Quotes About Exploration

Close attention to mollusks and frigate birds and wolves makes us aware not only of our own human identity but also of how much more there is, an assertion of our imperfect hunger for mystery. "Without mystery life shrinks," wrote biologist Edward O. Wilson. "The completely known is a numbing void to all active minds.

What matters is to leave what has always been, and look for what has never been yet. I had had riches and marriage and a child, and I had nothing. Nothing is not enough for any man. The only answer is to abandon that nothing, and go in search of something. A different kind of treasure, perhaps. A different kind of salvation. Perhaps not salvation at all, only the loss of oneself.

Early ideas are not necessarily true ideas.

Lat. 65°43' South—73 miles North drift. The most cheerful

They rowed for about ten minutes, then Shackleton spotted a small cove in the cliffs to starboard.

the tenth of May, 1916, and they were standing at last on the island from which they had sailed 522 days before.

water was running down from the glaciers high above. A moment later all six were on their knees, drinking.

What appeared to be a small cave had been sighted about 30 yards off to the left

strange shape appeared, moving deliberately across a nearby section of their old floe.

They crawled inside and found that the cave was about 12 feet deep, with ample room to shelter them.

The Endurance sailed from Plymouth five days later. She set a course for Buenos Aires

He had originally hoped to use this place only as a stopover to replenish their water and to obtain a few days' rest

press on around the coast to Leith Harbor. But the Caird's rudder was now lost.

Shackleton came to the conclusion that instead of sailing to Leith Harbor

would remain on the south side of the island and three of the party would go overland to bring help.

In appearance, the Endurance was beautiful by any standards.

By land it was a scant 29 miles in a straight line.

She was a barkentine—three masts

in the three-quarters of a century that men had been coming to South Georgia

of which the forward one was square-rigged

not one man had ever crossed the island—for the simple reason that it could not be done.

while the after two carried fore-and-aft sails, like a schooner.

Shackleton said he would make the journey with Worsley and Crean as soon as it seemed feasible.

Shackleton, Crean, and Worsley went to work leveling the floor of the cave with some loose stones and dry tussock grass.