“Six proven veterans, seasoned by the salt & experience of the Sea. The distance to… South Georgia is 700 miles, 700 miles of wintry sea, the most tempestuous zone of the oceans. The Caird is an excellent sailer, & guided by providence, should make Sth. Georgia in 14 days. It is intended to commission the Undine of the Grytviken Whaling Coy, & rescue this party immediately. How we shall count the days.”
— Frank Hurley
“With a final wave of the hand, and three squawky cheers from us and the penguins, Sir Ernest and his crew set off on their perilous voyage. We watched them until they were out of sight, which was not long, for such a tiny boat was soon lost to sight on the great heaving ocean; as she dipped into the trough of each wave, she soon disappeared, sail and all.”
— Thomas Orde-Lees
Launching the James Caird
“The launching nearly ended in her destruction, as owing to the heavy surf rolling in, and being unballasted, she rolled almost on to her beam ends. In this unmanageable position she was carried by the rollers to within a foot of the rocks. When it seemed she must be capsized and dashed to pieces, two of the sailors were thrown into the surf, and so relieved of this top weight, she righted… Loading was accomplished by tendering with the Wills, which narrowly escaped foundering each journey…”
— Frank Hurley
“It is very good of him to go off like this for our benefit, but as we could quite well exist here through the winter, provided we lay in an adequate store of penguins, and made for Deception Island next spring, only 200 miles off, I think he is really risking his life needlessly.”
— Thomas Orde-Lees
“23rd April 1916 Elephant Island
Dear Sir
In the event of my not surviving the boat journey to South Georgia you will do your best for the rescue of the party. You are in full command from the time the boat leaves this island, and all hands are under your orders. On your return to England you are to communicate with the Committee. I wish you, Lees & Hurley to write the book. You watch my interests. In another letter you will find the terms as agreed for lecturing you to do England Great Britain & Continent. Hurley the U.S.A. I have every confidence in you and always have had, May God prosper your work and your life. You can convey my love to my people and say I tried my best.
Yours sincerely
E.H. SHACKLETON
FRANK WILD”
Stores:
30 boxes of matches.
6 1/2 gallons paraffin.
1 tin methylated spirit.
10 boxes of flamers.
1 box of blue lights.
2 Primus stoves with spare parts and prickers.
1 Nansen aluminum cooker.
6 sleeping bags.
A few spare socks.
A few candles and some blubber oil in an oil bag.
Food:
3 cases sledging rations = 300 rations.
2 cases nut food = 200 ”
2 cases biscuits = 600 biscuits.
1 case lump sugar.
30 packets of Trumilk.
1 tin of Bovril cubes.
1 tin of Cerebos salt.
36 gallons of water.
112 lb. of ice.
Instruments:
Sextant.
Binoculars.
Prismatic compass.
Sea anchor.
Charts.
Aneroid.
Also ballast: about 1000 lb. of sand-and gravel-filled sewn blankets, and a number of round boulders.
“Shackleton had always insisted that they ultimate responsibility for anything that befell us was his and his only. But until then I had not understood the painful seriousness with which he viewed his relation to us. My view was that we were all grown men, going of our own free wills on this expedition, and that it was up to us to bear whatever was coming to us. Not so Shackleton. His idea was that we had trusted him, that we had placed ourselves in his hands, and that should anything happen to us, he was morally responsible. His attitude was almost patriarchal.”
— Frank Worsley
“Amongst those that stand meritorious, Sir E. has mentioned: Wild, a tower of strength who appeared as well as ever after 32 hours at the tiller in frozen clothes; Crean, who ably piloted the Wills; McNish (Carpenter); Vincent (Able Seaman); McCarthy (Able Seaman); Marston (Dudley Docker) and self. Of a fair proportion of the remainder, I am convinced they would starve or freeze if left to their own resources on this island… Those who shirk duties, or lack a fair sense of practicability, should not be in these parts. These are harsh places where it takes all one’s time and energies to attend to the individual, and so make himself as effective and useful a unit as possible.”
— Frank Hurley
“21st April, 1916
To whom this may concern viz. my executors assigns etc. Under is my signature to the following instructions.
In the event of my not surviving the boat journey to South Georgia I here instruct Frank Hurley to take complete charge & responsibility for exploitation of all films & photographic reproductions of all films & negatives taken on this Expedition the aforesaid films & negatives to become the Property of Frank Hurley after due exploitation, in which, the moneys to be paid to my executors will be according to the contract made at the start of the expedition. The exploitation expires after a lapse of eighteen months from date of first public display.
I bequeath the big binoculars to Frank Hurley.
E. H. SHACKLETON
Witness
JOHN VINCENT”
“21st April 1916
To whom this may concern viz. my executors assigns etc. Under is my signature to the following instructions.
In the event of my not surviving the boat journey to South Georgia I here instruct Frank Hurley to take complete charge & responsibility for exploitation of all films & photographic reproductions of all films & negatives taken on this Expedition the aforesaid films & negatives to become the Property of Frank Hurley after due exploitation, in which, the moneys to be paid to my executors will be according to the contract made at the start of the expedition. The exploitation expires after a lapse of eighteen months from date of first public display.
I bequeath the big binoculars to Frank Hurley.
E. H. SHACKLETON
Witness
JOHN VINCENT”
Shackleton. 