s, whither he is going, what aim he
has in view, confidence animates them all in spite of themselves; they
are firmly united to their leader, strong with his force and calm with
his calmness. But on board of the brig they were aware of the
commander's uncertainty, they knew that he hesitated before the
unknown aim and destination. In spite of the energy of his character,
his uncertainty was clearly to be seen by his uncertain orders,
incomplete manoeuvres, his sudden outbursts, and a thousand petty
details which could not escape the sharp eyes of the crew.

And then, Shandon was not the captain of the ship, the master under
God, which was enough to encourage the discussion of his orders; and
from discussion to disobedience is but a short step.

The malcontents soon brought over to their number the first engineer,
who, hitherto, had been a slave to his duty.

The 16th of May, six days after the _Forward_ had reached the ice,
Shandon had not made two miles to northward. They were threatened with
being detained in the ice until the next season. Matters had a serious
look.

Towards eight o'clock of the evening, Shandon and the doctor,
accompanied by Garry, went out to reconnoitre the vast plains; they
took care not to go too far from the ship, for it was hard to find any
fixed points in this white solitude, which was ever changing in
appearance. Refraction kept producing strange effects, much to the
doctor's astonishment; at one place, where he thought he had but an
easy jump before him, he had to leap some five or six feet; or else
the contrary happened, and in either case the result was a tumble,
which if not dangerous was at any rate painful, for the ice was as
hard and slippery as glass.

Shandon and his two companions went out to seek a possible passage;
three miles from the ship, they succeeded with some difficulty in
ascending an iceberg about three hundred feet high. From that point
nothing met their eyes but a confused mass, like the ruins of a vast
city, with shattered monuments, overthrown towers, and prostrate
palaces,--a real chaos. The sun was just peering above the jagged
horizon, and sent forth long, oblique rays of light, but not of heat,
as if something impassable for heat lay between it and this wild
country.

[Illustration]

The sea appeared perfectly covered as far as eye could reach.

"How shall we get through?" asked the doctor.

"I don't know," answered Shandon; "but we shall get through,