THE BOAT JOURNEY 
over the fire and tended tlie ste^x. And wliat a stew it was ! 
The young albatrosses weighed about fourteen pounds each fresh 
killed, and we estimated that they weighed at least six pounds 
each when cleaned and dressed for the pot. Four birds went into 
the pot for six men, with a, Bovril ration for thickening. The 
flesh was white and succulent, and the bones, not fully formed, 
Plan of Sleeping 
Berths in Cavc 
Tussoch 
Slope 
almost melted in oiir mouths. That was a memorable meal. 
Wlien we had eaten our fill, we dried our tobacco in the embers 
of the fire and smoked contentedly. We made an attempt to 
dry our clothes, which were soaked with salt water, but did 
irot meet with much success. We could not afford to have a 
fire except for cooking purposes until blubber or driftwood 
had come our way. 
The final stage of tlie journey had still to be attempted. 
I realized that the condition of the party generally, and particu- 
larly of McNeish and Vincent, would prevent us putting to 
sea again except under pressure of dire necessity. Our boat, 
moreover, had been weakened by the cutting away of the top- 
sides, and I doubted if we could weather the island. We were 
still 150 miles away from Stromness whaling-station by sea. 
The alternative was to attempt the crossing of the island. 
If we could not get over, then we must try to secure enough 
food and fuel to keep us alive through the winter, but this 
185 
