South

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South

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Title: South!
Author: Sir Ernest Shackleton
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5199] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [Most recently updated April 21, 2003]
Edition: 12
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO Latin-1
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SOUTH!
THE STORY OF SHACKLETON'S LAST EXPEDITION 1914-1917
BY SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON C.V.O.

TO
MY COMRADES
WHO FELL IN THE WHITE WARFARE OF THE SOUTH AND ON THE RED FIELDS OF FRANCE AND FLANDERS

CONTENTS
I. INTO THE WEDDELL SEA II. NEW LAND III. WINTER MONTHS IV. LOSS OF THE 'ENDURANCE' V. OCEAN CAMP VI. THE MARCH BETWEEN VII. PATIENCE CAMP VIII. ESCAPE FROM THE ICE IX. THE BOAT JOUY X. ACROSS SOUTH GEORGIA XI. THE RESCUE XII. ELEPHANT ISLAND XIII. THE ROSS SEA PARTY XIV. WINTERING IN McMURDO SOUND XV. LAYING THE DEPOTS XVI. THE 'AURORA'S' DRIFT XVII. THE LAST RELIEF XVIII. THE FINAL PHASE
APPENDIX I: SCIENTIFIC WORK SEA-ICE NOMENCLATURE METEOROLOGY PHYSICS SOUTH ATLANTIC WHALES AND WHALING
APPENDIX II: THE EXPEDITION HUTS AT McMURDO SOUND
INDEX

PREFACE
After the conquest of the South Pole by Amundsen, who, by a narrow margin of days only, was in advance of the British Expedition under Scott, there remained but one great main object of Antarctic journeyings--the crossing of the South Polar continent from sea to sea.
When I returned from the 'Nimrod' Expedition on which we had to turn back from our attempt to plant the British flag on the South Pole, being beaten by stress of circumstances within ninety-seven miles of our goal, my mind turned to the crossing of the continent, for I was morally certain that either Amundsen or Scott would reach the Pole on our own route or a parallel one. After hearing of the Norwegian success I began to make preparations to start a last great journey--so that the first crossing of the last continent should be achieved by a British Expedition.
We failed in this object, but the story of our attempt is the subject for the following pages, and I think that though failure in the actual accomplishment must be recorded, there are chapters in this book of high adventure, strenuous days, lonely nights, unique experiences, and, above all, records of unflinching determination, supreme loyalty, and generous self-sacrifice on the part of my men which, even in these days that have witnessed the sacrifices of nations and regardlessness of self on the part of individuals, still will be of interest to readers who now turn gladly from the red horror of war and the strain of the last five years to read, perhaps with more understanding minds, the tale of the White Warfare of the South. The struggles, the disappointments, and the endurance of this small party of Britishers, hidden away for nearly two years in the fastnesses of the Polar ice, striving to carry out the ordained task and ignorant of the crises through which the world was passing, make a story which is unique in the history of Antarctic exploration.
Owing to the loss of the 'Endurance' and the disaster to the 'Aurora', certain documents relating mainly to the organization and preparation of the Expedition have been lost; but, anyhow, I had no intention of presenting a detailed account of the scheme of preparation, storing, and other necessary but, to the general reader, unimportant affairs, as since the beginning of this century, every book on Antarctic exploration has dealt fully with this matter. I therefore briefly place before you the inception and organization of the Expedition, and insert here the copy of the programme which I prepared in order to arouse the interest of the general public in the Expedition.
"The Trans-continental Party.
"The first crossing of the Antarctic continent, from sea to sea via the Pole, apart from its historic value, will be a journey of great scientific importance.
"The distance will be roughly 1800 miles, and the first half of this,