@Pavlik 7 October 2021 more from that month

THE GREAT LOSER On January 5, 1922, one of the most amazing losers in history died of a heart attack. A man who achieved almost nothing, whose name was forgotten, and only recently it turned out that he was an amazing traveler with an incredible fate. Ernest Shackleton... Shackleton lived during the "Golden Age" of polar expeditions, but each time he found himself on the sidelines. In 1901, he and Robert Scott went to Antarctica. Scott, Shackleton and Edward Wilson reached 82 degrees south latitude — it was a record, but they failed to reach the South Pole. Shackleton couldn't even stay until the end of the expedition — he got sick and was sent home. In 1907, Shackleton led his own expedition to Antarctica. He did not reach the South Pole by "only" 180 kilometers. Part of his team climbed the famous Antarctic volcano Erebus. The king knighted Shackleton—but the pole remained unattainable. In 1909, Robert Peary and Frederick Cook claimed that each of them had visited the North Pole. After long scandals, the championship was awarded to Piri — and the dreams of all ambitious travelers focused on the southernmost point of the planet. On December 14, 1911, Amundsen hoisted the Norwegian flag on the pole. Robert Scott's expedition was a month late. Everyone who went with Scott to the pole, including Edward Wilson, with whom Shackleton moved south 10 years before, died. But the pole was taken! What should I do now? Shackleton has a plan - to cross Antarctica from sea to sea. Everything went wrong right away. Shackleton's ship with the prophetic name "Endurance" - endurance - was wiped out by ice even before landing in Antarctica. Shackleton proved himself to be a wonderful leader. He did not let anyone stay too long and arranged walks on the ice, theatrical performances, holidays. The dogs were moved to kennels on the ice and even organized races. When it became clear that the ship could not be freed, all the necessary things were transferred to the ice in advance. At the end of October 1915, the ship began to crack and go under water. Shackleton rigidly selected the necessary things, ordered to throw away all the books (except the Bible), shot all the weak animals (alas, including the cat of one of the expedition members and the puppy of another) - and they set off. It was a real hell, but on April 8, the ice began to crack, they were able to launch the boats - and a week later they reached Elephant Island. Shackleton and his 28 companions found themselves on a desert island, where ships never entered, where terrible cold Antarctic winds blew and there was very little food. And then Shackleton and five other people boarded one of the boats — and made a journey of 1,300 kilometers across the cold ocean for 16 days, with huge waves flooding them from head to toe. All this time Shackleton kept a diary! Having reached the island of South Georgia, the travelers found out that they had landed on its uninhabited tip. Shackleton and his two companions walked for 36 hours through the mountains and reached the whaling station. Shackleton immediately organized an expedition to rescue those three who remained on the other side of the island, and then to rescue those who were waiting for help on Elephant Island... Surprisingly, this amazing and heroic journey went almost unnoticed — the world was engulfed by the First World War. In 1921, Shackleton was able to find money for a new Antarctic expedition— but died immediately after arriving in South Georgia. After his death, the expedition continued, but its participants did not achieve anything special. Ernest Shackleton was buried in South Georgia, where he probably would like to lie... Shackleton's fate was almost forgotten. Many years passed before everyone began to repeat the words written back in 1922 by one of the polar explorers: "If the expedition has geographical and scientific goals, then give me Scott, for a dash to the pole at any cost — Amundsen, and if I'm in a damn ass and want to get out, then give me only Shackleton." Actually, it's not a bad compliment...