How It All Goes Down
The Whisper of Necessity
- The next few days are rough. The men realize that after forty-four days, they're still less than halfway to Chile.
- That's when Matthew Joy makes an unusual request—to be moved to Chase's boat. As it turns out, Joy has been sick for some time and is about to die (which he does a few days later). Hendricks takes command of Joy's boat.
- That's when Hendricks makes a horrifying discovery—Joy did not closely monitor "the distribution of his boat's provisions" (10.15). In other words, they'll be out of food in a matter of days.
- The next night brings an intense storm. Chase's boat is separated from the other two once again, but this time they don't find each other the next day. Chase's crew is on its own.
- Pollard and Hendricks are still together, however, but that might not be a good thing. Hendricks's crew has run out of food, so Pollard is forced to give them what little he has.
- Chase, on the other hand, has rationed his food expertly. Even still, his entire crew is on the verge of starvation.
- In fact, Richard Peterson (on Team Chase) tries to take "some bread" but is caught (10.34). Chase considers executing Peterson but thinks better of it.
- On January 20, Richard Peterson buys the farm. The crew gives him a burial at sea.