Perhaps the boatswain was right. But in my own mind, when I asked that the boat might be utilized, it was only for the purpose of reconnoitring the iceberg. We finally decided to arrange everything with a view to wintering out, even were our ice-mountain again to drift. "We may be sure that will be agreed to by our men," declared Hurliguerly. "What is necessary must be done," replied the mate, "and to-day we must set to work." That was a sad day on which we began our preparations. Endicott, the cook, was the only man who submitted without murmuring. As a n***o, who cares little about the future, shallow and frivolous like all his race, he resigned himself easily to his fate; and this is, perhaps, true philosophy. Besides, when it came to the question of cooking, it mattered very littl