The Field of Ice Page 01
THE FIELD OF ICE
BY JULES VERNE,
AUTHOR OF "A JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE."
"THE CHILDREN OF CAPTAIN GRANT.'
ETC
WITH 126 ILLUSTRATIONS BY RIOU
LONDON AND NEW YORK
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS
1875
[All rights reserved.]
LONDON
Printed by Simmons and Botten
Shoe Lane, E.C.
CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. THE DOCTOR'S INVENTORY 1
CHAPTER II. FIRST WORDS OF ALTAMONT 10
CHAPTER III. A SEVENTEEN DAYS' MARCH 22
CHAPTER IV. THE LAST CHARGE OF POWDER 32
CHAPTER V. THE SEAL AND THE BEAR 44
CHAPTER VI. THE "PORPOISE" 55
CHAPTER VII. AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION 66
CHAPTER VIII. AN EXCURSION TO THE NORTH OF VICTORIA BAY 77
CHAPTER IX. COLD AND HEAT 88
CHAPTER X. WINTER PLEASURES 97
CHAPTER XI. TRACKS OF BEARS 107
CHAPTER XII. IMPRISIONED IN DOCTOR'S HOUSE 118
CHAPTER XIII. THE MINE 130
CHAPTER XIV. AN ARCTIC SPRING 143
CHAPTER XV. THE NORTH WEST PASSAGE 154
CHAPTER XVI. ARCTIC ARCADIA 163
CHAPTER XVII. ALTAMONT'S REVENGE 173
CHAPTER XVIII. FINAL PREPARATIONS 181
CHAPTER XIX. MARCH TO THE NORTH 187
CHAPTER XX. FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW 199
CHAPTER XXI. THE OPEN SEA 209
CHAPTER XXII. GETTING NEAR THE POLE 216
CHAPTER XXIII. THE ENGLISH FLAG 227
CHAPTER XXIV. MOUNT HATTERAS 240
CHAPTER XXV. RETURN SOUTH 253
CHAPTER XXVI. CONCLUSION 264
LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS
THE FIELD OF ICE
"Altamont had already swung his hatchet to strike, when he was arrested by a well known voice" 132-frontispiece. "The tired-out dogs were harnessed sorely against their will, and before long bringing the few but precious treasures found among the débris of the brig" 9 Johnson's Story 11 "The poor fellows felt like colonists safely arrived at their destination." 57 " 'I dispute the claim,' said the Englishman, restraining himself by a powerful effort." 72 "Clambering up the steep, rocky wall he succeeded, though with considerable difficulty, in reaching the top." 77 "Soon they were walking in a bright luminous track, leaving their shadows behind them on the spotless snow." 87 "Hatteras could only manage to keep off his pursuers by flinging down one article after another." 120 "The carpenter began his task immediately." 154 "The Doctor did not allow him to proceed, for he really feared the two antagonists might come to blows." 162 "It was a strange and touching spectacle to see the pretty creatures-they flew on Clawbonny's shoulders, etc." 169 "Dealt him such a blow on the head with his hatchet that the skull was completely split open." 177 "The poor seal struggled desperately, but could not free himself from the grasp of his enemy." 184 "On the 29th Bell killed a fox and Altamont a musk-ox." 192 "At Bell's suggestion, torches were contrived." 188 Three hours afterwards, they arrived at the coast and shouted simultaneously "The sea, the sea!" 206 "And the doctor, leaning over the side of the vessel, could see the whales and the dolphins and all the rest of the monsters of the deep." 214 "It is a volcano, he explained." 217 "Mast and sail were torn off and went flying away through the darkness like some large, white bird." 224 "Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks." 234 "There he was, standing on a rock, gazing fixedly at the top of the mountain." 242 "Hatteras did not even turn once to look back, but marched straight on, carrying his country's flag attached to his staff." 249 "Dead, frozen- -" 262 "Two hours later, after unheard-of exertions, the survivors of the Forward were picked up by the Hans Christian." 266 [no caption] 267
THE FIELD OF ICE.
CHAPTER I.
THE DOCTOR'S INVENTORY.
It was a bold project of Hatteras to push his way to the North Pole, and gain for his country the honour and glory of its discovery. But he had done all that lay in human power now, and, after having struggled for nine months against currents and tempests, shattering icebergs and breaking through almost insurmountable barriers, amid the cold of an unprecedented winter, after having outdistanced all his predecessors and accomplished half his task, he suddenly saw all his hopes blasted.