that such an opportunity might never arise.

As I had hoped, the white desert behind us has become broken by
many thin streaks of water which intersect it in all directions.
Our latitude to-day was 80 degrees 52' N., which shows that there
is a strong southerly drift upon the pack. Should the wind
continue favourable it will break up as rapidly as it formed. At
present we can do nothing but smoke and wait and hope for the best.
I am rapidly becoming a fatalist. When dealing with such uncertain
factors as wind and ice a man can be nothing else. Perhaps it was
the wind and sand of the Arabian deserts which gave the minds of
the original followers of Mahomet their tendency to bow to kismet.

These spectral alarms have a very bad effect upon the Captain. I
feared that it might excite his sensitive mind, and endeavoured to
conceal the absurd story from him, but unfortunately he overheard
one of the men making an allusion to it, and insisted upon being
informed about it. As I had expected, it brought out all his
latent lunacy in an exaggerated form. I can hardly believe that
this is the same man who discoursed philosophy last night with the
most critical acumen and coolest judgment. He is pacing backwards
and forwards upon the quarterdeck like a caged tiger, stopping
now and again to throw out his hands with a yearning gesture, and
stare impatiently out over the ice. He keeps up a continual mutter
to himself, and once he called out, "But a little time, love--but
a little time!" Poor fellow, it is sad to see a gallant seaman and
accomplished gentleman reduced to such a pass, and to think that
imagination and delusion can cow a mind to which real danger was
but the salt of life. Was ever a man in such a position as I,
between a demented captain and a ghost-seeing mate? I sometimes