discovery he made. The feet, legs, and forearms of the unfortunate
Vineyarder were all as stiff and rigid as icicles. In these particulars
there could be no mistake, and men were immediately sent for snow, in
order to extract the frost by the only safe process known to the sealers.
The dead bodies were carried from the cabin, and laid decently on the ice,
outside, the increasing warmth within rendering the removal advisable. On
glancing again at the thermometer, now suspended in a remote part of the
cabin, the mercury was found risen to two above zero. This was a very
tolerable degree of cold, and the men began to lay aside some of their
extra defences against the weather, which would otherwise be of no
service to them when exposed outside.

The crew of the Vineyard Lion had consisted of fifteen souls, one less
than that of her consort. Of these men, four had lost their lives between
the wreck and the house; two on a former, and two on the present occasion.
Three bodies were found sitting in the cabin, and two more were taken out
of the berths, dead. The captain, the cook and Lee, added to these, made a
dozen, leaving but three of the crew to be accounted for. When questioned
on the subject, Lee said that one of those three had frozen to death in
the caverns, several days before, and the other two had set out for the
hut in the last snow-storm, unable to endure the cold at the wreck any
longer. As these two men had not arrived at the house when Gardiner and
his companions left it, they had perished, out of all doubt. Thus, of the
fifteen human beings who had sailed together from Martha's Vineyard, ready
to encounter every hazard in order to secure wealth, or what in their
estimation was wealth, but three remained; and of these, two might be
considered in a critical condition. Lee was the only man of the entire
crew who was sound and fit for service.

Chapter XXVII.

"Bid _him_ bow down to that which is above him,--
The overruling Infinite,--the Maker,----
Who made him not for worship,--let him kneel,
And we will kneel together."

Byron.

When the bodies had been removed from the cabin, and the limbs of Daggett
were covered with snow, Roswell Gardiner took another look at the
thermometer. It had risen already to twenty degrees above zero. This was
absolutely warmth, compared with the temperature from which the men had
just escaped, and it was felt to be so, in their persons. The fire,
howeve