that way. They saw a very distinct, irregular blotch, surrounded
by almost transparent ice.

Several glasses were now levelled upon this spot, and it was
discovered to be the body of a polar bear, lying naturally upon
its side, as if asleep, and entirely incased in ice.

"It must have lain down to die, on the surface of the ice," said
Mr. Gibbs, "and gradually the ice has formed above it, until it
now rests in that vast funeral casket."

"How long since he laid down there to die, Mr. Gibbs?" asked
Sarah, as she took the glass from her eye. "He looks as natural
as if he was asleep."

"I cannot say," he answered. "It may have been hundreds, even
thousands, of years ago."

"Oh, horrible!" said Sarah. "All that makes me shiver, and I am
sure I don't need anything to make me do that. I wish we would
go down, Sammy; I would like to get out of this awful place, with
those dreadful glitterin' walls that nobody could get up or over,
and things lyin' frozen for a thousand years; and, besides, it's
so cold!"

It seemed as if Sarah's words had struck the key-note to the
feelings of the whole company. In the heart of every one arose a
strong desire to sink out of this cold, bleak, terrifying open
air into the comfortable motherly arms of the encircling waters.
For a few minutes Captain Jim Hubbell had experienced a sense of