Category Archives: Images

“A cheery little fellow, who had a strange outlook on life and wonderful views of his own for reforming various social evils.” — Alexander Macklin, on Alfred Cheetham “Some days we used to set off in the lovely long sunsets … Continue reading →

“Sir E. & I have just been projecting a voyage to the S. Pacific, by way of reaction against our present forced inactivity.” — Frank Worsley “Shackleton was fascinated by buried treasure. He quite seriously wanted to look for pirate … Continue reading →

“Menial discontent in the fo’c’sle, several hands complaining of the Bosun [John Vincent] having called them evil names, ands struck them. As harmony is imperative, his promotion to Bosum has been cancelled, and he resumes his former rank as trawling … Continue reading →

“My turn to night watch. The duties of the night watch are to keep the Ritz bogie glowing, the Stables roasting, and the Boss’s, which is right aft, at an equable temperature. The latter is a difficult job, as the … Continue reading →

“From within the cosiness of the Ritz, it is hard to imagine we are drifting, frozen and solid, in a sea of pack ice in the very heart of the Weddell Sea. I often wonder, and I do not suppose … Continue reading →

“After lights out we generally have some sort of a romp. Generally it is singing of songs, delicate or otherwise, sometimes it is ‘dressing up’. Members appear as ballet girls, decidedly abbreviated, or as ghosts of previous polar explorers and … Continue reading →

“[The noise of the ice was] like an enormous train with squeaky axles being shunted with much bumping & clattering. Mingled with this were the sound of steamer whistles starting to blow… & underfoot moans & groans of damned souls … Continue reading →

“One looks quite forward to one’s night watch and always contemplates doing a far greater number of odd jobs than one actually has time to accomplish. Tonight I had intended to wash myself and my clothes, sort out a box … Continue reading →