Sarah Lambert                                                                                 about 150 words

sel15@geneseo.edu

Student, INTD 105-19: Scientific Writing

Rescue, Relief, Return

By Sarah Lambert

    E. H. Shackleton’s adventure mapped out in The Heart of the Antarctic illustrates the British Antarctic Expedition from 1907-1909. This personal narrative ends in Shackleton’s account of his team’s return to New Zealand and their welcome back to civilization. This final chapter reveals just some of the struggles the team encountered, including the mission to rescue a ship struggling in blizzard-like conditions that had not returned to their base. The description of their experience on this rescue mission exemplifies the power of nature and how it can affect our actions despite our best effort to combat it.

    Some other things considered in this final chapter include the relationship between nature and emotion, the requirements and equipment needed for such harsh conditions on these expeditions and the use of dogs or other companion animals on scientific expeditions. This article sparked my interest especially in the presence of dogs on these ships in the middle of the Antarctic. I remain curious about their relationship to the expedition and why they’re there.