Monday, June 5, 2017

Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition

1914 - 1915 The Remarkable Journal of Shackleton's Polar-bound Cat. This bit of history was actually written by Caroline Alexander. Sir Ernest Shackleton headed a journey to the Antarctic in 1914. The ship's carpenter, Harry "Chippy" McNeish, brought along his cat from their home in Cathcart, Scotland. The male cat was dubbed "Mrs. Chippy". He apparently did much to improve morale, especially during the long Winter that the Endurance was trapped in the ice. The "journal" ends abruptly after the ship has been crushed by the ice and the expedition party has trimmed their goods in preparation for the long march across the ice to Paulet Island. All of the men under Shackleton's command were rescued in August, 1916. Mrs. Chippy? Who knows? I was left with the impression he was left behind from the get-go.

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