the impression that the
expedition had perished of starvation. One or two documents and a
massive vellum-bound book were discovered, and these, together with some
of the armour and weapons found on board, were taken possession of, but
the documents and book proved to be written in a tongue wholly unknown
to either of the discoverers, and they were therefore destined to remain
for some time longer in ignorance of the history of the long-lost
expedition. One fact only was it possible to discover in connection
with it, which was that the hardy and resolute crew had undoubtedly cut
their way for a very considerable distance into the heart of that vast
field of everlasting ice. This was most conclusively ascertained by Sir
Reginald and his friends, who, on board the _Flying Fish_, were able to
follow quite unmistakable traces of the channel cut by the unknown
explorers for a distance of fully forty miles to the southward of the
galley itself.

The examination of this strange and interesting craft being at length
completed, the cabin doors were closed, the hatches replaced, and the
ship, with all that she contained, left to the mercy of the weather,
there being no doubt that the excavation so laboriously accomplished
would soon be again filled up by the almost ceaseless snow-fall, and the
ship again concealed in all probability for ever.

The first thing after breakfast on the following morning, the northward
journey was resumed in the face of a perfect hurricane from the
northward, accompanied by so tremendous and incessant a fall of snow
that it was utterly impossible to see anything at a distance of more
than twenty feet in any direction. It was, of course, quite out of the
question for anyone to venture outside the door of the pilot-house in
such terrible weather; and the cold even inside on the steering platform
was so intense that the breath of the travellers was condensed on their
moustaches, and, instantly congealing, rapidly formed into a mass of ice
which effectually prevented the opening of their mouths. An attempt was
made to elude the storm by rising into the higher regions of the
atmosphere; but the cold there proved to be so unbearable,
notwithstanding the protection afforded by the stubbornly non-conducting
material of which the _Flying Fish_ was built, that they were compelled
to descend once more, and their journey was continued at about a height
of one thousand feet above the ice, and at a speed of ni