There was little doubt that throughout the winter the soil would remain unproductive, and no fresh fodder for domestic animals could then be obtained; it would therefore be necessary, if the exact duration of Gallia's year should ever be calculated, to proportion the number of animals to be reserved to the real length of the winter.
The next thing requisite was to arrive at a true estimate of the number of the population.

Without including the thirteen Englishmen at Gibraltar, about whom he was not particularly disposed to give himself much concern at present, Servadac put down the names of the eight Russians, the two Frenchman, and the little Italian girl, eleven in all, as the entire list of the inhabitants of Gourbi Island.
"Oh, pardon me," interposed Ben Zoof, "you are mistaking the state of the case altogether.

You will be surprised to learn that the total of people on the island is double that.

It is twenty-two." "Twenty-two!" exclaimed the captain; "twenty-two people on this island?
What do you mean ?" "The opportunity has not occurred," answered Ben Zoof, "for me to tell you before, but I have had company." "Explain yourself, Ben Zoof," said Servadac.

"What company have you had ?" "You could not suppose," replied the orderly, "that my own unassisted hands could have accomplished all that harvest work that you see has been done." "I confess," said Lieutenant Procope, "we do not seem to have noticed that." "Well, then," said Ben Zoof, "if you will be good enough to come with me for about a mile, I shall be able to show you my companions.