uble, for it was
as hard and dry as glass, chipped off a bowlful and fell a-puffing with
all the satisfaction of a hardened lover of tobacco who has long been
denied his favourite relish. The punch diffused a pleasing glow through
my frame, the tobacco was lulling, the heat of the fire very soothing,
the hearty meal I had eaten had also marvellously invigorated me, so
that I found my mind in a posture to justly and rationally consider my
condition, and to reason out such probabilities as seemed to be attached
to it.

First of all I reflected that by the usual operation of natural laws
this vast seat of "thrilling and thick-ribbed ice" in which the schooner
lay bound was steadily travelling to the northward, where in due course
it would dissolve, though that would not happen yet. But as it advanced
so would it carry me nearer to the pathways of ships using these seas,
and any day might disclose a sail near enough to observe such signals of
smoke or flag as I might best contrive. But supposing no opportunity of
this kind to offer, then I ought to be able to find in the vessel
materials fit for the construction of a boat, if, indeed, I met not with
a pinnace of her own stowed under the main-hatch, for there was
certainly no boat on deck. Nay, my meditations even carried me further:
this was the winter season of the southern hemisphere, but presently the
sun would be coming my way, whilst the ice, on the other hand, floated
towards him; if by the wreck and dissolution of the island the schooner
was not crushed, she must be released, in which case, providing she was
tight--and my brief inspection of her bottom showed nothing wrong with
her that was visible through the shroud of snow--I should have a stout
ship under me in which I would be able to lie hove to, or even make
shift to sail her if the breeze came from the south, and thus take my
chance of being sighted and discovered.

Much, I had almost said everything, depended on the quantity of
provisions I should find in here and particularly on the stock of coal,
for I feared I must perish if I had not a fire. But there was the hold
to be explored yet; the navigation of these waters must have been
anticipated by the men of the schooner, who were sure to make handsome
provision for the cold--and the surer if, as I fancied, they were
Spaniards. Certainly they might have exhausted their stock of coal, but
I could not persuade myself of this, since the heap in the corner of th