Scurvy already threatened various members of the crew. Yet they did no yield to despair.
It was a common conviction that the only hope of escape consisted in clinging together, and this they did.
There was no mutiny, no recriminations, no quarrels. It was a common cause, and life was its stake.
Soon the Antarctic winter with all its fearful rigors had set in.
But they were quite comfortable aboard the ship, grouping about the furnace by the light of the oil lamps.
Outside the cold was at times so severe as to have almost precluded a human being living in the open air a moment.
But there were many of these spells, and fortunately they were not of long duration.
At times the thermometer would go up with a rush and the air became quite mild.
At such times they dared to venture away from the ship.
Hunts were organized and as game came out from the mainland to roam the ice pack there was always a chance of shooting something.