We stripped all clothing from our dead.  Stark they came into the world, and stark they passed out over the side of the longboat and down into the dark freezing ocean.  Lots were cast for the clothes.  This was by Captain Nicholl’s command, in order to prevent quarrelling.

It was no time for the follies of sentiment.  There was not one of us who did not know secret satisfaction at the occurrence of each death.  Luckiest of all was Israel Stickney in casting lots, so that in the end, when he passed, he was a veritable treasure trove of clothing.  It gave a new lease of life to the survivors.

We continued to run to the north-east before the fresh westerlies, but our quest for warmer weather seemed vain.  Ever the spray froze in the bottom of the boat, and I still chipped beer and drinking water with Northrup’s knife.  My own knife I reserved.  It was of good steel, with a keen edge and stoutly fashioned, and I did not care to peril it in such manner.

By the time half our company was overboard, the boat had a reasonably high freeboard and was less ticklish to handle in the gusts.  Likewise there was more room for a man to stretch out comfortably.

A source of continual grumbling was the food.  The captain, the mate, the surgeon, and myself, talking it over, resolved not to increase the daily whack of half a pound of meat.  The six sailors, for whom Tobias Snow made himself spokesman, contended that the death of half of us was equivalent to a doubling of our provisioning, and that therefore the ration should be increased to a pound.  In reply, we of the afterguard pointed out that it was our chance for life that was doubled did we but bear with the half-pound ration.

It is true that eight ounces of salt meat did not go far in enabling us to live and to resist the severe cold.  We were quite weak, and, because of our weakness, we frosted easily.  Noses and cheeks were all black with frost-bite.  It was impossible to be warm, although we now had double the garments we had started with.

Five weeks after the loss of the Negociator the trouble over the food came to a head.  I was asleep at the time—­it was night—­when Captain Nicholl caught Jud Hetchkins stealing from the pork barrel.  That he was abetted by the other five men was proved by their actions.  Immediately Jud Hetchkins was discovered, the whole six threw themselves upon us with their knives.  It was close, sharp work in the dim light of the stars, and it was a mercy the boat was not overturned.  I had reason to be thankful for my many shirts and coats which served me as an armour.  The knife-thrusts scarcely more than drew blood through the so great thickness of cloth, although I was scratched to bleeding in a round dozen of places.