Shackleton's Heroes (16 page)
Read Shackleton's Heroes Online
Authors: Wilson McOrist
Hayward: â2 Jun: Such a treat having a spring mattress on my bunk & slept like a log.
20
â5 Jun: An impromptu sing-along provides entertainment indoors during the day & bridge does the same for eve.'
21
He tells his Ethel:
21 Jun: Of course one is never idle & it would be erroneous to think that I have done as little as my note might imply. There is always something to occupy ones attentions. Incidentally since my return from sledging amongst other things I have read the following books:
Edmond
Thackeray
The Mill on the Floss
Geo Elliot
It's never too late to mend
Chas Reader
The Virginian
Owen Wister
Robbery Under Arms
No 5 John St
Kipps
H G Wells
The City of Beautiful Nonsense
The Wales of Gordon
White Fang
Jack London
For the term of his natural life
.
22
The 22nd June is âChristmas Day in winter' in Antarctica and it was a day of celebration, which the men enjoyed immensely.
Hayward:
Mid Winters Day Tuesday 22 June 15: Had a jolly good day. Fine dinner Christmas Pudding etc, etc, etc. Afterwards potato race (with tins of milk as potatoes), putting the tail on the donkey and many other dangerous & exciting parlour adventures. Thoroughly enjoyed it all.
23
Spencer-Smith:
We drank to the King and the Boss and then sat around singing shanties, particularly improvised. These included âRanzo', âthe Yankee Ship' (Blow boys blow), âFarewell, Spanish maidens' (We'll rant and we'll roar), âGrace Darling', âPull for the Shore', and other fragments.
Cope told one or two stories and recited âThe German at the phone' ⦠the last revellers went off to bed at about 3 leaving Cope & self on watch to clear up.
If only the ship is safe somewhere â God keep them and bless them, as he has kept and blessed us too.
24
Mackintosh called a meeting for a discussion of future plans. Richards remembered that all the men agreed that the number one priority was to place food depots for the six men of Shackleton's party at least as far south as the Beardmore Glacier, and at every degree of latitude northward from there.
25
Their planned journey from Cape Evans (at 77° 38´S) to the gap location at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier (at 83° 30´S) and their return would be almost 800 miles. However, the total distance to be travelled would be closer to 1,500 miles as they planned to make a number of trips out and back to fully stock the depots that had been laid in February and March.
Mackintosh's diary note of 26 June gives us an idea of his leadership style â by consensus rather than strict or dogmatic instructions.
Mackintosh:
I gave an outline of the position and invited discussion from the members.
Several points were brought up. I had suggested that one of our party should remain behind for the purpose of keeping the meteorological records and laying in a supply of meat and blubber. This man would be able to hand my instructions to the ship and pilot a party to the Bluff. It had been arranged that Richards should do this. Several objected on the ground that the whole complement would be necessary, and, after the matter had been put to the vote, it was agreed that we should delay the decision until the parties had some practical work and we had seen how they fared.
The shortage of clothing was discussed, and Joyce and Wild have agreed to do their best in this matter. October sledging (on the Barrier) was mentioned as being too early, but is to be given a trial. These were the most important points brought up, and it was mutually and unanimously agreed that we could do no more ⦠I know we are doing our best.
26
Hayward tells us more of their plans:
Discussed sledging arrangements for the relief of Shacks.
Resulting as follows:
Start 1 Oct.
4 Trips to bluff to be made & from there to 83.30 South.
Getting back approx middle of March.
A stupendous undertaking & as the Skipper says if accomplished will be almost a record of S. Polar travel. Of course we must all realise that we are up against a stiff proposition but can only wait see & do our damndest.
27
Joyce:
I do not suppose that any party of men have ever left to go on a sledging journey, under such circumstances.
The first part of the programme is to sledge the great bulk of the stores, about 4,000 lbs, to Safety Camp on the Barrier, about 23 miles, starting 1 September.
The second part of the programme is to trek all stores to the Bluff Depot about 100 miles south, after which parties will be arranged.
From the Bluff Depot stores will be laid at every degree to Mt. Hope, at 80°, 81°, 82°, 83°, 83° 40´.
28
Spencer-Smith had every confidence in Mackintosh:
Spent most of the morning discussing the sledging problem ⦠and it's a pretty big problem too, tho' I think the O.M. has a good solution already worked out ⦠if his weights are correct, the job will D.V.
*
be done, tho' there'll be 10 very much played out men at the end of it. It's all in the gameâ¦
We shall have a very rough time for five months, especially at the beginning and at the end but D.V. shall get through all right.
29
They had some sledging equipment that they had used in February and March of 1915 and this was supplemented by equipment that had been left behind by Scott's 1910â13
Terra Nova
Expedition. They had one new tent from the
Aurora
but they would need to use at least two old ones that had been left at the Cape Evans hut. They were also forced to use two old primus stoves. They only had their original issue of clothing but they did find a certain amount of old underclothing in the hut. Footgear and windproof clothing were a problem, particularly fur boots. It was arranged that an old tent be cut up and made into windproof canvas shirts and trousers. The deficiency in footgear was met by making canvas boots and cutting up old sleeping bags and a horse rug for fur boots. They had adequate sledging food, left from Scott's previous expedition.
Over the winter months of June to August the ten men worked on various activities to enable them to be ready to depart south in September. Joyce and Wild made the lion's share of the canvas trousers and blouses. They also made about 500 calico bags, with strings attached around the mouth, which were used to hold sledging rations.
The sledging food allowed for per day, per man was:
| Â | Â | Pemmican | 8 oz. | Â |
|  |  | Oatmeal | 1¾ oz. |  |
| Â | Â | Sugar | 5â
oz. | Â |
| Â | Â | Glaxo | â
oz. | Â |
|  |  | Chocolate | 1¼ oz. |  |
|  |  | Tea | ¼ oz. |  |
| Â | Â | Biscuit | 1 lb. 30 | Â |
The two navy men, Wild and Joyce, worked as a team.
Wild: âJoyce & I were very busy making clothes, etc. First of all we cut up a canvas tent and made a pair of trousers for everybody. Then we started making things for sledging such as boots, etc instead of finneskoe. It kept us busy all the winter.'
31
Tongue in cheek Joyce claimed the trouser cut was âsimilar to that of Oxford bags'.
32
Mackintosh:
All is working smoothly here, and everyone is taking the situation very philosophically.
Joyce is in charge of the equipment and has undertaken to improvise clothes out of what canvas can be found here.
Wild is working with Joyce. He is a cheerful, willing soul. Nothing ever worries or upsets him, and he is ever singing or making some joke or performing some amusing prank.
Richards has taken over the keeping of the meteorological log. He is a young Australian, a hard, conscientious worker, and I look forward to good results from his endeavours. Jack, another young Australian, is his assistant.
Hayward is the handy man, being responsible for the supply of blubber. Gaze, another Australian, is working in conjunction with Hayward.
Spencer-Smith, the padre, is in charge of photography, and, of course, assists in the general routine work. Cope is the medical officer.
33
The men appeared to work well together. Richards could not remember any animosities among the ten men, saying they got on exceptionally well, so far as he could judge. He remembers the occasional flare up but nothing serious; arguments were usually over trivial things. He related in one of his interviews that they had âfierce arguments about everything under the sun' and they would refer to a copy of the
Encyclopaedia Britannica
at the hut. Stupid arguments, said Richards, like the number of miles around the Australian coastline for example, and the arguments would âget quite heated', but he stressed that relationships were astonishingly good.
34
Life, even in mid-winter, was pleasant and an undated Spencer-Smith diary entry gives us an idea of their daily activities. By late July they could see some light in the sky and Mackintosh writes of the beauty of Antarctica but he also notes how swiftly the weather could change â a feature of Antarctic weather which Mackintosh was acutely aware of at this time, but chose to ignore twelve months later.
Mackintosh:
1 Jul: My birthday. This evening we had our usual game of bridge, with a prize an ounce of tobacco. Joyce who at present is my partner and as myself had been constantly losing â I did not anticipate much hopes but as it turned out I was pleasantly surprised when we won the rubber â so I now have an ounce of tobacco.
35
Â
16 Jul: Richards is an excellent fellow, working hard & doing twice as much as ordinary people.
36
Â
30 Jul: Beautiful tints of purple over high cirrus clouds gave a grand tinge of colour to the surroundings. A day like this one can scarcely realise that this is not some earthly paradise of beauty.
All this was in the forenoon â in the afternoon a veil of clouds slowly swept over, partially obscuring everything & by 8pm the wind was blowing at 50mph, the drift obliterating everything â from Paradise to Hades in a few hours.
The dirt on us is remarkable â how we keep healthy is marvellous â although I don't expect we are dirtier than the Eskimos.
37
Hayward:
6 Jul: Went out ski-ing with Gaze very enjoyable had some fine tobogganing afterwards. Weather glorious.
Â
11 Jul: Went out with Gaze Ski-ing afterwards tobogganing, on the 3rd run hit a big rock going all out, stove in bows of sledge Gaze ricked his ankle & took off a piece of his nose on my back, I sprained my wrist, so we decided to pack up.
38
Spencer-Smith:
Jul: Rather an idle day, finishing two packs of cards, after I've been out for a short exercise on ski with Stevens. The band of daylight to the NW seems extending. The dogs gather even for the shortest walk and are friendly, usually to one another, as well as to us. A little tea-party in my darkroom & plans for home! Richards & Jack are busy on stores weighing, Joyce & Wild on clothes: all in argument.
39
22 August was a welcome date, for on that day the sun reappeared and they were buoyed by its return.
Mackintosh:
26 Aug: We had hoped to get out and see the sun rise but the sky was too overcast so we shall not have that pleasure. Anyway it is good to feel the sun is about us now. I trust before he dips again for this long spell without him, that we have experienced, we shall be in the dear Homeland.
40
Over Erebus the sun's rays peeped through ⦠and where the rays broke through gave us a most joyous scene of cloud effect. The light made us all blink, as well as to feel excitement of spirit.
Personally I felt like as if I had been released from being a prisoner â or imagined what one would feel like, who had been one. I stood outside & looked at the lovely wonderful scenery all around.
41
Before starting sledging again they made an attempt at cleaning. Their Jaeger clothing and Burberrys were run through with petrol, a task they found to be very cold and painful. They also endeavoured to sponge themselves down as best they could. Owing to the shortage of soap it was the first wash for eight months for Mackintosh, Joyce, Hayward and Wild, and five months for Richards and Spencer-Smith.
42
Mackintosh asked Cope, as the medical officer, to examine all the men and he reported that Mackintosh was perfectly fit, Hayward and Wild quite sound but Spencer-Smith, although perfectly sound in body and limb, was found to have âan intermittent heart'. Cope told Spencer-Smith he was able to go sledging but if he felt any effects of his heart he was to turn back at the earliest possible moment. Joyce and Richards did not want an examination.
43
At the end of August they were ready to start the sledging of stores from Cape Evans, first to Hut Point, then on to the Barrier.
1.
Hayward diary, May 1915
2.
Joyce field diary, 9 May 1915
3.
Hayward diary, May 1915
4.
Joyce field diary, May 1915
5.
Wild diary, 24 May 1915
6.
Ibid.
7.
Hayward diary, 1 June 1915
8.
Joyce field diary, June 1915
9.
Richards,
The Ross Sea Shore Party
10.
Hayward diary, 1 June 1915
11.
Wild diary, 2 June 1915
12.
Joyce field diary, June 1915
13.
Joyce letter to James Paton, a member of
Aurora
's crew, 22 October 1915
14.
Joyce field diary, June 1915
15.
Richards,
The Ross Sea Shore Party
16.
Stevens, report of the 1914â17 expedition
17.
Mackintosh diary, 5 June 1915
18.
Ibid., 13 June 1915
19.
Ibid., 8 June 1915
20.
Hayward diary, 2 June 1915
21.
Ibid., 5 June 1915
22.
Ibid., 21 June 1915
23.
Ibid., 22 June 1915
24.
Spencer-Smith diary, 22 June 1915
25.
Richards,
The Ross Sea Shore Party
26.
Mackintosh diary, 26 June 1915
27.
Hayward diary, 26 June 1915
28.
Joyce diary transcripts, July 1915
29.
Spencer-Smith diary, July 1915
30.
Richards,
The Ross Sea Shore Party
31.
Wild diary, 28 December 1915
32.
Joyce diary transcripts, 1915
33.
Mackintosh diary, 5 June 1915
34.
Richards, interview ABC radio,
Verbatim
programme
35.
Mackintosh diary, 1 July 1915
36.
Ibid., 16 July 1915
37.
Ibid., 30 July 1915
38.
Hayward diary, July 1915
39.
Spencer Smith diary, July 1915
40.
Mackintosh diary, 23 August 1915
41.
Ibid., 26 August 1915
42.
Richards,
The Ross Sea Shore Party
43.
Cope Medical Report of the Ross Sea Base ITAE, January 1917