of uneasiness. He now faced an adversary so formidable that his own strength was nothing in comparison, and he did not enjoy being in a position where boldness and determination count for almost nothing, and in which victory is measured only in survival."

     Concrete details have been apparent throughout the novel, but especially during this trip made to South Georgia. Each latitude and longitude, the miles they have travelled, and the temperature recorded are examples of concrete details that are definite proof of the journey. In six days, they had travelled almost one-third of the way, but they were already wishing it was over. They had to anchor when a strong gale threatened to blow them off course and the boat kept accumulating ice that had to be chipped off multiple times. The sleeping bags began to rot and the weather was so bad they could not get a view of where they were. Just when things seemed as bad as they could be, a huge swell picked up the boat and snapped the line to the anchor.

Endurance Part V: Ch. 5-6

     Even after so long of waiting to be rescued, the men on Elephant Island don't stop searching and hoping for the ship that will save them. Since their future is looking so grim, duties have been allowed to slack and men have been permitted to keep more to themselves. Oddly enough, the lack of civilized organization led to very few arguments and no one cared any longer what position another had held before being marooned. The weather became the determining factor in the men's moods and thoughts of real food became their motivation to get back home since they were tired of penguin and seal meat. A make-shift operation had to be performed to amputate one of the men's toes that had been attacked by frost bite. The only real time of sorrow was when their depleting store of tobacco ran out.

"...and there followed a period of depression that amounted almost to mourning. But the desire to smoke was so strong that before long experiments were begun to find a substitute."

     The way the men used what they had to make their conditions as livable as possible reminds me of a small village that has to work its way up to become a civilization and eventually a city. It almost seems possible that, given the time and necessities, the men could have made that small piece of island habitable.

     When three months had passed with no sign of relief, the men gave up trying to sound optimistic. This is evident when one of the men writes in his journal: "There is no point in deceiving ourselves any longer."

Endurance Part V: Ch. 1-4

     Shortly after landing on what is actually Elephant Island, the men realize they cannot stay on that part of the island and unfortunetly have to move again. The next morning they move a few miles around the island but find out that this part is not any better. Shackleton decides it's time to take five men to South Georgia in search of rescue. After preparing one of the boats and storing it with enough provisions to last six weeks, the six men sail once again into the icy see.

     The 22 men who are left on the island know that being rescued is their only hope. For the first time in the book, all of the men begin to question their chances of survival and try to do their best to hang on until hope arrives. The mood in this part of the book turns desperate as the men turn to converting their remaining boats into a hut since there is no other shelter. They begin to get impatient and everyone was well aware that only the strongest men were going to survive another month. Despite all of that, the men had to stay confident and not give in to the harsh conditions.

"On this score, their general feeling, at least outwardly, was confident. But how else might they have felt?  Any other attitude would have been the equivalent of admitting that they were doomed. No matter what the odds, a man does not pin his last hope for survival on something and then expect that it will fail."

     One month and one day after Shackleton had left the island, the rest of the crew had to face the harsh reality that a rescuse was not going to be probable before winter if at all. All they can do now is prepare for the winter and pray for a miracle.

Endurance Part IV: Ch 1-5

     At this point in the book, all three boats and the former crew of the Endurance are fighting to stay alive while navigating their way through treacherous ice, looking for land. Twice they try to make camp only to have the floes break apart on them and sending them once again out into the sea. The men are cold and the majority of them are frostbitten from trying to row the boats to safety. They have been without drinkable water or ice for over five days and their thirst is leading to sea-sickness. When they are within just a few miles of shore, a strong current has them fighting just to stay in their current position. Thinking it will raise their chances of getting ashore, one boat breaks off from the other two during the night. Finally, after six days of being in the boats and 497 days of being at sea, all three boats and all 28 men landed on what they assumed to be Clarence Island.

     The term irony is used many times in this part of the book when the men realize that the water rushing into their boats was actually warmer than the air and therefore more comfortable to sit in. Also, after the boats were separated, one was afraid the other two had not made it. As they were searching for a place to tie up along the coast, they spotted the other two boats and thought it ironic that the only reason they had been reunited was because there was no safe place to land:

"By some incredible coincidence, the Docker's inability to find a suitable place to land had reunited her with the rest of the party. Had there been a haven somewhere in those 14 miles behind her, the two groups might now have been miles apart, each assuming the other had been lost."

     I can no longer fathom at all what these men must have been feeling and experiencing at this part of the journey. So far, nothing has gone according to plan and they were all on the brink of death. I believe it was a miracle that they have lasted this long and I respect and honor the strength and determination it must have taken to survive.

Endurance Part III: Ch. 4-6

     Food continues to become more scarce and the men start to blame Shackleton for not letting them kill seals when they had the chance. When Shackleton tells them that one of the remaining dog teams must be killed, the crew reacts indifferently, showing that now they have given up their sense of civilization to focus solely on survival. It is hard to imagine not caring about killing my pets, but it just proves how harsh it was being stuck on an ice floe with no control or means of survival for half a year.

     On March 23, Shackleton spotted land. They were estimated to be about 57 miles away from the island, but the ice made it impossible to try to take the boats there; even with help so close, they were still at the mercy of the floe as it carried them ever closer to land. They shot and killed an 11-foot seal for blubber and killed the remaining dog team for food. When two cracks threaten to break apart the floe, the crew quickly move to a more stable part of the ice. They spot land again and promising signs of open water. It is at this time that Worsley uses an adage that is very true in this situation:

"...plus a black eater sky to the northwest, the presence of the swell, and a high temperature of 34 degrees, led Worsley to remark: 'It certainly looks promising.' But then he added: 'Hope tells a flattering tale.'"

     Things started looking up when they caught another seal on McLeod's birthday, but things soon turned bad again when they realized that they were going to pass by land and head straight into open sea. The "emotional roller coaster" that the men had to have been going through must have been exhausting, not to mention the physical toll it was taking on them. I think it was a crazy idea to start an expedition like this in the first place, but i also value their courage, determination, and sense of adventure.

     When their ice floe (which they had named Patience Camp) began to break into smaller and smaller pieces, Shackleton gave the order to prepare the boats. Everyone hurried to get them ready while there was a break in the ice and open water to go through. As they sailed away from Patience Camp, the ice began to close again, creating a feeling of hurried fear for the need to survive.

Endurance Part III: Ch. 1-3

     Conditions continued to decline in part 3 of Endurance when the men began to see that all hope was lost. They were at the mercy of nature and the harsh climate was not on their side. Food was dwindling and Shackleton's overconfidence and refusal to accept failure stopped the crew from going out to look for seal and penguins; this led the men to question Shackleton and a few even believed he had gone mad.

     In an attempt to converse food, four of the six sledge dog teams were killed. I cannot imagine killing any animal and much less any of my pets. The dogs were loyal to their team leaders and provided a sense of comfort for the men even in such harsh times. Having to kill them was just another reminder of how bad things were and the hoplessness they all felt was deepened by this action. Lansing describes these events with pathos; we can all imagine in some way how they must feel and I feel bad for them.

     A stroke of luck occured when a strong gale came and pushed them less than 170 miles away from land and they were also able to recover their last boat and more food. After that though, the ice was packed solid again and it was more days of impatient waiting. On Shackleton's birthday, they were not even able to have a full ration of food due to the shortage. It is interesting to me that, even though they are hundreds of miles from home and on the brink of death, the men are still thinking of things such as birthdays and holidays. After spending a third of the year on the floe, huge packs of migrating Adelie penguins were able to be caught and skinned so that the threat of starvation was no longer their main concern.
     On one occasion, a large swell promised open sea ahead and all of the men were eager to be on solid ground. Unfourtunetly, the next morning the swell had ceased leaving the ice packed even more closely together.

"A disappointment amounting to grief swept through most of the party. The first real sign of the open sea, the tantalizing promise of escape for which they had waited so long, had been dangled in front of them briefly-then snatched away."

     Dissapointment led to desperation as the men became obsessed with the thought of escape. When another gale started pushing the floe farther north, they became solemnly aware that they may very well just float right past Paulet Island and all the provisions that it held.

Endurance Part II: Ch. 4-6

     In chapter 5, an example of a symbol is given in this statement made by Lansing:

"The final loss of the Endurance was a shock in that it severed what had seemed their last tie with civilization...The ship had been a symbol, a tangible, physical symbol that linked them with the outside world...Now she was gone."

     The men were sad to see their ship finally sink after twenty-five days of staying afloat, but there was also good news: the floe they were on had carried them closer to land and had not been affected by the winds threatening to push them in the opposite direction.

     The interesting thing about this part of the book to me is the way everyone refferes to Shackleton as "Boss" yet he does not prefer any special treatment because of it. He wishes to be treated the same as all the other members of the crew and even takes his turn doing little chores. His position of power seems to take a toll on him. It reminds me of when I am in charge of my little siblings while on vacation. It is a good feeling to be in charge and have people listen to me, but sometimes the responsibility can be stressful. I have to be sure no one gets hurt or lost and sometimes it prevents me from having as much fun as those who have no responsibility but to listen to me.

     When the men started running out of things to do, moral in Camp Ocean (what they decided to name the ice floe they were currently residing on) started to drop. At the same time, none of the ice was breaking up and the ice floe started to drift in the wrong direction. In order to give the crew something to do and to attempt to keep up their spirits, Shackleton decided they would pust west as hard as they could and try to reach land on foot instead of taking the boats like they had originally planned. Some were not okay with this decision for it meant leaving one boat behind and many provisions, but most backed Shackleton. By New Years 1916, they were stuck and had to retreat to safer ice because they could not go on. Everyone was hurt by this, but none more than Shackleton who hated the thought of defeat.

Endurance Part II: Ch. 1-3

     In Part 2 of the Endurance, the crew have set up a small campsite and try to get some sleep before making the 346 mile trek to the island where provisions are being held. Everyone is focused on the task at hand and determined to survive, which leaves no room for pessimism. The men make occasional trips back to their ship that is now just a pile of broken wood to try and salvage what they can, but they don't seem discouraged by the loss of the Endurance. All of the men are also required to leave a majority of their personal items behind: all of their pictures, books, and other things of value to them had to be thrown into the snow so they would not weigh down the sledges with unnecessary objects.

"Speaking with the utmost conviction, Shackleton pointed out that no article was of any value when weighed against their ultimate survival...After he had spoken, he reached under his parka and took out a gold cigarette case and several gold sovereigns and threw them into the snow at his feet...Then he laid the Bible in the snow and walked away."

     To me, that would have been the hardest part. I could not imagine leaving everything behind, even if it meant the difference between surviving and not. This display by Shackleton could be viewed as a hyperbole, as he did this in an exaggerated manner to encourage the rest of the crew to follow his lead.

     The attitude of the crew during this time fits what this picture is saying. Despite all the hardships they have faced, and even though they realize there will be more as they continue their journey, everyone brushes it off as an adventure and continues to hope for the best. ----------------------------->

    

     The next day the crew started out pulling all of their supplies and two of the three lifeboats with them over jagged, slushy snow. In three hours they had only made it one mile and had to make camp there that night. They travelled the same distance the next day before Shackleton made the decision that they would stay on that particular floe until they floated nearer to their destination. They made multiple trips back to the ship and returned with personal items and enough food to last them two more months. Shackleton reasoned that he would know by January what should be done next, and it all depended on the way the ice floe travelled. No one chose to think about those possibilities though and instead did their best to keep up their spirits.

     Just like in any group of people, there were a couple who made the bad conditions even worse with their attitudes and general lack of commitment to their jobs. However, Shackleton was able to keep order and even designed sleeping arrangements to prevent fights; all of this proves to me that Shackleton was a fantastic leader and just the right man to attempt such a task. He planned a route of escape that would hopefully lead to rescue. Unfortunetely, that night everyone watched as the Endurance finally gae in and sank into her icy grave.

Endurance Part I: Ch. 5-8

     Chapter 5 begins with describing the Polar Night and the hardships those before had to face during it. Lansing explains how crews have gone mad and slipped into depression from the endless darkness and the toll it takes on the minds of the men. However, he then goes on to note that the Polar Night did not affect the crew aboard the Endurance in that way, but instead drew the men closer together. We learn more about the members of the crew and discover that, although everyone is quite different in many ways, they get along great and were able to support each other throughout the dark winter.
     In chapter 6, things take a turn for the worst as the ice begins to break up into large floes creating immense pressure all around them. The sledge teams started training again whenever possible and all of the men hope that the pressure doesn't start around the ship:

"'Lucky for us if we don't get any pressure like that against the ship for i doubt whether any ship could stand a pressure that will force blocks up like that' (Greenstreet)."

     This statement made by Greenstreet is an example of foreshadowing. After everything that has gone wrong so far during the expedition, the reader can imagine what will happen next to the Endurance. Only a few days later, the ship was freed from the ice floe and raised up to resist pressure. Despite this small stroke of luck, Shackleton warned his men about getting overconfident, as he was well aware of the dangers they still faced. A second attack on the Endurance occurred in late August when pressure forced ice against the ship's side making loud cracking and bumping sounds. After pulling through, the confidence in the crew didn't go up like the first time; they were now worried about what would happen if stronger pressure were to test their ship.

     After surviving the third attack of pressure on the ship, everyone aboard the Endurance had a feeling of hope; hope for the ship to make it out in tact, and hope that they were finally going to be able to complete their expedition. It seems like that happens a lot in life. Hope is the emotion that people turn to when situations look bad, and the story of the Endurance proves that. The fourth time pressure hit, it broke a hole in the side of the ship and the men had to work for days straight just to keep the Endurance afloat. Although she had put up a great fight, Shackleton ordered the men to stop working and prepare to leave the ship with as many provisions and supplies as they could.

Endurance Part I: Ch. 1-4



The Seemingly Impossible,
sought by the Impervious



     The opening of Alfred Lansing's account of how Sir Ernest Shackleton and his beloved ship, the Endurance, attempted a Trans-Antarctic expedition at the outbreak of the first World War reminds me of a small mouse attempting to retrieve a piece of cheese from a mouse trap with the aid of nothing but a tiny helmet place upon its head. Shackleton was seen as both mad and brilliant by the people of his time, and even today, as he attempted a journey that had been rivaled by only one before it, also led by none other than Shackleton himself. He planned, with a crew of twenty-seven men, to voyage into the Antarctic waters past a point where no man had yet to venture. When that had been accomplished he wanted to continue on foot to the Pole itself and on to completely discover the entire continent in a single voyage.

     There are many obvious displays of the literary term dilemma that appear in the planning of such an undertaking. After hiring a crew and finally pulling together enough funds to begin his adventure, his country was thrown into WWI. Feeling a strong sense of nationalism, Shackleton was faced with a difficult decision: carry out the expedition he had been dreaming about his entire fourty years of life, or serve his country in war like a true hero. After much deliberation, Shackelton decided to put the decision in the hands of the government which encouraged him to proceed with his before-made plans to begin the first ever Trans-Antarctic Expedition.

     As the Endurance finally set sail to begin her voyage, Shackleton describes a sense of relief abtained from the actual beginning of what he had worked toward despite the years of work and planning it had taken to reach this pivotal moment:

"They were on their way at last, really on their way, and Shackleton was immensely relieved. The long years of preparation were over... the begging, the hipocrisy, the finagling, all were finished. The simple act of sailing had carried him beyond the world of reversald, frustrations, and insanities... only one real task remained-the achievement of the goal."

     Of course, as it has been known to happen, things did not go as planned for Shackleton and his crew, even from the very beginning. A stowaway was found just a few hours into the voyage, although he was welcomed as another set of hands to work onboard the ship. However, as they neared their first checkpoint at the beginning of the summer, the Endurance got stuck between two large ice floes as the result of an ill-timed southerly gale. After much effort by all the crew to free her over many months, Shackleton was faced with another dilemma. He decided it was best to conserve the coal they were using to try to break through the ice and instead prepare the ship for the winter. Men started hunting seal and other animals for their meat and blubber, and teams of sledge dogs were trained for the 60-mile trek across the ice that would lead them to the shore of Vahsel Bay.

     Like a small mouse attempting to steal a piece of cheese from a mouse trap, Shackleton and his team faced head on the dangers of the Antarctic and prepared themselves for the onslaught of nature that was sure to test them in the worst ways during the course of their journey.