Among the Esquimaux; or, Adventures under the Arctic Circle

r. He stared at Rob as though doubting whether he had heard aright. He looked a

spoon, you're c

an idea?" asked Fred, as eager to

y. He voided a mouthful of tobacco spittle over the taffrail,

m, sideways, cat-a-cornered, and every way;

he skipper stood, some

ould be much obliged if you will allow Jack to row us out to it. We want to get a better view of it th

b, he expected would be a curt refusal. Great, therefore, was

are set on it, I don't see any objection. Yes, Jack has my permissi

amation of the sailor, who, nevertheless,

tic regions, and he insisted that they ought to take their rifles and ammunition along. Rob laughed, but fortunately he followed his advice,

d then turned about and accepted a weapon from the captain, who see

nstrictors, and hyenas prowling about on the ice. They may be on skates, an

tirring, and the waves were so slight that they were easily ridden. The sea was of a deep green color, and when the spray occasionally dashed over the lads it was as cold as ice itself. By this time the iceberg had drifted somewhat to th

here seemed some truth in Rob's suggestion that they had run into a school of them.

e reckless Rob was hushed into awed silence and sat staring aloft, with feelings beyond expression. It was much the same with

must have been, at the least, three hundred feet above the surface of the sea. Wha

clear description. If the reader can picture a mass of rock and débris blown fro

the ice showed considerable snow in its composition, while, in other places, it was as clear as crystal itself. In still other portions it was dark or almost steel blue, probably due to some pe

lunt and misshapen, steps, long stretches of vertical wall as smoot

were quite near the iceberg. He turned to suggest to Jack that they had come far enough, when he obse

the majesty of the scene. Squinting one eye

ndon or New York harbor; but being as we've sot out to take a view of it, why we'll sarcumnavigate the t

ntil then, and they spoke more cheerily, but unconsciously modulated their voices, as a person

ght, as they were rowed around the iceberg. Had they done so, they would have seen Captain McAlpine making eager signals to them to return, and, perhap

of the skipper, and the little boat glided around the eastern end of

there's a good place to la

with a scornful laugh; "what kind

yet, boy-like, the two friends felt that it would be worth something to be a

so he shied the boat toward the gently sloping shelf, which came down to the water, and, with a couple of powerful sweeps

soon be gone," he called, waiting for th

ashed away during their absence. All took their guns, and, leaving it to the sailor to act as guide, they

ed Rob; "if we only had our s

sent him sliding to the boat had he not done some lively skirmishing to save himself. Fred laughe

no cause to do so; but, on reaching the point, he observed that it was easy to climb along a r

e distance, and, for the first time, the guide stopped and look

he called out, as if unable

boys, startled at his emotion

ing right down on us; it'll soon be night, and we shall be catched afore

ld, stumbling at times, but heeding it not as they scrambled to their fe

m of the incline first. Before he reached it,

the boat has be

as the