a volcano
in activity, and that, at intervals, it emitted flames as well as a fierce
heat. By his account, however, the party to which he belonged had never
actually visited that volcanic cauldron, being satisfied with admiring its
terrors from a distance.

As to the existence of the land, Roswell got several pretty distinct and
certain views, leaving no doubt of its character and position. There is a
theory which tells us that the orb of day is surrounded by a luminous
vapour, the source of heat and light, and that this vapour, being in
constant motion, occasionally leaves the mass of the planet itself to be
seen, forming what it is usual to term the "spots on the sun." Resembling
this theory, the fogs of the antarctic seas rolled about the mountain now
seen, withdrawing the curtain at times, and permitting a view of the
striking and majestic object within. Well did that lone and nearly barren
mass of earth and rock merit these appellations! The elevation has already
been given; and a rock that is nearly perpendicular, rising out of the
ocean for a thousand feet, is ever imposing and grand. This was rendered
so much the more so by its loneliness, its stable and stern position amid
floating and moving mountains of ice, its brown sides and bald summit, the
latter then recently whitened with a fall of pure snow, and its frowning
and fixed aspect amid a scene that might otherwise be said to be ever in
motion.

Roswell Gardiner's heart beat with delight when assured of success in
discovering this, the first great goal of his destination. To reach it was
now his all-absorbing desire. By this time the wind had got round to the
southwest, and was blowing quite fresh, bringing him well to windward of
the mountain, but causing the ice-bergs to drift in towards the land, and
placing an impassable barrier along its western shore. Our young man,
however, remembered that Daggett had given the anchorage as on the
north-eastern side of the island, where, according to his statements, a
little haven would be found, in which a dozen craft might lie in security.
To this quarter of the island Gardiner consequently endeavoured to get.

There was no opening to the northward, but a pretty good channel was
before the schooner to the southward of the group. In this direction,
then, the Sea Lion was steered, and by eight bells (four in the afternoon)
the southern point of the largest island was doubled. The rest of the
group were made, and to