is chair, he had closed his eyes for ever. This
parchment was, of course, stiff with the frost of centuries; but by
exercising the utmost care the finders succeeded in conveying it intact
to the _Flying Fish_, and in thawing it out, when it was found to be
covered with a rude but vigorously drawn sketch or chart, representing
with surprising accuracy of outline--but without much attention to
scale--the whole of the channel between the west coast of Greenland and
the east coast of America, and showing, at the top or northern margin,
an irregular line _evidently intended to represent land_. And in the
top left-hand corner of the chart was a square space marked off as a
separate and distinct chart, the centre of which was occupied by an
island, the southern coast-line of which corresponded in shape with the
line drawn next the northern margin of the main or principal chart.
Rudely drawn figures of the whale, narwhal, walrus, seal, and polar bear
were sketched here and there upon the chart, as though to indicate spots
where these animals had been seen by the author of the document; and on
the island shown in the small subsidiary chart, great numbers of animals
were drawn, among those represented being hares, foxes, deer, seals, and
_elephants_, besides others which the travellers failed to identify.
There was also a sketch of a ship--very similar in appearance to the
craft from which the chart had been taken--represented as _sailing away
from the island_. This particular sketch was the source of much
speculation on the part of the quartette; Sir Reginald and the colonel
being disposed to regard it as an insertion for the purpose merely of
giving a more effective appearance to the chart, whilst the professor
and Mildmay were of opinion that it was intended to convey an intimation
that the mysterious island had actually been visited.

The above particulars, it need scarcely be said, were ascertained and
the surmises discussed after dinner that day; the party not leaving the
galley until they had effected a thorough and exhaustive examination of
her from stem to stern. They found little else of interest on board
her, however, except ten more bodies in the large fore-cabin or
forecastle of the craft. The store-rooms occupied the central portion
of the vessel, being accessible only from the after end, and the fact
that they were clean swept of everything which could by any possibility
have served for food, tended to confirm