Shackleton.

“A stream of water collected and, running under my bag, soaked it completely through, the bottom being absolutely sodden, and mitts, socks and other gear got thoroughly soaked too…Even as I sit and write this the water is drip-drip-dripping from the tent roof and every available receptacle — empty tins, etc., — are in use to prevent our bags getting wetter. We are only partially successful, for the drips are coming in through four times as many places as we have receptacles for. I have spread my Burberrys over my bag, and when a pool has collected in them big enough i carefully lift and pour it into the snow at one side. It is pretty tedious having thus to keep a constant vigilance…I pray God to send us dry weather soon, for this is misery. I have never seen such depression of spirits as there is in the tent today.”

— Alexander Macklin

“Greenstreet and I amuse ourselves at Marston’s expense.

Marston is the plumpest man in the Camp and we become very solicitous about his welfare and condition, making a great show of generosity by offering him old penguin bones that we have gnawed till there is nothing left. We implore him not to get thin and even go so far as to select chops, etc., off him and quarrel about who shall have the tenderest part.

Finally he gets so disgusted with us that whenever he sees us approaching he turns and walks away.”

— Frank Worsley

“[Two icebergs suddenly accelerated] and came charging towards us, ploughing through the pack ice as though this had been tissue-paper. Huge floes were lifted and flung aside by the cliff-like fronts of these monsters… For miles behind them there was a wake of chaos, floe piled on floe and crashing in all directions. Our camp was straight in their path and it seemed as though destruction was inevitable. Shackleton, clinging to what then seemed a forlorn hope, had ordered all preparations to be made to try to move out of their track, although this would necessitate leaving our supplies, since it would have been an impossibility to transport them in the time. Nearer and nearer the mountains of ice approached. We stood together watching them, Shackleton waiting to give the word which would send us scrambling over the heaving ice-floes — on which we should have had small chance of escaping starvation. He was quite cool, and smoking a cigarette.”

— Frank Worsley

“It is quite maddening to think that one little rift 20 feet wide or so would lead us out in a couple of days & all the time everything keeps as close as ever making a move of any sort an impossibility. We are all very silent and absorbed in the tent & don’t get much conversation. There is an air of expectancy about, which causes much preoccupation.”
— Reginald James

“No prospect that we can get… across to Paulet now as we would probably drift North as fast as we could travel. The ice does not appear solid enough to sledge across… nor open enough to launch the boats.”
— Frank Worsley

“It is nice to think there is something else besides snow and ice in the world, but I fail to see any cause for excitement as it puts us no nearer getting out. What I would far rather see would be a crowd of seals coming up so that we might get food and fuel.”

— Lionel Greenstreet

“I expect we will have to submit to have about £2 S10 abducted from our wages after being out of the world for 2 years & received no benefits, & then They will say Briton is a free Country This is where him & his fellow ministers should be for any good They ever done a working man or woman.”

— Harry McNeish

“At home one would disdainfully dismiss from the table the dirty greasy-looking slices which reach our plates, smeared with blubber soot and a liberal sprinkling of penguin feathers and reindeer hairs which frequently garnish all our food, but here it is very different and they taste to perfection, our ravenous appetites being the finest condiment conceivable.”

— Thomas Orde-Lees