"
Their diet was now practically all meat, and not too much of that, and
all the diaries bear witness to their craving for carbohydrates, such
as flour, oatmeal, etc. One man longingly speaks of the cabbages which
grow on Kerguelen Island. By June 18 there were only nine hundred
lumps of sugar left, i.e., just over forty pieces each. Even my readers
know what shortage of sugar means at this very date, but from a
different cause. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that
all their thoughts and conversation should turn to food, past and
future banquets, and second helpings that had been once refused.
A census was taken, each man being asked to state just what he would
like to eat at that moment if he were allowed to have anything that he
wanted. All, with but one exception, desired a suet pudding of some
sort--the "duff" beloved of sailors. Macklin asked for many returns of
scrambled eggs on hot buttered toast. Several voted for "a prodigious
Devonshire dumpling," while Wild wished for "any old dumpling so long
as it was a large one." The craving for carbohydrates, such as flour
and sugar, and for fats was very real. Marston had with him a small
penny cookery book. From this he would read out one recipe each night,
so as to make them last. This would be discussed very seriously, and
alterations and improvements suggested, and then they would turn into
their bags to dream of wonderful meals that they could never reach.
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