The Unhappy lives of

Shackleton’s Ross Sea Party

Dogs
(Draft Research) Compiled and written by Liz Clark November 2010

History portrays the early days of Antarctic exploration as being something heroic. It
took brave men indeed to face the great expanse of the great white southern continent
those of the early days of the 20th Century knew little or nothing about. Expeditions
of such magnitude were to be held in awe and with that there came a high cost both
financially and in the loss of life. A high price to pay to set foot on that great vastness
at the bottom of the globe. Yet men did and still do today.

On the 9th of February 1917, the Aurora berthed at Wellington Harbour to a warm
welcome by the people of New Zealand. The Aurora had been on a rescue mission
with Ernest Shackleton on board to retrieve the men of the Ross Sea Party. Many are
aware of the Shackleton Expedition to the Weddell Sea and the harrowing experience
Shackleton and his men went through with the loss of the endurance. Eventually
Shackleton and the survivors ended up on Elephant Island.

On the other side of the story the men Shackleton had tasked to lay supply depots at
the Ross Sea for the planned trans-Antarctic crossing were having trials and
tribulations of their own.

The ten men of the Ross Sea Party had with them 18 dogs. Ten of the dogs were dead
within two months of the expedition's landing at the Ross Sea. By the time rescue
came at Cape Royds only seven men and five dogs (possibly 6?) had survived. In his
diary Ernest Joyce had noted the heroism of the four dogs that had survived the march
across the inhospitable Antarctic terrain.

"Without the aid of four faithful friends, Oscar, Con, Gunner, and Towser, the party
could never have arrived back. These dogs from November 5 accompanied the
sledging parties, and, although the pace was often very slow, they adapted themselves
well to it. Their endurance was fine. For three whole days at one time they had not a
scrap of food, and this after a period on short rations. Though they were feeble
towards the end of the trip, their condition usually was good, and those who returned
with them will ever remember the remarkable service they rendered." - Ernest E.
Joyce

The dog Con (Conrad) did not return alive. Towser, Gunner and Oscar had in fact
killed him during a fight during August of 1916. Shackleton had noted in his book
South! that the dogs were poorly trained, and in poor condition at the beginning of the
expedition. The dogs treatment had not been any better. They had suffered ill
treatment and starvation. That any returned at all was a small miracle.

When the Aurora returned, Shackleton opened the ship to the admiring Wellington
public. The Evening Post of 17 February 1917 reported
Today the people of Wellington were able to make the personal aquaintance of
"Gunner," "Funny Face," "Teddy," and the rest of the dogs that have become famous
owing to their association with the Ross Sea Party of the Shackleton Expedition. The
occasion was the throwing open of the vessel for inspection by the public, and the
visitors were numerous. On board all the dogs were displayed, including the mother
dog with a family of eight puppies, who did not seem to like having her domestic
affairs so unceremoniously intruded upon, and looked suspiciously at all who went
near her. Chalked above her was the sign "Dangerous."

On the 27th of February 1917 an advertisement appeared in the Evening Post advising
that six of the puppies were to put up for auction on behalf of the Shackleton
Expedition

Also, BY SPECIAL REQUEST -

6 CANADIAN SLEDGE DOGS (pups)

This sale presents to one and all an opportunity for securing a souvenir of the
remarkable South Polar Expedition just returned, as the various lines will be
sold in lots to suit buyers... George Thomas & Co (Auctioneers)

What happened to the missing two puppies is unknown.

One would have thought the older dogs might have ended up living quiet lives
somewhere. Sadly it wasn't to be. Fascination with exploration and anything
associated with it created a want by the adoring public to see the surviving dogs.Thus
they, like Captain Robert Falcon Scott's famous dog Osman, became attractions at the
Wellington Zoo.

The Evening Post reported on 19 May 1917 of the dogs in the care of the Wellington
Zoo, with perhaps, a hint of adventurous curiosity.

From the blizzard-swept trails of the Antarctic wastes to an uneventful existence in

the Wellington Zoo is the lot of the dogs that helped to make history with
Shackleton’s expedition.

Towser, Gunner, Oscar and the animal whose physiognomy has earned him the
appellation of Funny Face, the last named still healthy if not good-looking, are all
there.

The lady-dog, who in the wilds of the Ross Sea added to the family party eight little
bundles of fur, of which any canine father might feel proud, is also at the Zoo.

She is now childless, her pups having reached the age when they leave their
mother’s apron strings. Apparently, however, she is taking her return to single
blessedness very philosophically, and does not wear a “Where are my children?”
look.
A Post reporter who made the acquaintance of the dogs when the Aurora was
coming up the harbour on her return from the Far South renewed his friendship
with them yesterday afternoon, and received a cordial welcome.

The visit was made with a view to seeing the environment of the dogs, certain
criticisms of their treatment having been published in the newspapers. The animals
have a strong strain of wolf in their composition, and, in view of the fact that they
still at intervals feel the call of the wild, are kept on the chain in the day time.

An enclosure with a strand of wire round it has been set aside for them, and in this
compound they are at home every fine day to visitors. In the wet they are kept under
cover, Gunner and Towser each having a spare cage alongside a bear.

The other dogs are quartered elsewhere, Funny Face being in a separate enclosure
and quartered at night in a large barrel. The dogs are all in the pink of condition,
and when spoken to wag their tails with canine happiness. They appear to be
contended with their lot.

It has been suggested that the dogs should be placed in the large wire-netting cages
where pretty birds display their gorgeous plumage, but it is pointed out that the
netting would not be strong enough for the purpose.

As compared with the privations of their terrible sledge-journeys – on one dash in a

blizzard with three sick men on sledges they were five days without food – they are
living almost luxuriously. A plan to give them proper exercise by means of sledges is
at present under contemplation.

Some of the histories that mention the Ross Sea Party dogs have stated that only three
dogs returned on the Aurora. However, my investigations have revealed at least 5
adult dogs with a possible sixth dog being named as well as 8 puppies that were born
on the Aurora on the voyage back to Wellington.

So far the names of the dogs I have found are as follows

Oscar (dog)

Towser (dog)

Gunner (dog)

Funny Face (dog)

Teddy (possibly female )

Bitchie (possibly female)

‘Bitchie’ was referred to in a report of a meeting of the Wellington Zoological Society

in the Evening Post 16 July 1917
Mr Joyce, who had charge of the dogs in Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition, wrote
expressing a desire to receive a report on the condition of the two dogs Oscar and
Bitchie, presented to the Society as a donation to the Zoo. The meeting decided to
meet Mr Joyce’s wishes, and also to ask the City Council to provide more worthy
accommodation for the dogs.

A report on 8 December 1917 in the Evening Post mentions that four of Shackleton's
dogs as being resident at the Wellington Zoo, plus Osman, Scott's dog, were being
exercised daily and appeared to be 'quite contented'.

A brief check of a Wikipedia article on the Ross Sea Party mentions the following:

This time, Mackintosh favoured man-hauling while Joyce wanted to use the four
fit dogs—of the six dogs that had survived the winter, two were pregnant and
could not work.

The Footnote on this references to Kelly Tyler-Lewis' 2007 Book The Lost Men: The
Harrowing Saga of Shackleton's Ross Sea Party.

It is a remote possibility that six adult dogs 4 males and two females, plus the 8
puppies came back to Wellington on the Aurora. However it is more likely only 5
adult dogs returned with the name ‘Bitchie’ being a nickname or possibly a name
change for the female dog that had the eight puppies on board the Aurora.

Death of Oscar

Sometime near the 17th Of June 1918 Oscar the most noted of the Shackleton dogs
abruptly dropped dead. The Ashburton Guardian of the same date noted

One of Sir Ernest Shackleton's dogs the big fellow called "Oscar" dropped dead at
the Wellington Zoo the other day whilst being exercised. Apparently the strenuous
months on the Antarctic ice had broken the animal's constitution, for a post-
mortem showed that much of his liver was diseased, and his heart was enlarged.
The skin is to be handed over to the museum to be stuffed and exhibited.

Of what happened exactly to the taxidermied remains of the dog is still being looked
into. Despite the writings of many Antarctic histories that state Oscar had lived to a
great age the facts stand. The dog was deceased barely one year after it had been
acquired by the Wellington Zoo.

Gunner

A report in the Evening Post 6 November 1919 brought news of a new Expedition to
the Antarctic under Dr J. L. Cope on the Terra Nova had been planned to commence
in November of 1920. Ernest Joyce a survivor of the Ross Sea Party decided to take
Gunner with him.
Mr Joyce, who is accompanied by Mrs E. M Joyce (a daughter of Mrs E. M
Courlett of Hastings), will on arrival in England, organise the expedition. He is
also accompanied by "Gunner," a dog who has won fame in previous
expeditions. "Gunner" has to his credit a long sledge journey of 2000 miles. The
animal weights 125 pounds.

However Cope's expedition was a failure due to lack of funding. No mention of

Joyce being amongst the personnel.

In a report Cape Evans - Dogs at Cape Evans prepared for the Antarctic Heritage
Trust by David L. Harrowfield the skin of Gunner after his death was preserved and
used as a door mat. No sourcing, however, has been stated for this.

The fate of the other remaining dogs at the Wellington Zoo is at this stage still unclear.

Shackleton's Dogs at J. J. Boyd's Royal Oak Zoo then Auckland Zoo

On the 25 May 1917 the following Advertisement from J. J. Boyd’s Royal Oak Zoo
appeared :-

“ZOO, ROYAL OAK.

Just arrived from SOUTH POLE, via Wellington.
2 of SHACKLETON’S SLEDGE DOGS.
Come and See Them.”

(Advertisement, Auckland Star, 25 May 1917)

- Sourced ‘The Zoo War” J.J. Boyd’s Royal Oak Zoo (2008) Author Lisa
Truttman

This is only speculation and slightly off the timeline, but it is possible that J.J. Boyd
may have obtained the two unaccounted for puppies (I'm most likely way off the
beaten track on this) for his Royal Oak Zoo. Or Boyd may have obtained the female
dog, plus one other not long after the Evening Post report of 19 May 1917 (see
below). From a letter written by Boyd to the Mayor Auckland City Council dated 15
August 1922, two dogs were listed amongst the animals he was transferring to the
new Auckland Zoo. They were described as
1 “Esquimaux dog” (male) and 1 Wolf Dog (female)"

According to historian Lisa Truttman, Boyd's letter had stated that the dogs were the
property of the New Zealand Government and were on loan.
(Sourced 'The Zoo War" J.J. Boyd's Royal Oak Zoo (2008) Author Lisa Truttman)

Further on after the establishment of Auckland Zoo concerns were raised about the
conditions the male dog had been kept in. No mention was made of the female 'wolf
dog' I can only assume that it had died sometime between 1922 and 1923 or had been
transferred elsewhere.
The welfare of the male dog became a concern after reports that the animal was by
itself and inadequately housed as would be expected for a dog used to the open
expanses of the Antarctic. The dog was taken in by the Zoo caretaker and former
Boyd Zoo employee Mr Hurley, who took the dog the home in late September 1923.
How long the animal lived after its removal from the Auckland is unknown.

At no time should this article be taken as a complete and accurate history of the fate of the Ross
Sea Party Dogs. There is still much to be researched and investigated. In the compilation of this
content I have endeavored to be as accurate as possible however errors and omissions may still
have occurred. This is a draft for information purposes only.