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Shackleton also took his double-barrelled shotgun and some cartridges, and two axes. McNish took some of his remaining tools, including a carpenter's adze.

The food supplies were calculated to last four weeks.

“For if we did not make South Georgia in that time,” wrote Shackleton, “we were sure to go under.” The charts were those Worsley had ripped from books in the library of the Endurance, before she was abandoned.

Should the relief expedition fail, Wild was under orders to make his way in the remaining boats to Deception Island in the spring. Meanwhile, he was in sole command mand of the men left behind. He too had begged to make the journey, but there was no other person—on Elephant Island or anywhere else—whom Shackleton so implicitly trusted as Frank Wild. He knew this man would undertake nothing that Shackle-ton himself would not. The two men talked late into the night, Shackleton laying on last-minute injunctions, and Wild, imperturbable, giving his silent assent.

Launching the Caird

“As we were getting her of the beach a heavy surf came up & owing to us being unable to get her up of the beach she almost capsised as it was she emptyed Myself & Vincent overboard.” (McNish, diary)

The Caird launched

“Great difficulty was experienced in keeping her off the labyrinth of rocks & reefs which abound along the treacherous foreshores” (Hurley, diary). The Caird carried two masts, and although there are no photographs or descriptions of her sails, it is thought that she was lug-rigged—that is, her sails were four-cornered and held from the mast by an oblique yard arm.

The Caird was taken out beyond the reef, where supplies were ferried to her by the Stancomb Wills, to the accompaniment of a running stream of banter and rough joking.

“Many were solicitous that …my behaviour on reaching civilization should be above reproach,” wrote Worsley. “As for Crean; they said things that ought to have made him blush—but what would make Crean blush would make a butchers dog drop its bone.” Taking advantage of the rare sunshine and clear horizon, Worsley had spent his last morning on land rating his chronometer.

A bad swell was running, and Marston, Greenstreet, Kerr, and Wild, who were carrying supplies through the surf, became wet to their waists. An early accident nearly put an end to the whole venture: While her crew were standing on her to load provisions, the Caird rolled heavily, nearly capsizing, and pitched McNish and Vincent into the water. Volunteers offered to exchange dry clothes with the men, but McNish refused, as only his trousers were wet; Vincent was wet through, and although he exchanged his trousers with How, he refused to take off his jersey.

“His refusal to change … called forth some unfavorable comments as to the reason,” wrote Lees, “and it was freely stated that he had a good deal of other people's property concealed about his person.” How's wet trousers would take two weeks to dry. Shackleton deeply regretted the mishap, knowing it would be taken as an ill omen by the men left behind.

Loading the Caird

Some 2,000 pounds of shingles and boulders were ferried to the Caird as ballast in the Stancomb Wills. Here, the men relay sacks (made of blankets) full of shingles to the Wills, the bow of which is just visible beyond the knot of men. The Caird, still moored to shore, awaits the supplies.

A band of ice along the north coast had steadily extended east for several days. Fearful that it would soon surround the island and prevent all escape, Shackleton was anxious to be under way. After smoking a last cigarette with Wild and shaking hands with his men, he boarded the Stancomb Wills and was ferried out to the waiting Caird; at 12:30 p.m., without ceremony or speeches, the great journey began.

“We took good bye of our companions,” wrote McNish, “& set sail.” As the Caird cast off the painter from the Wills, the men on shore gave three enthusiastic cheers.

Standing high on the beach with his small pocket camera, Hurley captured the moment of departure—the waving