Page 5 - BOOK VI Unit 4

Using Language

Learn about optimism and perseverance

1 This is a continuation of the story of Shackleton’s men who were left on
Elephant Island. In pairs, predict what happened to the crew members. Then
read the memoir below to see if your predictions were correct.

THE REWARD FOR PERSEVERANCE

We watched as Shackleton and the boat sailed away from Elephant Island. It was easy
to imagine the danger ahead of them. Would they ever return to find us? What might
happen to them? What if they were delayed? We felt so alone and desperate. But it was not
for long. There was nothing like a good dinner and some music to cheer us up.

Life fell into a regular pattern. Staying alive took all our time and energy. For example,
we needed water, and Elephant Island had none. We found that we could melt ice from
the ocean and drink the water from it. But how could we make fire? There were no trees
growing on Antarctica and no oil, so the only fuel we could use was animal fat. This gave
off oily, black smoke, but it stayed burning even in strong winds.

Food was also a problem, as we did not find any vegetables or fruit on the island. One
of our group members, Lionel Greenstreet, noted in his diary about how bored he was
with the meals: “The food now is pretty well all meat of sea creatures.” If it weren’t for sea
animals, we would all starve. As a chef, it was my duty to cook, so I tried to vary the meals
in whatever way I could. But it was difficult.

We had to be careful not to go outside too often, as the changing temperatures could make
us ill. It was almost as dangerous to become too hot from wearing too many clothes as to
become too cold from wearing too few. The sweat could freeze very quickly. Many of us also
became ill from the black smoke of the animal fat we burnt for our fires. It damaged our
eyes and burnt our lungs.

Point Wild, where Shackleton’s men were rescued in 1916

44 UNIT 4 ADVERSITY AND COURAGE