SOUTH 
— an opinion that was only enhanced during the actual journey. 
Four other men would be required, and I decided to call for 
volunteers, although, as a matter of fact, I pretty w^ell knew 
which of the people I would select. Crean I proposed to leave 
on the island as a right-hand man for Wild, but he begged so 
hard to be allowed to come in the boat that, after consulation 
wdth Wild, I promised to take him. I called the men together, 
explained my plan, and asked for volunteers. Many came 
forward at once. Some were not fit enough for the work that 
would have to be done, and others would not have been much 
use in the boat since they were not seasoned sailors, though the 
experiences of recent months entitled them to some considera- 
tion as seafaring men. Mcllroy and Macklin were both anxious 
to go but realized that their duty lay on the island with the 
sick men. They suggested that I should take Blackborrow in 
order that he might have shelter and warmth as quickly as 
possible, but I had to veto this idea. It would be hard enough 
for fit men to live in the boat. Indeed, I did not see how a 
sick man, lying helpless in the bottom of the boat, could possibly 
survive in the heavy weather we were sure to encounter. I 
finally selected McNeish, McCarthy, and Vincent in addition 
to Worsley and Crean. The crew seemed a strong one, and 
as I looked at the men I felt confidence increasing. 
The decision made, I walked through the blizzard Avith 
Worsley and Wild to examine the James Caird, The 20-ft. 
boat had never looked big ; she appeared to have shrunk in 
some mysterious way when I viewed her in the light of our 
new undertaking. She was an ordinary ship's wdialer, fairly 
strong, but showing signs of the strains she had endured since 
the crushing of the Endurance, Where she was holed in leaving 
the pack was, fortunately, about the water-line and easily 
patched. Standing beside her, we glanced at the fringe of the 
storm-swept, tumultuous sea that formed our path. Clearly, 
our voyage would be a big adventure. I called the carpenter 
and asked him if he could do anything to make the boat more 
seaworthy. He first inquired if he w^as to go with me, and 
seemed quite pleased when I said " Yes.'' He was over fiity 
years of age and not altogether fit, but he had a good knowledge 
158 
