Re-reading Shackleton's Way

I haven't gotten very far. I come across something that makes me think and leads me to rummage through my files. For example...

Shackleton (on the Nimrod expedition) was forced to turn back a heartbreaking 97 miles short of the Pole.

That brings to mind, Frank Wild's comment that if Shackleton had only himself to think about, he would have kept going.