OCEAN CAMP 
were on and tlie first of the series of young flat floes about 
half a mile away. 
December 22 was therefore kept as Christmas Day, and 
most of our small remaining stock of luxuries was consumed at 
the Christmas feast. We could not carry it all with us, so for 
the last time for eight months we had a really good meal — as 
much as we could eat. Anchovies in oil, baked beans, and 
jugged hare made a glorious mixture such as we have not 
dreamed of since our school-days. Everybody was working 
at high pressure, packing and repacking sledges and stowing 
what provisions we were going to take with us in the various 
sacks and boxes. As I looked round at the eager faces of the 
men I could not but hope that this time the fates would be 
kinder to us than in our last attempt to march across the ice 
to safety. 
101 
