The Field of Ice

y snow clouds cleared away for a little, an

ake the altitude of some of the principal constellations.

hut, where he remained without stirring all night, motionl

is wise forethought, when he saw the white sheet lying three feet thick over

stove drew capitally, and made the hut quite comfortable, or

t articulation was impossible, but he could hear and understand all that was said to him. On learning what had passed, and the circumstances of his discovery, he expressed

sed himself, and going

ohnson to tell me first all the particulars of the mutiny o

e Doctor. "The fact is certain, a

as. "Let me hear the whole affair from Johnso

s was how it happened. I did all

ore, I have no doubt the ringleaders had

lief too," sa

t immediately after your departure Shandon, supp

nd toils were at an end. Economy was entirely disregarded. A blazing fire was kept up in the stove, and the men were allowed to eat and drink at discretion; not only tea and coffee was at thei

handon's doing?

capt

s name to me agai

al, though I half dreaded it too, for you could have done nothing with the men, and they would have massacred you rather than remain on board. I tried my influence on each one separately, remonstrating and reasoning with them, and pointing out the dangers they would encounter, and also the cowardice of leaving you, but it was a mere waste of words; not even the best among them would listen to me. Shandon was impatient to be off, and fixed the 22nd of February for starting. The sledge and the boat were packed as closely as possible with provisions and spirits, and heaps of wood, to obtain

gloomy recital, broken at le

and now let the subject be dropped. Let us unite efforts for our common salvation. There are four of us, four companion

re all devoted to you, and our words come from our

ras, sadly; "my opinion might appear i

ronouncing on such an important ma

then, J

ain our exact position; well, is

st reckoning was made. I find we are just where we w

re we from the neare

ix hundr

at sea

ound," was

could not get th

e s

l situation, we are in a better posit

said Hatteras, again bur

ay, Bell?" ask

get back at once without losing a single day or even a single hour, either to the sou

ee weeks," replied Hattera

since it is our last chance. Even if we can only crawl on our knees b

e may have to encounter difficulties. Mountains and

o endure sufferings, no doubt, and perhaps many. We shall have to limit ourselve

half a pound of powde

and I am not deluding myself with vain hopes. But I think I ca

eras, after a l

eated by treachery. Natural difficulties you might have overcome, but you have been outmatched by perfidy and human weakness. You have done all that man could do, and you would have succeeded I

n after waiting a considerabl

aised his head, and sai

en of reaching the Sound, exhausted th

ain, the Sound won't come to us, we must go to it. We

of falling in with some ship that

eenland or Danish settlement? At any rate, Hatteras, we can get nothing by

We must start, and start at once. We have b

ice, Johnson?" as

capt

ours,

Hatt

ation. The issue of his whole life hung on the decision he had to make, for he felt t

ding he did no

sions at once, and as much wood as possible. I must confess six hundred miles is a long journey, but we

it a few days yet

hoping for?"

you should get your strength a little recruited. You might sink dow

e death that awaits us he

nd yet why should there not be Esquimaux tribes round about the Pole as well as towards the south? The open sea, of the existence of which we are certified, must wash the shores of continents. Natu

ht upon that his decision began to waver. He was on the point of yielding, when Johnson, w

et us be off t

he two had risen to leave the

ou! Well, go! I shal

hnson, stopping in

eave me like the rest! Come, Duk

, even at the sacrifice of a day. He was just about to try the force of his eloquence in this direction, when he felt a light touch on his arm, and turning round saw Altamont who had crawled out of bed and managed to get on his knees. He was tr

the Por

ive, and Hatteras went on with his q

hese

ive gesture

in the

es

now her p

es

act

es

re was said, and the onlookers

s spoke agai

your vessel. I will count the degrees aloud, and

by a motion of the hea

rst. 105°, No? 106°, 107°? I

eplied A

109°, 110°, 112°, 114

an. "120° of longitude, and h

and when he got to fifteen,

ow for the latitude. Are you l

sign to st

es: 5', 10', 15',

him once more,

rpoise is in longitude 120°

motionless in the Doctor's arms, complet

s right. Our salvation lies indeed in the no

his countenance change. The serpent of jealousy had stung him, for this stranger was a