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CHAPTER
II THE
STAFF OP THE EXPEDITION The Members of the
Expedition: Nimrod leaves East India Docks, July 30:
In the Solent, August 3-5 THE personnel of an
expedition of
the character I proposed is a factor on which success depends to a very
large
extent. The men selected must be qualified for the work, and they must
also
have the special qualifications required to meet polar conditions. They
must be
able to live together in harmony for a long period without outside
communication, and it must be remembered that the men whose desires
lead them
to the untrodden paths of the world have generally marked
individuality. It was
no easy matter for me to select the staff, although over four hundred
applications
arrived from persons wishing to join the expedition. I wanted to have
two
surgeons with the shore-party, and also to have a thoroughly capable
biologist
and geologist, for the study of these two branches of science in the
Antarctic
seemed to me to be of especial importance. After much consideration I
selected
eleven men for the shore-party. Three of them only, Adams, Wild, and
Joyce, had
been known to me previously, while only Wild and Joyce had previous
experience
of polar work, having been members of the Discovery
expedition. Every man, however, was highly recommended, and this was
the case
also with the officers whom I selected for the Nimrod.
THE
MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION SHORE-PARTY ERNEST H. SHACKLETON,
commander.
PROFESSOR T. W. EDGEWORTH DAVID, F.R.S., director of the scientific staff. LIEUTENANT J. B. ADAMS, R.N.R., meteorologist. THE
HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC SIR PHILIP BROCKLEHURST,
Bart., assistant geologist. BERNARD
DAY, motor expert.
ERNEST JOYCE, in charge of dogs, sledges, &c. DR. A. F. MACKAY, surgeon. DOUGLAS MAWSON, D.Sc., B.E., physicist. BERTRAM ARMYTAGE, in charge of ponies. DR. E. MARSHALL, surgeon, cartographer. G. E. MARSTON, artist. J. MURRAY, biologist. RAYMOND PRIESTLEY, geologist. W. ROBERTS, Cook. F. WELD, in charge of provisions. Before leaving New Zealand I was able to add to the strength of the staff: Professor Edgeworth
David, F.R.S.,
of Sydney University, consented to accompany us as far as the winter
quarters,
with the idea of returning in the Nimrod,
but I persuaded him eventually to stay in the Antarctic, and his
assistance in
connection with the scientific work, and particularly the geology, was
invaluable. Dr. Mawson (lecturer in
mineralogy,
&c., at the Adelaide University) joined us as physicist. SHIP'S
STAFF LIEUTENANT R. G. ENGLAND,
R.N.R., captain.
JOHN K. DAVIS, chief officer, later captain. A. L. A. MACKINTOSH, second officer. A. E. HARBORD, auxiliary second officer. H. J. L. DUNLOP, chief engineer. W. A. R. MICHELL, surgeon. ALFRED CHEETHAM, third officer and boatswain. W. D. ANSELL, steward. J. MONTAGUE, cook. E. ELLIS H. BULL S. RICHES A.B.s. J. PATON W. WILLIAMS G. BILSBY, carpenter [LIEUTENANT F. P. EVANs, R.N.R., was appointed captain for the second voyage to the Antarctic.] The
work of preparation made rapid
progress, and as the end of July approached the stores and equipment
were
stowed away on board the Nimrod in
readiness for the voyage to New Zealand. The final departure for the
south was
to be made from Lyttelton, at which I felt sure, from former
experience, that I
should receive every assistance from the authorities. Early in July we
exhibited at a room
in Regent Street samples of our stores and equipment, and some
thousands of
people paid us a visit. The days were all too short, for scores of
details
demanded attention; but there were no delays, and on July 30, 1907, the
Nimrod sailed from the East India Docks
on the first stage of the long journey to New Zealand. Most of the
members of
the shore staff, including myself, intended to make this journey by
mail
steamer, but I left the docks with the Nimrod,
intending to travel as far as Torquay. We anchored for the first
night at
Greenhithe. Next morning, after landing Mr. Reid at Tilbury in order
that he
might return to London for letters, we proceeded on our way down
channel. When
Mr. Reid reached London, he found a telegram from the King's equerry,
commanding the Nimrod to visit Cowes
in order that their Majesties the King and Queen might inspect the ship
and
equipment on Sunday, August 4. Mr. Reid had some difficulty in
delivering this
message to me, but the Admiral-superintendent at Sheerness kindly
despatched a
tug which overtook the Nimrod off
Ramsgate. On August 1 we stopped for an hour off Eastbourne to enable
some
supporters of the expedition to pay us a farewell visit, and then
proceeded to
the Solent, where we anchored. |