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.