Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

by Alfred Lansing

The popularity of this once-forgotten survival tale was part of the trend that also made best sellers out of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm and Jon Krakauer’s Into Thin Air, both published in 1997.

“Really, this sort of life has its attractions,” Macklin wrote. “I read somewhere that all a man needs to be happy is a full stomach and warmth, and I begin to think it is nearly true. No worries, no trains, no letters to answer, no collars to wear—but I wonder which of us would not jump at the chance to change it all tomorrow!”

. . I never saw, nor shall see, here or elsewhere, till I die, not though I live three lives of mortal men, so great a miracle. . . .”

It was as if they had suddenly emerged into infinity. They had an ocean to themselves, a desolate, hostile vastness. Shackleton thought of the lines of Coleridge: Alone, alone, all, all alone, Alone on a wide wide sea.

“Blackboro,” he shouted in the darkness. “Here, sir,” Blackboro replied. “We shall be on Elephant Island tomorrow,” Shackleton yelled. “No one has ever landed there before, and you will be the first ashore.”

Shackleton, remembering his promise, urged Blackboro to jump ashore, but the lad failed to move.

For the first time in 497 days they were on land. Solid, unsinkable, immovable, blessed land.

them. “How delicious,” wrote Hurley, “to wake in one’s sleep and listen to the chanting of the penguins mingling with the music of the sea. To fall asleep and awaken again and feel this is real. We have reached the land!!”

It was a joy, for example, to watch the birds simply as birds and not for the significance they might have—whether they were a sign of good or evil, an opening of the pack or a gathering storm.