Final answer:
When faced with extreme hunger, the officers ate leather boots, showing the severity of their situation in terms of lack of available food.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the officers grew very hungry, they resorted to eating leather boots. This extreme measure highlights the dire circumstances faced during periods of starvation. For example, historical accounts such as those from the Jamestown colony, where George Percy described the settlers' grim survival tactics, indicate that after consuming all available food, including animals like horses and vermin such as dogs, cats, rats, and mice, the colonists turned to leather items to stave off hunger. They boiled and ate leather belts, shoes, and other items, displaying the severity of their situation. Furthermore, discussing human diets from various historical periods, we see that environments heavily influenced dietary options, ranging from lush, tropical forests where an abundance of plants and animals were available, to colder regions where diets were more animal-based.