"No ship!" interrupted Altamont; "it seems to me the _Porpoise_ should
not be forgotten, unless indeed it came by land," he added jestingly.

"One might think it had," retorted Hatteras, "to see the rocks on
which it is now resting."

"Indeed, Hatteras," answered Altamont with some vexation; "but, on the
whole, isn't even that better than blowing up as the _Forward_ did!"

Hatteras was about to make some angry reply, when the doctor
interrupted him.

"My friends," he said, "we are not talking about ships, but about the
new sea--"

"It is not new," interrupted Altamont. "It already bears a name on all
the charts of the Pole. It is the Arctic Ocean, and I don't see any
reason for changing its name; if we should find out in the future that
it is only a sound or gulf, we can see what is to be done."

"Very well," said Hatteras.

"Agreed," said the doctor, regretting that he had aroused a discussion
between rival nationalities.

"Let us come to the land which we are now in," resumed Hatteras. "I am
not aware that it bears any name on the most recent maps."

[Illustration: "I am not aware that it bears any name on the most
recent maps."]

At these words he turned to Altamont, who did not lower his eyes, but
answered,--

"You may be mistaken again, Hatteras."

"Mistaken! this unknown land, this new country--"

"Has a name already," answered the American, quietly.

Hatteras was silent. His lips trembled.

"And what is its name?" asked the doctor, a little surprised at the
American's statement.

"My dear Clawbonny," answered Altamont, "it is the custom, not to say
the habit, of every explorer to give a name to the continent which he
has discovered. It seems to me that on this occasion it was in my
power and that it was my duty to use this indisputable right--"

"Still--" said Johnson, whom Altamont's coolness annoyed.

"It seems to me hard to pretend," the American resumed, "that the
_Porpoise_ did not discover this coast, and even on the supposition
that it came by land," he added, glancing at Hatteras, "there can't be
any question."

"That is a claim I can't admit," answered Hatteras, gravely, forcibly
restraining himself. "To give a name, one should be the discoverer,
and that I fancy you were not. Without us, besides, where would you
be, sir, you who presume to impose conditions upon us? Twenty feet
under the snow!"

"And without me, sir," replied the American, "without my ship, where
would you b