South! · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for South! by Ernest Shackleton.
Chapter 1
Dedication
A brief dedication to the comrades who lost their lives in the Antarctic and in the battlefields of France and Flanders.
Chapter 2
South!
This chapter introduces Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (1914-1917), detailing the planning, objectives, and initial stages of the journey. It covers the departure from England, the voyage to South Georgia, and the early challenges faced as the expedition ship Endurance enters the pack ice of the Weddell Sea, setting the stage for the dramatic struggle for survival that follows.
Chapter 3
Into the Weddell Sea
The Endurance departs South Georgia on December 5, 1914, heading into the Weddell Sea. Shackleton describes the harsh ice conditions, the advice from whaling captains, and the early encounter with pack ice far north. The crew prepares for the challenges ahead, with dogs aboard and plans for wintering or landing on the continent.
Chapter 4
New Land
The Endurance sails into open water after navigating heavy pack ice, sighting new land (Coats' Land) discovered by Dr. W. S. Bruce. The ship encounters loose pack ice again and eventually becomes firmly beset in the Weddell Sea. The crew prepares for a prolonged stay by moving dogs onto the floe, building igloos, and engaging in recreational activities while waiting for the ice to release the ship.
Chapter 5
Winter Months
The Endurance remains trapped in the pack ice through the Antarctic winter. The crew endures increasing pressure from the ice, which grinds and cracks around the ship. They prepare for emergencies, maintain the dogs, and continue scientific observations. The sun disappears for 79 days, and the floe eventually breaks up in August, forcing the dogs and sledges aboard. The ship withstands severe pressure but remains trapped, drifting with the ice.
Chapter 6
IV: Loss of the Endurance
The chapter describes the final destruction of the Endurance as it is crushed by pack ice after months of drifting. Shackleton orders the crew to abandon ship and establish a camp on the ice, facing the daunting task of reaching land with limited supplies.
Chapter 7
Ocean Camp
After abandoning the march across the ice, Shackleton establishes Ocean Camp on a stable floe. The chapter details the daily routines, weather observations, and the slow northward drift of the ice. The men subsist on seals and penguins, using a makeshift blubber stove, while monitoring their progress via solar observations. Despite setbacks, morale remains steady as they hope to drift toward open water.
Chapter 8
The March Between
The chapter describes the arduous march across the ice after leaving Ocean Camp, with the men hauling boats and sledges in relays over soft, broken ice. Shackleton and Wild reconnoiter ahead, marking a route, while the dogs prove invaluable. Despite initial progress, the ice becomes increasingly impassable, forcing the party to retreat to a stronger floe and establish 'Patience Camp,' where they will remain for nearly three and a half months.
Chapter 9
VII: Patience Camp
The chapter describes the establishment of Patience Camp on the ice floe after the loss of the Endurance. The men face severe food shortages, relying on seal and penguin meat, and struggle with the psychological effects of hunger and monotony. Expeditions are sent back to Ocean Camp to retrieve supplies, but the ice becomes increasingly treacherous. The dogs are shot for food, and the party's drift northward is erratic, dependent on the wind. Despite the hardships, morale is bolstered by small celebrations and the occasional successful hunt.
Chapter 10
VIII: Escape from the Ice
After abandoning the Endurance, Shackleton and his crew endure a harrowing boat journey through pack ice and stormy seas to reach Elephant Island. They land on a precarious beach that is vulnerable to tides and gales, prompting a search for a safer camp. The chapter highlights the physical toll of frostbite and thirst, the leadership of Shackleton and Wild, and the constant threat of the sea as they struggle to find a secure resting place.
Chapter 11
The Boat Journey
Shackleton decides to undertake a perilous 800-mile boat journey from Elephant Island to South Georgia to seek rescue for his stranded crew. He selects Worsley, Crean, McNeish, McCarthy, and Vincent to accompany him in the James Caird, while Wild is left in command of the remaining men. The chapter details the harsh conditions, the preparations for the voyage, and the physical and mental toll on the men.
Chapter 12
X: Across South Georgia
Shackleton, Worsley, and Crean complete their harrowing 36-hour crossing of South Georgia's uncharted mountains and glaciers. After descending a waterfall using a rope, they arrive at the Stromness whaling station, exhausted but triumphant. The chapter reflects on the spiritual experience of the journey, the rescue of the three men left at Peggotty Camp, and the shared sensation of a fourth presence guiding them.
Chapter 13
The Rescue
After reaching Stromness Whaling Station, Shackleton and Crean enjoy the comforts of civilization. They learn about World War I and the Aurora's misadventures. Shackleton organizes a rescue mission using the whaler Southern Sky, but ice prevents reaching Elephant Island. After multiple failed attempts, the Chilean steamer Yelcho finally breaks through the ice and rescues the stranded men on August 30.
Chapter 14
XII: Elephant Island
The chapter details the harrowing four-and-a-half-month wait of the twenty-two men left on Elephant Island under Frank Wild's command after Shackleton's departure for South Georgia. It describes their struggle to build shelter from upturned boats and stones, the brutal weather conditions including constant blizzards and freezing temperatures, the physical deterioration of the men (frostbite, heart failure, amputation of Blackborrow's toes), and their eventual rescue on August 30, 1916, when the Chilean ship arrived with Shackleton aboard.
Chapter 15
XIII: The Ross Sea Party
Shackleton recounts the trials of the Ross Sea Party and the Aurora, led by Captain Aeneas Mackintosh. Despite the Aurora breaking from its winter quarters before sufficient supplies were landed, the party successfully laid the vital depots for the transcontinental crossing. Shackleton highlights the extraordinary endurance and self-sacrifice of the men, particularly the long march by Joyce, Wild, and Richards who dragged scurvy-stricken comrades Mackintosh, Hayward, and Spencer-Smith. He also acknowledges the support from New Zealand and key individuals like Leonard Tripp.
Chapter 16
Wintering in McMurdo Sound
The Aurora moors at Cape Evans for the winter, but a blizzard on May 7 causes the ship and ice to drift away, leaving a shore party stranded. Under Mackintosh's leadership, the men adapt to shortages, improvise clothing, and prepare for depot-laying journeys. After several trips hauling supplies to Hut Point and Safety Camp, they plan a spring sledging expedition despite limited dogs and worn equipment.
Chapter 17
XV: Laying the Depots
This chapter details the depot-laying journeys undertaken by Mackintosh's parties during the summer of 1915-1916. Despite severe hardships including frostbite, scurvy, snow-blindness, and exhaustion, the men successfully placed depots for the Weddell Sea party. The narrative, compiled from notes by Joyce, Richards, and others, describes the challenges of sledging, the loss of dogs due to premature use, and the eventual placement of a depot at Mount Hope near the Beardmore Glacier. The chapter also covers the return journey, during which Spencer-Smith became incapacitated and had to be carried on a sledge.
Chapter 18
XVI: The Aurora’s Drift
After Mackintosh leaves the Aurora, Stenhouse struggles to keep the ship safe near Tent Island and Cape Evans, facing constant threats from drifting ice and blizzards. The ship is eventually moored but later breaks free during a gale, drifting northward. Stenhouse and his crew endure months of ice drift, recording their position, the strain on the ship, and the psychological toll of isolation. They prepare emergency sledging plans and hope for news of Shackleton and the Endurance, while the Aurora remains trapped in the pack ice, drifting over 700 miles from Cape Evans.
Chapter 19
The Last Relief
Shackleton arrives in New Zealand in December 1916 to find the relief expedition already organized by the New Zealand Government. The Aurora has been repaired and refitted, and Captain John K. Davis is in command. Shackleton joins the voyage to McMurdo Sound, where they find the seven survivors of the Ross Sea party. A search for the missing men Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith, and Hayward proves fruitless, and a cross is erected in their memory. The Aurora returns to Wellington, where the crew are welcomed.
Chapter 20
XVIII: The Final Phase
Shackleton reflects on the expedition's failure to achieve its primary goal due to severe natural obstacles, but highlights its successes in scientific work, comradeship, and the subsequent wartime service of its members. He details the fates of the crew after the expedition, including deaths, wounds, and decorations during World War I, and notes that three members of the Ross Sea Party also died for their country.
Chapter 21
Appendix I: Scientific Work
This appendix details the scientific work conducted during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, emphasizing the shift from planned shore-based research to shipboard and ice-floe observations after the Endurance became trapped. It covers meteorological, oceanographic, biological, and geological studies, including the value of Antarctic weather data for agriculture, the establishment of instruments on the ship, and observations on sea-ice and whaling. The chapter also discusses the economic implications of Antarctic science and the challenges of preserving data and equipment.
Chapter 22
Scientific Work
This chapter details the scientific research conducted during the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, originally planned for a shore party but adapted to shipboard life after the Endurance became trapped in ice. It describes the work of the geologist, biologist, meteorologist, and physicist, highlighting their adjustments to the changing circumstances and the practical, economic focus of their studies.
Chapter 23
Sea-Ice Nomenclature
J. M. Wordie presents a revised glossary of sea-ice terms based on the experiences of the Endurance expedition, drawing on historical authorities like Scoresby, Markham, and Mill, and emphasizing the practical usage of polar seamen.
Chapter 24
Meteorology
This chapter details the meteorological work of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, emphasizing the scientific and practical value of Antarctic weather observations. It describes the instruments used, the challenges of taking measurements in extreme conditions, and the correlation of Antarctic weather with global patterns, particularly its impact on agriculture in South America. The chapter also recounts specific weather events during the drift of the Endurance and the appalling conditions on Elephant Island.
Chapter 25
Physics
This chapter details the scientific observations and navigational methods employed during the Endurance expedition, focusing on the challenges of determining position in drifting pack ice, magnetic and atmospheric measurements, and the use of occultations to check chronometer accuracy.
Chapter 26
South Atlantic Whales and Whaling
This chapter provides a detailed study of whales and the whaling industry in the South Atlantic, based on observations made during the Endurance's stay at South Georgia and its subsequent drift. It discusses the types of whales, their distribution, feeding habits, migration patterns, and the economic value of whaling, while also raising concerns about overexploitation and the need for protective legislation.
Chapter 27
Appendix II: The Expedition Huts at McMurdo Sound
Sir Ernest Shackleton provides a detailed account of the three expedition huts at McMurdo Sound—the Discovery Hut at Hut Point, the Cape Royds Hut, and the Cape Evans Hut—describing their construction, usage, condition, and stores left behind for future explorers. He also notes the unreliability of depots south of Hut Point due to heavy snowfall.
Chapter 28
The National Antarctic Expedition’s Hut at Hut Point—The Head of McMurdo Sound
Shackleton describes the construction and history of the Discovery Hut at Hut Point, built by Captain Scott in 1902. He recounts his own service on the Discovery expedition, his return in 1908, and the hut's use as a depot and shelter for the Southern journey. The chapter details the hut's condition, its use by the Ross Sea Party, and its enduring state through 1917.
Chapter 29
Cape Royds Hut
Shackleton recounts the establishment of the Cape Royds hut during his 1908 British Antarctic Expedition, detailing its location, the wintering of the shore party, and the preparations made for future expeditions. He notes that after the return of the Southern Party, the hut was left in good order with provisions and a letter inviting use by any succeeding party, and later reports confirm its continued integrity.
Chapter 30
Cape Evans Hut
This chapter describes the Cape Evans Hut, originally built by Captain Scott for his last expedition, which became the permanent living quarters for ten marooned men after the Aurora broke adrift in May 1915. The hut was well-supplied with food, oil, and coal, and the men supplemented these stores from the Cape Royds hut. In January 1917, after rescuing the survivors, Shackleton had the hut put in order and locked up. The chapter also summarizes the three available huts in McMurdo Sound: Discovery Hut, Cape Royds Hut, and Cape Evans Hut, noting their respective stores and uses.
Chapter 31
Depots South of Hut Point
This chapter discusses the practice of laying depots to the south of Hut Point on the Barrier, noting that heavy snowfall completely obliterates them and that no subsequent expedition has ever been able to use depots laid by a previous one.
Chapter 32
List of Illustrations
This chapter provides a list of illustrations, including diagrams, sketch maps, and plans that depict key locations and events from the expedition, such as the ice pressure on the ship, camps at Elephant Island, and the route across South Georgia.
Chapter 33
Endnotes
The chapter contains endnotes referencing scientific results from the Norwegian North Polar Expedition (1893–96).
