“You are right,” replied the captain, “and we must prevent our men from plundering. We are sure of enough provisions for one year, without counting what we may get by fishing.”
“And it is so much the more necessary, captain, to keep a close watch, because I have seen some hovering about the spirit casks.”
“I will see to that,” replied West.
“But,” I then asked, “had we not better prepare ourselves for the fact that we may be compelled to winter on this iceberg.”
“May Heaven avert such a terrible probability,” replied the captain.
“After all, if it were necessary, we could get through it, Mr. Jeorling,” said the boatswain. “We could hollow out sheltering-places in the ice, so as to be able to bear the extreme cold of the pole, and so long as we had sufficient to appease our hunger —”
