and to his great surprise they made a rich feast out of it; the old sailor in his delight told the doctor. He, however, was not in the least surprised; he knew that in the north of America the horses make fish their main article of food, and what a herbivorous horse could content himself with would certainly satisfy an omnivorous dog. Before going to rest, although sleep became an imperious necessity for men who had walked fifteen miles on the ice, the doctor wished to have a few serious words with his companions about the dangers of their situation. "We are only at latitude 82°," he said, "and our supplies are already running short." "A reason for losing no time," answered Hatteras; "we must push on; the strong can draw the feeble." "Shall we find a ship when we get there?" asked Bell, who was much depressed by the fatigue of the journey. "Why doubt it?" said Johnson; "the American's safety depends on ours." To make sure, the doctor was anxious to question Altamont again. He could speak easily, although his voice was weak; he confirmed all the statements he had already made; he repeated that the ship was aground on some granite rocks, where it could not stir, and that it lay in longitude 120° 15', and latitude 83° 35'. "We can't doubt this statement," resumed the doctor; "the difficulty is not whether the -Porpoise- is there, but the way of getting to her." "How much food have we left?" asked Hatteras. "Enough for three days at the outside," answered the doctor. "Well, we must get to her in three days," said the captain, firmly. "We must indeed," continued the doctor, "and if we succeed we shall have no need to complain, for we shall have been favored by faultless weather; the snow has given us a fortnight's respite, and the sledge has glided easily on the hardened ice! Ah, if it only carried two hundred pounds of food! Our dogs could have managed it easily enough. But still we can't help it!" "With luck and skill," said Johnson, "we might put to some use the few charges of powder which are left us. If we should kill a bear we should be supplied for all the rest of the journey." "Without doubt," answered the doctor, "but these animals are rare and shy; and then, when one thinks of the importance of a shot, his hand will shake and his aim be lost." "But you are a good shot," answered Bell. "Yes, when four men's dinners do not depend on my hitting; still, I will do my best if I get a chance. Meanwhile let us try to satisfy ourselves with this thin soup of scraps of pemmican, then go to sleep, and to-morrow early we'll start forth again." A few moments later excessive fatigue outweighed every other feeling, and they all sank into a heavy sleep. Early on Saturday Johnson awoke his companions; the dogs were harnessed to the sledge, and they took up again their journey northward. The heavens were magnificent, the air was very clear, the temperature very low; when the sun appeared above the horizon it appeared like an elongated ellipse; its horizontal diameter appeared, in consequence of refraction, to be double its vertical diameter. It sent forth its clear, cold rays over the vast icy plain. This return to light, if not to heat, rejoiced them all. [Illustration] The doctor, gun in hand, walked off for a mile or two, braving the cold and solitude; before going he measured the supply carefully; only four charges of powder were left, and three balls; that was a small supply when one remembers that a strong animal like the polar bear often falls only after receiving ten or twelve shots. Hence the doctor did not go in search of so fierce game; a few hares or two or three foxes would have satisfied him and given him plenty of provisions. But during that day, if he saw one, or could not approach one, or if he were deceived by refraction, he would lose his shot; and this day, as it was, cost him a charge of powder and a ball. His companions, who trembled with hope at the report of his gun, saw him returning with downcast looks; they did not say anything; that evening they went to sleep as usual, after putting aside two quarter-rations reserved for the two following days. The next day their journey seemed more laborious; they hardly walked, they rather dragged along; the dogs had eaten even the entrails of the seal, and they were beginning to gnaw their harness. A few foxes passed at some distance from the sledge, and the doctor, having missed another shot as he chased them, did not dare to risk his last ball and his last charge save one of powder. That evening they halted early, unable to set one foot before the other, and, although their way was lighted by a brilliant aurora, they could not go on. This last meal, eaten Sunday evening under their icy tent, was very melancholy. If Heaven did not come to their aid, they were lost. Hatteras did not speak, Bell did not even think, Johnson reflected in silence, but the doctor did not yet despair. Johnson thought of setting some traps that night; but since he had no bait, he had very little hope of success, and in the morning he found, as he expected, that, although a great many foxes had left their marks around, yet not one had been caught. He was returning much disappointed, when he saw an enormous bear sniffing the air at about thirty yards from the sledge. The old sailor thought Providence had sent this animal to him to be slain; without awakening his companions he seized the doctor's gun and made his way towards the bear. Having got quite near he took aim, but just as he was about to pull the trigger he felt his arm trembling; his large fur gloves were in his way; he took them off quickly, and seized his gun with a firmer hand. Suddenly, a cry of pain escaped him; the skin of his fingers, burned by the cold of the gun-barrel, remained clinging to it, while the gun fell to the ground, and went off from the shock, sending the last ball off into space. At the sound of the report the doctor ran; he understood everything at a glance; he saw the animal trot quickly away; Johnson was in despair, and thought no more of the pain. [Illustration] "I'm as tender as a baby," he cried, "not to be able to endure that pain! And an old man like me!" "Come back, Johnson," the doctor said to him, "you'll get frozen; see, your hands are white already; come back, come!" "I don't deserve your attentions, Doctor," answered the boatswain; "leave me!" "Come along, you obstinate fellow! Come along! It will soon be too late!" And the doctor, dragging the old sailor under the tent, made him plunge his hands into a bowl of water, which the heat of the stove had kept liquid, although it was not much above the freezing-point; but Johnson's hands had no sooner touched it than it froze at once. "You see," said the doctor, "it was time to come back, otherwise I should have had to amputate your hands." Thanks to his cares, all danger was gone in an hour; but it was no easy task, and constant friction was necessary to recall the circulation into the old sailor's fingers. The doctor urged him to keep his hands away from the stove, the heat of which might produce serious results. That morning they had to go without breakfast; of the pemmican and the salt meat nothing was left. There was not a crumb of biscuit, and only half a pound of coffee. They had to content themselves with drinking this hot, and then they set out. "There's nothing more!" said Bell to Johnson, in a despairing accent. "Let us trust in God," said the old sailor; "he is able to preserve us!" "This Captain Hatteras!" continued Bell; "he was able to return from his first expeditions, but he'll never get back from this one, and we shall never see home again!" "Courage, Bell! I confess that the captain is almost foolhardy, but there is with him a very ingenious man." "Dr. Clawbonny?" said Bell. "Yes," answered Johnson. "What can he do in such circumstances?" retorted Bell, shrugging his shoulders. "Can he change these pieces of ice into pieces of meat? Is he a god, who can work by miracles?" "Who can say?" the boatswain answered his companion's doubts; "I trust in him." Bell shook his head, and fell into a silent apathy, in which he even ceased to think. That day they made hardly three miles; at evening they had nothing to eat; the dogs threatened to devour one another; the men suffered extremely from hunger. Not a single animal was to be seen. If there had been one, of what use would it have been? They could not go hunting with a knife. Only Johnson thought he recognized a mile to leeward the large bear, who was following the ill-fated little party. "It is spying us!" he said to himself; "it sees a certain prey in us!" But Johnson said no word to his companions; that evening they made their accustomed halt, and their supper consisted only of coffee. They felt their eyes growing haggard, their brain growing confused, and, tortured by hunger, they could not get an hour's sleep; strange and painful dreams took possession of their minds. At a latitude in which the body imperiously demands refreshment, these poor men had not eaten solid food for thirty-six hours, when Tuesday morning came. Nevertheless, inspired by superhuman energy, they resumed their journey, pushing on the sledge which the dogs were unable to draw. At the end of two hours they fell, exhausted. Hatteras wanted to push on. He, still strong, besought his companions to rise, but they were absolutely unable. Then, with Johnson's assistance, he built a resting-place in an iceberg. It seemed as if they were digging their own graves. [Illustration: "At the end of two hours they fell, exhausted."] "I am willing to die of hunger," said Hatteras, "but not of cold." After much weariness the house was ready, and they all entered it. [Illustration] So that day passed. In that evening, while his companions lay inert, Johnson had a sort of hallucination; he dreamed of an immense bear. That word, which he kept repeating, attracted the doctor's attention, so that he shook himself free from his stupor, and asked the old sailor why he kept talking about a bear, and what bear he meant. "The bear which is following us," answered Johnson. "The bear which is following us?" repeated the doctor. "Yes, the last two days." "The last two days! Have you seen him?" "Yes, he's a mile to leeward." "And you didn't tell us, Johnson?" "What was the use?" "True," said the doctor; "we have no ball to fire at him." "Not a slug, a bit of iron, nor a bolt!" said the old sailor. The doctor was silent, and began to think intently. Soon he said to the boatswain,-- "You are sure the bear is following us?" "Yes, Doctor, he's lying in wait to eat us. He knows we can't escape him!" "Johnson!" said the doctor, touched by the despairing accent of his companion. "His food is sure," continued the poor man, who was beginning to be delirious; "he must be half famished, and I don't see why we need keep him waiting any longer!" "Be quiet, Johnson!" "No, Doctor; if we've got to come to it, why should we prolong the animal's sufferings? He's hungry as we are; he has no seal to eat! Heaven sends him us men; well, so much the better for him!" Thereupon Johnson went out of his mind; he wanted to leave the snow-house. The doctor had hard work to prevent him, and he only succeeded by saying, as if he meant it,-- "To-morrow I shall kill that bear!" "To-morrow!" said Johnson, as if he had awakened from a bad dream. "Yes, to-morrow." "You have no ball!" "I shall make one." "You have no lead!" "No, but I have some quicksilver." Thereupon the doctor took the thermometer; it marked +50°. He went outside, placed the instrument on the ice, and soon returned. The outside temperature was -50°. Then he said to the old sailor,-- "Now go to sleep, and wait till to-morrow." That night they endured the horrors of hunger; only the doctor and the boatswain were able to temper them with a little hope. The next morning, at dawn, the doctor rushed out, followed by Johnson, and ran to the thermometer; all the mercury had sunk into the bulb, in the form of a compact cylinder. The doctor broke the instrument, and seized in his gloved fingers a piece of very hard metal. It was a real bullet. "Ah, Doctor," shouted the old sailor, "that's a real miracle! You are a wonderful man!" "No, my friend," answered the doctor, "I am only a man with a good memory, who has read a good deal." "Why, what do you mean?" "I happened to remember something Captain Ross related in the account of his voyage: he said he shot through an inch plank with a bullet of frozen mercury; if I had any oil it would amount to nearly the same thing, for he speaks of a ball of sweet almond, which was fired against a post and fell back to the ground unbroken." "That is hardly credible!" "But it is true, Johnson; this piece of metal may save our lives; let us leave it here in the air before we take it, and go and see whether the bear is still following us." At that moment Hatteras came out of the hut; the doctor showed him the bullet, and told him what he thought of doing; the captain pressed his hand, and the three went off to inspect. The air was very clear. Hatteras, who was ahead of his companions, discovered the bear about a half-mile off. The animal, seated on his hind quarters, was busily moving his head about, sniffing towards these new arrivals. "There he is!" shouted the captain. "Silence!" said the doctor. But the huge beast did not stir when he saw the hunters. He gazed at them without fear or anger. Still, it would be found hard to approach him. [Illustration] "My friends," said Hatteras, "we have not come out for sport, but to save our lives. Let us act cautiously." "Yes," answered the doctor; "we can only have one shot, and we must not miss; if he were to run away, he would be lost, for he can run faster than a hare." "Well, we must go straight for him," said Johnson; "it is dangerous, but what does it matter? I am willing to risk my life." "No, let me go!" cried the doctor. "No, I shall go," answered Hatteras, quietly. "But," said Johnson, "are not you of more use to the others than I should be?" "No, Johnson," answered the captain, "let me go; I shall run no needless risk; perhaps, too, I shall call on you to help me." "Hatteras," asked the doctor, "are you going to walk straight towards the bear?" "If I were sure of hitting him, I would do so, even at the risk of having my head torn open, but he would flee at my approach. He is very crafty; we must try to be even craftier." "What do you intend to do?" "To get within ten feet of him without his suspecting it." "How are you going to do it?" "By a simple but dangerous method. You kept, did you not, the skin of the seal you shot?" "Yes, it is on the sledge." "Well, let us go back to the snow-house, while Johnson stays here on watch." The boatswain crept behind a hummock which hid him entirely from the sight of the bear, who stayed in the same place, continually sniffing the air. CHAPTER V. THE SEAL AND THE BEAR. Hatteras and the doctor went back to the house. "You know," said the captain, "that the polar bears chase seals, which are their principal food. They watch for days at their breathing-holes, and seize them the moment they come upon the ice. So a bear will not be afraid of a seal; far from it." "I understand your plan," said the doctor, "but it's dangerous." "But there is a chance of success," answered the captain, "and we must try it. I am going to put on the sealskin and crawl over the ice. Let us lose no time. Load the gun and give it to me." The doctor had nothing to say; he would himself have done what his companion was about to try; he left the house, carrying two axes, one for Johnson, the other for himself; then, accompanied by Hatteras, he went to the sledge. There Hatteras put on the sealskin, which very nearly covered him. Meanwhile, Hatteras loaded the gun with the last charge of powder, and dropped in it the quicksilver bullet, which was as hard as steel and as heavy as lead. Then he handed Hatteras the gun, which he hid beneath the sealskin. Then he said to the doctor,-- "You go and join Johnson; I shall wait a few moments to puzzle the enemy." "Courage, Hatteras!" said the doctor. "Don't be uneasy, and above all don't show yourselves before you hear my gun." The doctor soon reached the hummock which concealed Johnson. "Well?" the latter asked. "Well, we must wait. Hatteras is doing all this to save us." The doctor was agitated; he looked at the bear, which had grown excited, as if he had become conscious of the danger which threatened him. A quarter of an hour later the seal was crawling over the ice; he made a circuit of a quarter of a mile to baffle the bear; then he found himself within three hundred feet of him. The bear then saw him, and settled down as if he were trying to hide. Hatteras imitated skilfully the movements of a seal, and if he had not known, the doctor would certainly have taken him for one. "That's true!" whispered Johnson. The seal, as he approached the bear, did not appear to see him; he seemed to be seeking some hole through which to reach the water. The bear advanced towards him over the ice with the utmost caution; his eager eyes betrayed his excitement; for one or perhaps two months he had been fasting, and fortune was now throwing a sure prey before him. The seal had come within ten feet of his enemy; the bear hastened towards him, made a long leap, and stood stupefied three paces from Hatteras, who, casting aside the sealskin, with one knee resting on the ground, was aiming at the bear's heart. The report was sounded, and the bear rolled over on the ice. "Forward!" shouted the doctor. And, followed by Johnson, he hastened to the scene of combat. The huge beast rose, and beat the air with one paw while with the other he tore up a handful of snow to stanch the wound. Hatteras did not stir, but waited, knife in hand. But his aim had been accurate, and his bullet had hit its mark; before the arrival of his friends he had plunged his knife into the beast's throat, and it fell, never to rise. [Illustration: "He plunged his knife into the beast's throat."] "Victory!" shouted Johnson. "Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" cried the doctor. Hatteras, with folded arms, was gazing calmly at the corpse of his foe. "It's now my turn," said Johnson; "it's very well to have killed it, but there is no need of waiting till it's frozen as hard as a stone, when teeth and knife will be useless for attacking it." Johnson began by skinning the bear, which was nearly as large as an ox; it was nine feet long and six feet in circumference; two huge tusks, three inches long, issued from his mouth. On opening him, nothing was found in his stomach but water; the bear had evidently eaten nothing for a long time; nevertheless, he was very fat, and he weighed more than fifteen hundred pounds; he was divided into four quarters, each one of which gave two hundred pounds of meat, and the hunters carried this flesh back to the snow-house, without forgetting the animal's heart, which went on beating for three hours. The others wanted to eat the meat raw, but the doctor bade them wait until it should be roasted. On entering the house he was struck by the great cold within it; he went up to the stove and found the fire out; the occupations as well as the excitement of the morning had made Johnson forget his customary duty. The doctor tried to rekindle the fire, but there was not even a spark lingering amid the cold ashes. "Well, we must have patience!" he said to himself. He then went to the sledge to get some tinder, and asked Johnson for his steel, telling him that the fire had gone out. Johnson answered that it was his fault, and he put his hand in his pocket, where he usually kept it; he was surprised not to find it there. He felt in his other pockets with the same success; he went into the snow-house and examined carefully the covering under which he had slept in the previous night, but he could not find it. "Well?" shouted the doctor. Johnson came back, and stared at his companions. "And haven't you got the steel, Dr. Clawbonny?" he asked. "No, Johnson." "Nor you, Captain?" "No," answered Hatteras. "You have always carried it," said the doctor. "Well, I haven't got it now--" murmured the old sailor, growing pale. "Not got it!" shouted the doctor, who could not help trembling. There was no other steel, and the loss of this might bring with it terrible consequences. "Hunt again!" said the doctor. Johnson ran to the piece of ice behind which he had watched the bear, then to the place of combat, where he had cut him up; but he could not find anything. He returned in despair. Hatteras looked at him without a word of reproach. "This is serious," he said to the doctor. "Yes," the latter answered. "We have not even an instrument, a glass from which we might take the lens to get fire by means of it!" "I know it," answered the doctor; "and that is a great pity, because the rays of the sun are strong enough to kindle tinder." "Well," answered Hatteras, "we must satisfy our hunger with this raw meat; then we shall resume our march and we shall try to reach the ship." "Yes," said the doctor, buried in reflection; "yes, we could do that if we had to. Why not? We might try--" "What are you thinking of?" asked Hatteras. "An idea which has just occurred to me--" "An idea," said Johnson; "one of your ideas! Then we are saved!" "It's a question," answered the doctor, "whether it will succeed." "What is your plan?" said Hatteras. "We have no lens; well, we will make one." "How?" asked Johnson. "With a piece of ice which we shall cut out." "Why, do you think--" "Why not? We want to make the sun's rays converge to a common focus, and ice will do as much good as crystal." "Is it possible?" asked Johnson. "Yes, only I should prefer fresh to salt water; it is more transparent, and harder." "But, if I am not mistaken," said Johnson, pointing to a hummock a hundred paces distant, "that dark green block shows--" "You are right; come, my friends; bring your hatchet, Johnson." The three men went towards the block which, as they supposed, was formed of fresh water. The doctor had a piece, a foot in diameter, cut through, and he began to smooth it with the hatchet; then he equalized the surface still further with his knife; then he polished it with his hand, and he obtained soon a lens as transparent as if it had been made of the most magnificent crystal. Then he returned to the snow-house, where he took a piece of tinder and began his experiment. The sun was shining brightly; the doctor held the lens so that the rays should be focused on the tinder, which took fire in a few seconds. [Illustration] "Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Johnson, who could hardly trust his eyes. "O Doctor, Doctor!" The old sailor could not restrain his joy; he was coming and going like a madman. The doctor had returned to the house; a few minutes later the stove was roaring, and soon a delicious odor of cooking aroused Bell from his torpor. It may be easily imagined how the feast was enjoyed; still the doctor advised his friends to partake in moderation; he set an example, and while eating he again began to talk. "To-day is a lucky day," he said; "we have food enough for our journey. But we mustn't fall asleep in the delights of Capua, and we'd better start out again." "We can't be more than forty-eight hours from the -Porpoise-," said Altamont, who could now begin to speak once more. "I hope," said the doctor, smiling, "that we shall find material for a fire there." "Yes," said the American. "For, if my ice lens is good," continued the doctor, "there would still be something desired on cloudy days, and there are many of them less than four degrees from the Pole." "True!" said Altamont with a sigh, "less than four degrees! My ship has gone nearer than any yet has been!" "Forward!" said Hatteras, quickly. "Forward!" repeated the doctor, gazing uneasily at the two captains. The strength of the travellers soon returned; the dogs had eaten freely of the bear's flesh, and they continued their journey northward. During their walk the doctor tried to draw from Altamont the object of his expedition, but the American gave only evasive answers. "There are two men to be watched," he whispered to the boatswain. "Yes," answered Johnson. "Hatteras never says a word to the American, and the American seems to show very little gratitude. Fortunately I am here." "Dr. Clawbonny," answered Johnson, "since this Yankee has returned to life, I don't like his face much." "Either I'm mistaken," answered the doctor, "or he suspects Hatteras's plans." "Do you think that the stranger has the same plans?" "Who can tell? The Americans are bold; an American may well try what an Englishman tries!" "You think that Altamont--" "I don't think anything about it," answered the doctor; "but the situation of this ship on the way to the Pole gives one material for thought." "But Altamont said he had drifted there." "He said so! Yes, but he was smiling in a very strange way." "The devil, Dr. Clawbonny; it would be unfortunate if there should be any rivalry between two such men." "Heaven grant that I may be mistaken, Johnson, for this misfortune might produce serious complications, if not some catastrophe." "I hope Altamont will not forget that we saved his life." "But isn't he going to save us? I confess that without us he would not be alive; but what would become of us without him, without his ship, without its resources?" "Well, Doctor, you are here, and I hope with your aid all will go well." "I hope so, Johnson." The voyage went on without incident; there was no lack of bear's flesh, and they made copious meals of it; there was a certain good-humor in the little band, thanks to the jests of the doctor and his pleasant philosophy; this worthy man always had some scrap of information to give to his companions. His health continued good; he had not grown very thin, in spite of his fatigues and privations; his friends at Liverpool would have recognized him without difficulty; especially would they have recognized his unaltered good-humor. [Illustration] During the morning of Saturday the appearance of the plain of ice changed materially; the perturbed fragments, the frequent packs, the hummocks, showed that the ice-field was enduring some severe pressure; evidently some unknown continent, some new island, might have caused this by narrowing the passes. Blocks of fresh water, more frequent and larger, indicated the coast to be near. Hence, there was near them a new land, and the doctor yearned with a desire to add to the charts of the northern regions. Great is the pleasure of ascertaining the line of these unknown coasts, and of tracing it with a pencil; that was the doctor's aim, while that of Hatteras was merely to place his foot upon the Pole, and he took pleasure in advance in thinking of the names he was going to give to the seas, straits, bays, and slightest promontories in these new continents; certainly he would not forget the names of his companions, his friends, nor her Gracious Majesty, nor the royal family; and he foresaw a certain "Cape Clawbonny" with great satisfaction. These thoughts kept him busy all day; that evening they encamped as usual, and each one took his turn at watching near these unknown lands. The next day, Sunday, after a heavy breakfast of bear's paws, which were very good, the travellers pushed on to the north, inclining a little to the west; the road grew difficult, but yet they advanced rapidly. Altamont, from the top of the sledge, scanned the horizon with feverish attention; his companions were the victims of involuntary uneasiness. The last solar observations gave them latitude 83° 35', and longitude 120° 15'; that was the place where the American ship was said to be lying; the question of life and death was to be solved that day. At last, at about half past two in the afternoon, Altamont stood straight, stopped the little band by a loud cry, and, pointing with his hand to a white mass, which all the rest had taken for an iceberg, he cried with a loud voice,-- "The -Porpoise-!" CHAPTER VI. THE PORPOISE. March 24th was Palm Sunday,--that day when the streets of the towns and villages of Europe are filled with flowers and leaves; bells are ringing, and the air is filled with rich perfumes. But here, in this desolate country, what sadness and silence! The wind was keen and bitter; not a leaf of foliage was to be seen! But still, this Sunday was a day of rejoicing for our travellers, for at last they were about to find supplies which would save them from certain death. They hastened their steps; the dogs drew the sledge briskly, Duke barked joyously, and they all soon reached the American ship. The -Porpoise- was wholly buried beneath the snow; there was no sign of mast, yard, or rigging; all had been lost at the time of the shipwreck; the ship lay on a bed of rocks now completely hidden. The -Porpoise- was careened to one side by the violence of the shock, her bottom was torn open, so that the ship seemed uninhabitable. This was soon seen by the captain, the doctor, and Johnson, after they had entered the vessel; they had to cut away fifteen feet of ice to get to the hatchway; but to their great joy they saw that the animals, many traces of which were to be seen, had spared the supplies. "If we have here," said Johnson, "plenty of food and fuel, this hull does not seem inhabitable." "Well, we must build a snow-house," answered Hatteras, "and make ourselves as comfortable as possible on the mainland." "Without doubt," continued the doctor; "but don't let us hurry; let us do things carefully; if need be we can fit out some quarters in the ship; meanwhile we can build a strong house, capable of protecting us against the cold and wild beasts. I am willing to be the architect, and you'll see what I can do." "I don't doubt your skill, Doctor," answered Johnson; "we'll make ourselves as comfortable as possible here, and we'll make an inventory of all that the ship contains; unfortunately, I don't see any launch, or boat, and these ruins are in too bad a state to permit of our making a small boat." "Who can say?" answered the doctor. "With time and thought a great deal can be done; now we have not to trouble ourselves about navigation, but about a house to live in; I propose not to form any other plans, and to let everything have its turn." "That is wise," answered Hatteras; "let us begin with the beginning." The three companions left the ship, returned to the sledge, and announced their determination to Bell and the American; Bell said he was ready to work; the American shook his head, on learning that nothing could be done with his ship; but since all discussion would have been idle, they determined at first to take refuge in the -Porpoise-, and to build a large building on the shore. At four o'clock in the afternoon the five travellers were installed as comfortably as possible between decks; by means of spars and fragments of masts, Bell had made a nearly level floor; there they placed coverings stiffened by the frost, which the heat of the stove soon brought back to their natural state; Altamont, leaning on the doctor, was able to make his way to the corner which had been set aside for him; on setting foot on his ship, he had sighed with a feeling of relief, which did not encourage the boatswain. "He feels at home," the old sailor thought, "and one would say that he had invited us here." The rest of the day was devoted to repose; the weather threatened to change under the influence of the westerly winds; the thermometer outside stood at -26°. In fact, the -Porpoise- lay beyond the pole of cold, at a latitude relatively less severe, though farther to the north. On that day they finished the bear, with some biscuits they found on the ship, and a few cups of tea; then fatigue overcame them, and each one sank into a sound sleep. The next morning they all awoke rather late; they soon recalled the difference in their situation; they were no longer perplexed with uncertainty about the morrow; they only thought of establishing themselves comfortably. These castaways looked at themselves as colonists who had reached their destination, and, forgetting the sufferings of their long march, they had no other thought than that of securing a comfortable future. [Illustration: "These castaways looked at themselves as colonists who had reached their destination."] "Well," said the doctor, stretching his arms, "it's something not to have to wonder where one will sleep to-night and what one will have to eat to-morrow." "Let us first make an inventory of the ship," answered Johnson. The -Porpoise- had been carefully equipped for a long voyage. The inventory, when complete, indicated the following supplies:-- 6,150 lbs. of flour, fat and raisins for puddings; 2,000 "" beef and salt pork; 1,500 "" pemmican; 700 "" sugar; 700 "" chocolate; 500 "" rice; 1½ chests of tea, weighing 87 lbs; many barrels of canned fruits and vegetables, lime-juice in abundance, cochlearia, sorrel and water-cresses, and three hundred gallons of rum and brandy; in the hold there was a large supply of ammunition; there was plenty of coal and wood. The doctor collected carefully the nautical instruments, and he also found a Bunsen's Pile, which had been carried for electrical tests and experiments. In short, they had supplies enough to keep five men on whole rations for two years; all fear of starving or freezing to death was hence wholly removed. "Our means of living are certain," said the doctor to the captain, "and there is nothing to prevent our reaching the Pole." "The Pole!" answered Hatteras, trembling with excitement. "Certainly," continued the doctor; "what's to prevent our pushing on during the summer across the land?" "Across the land! true! But how about the sea?" "Can't we build a small boat out of the timber of the -Porpoise-?" "An American boat, you mean," answered Hatteras, scornfully, "and commanded by this American!" The doctor understood the captain's repugnance, and judged it best to change the conversation. "Now that we know what our supplies are," he went on, "we must build some safe place for them, and a house for ourselves. We have plenty of material, and we can settle ourselves very comfortably. I hope, Bell," he added, turning to the carpenter, "that you are going to distinguish yourself; I may be able to help you too, I trust." "I'm ready, Doctor," answered Bell; "if it were necessary I could easily build a whole city with houses and streets out of these blocks of ice--" "We sha'n't need as much as that; let us follow the example of the agents of the Hudson's Bay Company; they build forts which protect them from the wild beasts and the Indians; that is all we need; let us make it no larger than necessary; on one side the dwelling, on the other the stores, with a sort of curtain, and two bastions. I'll try to rub up what I know about fortification." "Upon my word, Doctor," said Johnson, "I don't doubt that we shall make something very fine under your direction." "Well, my friends, we must first choose a site; a good engineer should first study the lay of the land. Will you come with me, Hatteras?" "I shall trust to you, Doctor," answered the captain. "You see about that, while I explore the coast." Altamont, who was still too feeble to get to work, was left on board of his ship, and the two Englishmen set foot on the mainland. The weather was thick and stormy; at noon the thermometer stood at -11°, but, there being no wind, that temperature was comfortable. Judging from the outline of the shore, a large sea, at that time wholly frozen, stretched out farther than eye could reach in the west; on the east it was limited by a rounded coast, cut into by numerous estuaries, and rising suddenly about two hundred yards from the shore; it formed a large bay, full of dangerous rocks, on which the -Porpoise- had been wrecked; far off on the land rose a mountain, which the doctor conjectured to be about three thousand feet high. Towards the north a promontory ran into the sea, after hiding a part of the bay. An island of moderate size rose from the field of ice, three miles from the mainland, so that it offered a safe anchorage to any ship that could enter the bay. In a hollow cut of the shore was a little inlet, easily reached by ships, if this part of the arctic seas was ever open. Yet, according to the accounts of Beecher and Penny, this whole sea was open in the summer months. In the middle of the coast the doctor noticed a sort of plateau about two hundred feet in diameter; on three sides it was open to the bay; the fourth was enclosed by an elevation about a hundred and twenty feet high; this could be ascended only by steps cut in the ice. This seemed a proper place for a solid building, and it could be easily fortified; nature had adapted it for the purpose; it was only necessary to make use of the place. The doctor, Bell, and Johnson reached this place by means of steps cut in the ice. As soon as the doctor saw the excellence of the place, he determined to dig away the ten feet of hardened snow which covered it; the buildings had to be built on a solid foundation. During Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, work went on without relaxation; at last the ground appeared; it consisted of a hard, dense granite, with the angles as sharp as glass; it contained, moreover, garnets and large crystals of feldspar, against which the pickaxe struck fire. [Illustration] The doctor then gave them the dimensions and plan of the snow-house; it was to be forty feet long, twenty broad, and ten deep; it was divided into three rooms, a sitting-room, a bedroom, and a kitchen; more was not needed. To the left was the kitchen, to the right the bedroom, in the middle the sitting-room. For five days they worked busily. There was no lack of material; the ice walls were thick enough to resist thawing, for they could not risk being wholly without protection, even in summer. In proportion as the house rose, it became agreeable to see; there were four front windows, two in the sitting-room, one in the kitchen, another in the bedroom; for panes of glass they substituted large sheets of ice, in the Esquimaux fashion, which served as well as unpolished glass for the passage of light. In front of the sitting-room, between two windows, there ran a long entry like a tunnel, which gave admission to the house; a solid door, brought from the -Porpoise-, closed it hermetically. When the house was finished, the doctor was delighted with his handiwork; it would have been impossible to say to what school of architecture the building belonged, although the architect would have avowed his preferences for the Saxon Gothic, so common in England; but the main point was, that it should be solid; therefore the doctor placed on the front short uprights; on top a sloping roof rested against the granite wall. This served to support the stove-pipes, which carried the smoke away. When the task was completed, they began to arrange the interior. They carried into the bedroom the sleeping-accommodations from the -Porpoise-; they were arranged in a circle about a large stove. Benches, chairs, sofas, tables, wardrobes, were arranged in the sitting-room, which was also used as a dining-room; the kitchen received the cooking-stoves of the ship, and the various utensils. Sails, stretched on the floor, formed the carpet, and also served as hangings to the inner doors, which had no other way of closing. The walls of the house averaged five feet in thickness, and the recesses for the windows looked like embrasures in a fort. It was all built with great solidity; what more was to be desired? Ah, if they had listened to the doctor, there is no knowing what they would not have made of this ice and snow, which can be so easily manipulated! He all day long would ponder over plans which he never hoped to bring about, but he thereby lightened the dull work of all by the ingenuity of his suggestions. Besides, he had come across, in his wide reading, a rather rare book by one Kraft, entitled "Detailed Description of the Snow-Palace built at St. Petersburg, in January, 1740, and of all the Objects it contained." The recollection of this book impressed him. One evening he gave his companions a full account of the wonders of that snow-palace. [Illustration] [Illustration] "Why couldn't we do here," he asked, "what they did at St. Petersburg? What do we need? Nothing, not even imagination!" "So it was very handsome?" said Johnson. "It was fairy-like, my friend. The house, built by order of the Empress Anna, and in which she had celebrated the marriage of one of her buffoons in 1740, was nearly as large as ours; but in front stood six cannons of ice; they were often fired without bursting; there were also mortars to hold sixty-pound shells; so we could have some formidable artillery; the bronze is handy, and falls even from heaven. But the triumph of taste and art was on the front of the palace, which was adorned with handsome statues; the steps were garnished with vases of flowers of the same material; on the right stood an enormous elephant, who played water through his trunk by day, and burning naphtha by night. What a menagerie we might have if we only wanted to!" "As for animals," answered Johnson, "we sha'n't lack them, I fancy, and they won't be any the less interesting for not being made of ice." "Well," said the doctor, "we shall be able to defend ourselves against their attacks; but to return to the palace, I should add that inside there were mirrors, candelabra, beds, mattresses, pillows, curtains, clocks, chairs, playing-cards, wardrobes well furnished, and all cut out of ice; in fact, nothing was lacking." "It was then a true palace?" said Bell. "A splendid palace, worthy of a sovereign! Ice! It was kind of Providence to invent it, since it lends itself to so many miracles and accommodates so readily to the needs of castaways!" It took them until March 31st to get the house ready; this was Easter Sunday, and the day was set aside for rest; the whole day was spent in the sitting-room, where divine service was read, and each was able to judge of the excellent arrangements of the snow-house. The next morning they set about building stores and a magazine; this took them about a week, including the time employed for emptying the -Porpoise-, which was not done without difficulty, for the low temperature did not permit them to work very long. At last, April 8th, provisions, food, and supplies were safely sheltered on land; the stores were placed to the north, and the powder-house to the south, about sixty feet from the end of the house; a sort of dog-kennel was built near the stores; it was destined for the Greenland dogs, and the doctor honored it with the title of "Dog-Palace." Duke partook of the ; 1 . , , 2 ; 3 , 4 . 5 6 , 7 , 8 9 . 10 11 " , " , " 12 . " 13 14 " , " ; " ; 15 . " 16 17 " ? " , 18 . 19 20 " ? " ; " ' . " 21 22 , . 23 , ; 24 ; 25 , , 26 ' , ' . 27 28 " ' , " ; " 29 - - , 30 . " 31 32 " ? " . 33 34 " , " . 35 36 " , , " , . 37 38 " , " , " 39 , 40 ; ' , 41 ! , 42 ! . 43 ' ! " 44 45 " , " , " 46 . 47 . " 48 49 " , " , " 50 ; , , 51 . " 52 53 " , " . 54 55 " , ' ; , 56 . 57 , , 58 - ' . " 59 60 , 61 . 62 ; , 63 . 64 65 , , 66 ; 67 ; , 68 , . 69 , . , 70 , . 71 72 [ ] 73 74 , , , 75 ; ; 76 , ; 77 78 . 79 ; 80 . 81 , , , 82 , ; , 83 , . , 84 , 85 ; ; 86 , - 87 . 88 ; , ; 89 , 90 . 91 92 , , 93 , 94 . 95 96 , 97 , , , 98 . , 99 , . , 100 . , , 101 , . 102 103 ; 104 , , , 105 , , 106 , . 107 , 108 . 109 ; 110 ' . 111 112 , 113 ; 114 ; , 115 . , ; , 116 - , , 117 , , 118 . ; 119 ; 120 ; , . 121 122 [ ] 123 124 " ' , " , " 125 ! ! " 126 127 " , , " , " ' ; , 128 ; , ! " 129 130 " ' , , " ; 131 " ! " 132 133 " , ! ! 134 ! " 135 136 , , 137 , 138 , - ; 139 ' . 140 141 " , " , " , 142 . " 143 144 , ; 145 , 146 ' . 147 , 148 . 149 150 ; 151 . , 152 . 153 , . 154 155 " ' ! " , . 156 157 " , " ; " 158 ! " 159 160 " ! " ; " 161 , ' , 162 ! " 163 164 " , ! , 165 . " 166 167 " . ? " . 168 169 " , " . 170 171 " ? " , 172 . " ? 173 , ? " 174 175 " ? " ' ; " 176 . " 177 178 , , 179 . 180 181 ; 182 ; ; 183 . . 184 , ? 185 . 186 , - . 187 188 " ! " ; " ! " 189 190 ; 191 , . 192 , , , 193 , ' ; 194 . 195 196 , 197 - , 198 . , , 199 , 200 . , . 201 . , , , 202 . , ' , 203 - . 204 . 205 206 [ : " , . " ] 207 208 " , " , " . " 209 210 , . 211 212 [ ] 213 214 . , , 215 ; . 216 , , ' , 217 , 218 , . 219 220 " , " . 221 222 " ? " . 223 224 " , . " 225 226 " ! ? " 227 228 " , ' . " 229 230 " ' , ? " 231 232 " ? " 233 234 " , " ; " . " 235 236 " , , ! " . 237 238 , . 239 , - - 240 241 " ? " 242 243 " , , ' . ' 244 ! " 245 246 " ! " , 247 . 248 249 " , " , 250 ; " , ' 251 ! " 252 253 " , ! " 254 255 " , ; ' , 256 ' ? ' ; ! 257 ; , ! " 258 259 ; 260 - . , 261 , , - - 262 263 " - ! " 264 265 " - ! " , . 266 267 " , - . " 268 269 " ! " 270 271 " . " 272 273 " ! " 274 275 " , . " 276 277 ; + . 278 , , . 279 - . , - - 280 281 " , - . " 282 283 ; 284 . 285 , , , , 286 ; , 287 . , 288 . 289 . 290 291 " , , " , " ' ! 292 ! " 293 294 " , , " , " 295 , . " 296 297 " , ? " 298 299 " 300 : 301 ; 302 , , 303 . " 304 305 " ! " 306 307 " , ; ; 308 , 309 . " 310 311 ; 312 , ; 313 , . . 314 , , 315 - . , , 316 , . 317 318 " ! " . 319 320 " ! " . 321 322 . 323 . , 324 . 325 326 [ ] 327 328 " , " , " , 329 . . " 330 331 " , " ; " , 332 ; , , 333 . " 334 335 " , , " ; " , 336 ? . " 337 338 " , ! " . 339 340 " , , " , . 341 342 " , " , " 343 ? " 344 345 " , , " , " ; 346 ; , , . " 347 348 " , " , " 349 ? " 350 351 " , , 352 , . 353 ; . " 354 355 " ? " 356 357 " . " 358 359 " ? " 360 361 " . , , 362 ? " 363 364 " , . " 365 366 " , - , 367 . " 368 369 370 , , 371 . 372 373 374 375 376 . 377 . 378 379 380 . 381 382 " , " , " , 383 . 384 - , . 385 ; . " 386 387 " , " , " ' . " 388 389 " , " , " 390 . . 391 . . " 392 393 ; 394 ; , , 395 , ; , , 396 . 397 398 , . 399 , , 400 , 401 . , 402 . , - - 403 404 " ; 405 . " 406 407 " , ! " . 408 409 " ' , ' 410 . " 411 412 . 413 414 " ? " . 415 416 " , . . " 417 418 ; , 419 , 420 . ; 421 ; 422 . , 423 . 424 , , 425 . 426 427 " ' ! " . 428 429 , , ; 430 . 431 ; 432 ; 433 , . 434 ; 435 , , 436 , , , 437 , ' . 438 439 , . 440 441 " ! " . , , 442 . , 443 444 . , , . 445 , ; 446 ' , 447 , . 448 449 [ : " ' . " ] 450 451 " ! " . 452 453 " ! ! ! " . 454 455 , , 456 . 457 458 " ' , " ; " ' , 459 ' , 460 . " 461 462 , 463 ; ; 464 , , . , 465 ; 466 ; , , 467 ; 468 , , 469 - , 470 ' , . 471 472 , 473 . 474 ; ; 475 476 . 477 , . 478 479 " , ! " . 480 , , 481 . 482 , , ; 483 . 484 ; - 485 , 486 . 487 488 " ? " . 489 490 , . 491 492 " ' , . ? " . 493 494 " , . " 495 496 " , ? " 497 498 " , " . 499 500 " , " . 501 502 " , ' - - " , . 503 504 " ! " , . 505 , 506 . 507 508 " ! " . 509 510 , 511 , ; 512 . . 513 . 514 515 " , " . 516 517 " , " . 518 519 " , 520 ! " 521 522 " , " ; " , 523 . " 524 525 " , " , " 526 ; 527 . " 528 529 " , " , ; " , 530 . ? - - " 531 532 " ? " . 533 534 " - - " 535 536 " , " ; " ! ! " 537 538 " ' , " , " . " 539 540 " ? " . 541 542 " ; , . " 543 544 " ? " . 545 546 " . " 547 548 " , - - " 549 550 " ? ' , 551 . " 552 553 " ? " . 554 555 " , ; 556 , . " 557 558 " , , " , 559 , " - - " 560 561 " ; , ; , . " 562 563 , , 564 . 565 566 , , , 567 ; 568 ; , 569 570 . - , 571 . 572 ; 573 , . 574 575 [ ] 576 577 " ! ! " , . " 578 , ! " 579 580 ; 581 . ; 582 , 583 . 584 ; 585 ; , 586 . 587 588 " - , " ; " 589 . ' , ' 590 . " 591 592 " ' - - - , " 593 , . 594 595 " , " , , " 596 . " 597 598 " , " . 599 600 " , , " , " 601 , 602 . " 603 604 " ! " , " ! 605 ! " 606 607 " ! " , . 608 609 " ! " , . 610 611 ; 612 ' , 613 . 614 , 615 . 616 617 " , " . 618 619 " , " . 620 621 " , 622 . . " 623 624 " . , " , " 625 , ' . " 626 627 " ' , " , " ' 628 . " 629 630 " ? " 631 632 " ? ; 633 ! " 634 635 " - - " 636 637 " ' , " ; " 638 639 . " 640 641 " . " 642 643 " ! , . " 644 645 " , . ; 646 . " 647 648 " , , 649 , . " 650 651 " . " 652 653 " ' ? 654 ; , , 655 ? " 656 657 " , , , 658 . " 659 660 " , . " 661 662 ; ' 663 , ; 664 - , 665 ; 666 . ; 667 , ; 668 ; 669 - . 670 671 [ ] 672 673 674 ; , , 675 , - ; 676 , , 677 . , 678 , . , 679 , 680 . 681 , ; 682 ' , 683 , 684 , , , 685 ; 686 , , , 687 ; " " 688 . 689 690 ; 691 , 692 . , , ' , 693 , , 694 ; , 695 . , , 696 ; 697 . 698 ' , ' ; 699 ; 700 . , , 701 , , , 702 , 703 , , - - 704 705 " - - ! " 706 707 708 709 710 . 711 . 712 713 714 , - - 715 ; 716 , . , 717 , ! 718 ; ! , 719 , 720 . 721 ; , 722 , . - - 723 ; , , 724 ; ; 725 . - - 726 , 727 , . 728 , , , ; 729 ; 730 , 731 , . 732 733 " , " , " , 734 . " 735 736 " , - , " , " 737 . " 738 739 " , " ; " ' ; 740 ; 741 ; , 742 . , 743 ' . " 744 745 " ' , , " ; " ' 746 , ' 747 ; , ' , 748 , 749 . " 750 751 " ? " . " 752 ; 753 , ; 754 , . " 755 756 " , " ; " . " 757 758 , , 759 ; 760 ; , 761 ; 762 , 763 - - , . 764 765 ' 766 ; 767 , ; 768 , 769 ; , , 770 771 ; , 772 , . 773 774 " , " , " 775 . " 776 777 ; 778 ; 779 - . , - - 780 , , 781 . , 782 , ; , 783 . 784 785 ; 786 ; 787 ; 788 . 789 , , 790 , 791 . 792 793 [ : " 794 . " ] 795 796 " , " , , " ' 797 - 798 - . " 799 800 " , " . 801 802 - - . 803 804 , , : - - 805 806 , . , ; 807 , " " ; 808 , " " ; 809 " " ; 810 " " ; 811 " " ; 812 , ; 813 , - , 814 , - , 815 ; ; 816 . 817 , ' , 818 . , 819 ; 820 . 821 822 " , " , 823 " . " 824 825 " ! " , . 826 827 " , " ; " ' 828 ? " 829 830 " ! ! ? " 831 832 " ' - - ? " 833 834 " , , " , , " 835 ! " 836 837 ' , 838 . 839 840 " , " , " 841 , . 842 , . , , " 843 , , " 844 ; , . " 845 846 " ' , , " ; " 847 848 - - " 849 850 " ' ' ; 851 ' ; 852 ; ; 853 ; , 854 , , . ' 855 . " 856 857 " , , " , " ' 858 . " 859 860 " , , ; 861 . , ? " 862 863 " , , " . " 864 , . " 865 866 , , 867 , . 868 ; - , 869 , , . 870 , , 871 , ; 872 , 873 , ; 874 , , 875 - - ; , 876 . 877 , 878 . , 879 , 880 . 881 , , 882 . , , 883 . 884 885 886 ; ; 887 888 ; . 889 , 890 ; ; 891 . , , 892 . 893 , 894 ; 895 . 896 897 , , , 898 ; ; , 899 , ; , , 900 , 901 . 902 903 [ ] 904 905 - ; 906 , , ; 907 , - , , ; 908 . , 909 , - . 910 . ; 911 , 912 , . , 913 ; , 914 - , , ; 915 , , 916 . 917 - , , 918 , ; , 919 - - , . 920 , ; 921 922 , 923 , ; 924 , ; 925 ; 926 . - , 927 . , . 928 - 929 - - ; . 930 , , , , , 931 - , - ; 932 - , . 933 , , , 934 , . 935 , 936 . 937 ; ? , 938 , 939 , ! 940 , 941 942 . , , , 943 , " 944 - . , , , 945 . " . 946 947 - . 948 949 [ ] 950 951 [ ] 952 953 " ' , " , " . ? 954 ? , ! " 955 956 " ? " . 957 958 " - , . , 959 , 960 , ; 961 ; ; 962 - ; 963 ; , . 964 , 965 ; 966 ; 967 , , 968 . 969 ! " 970 971 " , " , " ' ' , , 972 ' . " 973 974 " , " , " 975 ; , 976 , , , , , , 977 , , - , , 978 ; , . " 979 980 " ? " . 981 982 " , ! ! 983 , 984 ! " 985 986 ; 987 , ; 988 - , , 989 - . 990 991 ; 992 , 993 - - , , 994 . , , 995 , , ; 996 , - , 997 ; - 998 ; , 999 " - . " 1000