g about a sort of rising in the
ground made by several layers of ice; he kept wagging his tail with
impatience, and trying to draw the attention of his master to the
spot. The doctor thought that the dog's uneasiness might be caused
by the presence of Simpson's body, which he and his companions had
not yet had time to bury. He resolved to put it off no longer,
especially as they intended starting early the next morning. Bell
and the doctor took their pickaxes and directed their steps towards
the lowest part of the ravine; the mound indicated by Dick seemed
to be a good spot to place the corpse in; they were obliged to bury
it deep to keep it from the bears. They began by removing the layer
of soft snow, and then attacked the ice. At the third blow of his
pickaxe the doctor broke some hard obstacle; he took out the pieces
and saw that it was a glass bottle; Bell discovered a small
biscuit-sack with a few crumbs at the bottom.

"Whatever does this mean?" said the doctor.

"I can't think," answered Bell, suspending his work.

They called Hatteras, who came immediately. Dick barked loudly, and
began scratching at the ice.

"Perhaps we have found a provision-store," said the doctor.

"It is possible," said Bell.

"Go on," said Hatteras.

Some remains of food were drawn out, and a case a quarter full of
pemmican.

"If it is a hiding-place," said Hatteras, "the bears have been before
us. See, the provisions are not intact."

"I am afraid so," answered the doctor; "for----"

He was interrupted by a cry from Bell, who had come upon a man's leg,
stiffened and frozen.

"A corpse," cried the doctor.

"It is a tomb," answered Hatteras.

When the corpse was disinterred it turned out to be that of a sailor,
about thirty years old, perfectly preserved. He wore the clothes of
an Arctic navigator. The doctor could not tell how long he had been
dead. But after this corpse, Bell discovered a second, that of a man
of fifty, bearing the mark of the suffering that had killed him on
his face.

"These are not buried bodies," cried the doctor, "the poor fellows
were surprised by death just as we find them."

"You are right, Mr. Clawbonny," answered Bell.

"Go on! go on!" said Hatteras.

Bell obeyed tremblingly; for who knew how many human bodies the mound
contained?

"These men have been the victims of the same accident that almost
happened to us," said the doctor. "Their snow-house tumbled in. Let
us see if any one of