above the sea-level was maintained
unaltered; but at noon, the ocean proving clear of ships as far as the
eye could reach, a descent was made to within one thousand feet of the
sea, at which height a favourable breeze and a clear atmosphere was
again met with. On returning to the pilothouse after luncheon, or about
half-past three o'clock in the afternoon, three icebergs were
discovered, two ahead and one astern; but they were very small, and it
was therefore deemed hardly worth while to pause and examine them. At
the same time a large steamer was observed, steering east, on the
extreme verge of the southern horizon; and by the aid of their very
powerful telescopes the travellers were able to identify her as one of
the Atlantic liners. Half an hour later a sail was discovered on the
starboard bow; and, from the fact that she was heading to the northward
under easy canvas, they rightly concluded that she was a whaler. They
passed this vessel within a distance of a dozen miles, and at this point
were able to so minutely examine her with their telescopes that they
could distinctly make out the figure of a man perched aloft in the
"crow's nest" on the look-out, as well as the figures of her crew moving
about the deck; but, although within such comparatively close proximity
to her, they were quite unable to detect any sign of their being
observed, which the professor attributed to the almost total absence of
colour about the hull; indeed, he gave it as his opinion that, unless
the rays of the sun happened to be reflected from the polished surface
of the aethereum directly toward an observer, the _Flying Fish_ might
easily pass within half a dozen miles unnoticed.

Before this whaler had been left out of sight astern other icebergs had
risen into view above the western horizon, and within half an hour they
found themselves flying above a sea thickly dotted with ice in every
direction, showing that they were rapidly nearing the entrance to Davis
Straits. At six o'clock the sound of the gong summoned them below to
dinner; and just as they were on the point of leaving the pilot-house,
Mildmay, who, with the instinct of the seaman, had paused to take a last
look round, sighted a faint blue cloud-like appearance on the horizon,
about a point on the starboard bow, and raised a joyful shout of:

"Land, ho!"

The professor glanced at the clock, and, muttering to himself, "Yes, it
is about the right time," took his telescope a