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Details
SIR ERNEST HENRY SHACKLETON (1874-1922)
Autograph letter signed to 'Mr Douglas', S.S. Discovery, 3 August 1902, 4 pages, 8vo (slightly soiled).
A fine letter giving a brief narrative of early events in Scott's Discovery expedition: the journey through the pack ice, and the cruise along the coast of South Victoria Land and the Ross ice shelf ('Wonderful were the sights we saw: mighty icebergs: and huge glaciers'), the balloon ascent ('I went up 700 feet but no sign of land could be seen: we then got [the balloon] down and let the gas out just in time as a strong wind was springing up from the South'), and the winter's social activities ('our paper I think is a success so far, and we have frequent concerts and plays so that the darkness is not noticed'). He ends with the 'hope [...] that I may be lucky enough to be chosen for one of the long trips by sledges'.
Shackleton was indeed 'lucky enough' to be chosen to accompany Scott and Wilson on their unsuccessful push south over the Ross barrier. They set off on 2 November and achieved their Furthest South of 82 17' on 30 December with an ever-increasing degree of friction between Scott and Shackleton. Shackleton's acute scurvy on the return led to him being shipped home on the Morning.
Autograph letter signed to 'Mr Douglas', S.S. Discovery, 3 August 1902, 4 pages, 8vo (slightly soiled).
A fine letter giving a brief narrative of early events in Scott's Discovery expedition: the journey through the pack ice, and the cruise along the coast of South Victoria Land and the Ross ice shelf ('Wonderful were the sights we saw: mighty icebergs: and huge glaciers'), the balloon ascent ('I went up 700 feet but no sign of land could be seen: we then got [the balloon] down and let the gas out just in time as a strong wind was springing up from the South'), and the winter's social activities ('our paper I think is a success so far, and we have frequent concerts and plays so that the darkness is not noticed'). He ends with the 'hope [...] that I may be lucky enough to be chosen for one of the long trips by sledges'.
Shackleton was indeed 'lucky enough' to be chosen to accompany Scott and Wilson on their unsuccessful push south over the Ross barrier. They set off on 2 November and achieved their Furthest South of 82 17' on 30 December with an ever-increasing degree of friction between Scott and Shackleton. Shackleton's acute scurvy on the return led to him being shipped home on the Morning.