at last been consumed,
and he was now sinking from absolute want.

The indomitable spirit of the man, however, kept his weakened body
moving, even after the mind had begun to sink into that dreamy,
lethargic state which is said to indicate the immediate approach of
death, and there was still a red spot in each of his pale and hollow
cheeks, as well as an eager gleam of hope in his sunken eyes; for the
purpose that Red Rooney had in view was to reach the land.

It was indeed a miserably faint hope that urged the poor fellow on, for
the desolate shore of Western Greenland offered little better prospect
of shelter than did the ice-clad sea; but, as in the case of the
drowning man, he clutched at this miserable straw of hope, and held on
for life. There was the bare possibility that some of the migratory
Eskimos might be there, or, if not, that some scraps of their food--some
bits of refuse, even a few bones--might be found. Death, he felt, was
quickly closing with him on the sea. The great enemy might, perhaps, be
fought with and kept at bay for a time if he could only reach the land.

Encouraging himself with such thoughts, he pushed on, but again stumbled
and fell--this time at full length. He lay quiet for a few seconds. It
was so inexpressibly sweet to _rest_, and feel the worn-out senses
floating away, as it were, into dreamland! But the strong will burst
the tightening bands of death, and, rising once more, with the
exclamation, "God help me!" he resumed his weary march.

All around him the great ocean was covered with its coat of solid,
unbroken ice; for although winter was past, and the sun of early spring
was at the time gleaming on bergs that raised their battlements and
pinnacles into a bright blue sky, the hoary king of the far north
refused as yet to resign his sceptre and submit to the interregnum of
the genial sun.

A large hummock or ridge of ice lay in front of the man, blocking his
view of the horizon in that direction. It had probably been heaved up
by one of the convulsions of the previous autumn, and was broken into a
chaotic mass. Here he stopped and looked up, with a sigh. But the
sinking of the heart was momentary. Deep snow had so filled up the
crevices of the shattered blocks that it was possible to advance slowly
by winding in and out among them. As the ascent grew steeper the
forlorn man dropped on all-fours and crawled upwards until he reached
the top.

The view that burst up