Shackleton's Heroes

by Wilson McOrist

  His words have an eerie similarity to some of Scott’s last letters, and in particular to a short note Scott wrote titled ‘Message to the Public’. As he lay dying in his tent in March 1912, Scott wrote up his journal, plus a number of letters; to his mother, his wife, Wilson’s wife, Bowers’s mother, Admiral Sir L. Beaumont, and Sir J. M. Barrie amongst others. In ‘Message to the Public’ he wrote that it was misfortune, not any fault on his part, that caused his expedition to fail. Scott stated that his logistical planning had ‘worked out to perfection’ but the loss of pony transport which resulted in a late start, the poor weather and the soft snow were events that they could not overcome.31

  This is Mackintosh’s long note:

  I have this record in the event of anything happening to this party. Today we have finished the last of our food. A blizzard has been blowing 11 days. With the exception of 1 day when the wind fell light where horizon could be discerned as well as land around the Bluff.

  We were left here 4 days previously in order that Messrs Joyce, Hayward & Richards could travel with dogs & light sledge to Bluff Depot more easily returning to us with food of which there is a plentiful supply at the Bluff.

  We now expect from that succour to reach us anytime from today in which case we will be saved from starvation & these lines unnecessary.

  Yet I take precaution to leave this should I later become too weak & the cold make it harder to write.

  Smith & myself are struck with scurvy – the former being helpless & weak. I am able to stand about yet becoming more feeble daily. Wild has signs of scurvy but is able to move his hands & feet & with a meal could travel, & this I am afraid cannot be the same for Smith & self.

  We have not given up hope yet by any means, we trust in our comrades. We argue, say – talk cheery today and anyone coming along would imagine to be some picnic party.

  (This was similar to Scott, who in one of his final letters wrote: ‘It would do your heart good to be in our tent, to hear our songs and the cheery conversation as to what we will do when we get to Hut Point.’32)

  Now it may be wondered what has brought us to our present position. Briefly & I feel glad to say it has not been through any lack of organisation.

  (Again, this was like Scott, who wrote: ‘The causes of the disaster are not due to faulty organisation.’33)

  We have done the work we came down to do, this laying of a depot at Mt Hope, 82°, 81°, 80° for Sir Ernest Shackleton.

  (Scott: ‘It will be known that we have accomplished our object in reaching the Pole.’34)

  We made splendid progress homeward travelling as much as 10 miles a day & this with Smith on sledge. We filled up with a fortnight’s provisions at 80° as our own experience had worried us against this region. Instead of doing the trip in a week we have had 17 days getting to within 9 miles of our own Bluff depot on 18 Feb since which date we have been camped.

  With the exception of Smith we were all able to travel until the blizzard came upon us when we laid up 6 days after that period when we made a fresh start. I had to admit defeat owing to my inability to stand the strain. It is laying up that is making me weaker, legs black & blue, gums swollen & black.

  The above roughly explains how we left here Wild who could have gone on preferred to remain & help us, the good unselfish fellow that he is.

  It must be explained that with the exception of the first trip from Bluff we have had no fresh food since 9 October hence the disease has taken a stronger hold on us than the other party who had the opportunity of reaching Hut Point.

  But I leave it on record all have done their duty nobly & well. This is all I can say & if it is God’s will that we should here give up we do so in the true British fashion my own tradition holds us in power to do.

  (Scott: ‘We have no cause for complaint, but bow to the will of Providence, determined still to do our best to the last … which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman.’35)

  Scott finished his ‘Message to the Public’ note with: ‘Surely, a great rich country like ours will see that those who are dependent on us are properly provided for.’36 Mackintosh finished with: ‘Goodbye friends. I feel sure our people, my own dear wife & children will not be neglected.’37

  (Scott’s final journal entry was: ‘For God’s sake look after our people.’38)

  In addition to this note, Mackintosh also wrote a letter, to his brother George. Once again, the words and sentiments expressed in this most personal letter are strikingly similar to Scott’s final letters to his friends.

  28 Feb: 1916. The Ice Barrier – My dear old George

  Well, old man, it’s come to this – at least it looks like it. That I have to say farewell to my kith & kin, to peg out on this god-forsaken hole, with youth and hope cast aside.

  However I pray for my own ideas. I had visions that all would go well with us when I returned having accomplished something, to have kept my beloved darlings in comfort & worthy to the state of life they ought to be brought up in instead of the drudgery & hand to mouth existence we lived, but now it seems I did not know when I was well off! Ah! Well, dear George, I have not time or is it a place here to write much, so must be brief. You have ever been too good to me. I know you will have a watchful eye on my ones. I feel sure too that they will not be neglected by those who know us. Good luck to you. May you meet as loving & dear a soul as I now lose – God keep you – is the last wish & farewell from your brother

  Aeneas39

  These were Mackintosh’s final written words that have survived. His main expedition journal, which he started in October 1915, has never been found.

  29 February 1916

  On the morning of 29 February the weather cleared, enough for Richards to spot the other party’s tent. He recalled that in the morning they rolled up their sleeping bags and sat inside the tent. From time to time they would go outside the door to have a look and then one time he ‘saw this little dark spot to the south’. In Richards’s mind they had ‘accomplished something that at times had seemed to us to be quite impossible’.40

  It took them a few hours to reach the others’ camp, where Wild and then Mackintosh came out of the tent. In an interview in 1976 Richards tells us about Wild. When Wild heard them coming he came out of the tent, put on his canvas harness and walked out to meet Joyce, Richards and Hayward. He then tied his harness onto their sledge and helped them pull it the last short distance. Richards tells us that Wild did this without any emotion or fanfare. He simply wanted to give them a hand in.41 Richards knew that Wild, Spencer-Smith and Mackintosh might have had a day’s food when they were stopped by the blizzard, because he, Joyce and Hayward had one day’s food left. So these three men had now been without food for a number of days. Richards believed that nine out of ten men would have simply stood at the door of the tent and said ‘Thank God’, but not Wild.42 Richards said later: ‘We had had three days of food by then while he had just about been out of food for six days. Several of us broke down and cried at his action.’

  Richards says he never forgot how he felt at this time, and he even became overcome with emotion in an interview when relating Wild’s actions, and this was sixty years after the event. Richards thought that Wild’s action was incredible, something he could not put a name to. He simply described it as ‘courage or just spirit’.43

  Spencer-Smith’s condition had not improved. Richards thought he might not have even survived because he was so weak when they had left him six days before.44 Mackintosh tried to walk ahead while the others lifted Spencer-Smith up onto a sledge.

  Joyce: ‘It cleared up a little to the south about 8 o’clock, when Richards sighted something black to the north of us, but could not see properly what it was. After looking round sighted camp to the south, so we got under way as soon as possible.’45

  Hayward:

  Weather slightly better @ 6 o/c AM we started preparations for getting under way. We were overjoyed on the weather clearing considerably to see the camp, apparently not ve
ry far ahead, the going was very heavy & it took us considerably longer than we had anticipated to reach it.46

  Joyce sets the scene:

  Got up to the camp about 12.45, when Wild came out to meet us. We gave him a cheer, as we fully expected to find all down. He said he had taken a little exercise every day; they had not any food left.

  The Skipper then came out of the tent, very weak + as much as he could do to walk. He said, ‘I want to thank you for saving our lives’.

  I told Wild to go + give them a feed + not to eat too much at first in case of reaction, as I am going to get under way as soon as they have had a feed. So we had lunch.47

  Hayward noted that Spencer-Smith was in poor shape:

  We were pleasantly surprised to see Wild appear at the rear of the tent & he came out a little way to meet us as we approached the Skipper managed to stagger out & of course was very thankful at his deliverance & thanked us accordingly. Smith seems very bad. However no time was lost in preparing them a feed, all of us feeling very grateful at our altered condition.48

  Richards: ‘Picked up party after striking camp … and thank the fates all are alive – Wild in good condition considering.’49

  Hayward:

  Smith was in a hole 2 feet deep where he had been lying & I can assure you that it was as much as we could do by our united efforts, owing to our weakened condition to lift him onto the sledge.

  We impressed upon the party the vital necessity of getting under way without undue delay, & they were all anxious to assist in this immediately on finishing lunch, the Skipper was encouraged to go ahead as far as possible with the aid of a stick whilst we were stowing sledges (we had brought back with us the sledge we depoted at the Bluff).50

  Joyce: ‘The Skipper went ahead to get some exercise, and after an hour’s digging out got everything ready for leaving. When we lifted Smith we found he was in a great hole which he had melted through. This party had been in one camp for twelve days.’51

  Hayward continues the story:

  Overtaking the Skipper who altho’ struggling gamely could hardly stand. We put him in his bag on the back sledge & what is more we were able to haul the whole load much to our surprise, we feeling certain that it would mean relaying, the dogs are pulling splendidly now they are on the home trail.52

  There were now four men and four dogs hauling the two sledges, with Spencer-Smith on the first and Mackintosh on the rear sledge.

  The evening of 29 February 1916

  Camping was now more difficult, as the fitter men had to first erect Mackintosh’s tent and carry Spencer-Smith inside before attending to their own tent and feeding the dogs. In reality there were now three men down with scurvy, three other very weak men also with scurvy but not so serious. They were within 76 miles of Hut Point. Their next goal was to reach the Minna Bluff depot (again), 6 or 7 miles away. Not surprisingly Wild and Spencer-Smith’s diary entries that day were full of joy.

  Wild:

  Full belly once more. Saw the others at 12.30 and they got up to us about 2.10. We had a feed & started on our way again. I am not so weak as I thought I should be thank goodness. We had to put the Skipper on the sledge. Luckily they brought a spare sledge from the Bluff as there is Smith and he on now.

  I think seeing them was the most welcome sight I have ever seen.53

  Spencer-Smith concluded his notes with a Latin quote: ‘God giveth the increase’:

  Blew and drifted all night and most of morning. Hard pressed – but at 12.30 Wild looked out of a peep-hole and saw black speck which was the other party – and now we are bursting with thankfulness and food.

  Joyce & Co. have had a terrible time: travelling at every possible moment they were on their last legs when they got to the depot (about ten miles). The dogs were splendid – they actually barked on route when they saw bamboo ahead: and in the evenings they did not bark for sugar, as if they knew that there was none for them.

  We have had the closest of close calls – ‘Deus datincrementum’.54

  Joyce summarised the day’s events:

  We got under way and picked the Skipper up; he had fallen down, too weak to walk. We put him on the sledge we had brought out + we camped about 8 o’clock. I think we did about three miles – rather good with two men on the sledges + Hayward in a very bad way.

  I don’t think there has been a party either N. or South in such a strait 3 men down + 3 of us very weak. But the dogs seemed to have new life since we turned north. I think they realise they are homeward Bound. I am glad we kept them even when we were starving. I knew they would have to come in at the finish.55

  Hayward was also pleased: ‘After 2½ hrs travelling we camped. All feeling very satisfied at the day’s proceedings.’56

  Joyce:

  Hayward in a very bad way. His gums are protruding + black + his legs + feet are giving him great trouble. He just hangs onto the sledge.57

  I am more than pleased that Wild is well. Richy is more than splendid & always cheerful. I could not have better pals in this misfortune. Poor Smithy has been helpless for 38 days + he is always cheerful.58

  Spencer-Smith: ‘We travelled about 2½ miles this evening at fair speed, so as to get a new pitch. I was sunk at least a foot into the ground at Starvation Camp – and very wet. We have three weeks of food now, so all seems well.’59

  Joyce was now looking ahead:

  We have now to look forward to southerly winds for help, which I think we shall get at this time of year. Let us hope the temperature will keep up, as our sleeping-bags are wet through and worn out, and all our clothes full of holes + Finneskoe in a dilapidated condition; in fact, one would not be out on a cold day in civilization with the rotten clothes we have on.

  Wild will have his work cut out. If the Skipper can assist a little, if only to help himself, it will be something.

  Turned in 11 o’clock, wet through, but in a better frame of mind. Hope to try and reach the depot to-morrow, even if we have to march overtime.60

  The remarkable achievement of rescuing Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Wild is best explained by Richards. In an interview in 1976 he said that he has never ceased to marvel that in such a blizzard they found the small speck that was the depot and then on the return journey found the even smaller speck that was the tent. They travelled about 18 miles in six days. He self-consciously claimed ‘no credit for under the prevailing conditions it could only be written down as a fluke’.61

  The six men were back together. Joyce, Richards and Hayward were in one tent, Mackintosh, Spencer-Smith and Wild in the other. Joyce, Richards and Wild were now the only fit men but they now had ample food. Hut Point was approximately 76 miles away.

  Notes

  1. Richards diary, 27 February 1916

  2. Hayward diary, 27 February 1916

  3. Joyce field diary, 27 February 1916

  4. Joyce diary transcripts for 27 February 1916

  5. Richards, interview with L. Bickel, 1976

  6. Joyce field diary, 27 February 1916

  7. Richards diary, 27 February 1916.

  8. Hayward diary, 27 February 1916

  9. Joyce field diary, 27 February 1916

  10. Hayward diary, 27 February 1916

  11. Richards, The Ross Sea Shore Party

  12. Richards diary, 27 February 1916

  13. Joyce field diary, 27 February 1916

  14. Richards, interview with L. Bickel, 1976

  15. Wild diary, 27 February, 1916

  16. Spencer-Smith diary, 27 February 1916

  17. Richards, The Ross Sea Shore Party

  18. Richards diary, 28 February 1916

  19. Hayward diary, 28 February 1916

  20. Joyce field diary, 28 February 1916

  21. Richards diary, 28 February 1916

  22. Hayward diary, 28 February 1916

  23. Joyce field diary, 28 February 1916

  24. Richards diary, 28 February 1916

  25. Hayward diary, 28 February 1916

  26. Richar
ds diary, 28 February 1916

  27. Ibid.

  28. Ibid.

  29. Spencer-Smith diary, 28 February 1916

  30. Wild diary, 28 February 1916

  31. Scott, Scott’s Last Expedition: The Journals, Message to the Public, March 1912

  32. Ibid., letter to Sir J. M. Barrie, March 1912

  33. Ibid., Message to the Public, March 1912

  34. Ibid., letter to Sir J. M. Barrie, March 1912

  35. Ibid., Message to the Public, March 1912

  36. Ibid.

  37. Mackintosh letter, written 28 February 1916, later transcribed by Richards

  38. Scott, Scott’s Last Expedition: The Journals, Message to the Public, March 1912

  39. Mackintosh, letter, 28 February 1916, later transcribed by his wife Gladys – from the private papers of Anne Philips

  40. Richards, The Ross Sea Shore Party

  41. Richards, interview with P. Lathlean, 1976

  42. Richards, interview with L. Bickel, 1976

  43. Richards, interview with P. Lathlean, 1976

  44. Richards, interview with L. Bickel, 1976

  45. Joyce field diary, 29 February 1916

  46. Hayward diary, 29 February 1916

  47. Joyce field diary, 29 February 1916

  48. Hayward diary, 29 February 1916

  49. Richards diary, 29 February 1916

  50. Hayward diary, 29 February 1916

  51. Joyce field diary, 29 February 1916

  52. Hayward diary, 29 February 1916

  53. Wild diary, 29 February 1916

  54. Spencer-Smith diary, 29 February 1916

  55. Joyce field diary, 29 February 1916

  56. Hayward diary, 29 February 1916

  57. Joyce field diary, 29 February 1916

  58. Joyce diary transcripts for 29 February 1916

  59. Spencer-Smith diary, 29 February 1916