# Ernest E. Joyce — South! character guide

> Ernest E. Joyce in South! by Ernest Shackleton.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Joyce

**First appearance:** 0015-xiii-the-ross-sea-party

## Snapshot

A veteran of Scott's old Antarctic hands, Joyce leads the depot-laying sledge journeys and becomes the steady spine of the Ross Sea party.

## Who they are

Joyce is the experienced polar traveler Mackintosh leans on, in charge of advance parties and dog teams and the man who reads the Barrier's pressure and crevasses with a veteran's eye. He admits the jumbled ice at the cliffs is the grandest sight he has ever witnessed, a moment of awe in a journey of grinding labor. When the depot party is forced to travel slowly and short of supplies, Joyce's endurance and self-sacrifice become the example the others follow.

## In the story

### [XIII: The Ross Sea Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/xiii-the-ross-sea-party)

One of the key men who, with Wild and Richards, dragged the sick comrades and ensured their survival.

### [Wintering in McMurdo Sound](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/xiv-wintering-in-mcmurdo-sound)

In charge of equipment and improvises clothing from canvas; suffers frostbitten heels during a sledging trip.

### [XV: Laying the Depots](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/xv-laying-the-depots)

Kept detailed notes; led a party of five men, built snow-cairns, discovered a depot from Shackleton's 1908 expedition, and suffered snow-blindness on the return journey.

### [The Last Relief](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/xvii-the-last-relief)

Survivor of the Ross Sea party; assists Shackleton in searching for Mackintosh and Hayward.

### [Appendix II: The Expedition Huts at McMurdo Sound](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/appendix-ii-the-expedition-huts-at-mcmurdo-sound)

Sent by Shackleton in 1908 to inspect the Discovery Hut.

### [The National Antarctic Expedition’s Hut at Hut Point—The Head of McMurdo Sound](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/chapters/the-national-antarctic-expedition-s-hut-at-hut-point-the-head-of-mcmurdo-sound)

Sent by Shackleton in 1908 to inspect the hut; reported its condition.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/characters/ernest_joyce
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/south_se/characters