espair;
he could not even retrace his steps; the icebergs pushed him onwards,
and he saw the passages close up behind him as if there never had
existed open sea where he had passed an hour before. The _Forward_
was, therefore, not only prevented from going northwards, but could
not stop still an instant for fear of being caught, and she fled before
the ice as a ship flies before a storm.

On Friday, the 8th of June, they arrived near the shore of Boothia,
at the entrance to James Ross Strait, which they were obliged to avoid,
as its only issue is on the west, near the American coasts.

Observations taken at noon from this point gave 70 degrees 5 minutes
17 seconds latitude, and 96 degrees 46 minutes 45 seconds longitude;
when the doctor heard that he consulted his map, and saw they were
at the magnetic pole, at the very place where James Ross, the nephew
of Sir John, had fixed it. The land was low near the coast, and at
about a mile's distance became slightly elevated, sixty feet only.
The _Forward's_ boiler wanted cleaning, and the captain caused the
brig to be anchored to an ice-field, and allowed the doctor and the
boatswain to land. He himself cared for nothing but his pet project,
and stayed in his cabin, consulting his map of the Pole.

The doctor and his companion easily succeeded in reaching land; the
doctor took a compass to make experiments with. He wished to try if
James Ross's conclusions hold good. He easily discovered the
limestone heap raised by Ross; he ran to it; an opening allowed him
to see, in the interior, the tin case in which James Ross had placed
the official report of his discoveries. No living being seemed to
have visited this desolate coast for the last thirty years. In this
spot a loadstone needle, suspended as delicately as possible,
immediately moved into an almost vertical position under the magnetic
influence; if the centre of attraction was not immediately under the
needle, it could only be at a trifling distance. The doctor made the
experiment carefully, and found that the imperfect instruments of
James Ross had given his vertical needle an inclination of 89 degrees
59 minutes, making the real magnetic point at a minute's distance
from the spot, but that his own at a little distance gave him an
inclination of 90 degrees.

"Here is the exact spot of the world's magnetic pole," said the doctor,
rapping the earth.

"Then," said the boatswain, "there's no loadstone mountain, after
al