their eyes everywhere.
All knew that the slightest inattention might cause the destruction of
the ship.

Hour after hour went by. No one spoke except those on the lookout or
the officer in command, when the cry came from forward, "Ice on the
weather bow," "Another island ahead," "Ice on the lee bow," and so on.
Evening at length approached. Walter for the first time became aware of
the perilous position in which the ship was placed; yet his father stood
calm and unmoved, as he had ever been, and not by look or gesture did he
betray what he must have felt; indeed, he had too long been inured to
peril of all sorts to be moved as those are who first experience it.
Gradually, however, the sea began to go down and the wind to decrease,
shifting more to the southward. A clear space appearing, the captain
eagerly wore ship, and then hauling up on the other tack, stood to the
southward, hoping to weather the icebergs among which he had before
passed. The cold was as intense as before, but it could be better borne
as hopes were entertained that the gale would abate, and that at length
Cape Horn would be doubled.

That night, however, was one of the greatest anxiety; for, owing to the
darkness, the ice-field could not be seen at any distance, and it might
be impossible to escape running on it. Captain Tredeagle could
therefore only commit himself and ship to the care of Heaven, and exert
his utmost vigilance to avoid the surrounding dangers.

He and all on board breathed more freely when daylight returned, and the
field of ice they had just weathered was seen over the quarter, with
clear water ahead. A few more icebergs were passed; some near, shining
brilliantly in the sun, and others appearing like clouds floating on the
surface.

In two days more there was a cry of "Land on the starboard bow!" The
ship rapidly neared it. The wind coming from the eastward, the reefs
were shaken out of the topsails, the courses set, and she stood towards
the west. The land became more and more distinct.

"Now," said the first mate to Walter, "if Alice would like to see Cape
Horn, bring her on deck. There it is, broad on our starboard beam."

Alice quickly had on her cloak. "Is that Cape Horn?" she asked,
pointing to a dark rugged headland which rose, scarcely a mile off, out
of the water. "What a wild, barren spot! Can any human beings live
there?"

"I have heard that some do," answered the mate; "and what is very
strange,