They reached Spaniards' Harbour by the end of March.  Captain Gardiner took up his habitation at the cave, in the place he called Earnest Cove, to watch for those who, it was hoped, would come to their relief; while Dr Williams went to a more sheltered spot, up the harbour, at the mouth of Cook's River, with the _Speedwell_.  The months passed slowly by. Their food was all gone.  They caught and ate mice, a fox, a fish half devoured, a penguin and shag--most unwholesome food--and then mussels and other shell-fish; and then the Antarctic winter set in; and lastly, through disease and starvation, one by one they died.  They had kept a daily record of their proceedings--of their sufferings.  While they had strength, they occasionally assisted each other.  The last effort of the two survivors was to go on crutches to Cook's River, to learn the state of Dr Williams, who had for long not come to them; but their weak state compelled them to abandon the attempt, and they returned to die in Earnest Cove.  Maidment had been sleeping in the cave--he died there; Captain Gardiner near the remains of the _Pioneer_, which had been hauled up on the beach, and with which he had formed a slight shelter for himself from the weather.  They had kept their journals to the last; and wonderful as it may seem, though storms had raged and rains had fallen, those journals had been preserved.  Captain Gardiner's last written words were addressed to Dr Williams, of whose death he was not aware:--