About five o’clock in the evening
He decided , therefore , to retain the encampment where it was , and , strange to say , the instinct of the quadrupeds still led them to congregate about it . A great many of the animals had , however , disappeared with the rest of the island , amongst them many of the dogs which had escaped the former catastrophe . Most of the quadrupeds remaining were rodents ; and the bear , which seemed terribly puzzled , paced round and round the islet like a caged animal . About five o'clock in the evening the three explorers returned to the camp . The men and women were gathered together in gloomy silence in the rough shelter still remaining to them , and Mrs Joliffe was preparing some food . Sabine , who was less overcome than his comrades , was wandering about in the hope of getting some fresh venison , and the astronomer was sitting apart from every one , gazing at the sea in an absent indifferent manner , as if nothing could ever rouse or astonish him again . The Lieutenant imparted the results of his excursion to the whole party .