Many have been disposed to blame Gerlache for having gone into the ice, badly equipped as he was, at a time of year when he ought rather to have been making his way out, and they may be right.  But let us look at the question from the other side as well.

After years of effort he had at last succeeded in getting the expedition away.  Gerlache knew for a certainty that unless he returned with results that would please the public, he might just as well never return at all.  Then the thickly packed ice opened, and long channels appeared, leading as far southward as the eye could reach.  Who could tell?  Perhaps they led to the Pole itself.  There was little to lose, much to gain; he decided to risk it.

Of course, it was not right, but we can easily understand it.

The Belgica now had thirteen long months before her.  Preparations were commenced at once for the winter.  As many seals and penguins as could be found were shot, and placed in store.

The scientific staff was constantly active, and brilliant oceanographical, meteorological, and magnetic work was accomplished.

On May 17 the sun disappeared, not to be seen again for seventy days.  The first Antarctic night had begun.  What would it bring?  The Belgica was not fitted for wintering in the ice.  For one thing, personal equipment was insufficient.  They had to do the best they could by making clothes out of blankets, and the most extraordinary devices were contrived in the course of the winter.  Necessity is the mother of invention.

On June 5 Danco died of heart-failure.

On the same day they had a narrow escape of being squeezed in the ice.  Fortunately the enormous block of ice passed under the vessel and lifted her up without doing her any damage.  Otherwise, the first part of the winter passed off well.

Afterwards sickness appeared, and threatened the most serious danger to the expedition —­ scurvy and insanity.  One of them by itself would have been bad enough.  Scurvy especially increased, and did such havoc that finally there was not a single man who escaped being attacked by this fearful disease.

Cook’s behaviour at this time won the respect and devotion of all.  It is not too much to say that Cook was the most popular man of the expedition, and he deserved it.  From morning to night he was occupied with his many patients, and when the sun returned it happened not infrequently that, after a strenuous day’s work, the doctor sacrificed his night’s sleep to go hunting seals and penguins, in order to provide the fresh meat that was so greatly needed by all.

On July 22 the sun returned.

It was not a pleasant sight that it shone upon.  The Antarctic winter had set its mark upon all, and green, wasted faces stared at the returning light.

Time went on, and the summer arrived.  They waited day by day to see a change in the ice.  But no; the ice they had entered so light-heartedly was not to be so easy to get out of again.