laurence had left almost at once to go and speak with wellesley , and he was gone a long time ; enough that they had finished their dinner long before his return - a couple of old tough cows and three sheep , hacked up and pit-roasted with a great heap of potatoes , which gong su had organized the crews to procure : happily these took on some of the flavor of the meat and were not unappetizing at all , once they had cooked long enough .