Chapter 1
How did the crew get the 49 huskies off the ship onto the ice?
They rigged a makeshift canvas chute from the port rail and slid each dog down it.
What unusual animals were aboard the Endurance besides the crew and dogs?
A cat named Mrs. Chippy and one stowaway (a young man who joined without permission).
Who served as captain of the Endurance (the sailing master), and what was his notable personality trait?
Frank Worsley; he was optimistic, skilled at navigation, and had a cheerful, adventurous spirit.
What daily routines did the men establish while the ship was trapped to maintain morale and discipline?
They continued scientific observations, cared for the dogs, performed ship maintenance, hunted seals and penguins for food, and kept regular watches and meals.
The name of the sea where the Endurance became trapped in ice.
What is the Weddell Sea
How much (in English pounds) did Shackleton pay Lars Christensen, the Norwegian whaling magnate, for the "Endurance"?
14,000
This type of heavy, impenetrable substance surround the ship, preventing it from moving either forward or backward.
What is pack ice
How many men made up the total shore party (the main expedition team)?
28 men (including Shackleton).
How did the crew initially react to being beset (trapped) in the ice?
They were disappointed but not overly alarmed at first; they hoped the ice would break up with the coming of spring or summer.
These large, dangerous pieces of ice in the ocean were named for the sounds they made as trapped air escaped.
What are Growlers
Who was the second-in-command who helped organize the evacuation, and what two seamen did he wake in the crew's quarters?
Frank Wild; Walter How and William Bakewell
How old was Shackleton at the start of this expedition, and what previous Antarctic experiences had he had?
He was 40 years old; he had been on Scott’s Discovery expedition (reaching within 97 miles of the South Pole) and led his own Nimrod expedition (reaching within 97 miles of the Pole).
What was one of the first major challenges the ship faced after leaving South Georgia?
Entering the dense pack ice of the Weddell Sea much earlier and farther north than expected
When and where did the Endurance first become firmly trapped in the ice?
In late January 1915, in the Weddell Sea, about 100 miles from the intended landing point on the Antarctic coast.
What is the Shackleton's family motto, which inspired the ship's name.
What is "By Endurance We Conquer"
What simile does Lansing use to describe the movement of the ice floes crushing the ship?
The ice moved together “like an enormous jigsaw puzzle.”
What was the full name and primary goal of the expedition led by Shackleton?
The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition; to be the first to cross the Antarctic continent on foot from sea to sea, via the South Pole.
What made the Endurance specially suited for polar exploration?
It was a stout, wooden three-masted ship with a very strong hull (up to 2 feet thick in places) designed to withstand ice pressure.
What role did the dogs play in the expedition’s original plans?
They were intended to pull sledges during the overland crossing of Antarctica.
This major world event almost prevented the expedition from ever leaving England in 1914.
What is World War I
At what exact time was the order to abandon ship given, and how did most of the men react?
The order was given at 5 P.M. Most men accepted defeat almost apathetically because they were exhausted after fighting for three days to save the ship.
Where did the Endurance depart from on its final leg toward Antarctica, and on what date?
From Grytviken, a whaling station on South Georgia Island, on December 5, 1914.
This is what Shackleton intended to use to supplement the ship’s coal supply.
What is blubber?
This was the main cause of dangerous illusions, making it impossible to tell the difference between icebergs.
What are mirages?
To keep morale high during the long winter, Shackleton ensured that these two groups of people were treated as equals and given the same chores.
Who are the scientists (or professors) and the sailors (or fishermen)