CO of % The Estate of the late John Brand le 7/ THE LIFE OF Sir ERNEST SHACKLETON BOOKS BY SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC. Being the Story of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909. SOUTH. The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917. LONDON : WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD. \ Phoio.\ \Speaight Ltd. Sir Ernest Shackleton, aged 40, with his Younger Son, aged 3. Frontispiece. ^ THE LIFE OF BiR ERNEST SHACKLETON C.V.O., O.B.E.(M/.), LL.D. BY HUGH ROBERT MILL Do your best, whether winning or losing it, If you choose to play ! —is my principle. Let a man contend to the uttermost For his life's set prize, be it what it will ! Robert Browning LONDON : WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD. MCMXXIII f ^ . 1964 275^ ) ^5Mr 944918 MAPE ANU PRINTED IN UREAT BRITAIN TO THOSE WHO KNEW HIM BEST BECAUSE THEY LOVED HIM MOST PREFACE a life of a man of action may fitly be presented as THEcontinuous narrative of his doings, from which a reader may gain a clear sense of the personality and trace the growth of character. Shackleton's life as it ran on seems in retrospect to have passed through three periods now presented in three books : of the the first, Equipment for the Achievement the second ; third. Bafflement, which an unconquerable optimism saved from defeat. Each of the three periods includes a series of distinct but consequent experiences forming natural chapters. Such an arrangement leaves little room for generahties, and requires an Epilogue in which the essence of the life may be sublimed from the facts. With this plan in view I have tried to set out the life and strife of my old friend as a sort of moving picture, the scale of which varies in its different parts according to the importance of each to the life as a whole. The endeavour necessarily falls of ideal it I best to short the inspiring ; but have done my chronicle a life, and a whole Hfe, so far as this is possible, while observing such restraint and reticence as are demanded by regard for the feelings of others. I have had free access to all available records, including diaries and intimate correspondence, and I have consulted Lady Shackleton at every stage of the work, in which she has afforded me the most ungrudging help. This may thus be regarded as an authoritative and responsible biography. It is viii PREFACE right to add that my discretion has been unfettered both as to the facts dealt with and the manner of presenting them. When I first began to know Shackleton well, on board the Discovery, we were drawn together by a common love of the poetry which had so large a part in shaping his life. Now I find that this bond helps me to survey his career from a view- point that may almost be considered his own, and gives me courage for the effort to make worthy use of the wealth of material which Lady Shackleton's unreserved confidence and the voluntary help of many friends have placed in my hands. As a student of the history of polar discovery and as a geographer in personal touch with all the explorers of the last thirty-five years, I have been able to appreciate the work of Shackleton on his expeditions and to describe it with confidence and freedom ; but I have had Httle to do with the business world, and the ways of the City are mysterious to me, so that I could not enter with Uke sympathy and completeness into the commercial enterprises which Shackleton pursued from time to time with all the impetuous ardour of his nature. Nor have I been able to follow him in his social Hfe and relaxations when at home. I have satisfied myself as to the substantial accuracy of every statement of fact and of all quotations. Most of the chapter-mottoes were favourites with Shackleton, and they were not chosen at random. There have been some difl&culties as to dates, for both Shackleton and some of his correspondents often contented themselves with the day of the week, and when envelopes were preserved the post -marks were not always legible ; but the date of no important event referred to remains in doubt. The material for the first three chapters of Book I. I owe almost entirely to Sir Ernest Shackleton's mother and sisters, who lent me many early letters and confirmed doubtful points from their private diaries. I have, in particular, to thank PREFACE ix Miss Shackleton, Miss A, V. Shackleton, whose help was excep- this tionally important, and Miss Eleanor Shackleton for information. The dates and ports of call of the early voyages were not clear from the letters, and for setthng them I have to acknowledge the ready help of the officials of the Marine Depart- ment of the Board of Trade and of the Committee of Lloyds. Every chapter contains the names of friends who gave information which they alone could supply, or appreciations of Shackleton 's character which they had special opportunities a of observing : to all of these contributors, and to few who prefer to remain unnamed, I wish to convey my heartiest thanks, and those of Lady Shackleton, through whom many of them were received. If to some I must also offer apologies for having condensed or curtailed what they wrote, I feel sure that they will take into account my difficulties in deahng with a large subject under a space-limit. Finally, I must thank my wife, whose unfailing help alone made it possible for me to undertake this work or to bring it to completion. H. R. M. T6th December 1922. CONTENTS FA6B Preface ....•••• vii BOOK I. EQUIPMENT Chapter I. THE FAMILY AND THE FUTURE FIELD February 15, 1874—^The Yorkshire Shackletons—^The Shackletons of Ballitore : Abraham, Richard the Friend of Edmund Burke, Abraham the Second — The Shackleton Arms — Ebenezer Shackleton of Moone—Henry Shackleton the Father, and Henrietta Gavan the Mother of the Explorer—The Irish Descent through the Families of Gavan, Gary, and Fitzmaurice—Cook's Antarctic Voyage, 1 772-1 774—^The Voyages of Bellingshausen, 1820; Weddell, 1823; Biscoe, 1831 ; Balleny, 1839; Ross, 1840- 1843; and of H.M.S. Challenger, February 1874 . , 3 Chapter II. EARLY LIFE. 1 874-1 890 Childhood at Kilkea—^His First Penguin—Boyhood in Dublin— The Antarctic Tunnel—^Love of Funerals—^Youth in Syden- ham — Preparatory School and Dulwich CoUege — School Friends—Poor Scholars : Great Truants—^Trying to sign on— Success of the Last Term—Ready for Sea. • X 7 Chapter III. THE HOGHTON TOWER. 1 890-1 894 First Voyage round the Horn to Iquique with rating of Boy— Apprenticeship to North-Western Company—Second Voyage to Iquique—^Third Voyage round the Cape to India, thence to Mauritius, Australia, and Chile—Storms and Narrow Escapes —^An — — Adventure— at Tocapilla ^His Love of Letters Passes as Second Mate ^The Power of the Stars . • 30 Chapter IV. IN THE SHIRES AND CASTLES. 1 894-1 901 He astonishes a Ship-owner—Sails as Third Mate of Monmouthshire to the East—Attempts at Verse—Passes as First Mate—Sails as xii CONTENTS Second Mate of Flintshire to Japan and California—^Falls in Lov« —Passes as Master Mariner at Singapore—Begins to read Browning—^Wreck of the Flintshire—Joins Union Castle Line —Sails on Tantallon Castle as Fourth Ofl&cer—On Tintagel Castle as Third Officer—His First Book: O.H. M.S.—Meets Rudyard Kipling—^Becomes F.R.G.S.—^The Carishrooke Castle —Appointed on National Antarctic Expedition . -45 Chapter V. THE DISCOVERY, 1901-1903 Engaged to Miss Dorman—Joins R.N.R.—Sails as Third Officer of Discovery—^Winters in M'Murdo Sound—Edits South Polar Times—^Accompanies Scott to Farthest South—His Diary of the Journey—Breakdown from Scurvy—Invalided Home and arrives well—Determination to Go Back. '57 Chapter VI. SHORE JOBS. 1 903-1 906 In London as Sub-editor of Royal Magazine—First Public Lecture —Marriage—In Edinburgh as Secretary of Royal Scottish Geographical Society—Electrifjdng a Council—^Takes to Golf —^A Social Success—Birth of Son—Stands for Parliament at Dundee—^The Hecklers—State of the Poll—Resigns Secretary- ship—Joins Beardmore Firm at Glasgow—Commercizil Ventures and their Result—^Appreciation by Friends . .81 BOOK IL ACHIEVEMENT Chapter I. SHACKLETON ASPIRES. 1906-1907 Plans an Expedition to the South Pole—Birth of Daughter—^Tries to enlist Old Comrades—Learns of Scott's Plans—^The Promise as to Land Base — Change of Plans — Raises Funds by Guarantees—Bujrs the Nimrod—Completes Staff—^Novel Ideas for Stores and Transport—King Edward inspects Ship—Receives — . M.V.O. Travels to New Zealand and joins Nimrod . 103 Chapter II. THE NIMROD. 1908 Towed by Koonya to Antarctic Circle—Reaches the Ice Barrier and finds Balloon Bight gone—Effort to reach King Edward Land—^The Battle with the Ice—The Battle in his Mind— Forced to break a Promise—Lands at Cape Royds—Difficulties overcome—^The Ship departs . • 1 1 4 CONTENTS xiii Chapter III. SHACKLETON ATTAINS. 1908-1909 PAGE Autumn Sledging—Ascent of Mt. Erebus—Wintering at Cape Royds—Editing and Printing Aurora Australis—^The Motor-car —The Kinematograph—The Ponies—Spring Depot Journey —Selecting Companions for the Pole—Start with Three Men and Four Ponies—Hut Point—^The Barrier Surface—^Mount Hope—Discovery of Beardmore Glacier—Loss of Ponies—The i Ascent to the Plateau—The Last Outward March—88' 26' S. —The Great Race with Death—Starvation and Dysentery —Finding Last Depot through Mirage—Race for the Ship— Back to New Zealand .