The Prisoner-No6's Test Of Endurance!

   It is one thing to be actually left alone to construct a sea-going raft, chopping down trees and the like, it is something else to set sail aboard it into the unknown! But nevertheless that is precisely what No.6 did, as part of a test of endurance. In this regard there is a prize. At most, if he were to succeed, the possibility of escape, at the very least, he would remain as he was on the day he set out. If he failed, then he might well remain a broken man. Here he is, having commenced his test of endurance by constructing his sea-going raft, and having put to sea aboard it.

As you can seen in the early days of the test, the Prisoner is able to uphold a hygiene regime, as we see him shaving, using his safety razor, soap, and cold water from a bucket. Obviously No.6 cannot make a fire, so his diet is restrictied to cold corned beef and baked beans eaten straight from the tin.     You might be deceived into thinking that No.6 is way out there, somewhere in the middle of the sea. Well you would be wrong. In actual fact No.6 is suffering this test of endurance aboard his raft, but a few feet away from the shore. You can see this in the fourth picture taken, the seabed below his raft!
    More then this, No.6 has also been given a series of tests to perform, one being the constructing of a home-made compass, which you see here.

Also No.6's navigational skills are put to the test, and the capability of being able to keep a daily log is also essential.   

  Although it is reported that No.6 spent 25 days at sea, we only see up to day 18 noted in his log. It is quite remarkable for any man to last a week alone, at sea, aboard an open raft, with no warm or water-proof clothing, no hot food. Soon No.6 pays no heed to any form of hygiene routine. In fact we begin to question his process of thought. Having carefully wrapped a roll of Village film in a polythene bag on the first day, so to preserve it, why 17 days later does he take the roll of film out of the bag, and leaves it lying there as he makes up his log on day 18 {seen in the picture}? Quite obviously No.6 is beginning to suffer from the effects of fatigue. He has been sleeping only 4 out of each 24 hours, which is quite remarkable. In fact at one point he drops off at the helm!

And in that regard, when No.6 is asleep, even for four hours, there is nothing to hold the raft on course. He has no drift anchor to restrict the drift of the raft as it's carried along by the current of the sea. In fact, if left to it's own devices, the raft will drift for miles, and miles off course, adding to the Prisoner's test of endurance.

    Finally, suffering from complete exhaustion, possibly the effects of hypothermia, brought about from a long spell of exposure to the elements, and sleep deprevation, the Prisoner finally collapses on the deck of his raft. It is at this point that the support vessel comes to the Prisoner's aid. So is this is not the end of the endurance test, by no means. The captain of the support vessel boards ther raft, and so to revive No.6, dunks the man into the sea!

  The next part of the endurance test takes the form of having to board the vessel - over power the crew, and set sail in the direction of a light. Well that would be all too easy. The crew are instructed to make it as diffcult for No.6 as possible, to give him no quarter. To take back the vessel, and see that No.6 is sent on his way under a hail of bullets.
   The Prisoner is forced to swim for the light, which is close to shore almost three miles away! Then, having been washed up on a beach, cold, tired, wet through, No.6's next test is to scale a chalky cliff-face, which he succesfully does by the aid of recent cliff errosion. Then No.6 is faced by a long hike, but is treated to a drink along the way by a young gypsy girl, who then sends him on his way.
    Having gained a lift to London, this being a test of No,6's initiative, and having survived being almost run over, when he takes a leap of faith out of the back of a van, he finally arrives home in Buckingham Place, in the City of Westminster.

  No.6 encounters an unfriendly maid, who treats him with disdain, and shuts the door of his own home in his face! But the Prisoner is not put off. He takes it all in his stride, even upon discovering that his home is no longer his. That a woman now owns his car, which is gracefully lent to him by the new owner!
   after being fed and watered. Washed and shaved, given a new suit of clothes, No.6 is then sent on his way by Mrs Butterworth, sent on his way on the final leg of No.6's test of endurance - to find the location of the Village! In this task No,.6 is aided by a team, headed by the Colonel, assisted by Thorpe, a Naval Commander, and an RAF Group Captain.
   A search area and co-ordiantes are calculated, and the Prisoner is despatched on the final part of the last leg of his test of endurance, which ends when No.6 finds himself dangling at the end of a parachute as he drifts slowly down the the beach below. And you might think that that is it, the endurance test complete, and No.6 successfully returned home. But no, there is one last stage to test No.6's endurance, which he passes with flying colours, the fact that he's faced with No.2, Mrs Butterworth to welcome him home with a birthday cake. If that had been me, I'd have pushed that cake into No.2's face. But No.6 takes it all in his stride, as he can even endure this, having been put through all this, to find himself back in the place where it all began. A true test of self endurance.
I'll be seeing you!