chance of escaping that dire disease, scurvy, before which have
fallen so many gallant tars whom nothing in the shape of dangers or
difficulties could subdue. There were, indeed, myriads of wild fowl
flying about the ship, on which the men feasted and grew fat every day;
and the muskets of Meetuck, and those who accompanied him, seldom failed
to supply the ship with an abundance of the flesh of seals, walrus, and
polar bears, portions of all of which creatures were considered very
good indeed by the men, and particularly by the dogs, which grew so fat
that they began to acquire a very disreputable waddle in their gait as
they walked the deck for exercise, which they seldom did, by the way,
being passionately fond of sleep! But birds and, perchance, beasts
might be expected to take themselves off when the winter arrived, and
leave the crew without fresh food.

Then, although the _Dolphin_ was supplied with every necessary for a
whaling expedition, and with many luxuries besides, she was ill-provided
with the supplies that men deem absolutely indispensable for a winter in
the Arctic regions, where the cold is so bitterly intense that, after a
prolonged sojourn, men's minds become almost entirely engrossed by two
clamant demands of nature--food and heat. They had only a small
quantity of coal on board, and nothing except a few extra spars that
could be used as a substitute, while the bleak shores afforded neither
shrub nor tree of any kind. Meanwhile they had a sufficiency of
everything they required for at least two or three months to come, and
for the rest as Grim said, they had "stout hearts and strong arms."

As soon as it became apparent that they were to winter in the bay, which
the captain named the Bay of Mercy, all further attempt to extricate the
ship was abandoned, and every preparation for spending the winter was
begun and carried out vigorously. It was now that Captain Guy's
qualities as a leader began to be displayed. He knew, from long
experience and observation, that in order to keep up the _morale_ of any
body of men it was absolutely necessary to maintain the strictest
discipline. Indeed this rule is so universal in its application that
many men find it advantageous to impose strict rules on themselves in
the regulation of their time and affairs, in order to keep their own
spirits under command. One of the captain's first resolves, therefore,
was to call the men together and address them on this