Shackleton’s cabin

“I lived alone aft.”

Posted in Images, Shackleton | Comments Off on Shackleton’s cabin

Pressure drop

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Pressure drop

Puppies tyrannizing Amundsen

“Crean had started to take the pups out for runs, and it was very amusing to see them in their rolling canter just managing to keep abreast by the sledge and occasionally cocking an eye with an appealing look in the hope of being taken aboard for a ride. As an addition to the foster father, Crean, the pups had adopted Amundsen. They tyrannized over him most unmercifully. It was a common sight to see him, the biggest dog in the pack, siting out in the cold with an air of philosophic resignation while a corpulent pup occupied the entrance of his dogloo. The intruder was generally the pup Nelson, who just showed his forepaws and face, and one was fairly sure to find Nelly, Roger, and Toby coiled up comfortably behind him.

“At hoosh time Crean had to stand by Amundsen’s food, since otherwise the pups would eat the big dog’s ration while he stood back to give them fair play. Sometimes their consciences would smite them and they would drag round a seal’s head, half a penguin, or a large lump of frozen meat or blubber to Amundsen’s kennel for rent. It was interesting to watch the big dog play with them, seizing them by the throat or neck in what appeared to be a fierce fashion, while really quite gentle with them, and all the time teaching them how to hold their own in the world and putting them up to all the tricks of life.”

— Ernest Shackleton, South

“They tyrannise him most unmercifully. It is a common sight to see him, the biggest dog in the pack, sitting out in the cold with an air of philosophic resignation, while a corpulent pup occupies the entrance to his igloo. At ‘Hoosh Time’ Crean has to stand by Amundsen’s food otherwise these villainous young scoundrels will eat the big dog’s whack, while he stands back to give them fair play … It is a fine sight to see the big dog play with them, seizing them by the throat, beck or ‘whatnot’ in what looks like a fierce fashion while really quite gentle with them, & all the time teaching them how to hold their own & putting them up to all ‘the tricks of the trade.'”

— Frank Worsley

Posted in Other Voices, Shackleton | Comments Off on Puppies tyrannizing Amundsen

Damned Souls in Torment

“[It’s] 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 in torment. A constant undertone as of a heavy distant surf is heard when the louder noises … cease.”

— Frank Worsley

Posted in Other Voices | Comments Off on Damned Souls in Torment

Rime

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Rime

Divers and Coastal Wanderers

Divers and Coastal Wanderers: British Storm Petrel aka Least Petrel, by John Jacob Audubon

A partial list of animals sighted in and about the Weddell Sea icepack:

Antarctic, Snow and Stormy Petrels
Fulmars
White-Rumped Terns
Adelie Penguins, Emperor and Ringed Penguins
Weddell Seals
Crabeater Seals
Humpback and Finner Whales
Huge Blue Whales
Sea Leopards
Killer Whales
Cape Pigeons
Whalebirds
Terns
Mollymauks
Nellies
Sooty and Wandering Albatrosses
Giant Albatross

Posted in Images, Other Voices, Shackleton | Comments Off on Divers and Coastal Wanderers

Names

“All the dogs except eight had been named. They were as follows:

Rugby, Upton, Bristol, Millhill, Songster, Sandy, Mack, Mercury, Wolf, Amundsen, Hercules, Hackenschmidt, Samson, Sammy, Skipper, Caruso, Sub, Ulysses, Spotty, Bosun, Slobbers, Sadie, Sue, Sally, Jasper, Tim, Sweep, Martin, Splitlip, Luke, Saint, Satan, Chips, Stumps, Snapper, Painful, Bob, Snowball, Jerry, Judge, Sooty, Rufus, Sidelights, Simeon, Swanker, Chirgwin, Steamer, Peter, Fluffy, Steward, Slippery, Elliott, Roy, Noel, Shakespeare, Jamie, Bummer, Smuts, Lupoid, Spider, and Sailor.

I do not know who had been responsible for some of the names, which seem to represent a variety of tastes.”

— Ernest Shackleton, South

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Names

Wordie, uneaten

James Wordie, narrowly escaped from the belly of the whale

“Worsley examined a spot where a killer had smashed a hole 8 ft by 12 ft in 12 ½ inches of hard ice, covered by 2 ½ in of snow. Big blocks of ice had been tossed on to the floe surface. Wordie, engaged in measuring the thickness of young ice, went through to his waist one day just as a killer rose to blow in the adjacent lead. His companions pulled him out hurriedly.”

— Ernest Shackleton, South

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Wordie, uneaten

Dogloos

Dogloo village, 1915

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Dogloos

Kennelling

Close quarters for man and beast en route.

Posted in Images | Comments Off on Kennelling