“An amusing piece,” Elgar said referring to his friend and subject, August Johannes Jagear, a music publisher and accomplished violinist. In 1899, composer Edward Elgar wrote a symphonic piece that had 14 variations each written for or about a personal acquaintance. No doubt the naming of the ship reflected this too. It had to be built stronger and faster than others, Vanderbilt instructed. Financier and cutthroat ship builder Cornelius Vanderbilt named a steamboat Nimrod to compete with other commuter boats on New York’s Hudson River. He would eventually praise the small schooner as “sturdy” and “reliable.”Įven before Shackleton’s journey, the term nimrod was being used to promote other noteworthy ventures. Nimrod was an older boat and needed work, but Shackleton had little recourse with limited funds. Shackleton’s hand picked ship, Nimrod, lived up to its moniker too, a reference to Nimrod, the biblical figure and “mighty hunter before the Lord” from the Book of Genesis. A nimrod was someone who was held in high regard. Back then, strength and courage was it’s core. That’s because the word “nimrod” at the time represented something very different than it does today. Yes, the Nimrod Expedition, despite its insinuation, was not a mission for dummies. Shackleton had christened the ship he chose on that journey by a term that reflected the mission’s quest. The fact that no one died in the expedition was even better. The goal of course was to reach the elusive Pole, but turning back shy by only 100 miles was an accomplishment worthy of another try at least. In 1909, British explorer and Antarctic specialist Earnest Shackleton became the first person to come as close to the South Pole as any human had possibly done.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |