"The night watch arouses his friends, and they sit in a quorum around the bogie fire, discoursing in subdued whispers."

Hurley's loud voice (he was tone deaf) and boisterous nature frequently contradicted his statements that accompany this photograph. Orde-Lees complained in his diary that sleep was frequently interrupted when Hurley drew night watch duty.

Night watch was an important task shared amongst all the crew members. The prime responsibility of the night watchman was to watch out for fire on board the ship, note changing weather and sea ice conditions while the rest of the crew slept.

This photograph was taken in the dark of the Antarctic winter when the Endurance was beset in the ice of the Weddell Sea.