e at this moment? Dead of cold and hunger?"

"My friends," said the doctor, intervening for the best, "come, a
little calm, it can all settle itself. Listen to me!"

"That gentleman," continued Altamont, pointing to the captain, "can
give a name to all the lands he discovers, if he discovers any; but
this continent belongs to me! I cannot admit of its bearing two names,
like Grinnell Land and Prince Albert's Land, because an Englishman and
American happened to find it at the same time. Here it's different. My
rights of precedence are beyond dispute! No ship has ever touched this
shore before mine. No human being before me has ever set foot upon it;
now, I have given it its name, and it shall keep it."

"And what is its name?" asked the doctor.

"New America," answered Altamont.

Hatteras clinched his fists on the table. But with a violent effort he
controlled himself.

"Can you prove to me," Altamont went on, "that any Englishman has ever
set foot on this soil before me?"

Johnson and Bell were silent, although they were no less angry than
the captain at the haughty coolness of their opponent. But there was
nothing to be said. The doctor began again after a few moments of
painful silence.

"My friends," he said, "the first law of humanity is justice; it
embraces all the rest. Let us then be just, and not give way to evil
feelings. Altamont's priority appears to me incontestable. There is no
question about it; we shall have our revenge later, and England will
have a good share in future discoveries. Let us leave to this land,
then, the name of New America. But Altamont, in giving it this name,
has not, I imagine, disposed of the bays, capes, points, and
promontories which it encloses, and I don't see anything to prevent
our calling it Victoria Bay."

"None at all," answered Altamont, "provided that the cape jutting into
the sea over there is named Cape Washington."

"You might have chosen, sir," cried Hatteras, beside himself, "a name
less offensive to an English ear."

"But none dearer to an American ear," answered Altamont, with much
pride.

"Come, come," continued the doctor, who found it hard to keep the
peace in this little world, "no discussion about that! Let an American
be proud of his great men! Let us honor genius wherever it is found,
and since Altamont has made his choice, let us now speak for ourselves
and our friends. Let our captain--"

"Doctor," answered Hatteras, "since this is an Americ