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The expedition was thus formed: Marie, Jean Cornbutte, Penellan, André Vasling, Aupic, and Fidèle Misonne were to go. Alaine Turquiette remained in charge of the brig, and Gervique and Gradlin stayed behind with him.
Land, which was probably thirty miles west, could alone offer him secure shelter, and he resolved to attempt to reach it. He set out on the 12th of September, accompanied by André Vasling, Penellan, and the two sailors Gradlin and Turquiette.
None of the comrades of Louis Cornbutte failed to respond to his call, and there were hardy tars among them, Alaine Turquiette, Fidèle Misonne the carpenter, Penellan the Breton, who replaced Pierre Nouquet as helmsman, and Gradlin, Aupic, and Gervique, courageous and well-tried mariners. Jean Cornbutte again offered André Vasling his old rank on board.
The whole crew was engaged in these preparations, and displayed great activity. The sailors Aupic, Gervique, and Gradlin zealously obeyed Penellan's orders; and he admonished them not to accustom themselves to woollen garments, though the temperature in this latitude, situated just beyond the polar circle, was very low.
Turquiette and Jocki, the Norwegian, struggled fiercely. Gervique and Gradlin, suffering horribly, were not even conscious of what was passing around them. Nouquet soon received a stab in the side, and Herming turned to Penellan, who was fighting desperately. André Vasling had seized him round the body.
Pierre Nouquet and Gradlin, though suffering much, rose to second them. "You are still too strong for us," said Vasling. "We do not wish to fight on an uncertainty." The sailors were so weak that they dared not attack the four rebels, for, had they failed, they would have been lost.
Gradlin! where are you?" "Here I am!" responded Turquiette, shaking off the snow with which he was covered. "This way, Vasling," cried Cornbutte to the mate. "And Gradlin?" "Present, captain. But we are lost!" shouted Gradlin, in fright. "No!" said Penellan. "Perhaps we are saved!" Hardly had he uttered these words when a frightful cracking noise was heard.
Gervique, Gradlin, and Nouquet were able to rise from their berths a fortnight after these terrible events, and to take a little exercise. Soon hunting for game became more easy and its results more abundant. The water-birds returned in large numbers. They often brought down a kind of wild duck which made excellent food.
The 1st of January was one of the gloomiest of these winter days. The wind was violent, and the cold insupportable. They could not go out, except at the risk of being frozen. The most courageous were fain to limit themselves to walking on deck, sheltered by the tent. Jean Cornbutte, Gervique, and Gradlin did not leave their beds.
Penellan, Aupic, Gradlin, and Turquiette were chosen to work the saws, which had been carried outside the ship. The direction of the cutting was so determined that the current might carry off the pieces detached from the mass. The whole crew worked at this task for nearly twenty hours.
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