"MEN WANTED: For hazardous journey, small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger, safe return doubtful Honour and recognition in case of success."
Sir Ernest Shackleton, the Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917, Advert, for the crossing of the South Pole from the Weddell to the Ross Sea from South by Sir Ernest Shackleton, C.V.O. © 1920 by the Macmillan Company, New York, NY
"The way down was by the waterfall itself [the 30+ hour trek across the interior of South Georgia Island, uncharted territory, Ed.]
...At the bottom of the fall we were able to stand again on dry land. The rope could not be recovered. We had flung down the adze from the top of the fall and also the logbook, and the cooker wrapped in one of our blouses. That was all, except for our wet clothes, that we brought out of the Antarctic, which we had entered a year and one half before with well-found ship [The Endurance, Ed.], full equipment, and high hopes. That was all of the tangible things..."
from South by Sir Ernest Shackleton, C.V.O. © 1920 by the Macmillan Company, New York, NY, p. 207
"...in memories we were rich. We had pierced the veneer of outside things. We had 'suffered, starved and triumphed, grovelled down yet grasped at glory, grown bigger in the bigness of the whole'. We had seen God in His Splendours, heard the text that Nature renders. We had reached the naked soul of man."
Note: In early 2011, Dr. Konkel was awarded the Shackleton prize (which sits on his fireplace mantle) by former US Fulbright Scholar Professor James Hoerter, who lived on Upper Baggot Street during his stint as a Fulbrighter in Ireland; Jim served as a founding member in the core group of colleagues developing Dr. Konkel's vision for an All-Island Research Institute for Health & Environment, combining the efforts of institutions in N. Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and across the globe. "Making a difference" and "una cella malliglukku" -- Yupik Alaskan eskimo for "Following the Direction of the Universe" continue to set the target and inspire these Fulbrighters, whose "Can Do" attitude might have landed them a spot on the Endurance, if they had been born earlier, and been fortunate enough to be included on the Expedition roster of 28 men. For now, we will have to settle for the legacy of the age in which we were born. We are explorers though, and have many kindred spirits.