ences of the pressure of the large body of ice to windward; but La
Salle and Orloff, although much fatigued, still thought it best to try
to get a survey of the scene from the great berg a little over a mile
away. Keeping on the leeward side of the floes, they reached its base
without difficulty, and without delay sought a place to ascend.
Fortunately a large stream of fresh water from above, had worn a deep
gulch in the huge wall, and up this our adventurers managed to climb,
although more than once each had to use his axe to cut steps in the
glassy ice.

Once on the top of the berg, however, they felt repaid for the
additional fatigue of their journey and ascent. Below them to the east,
the floes were like those they had traversed, covered with seals, and
about twenty miles away the highlands of Amherst Island showed plainly
in the crimson light of the declining sun.

[Illustration: ON THE TOP OF THE BERG THEY FELT REPAID FOR THE FATIGUE
OF THEIR JOURNEY AND ASCENT. Page 256.]

To the north and west all was ice, and in neither direction could either
see any signs of the presence of man. To the southward the pack seemed
more open, and as they watched, they saw the leads grow wider, and the
pools becoming more frequent.

"We are passing the islands fast," said Regnar, "and by to-morrow will
be well to the south-east of Deadman's Island. Let us descend, for it
grows colder every moment."

Turning, they sought the gulch, only pausing a moment to view the pond
which fed the streams, which poured continuously from the sides of this
great ice-island. It occupied a large depression in the centre of the
berg, and was estimated by Regnar to occupy an area of at least six
acres.

As they turned to go, Regnar's eye caught sight of a floe at the foot of
the berg.

"Are not those dead seals yonder?" said he. "It seems to me that I see
piles of dead bodies, and skins hung on the pinnacles, and then--yes,
there is a flag on a pole."

Hastily descending, the two friends ran at full speed to the floe. It
proved to be as Regnar had said. There were hundreds of slaughtered
seals, and it was evident that, as far as the eye could reach, the work
of death had been complete.

Still something had occurred to prevent the hunters from securing their
rich booty, for huge piles of skins, with their adhering blubber, were
scattered over the ice, and near one was planted firmly in the floe a
boat-hook, with a small flag at the top. Regn