Shackleton's Narrative Essay

Now that Endurance was gone, some of the fo'c'sle hands were grumbling that we were working without pay and were no longer bound to follow Shackleton's orders. In addition, Worsley was constantly fretting about the boats: Shackleton's had decided to leave one of them, the whole crew into the James Caird and the Dudley Docker once they reached low and heavy in the water, and maneuvering them would take all our skill. But to drag all three boats--Shackleton knew that was impossible. We had to haul the boats, and our boots were filling with seven pounds with freezing water. We marched at night when the surface of the pack was slightly cooler and harder, but even so, the labor was horrendous, Again, we relayed one boat at a time in quarter-mile stages, trudging back …show more content…
Tired, Worsley decided he would not take another step. Under the law, the ship's crew(us) are free of obligation when the ship sinks. Our duties are terminated and are pay ceases. After years at sea, McNeish new his law, and he was convinced that Endurance's Ship's Articles were canceled. He wasn't going to follow orders from Worsley or Shackleton anymore. He had had enough. I, on the other hand, was not going to just stand there. I was ready for word and whatever I was told to do, I would do it. Shackleton returned to the sled that carried the ship's crew list. Paper in hand, in quiet, steady voice, he read the Ship's Articles, which each man had signed before leaving England. Shackleton was our Master, and technically we were on shore; disobedience to the commands of the Master was legally punishable. I heard Shackleton pull McNeish over to say a few quiet words. I assume he was informing him that execution was a legal punishment for mutiny. After a short rest, we harnessed ourselves for punishment for mutiny. Nothing could have been more pitiful and hopeless than the twenty-eight men marooned on the rotting ice pack nearly 200 miles from the nearest solid land. We called