As the cook and his "mate" had the privilege of scraping out the saucepans, there was some anxiety to secure the job, especially amongst those with the larger appetites.

"The last of the methylated spirit was drunk on August 12, and from then onwards the King's health, 'sweethearts and wives,' and 'the Boss and crew of the 'Caird',' were drunk in hot water and ginger every Saturday night." The penguins and seals which had migrated north at the beginning of winter had not yet returned, or else the ice-foot, which surrounded the spit to a thickness of six feet, prevented them from coming ashore, so that food was getting short.

Old seal-bones, that had been used once for a meal and then thrown away, were dug up and stewed down with sea- water.

Penguin carcasses were treated likewise.

Limpets were gathered from the pools disclosed between the rocks below high tide, after the pack-ice had been driven away.