e
extremity of Spitzbergen, and on sledges went one hundred and fifty
miles farther north. In 1852, Captain Inglefield reached, through
Smith's Sound, latitude 78 degrees 35 minutes. All these were English
ships, and were commanded by Englishmen, our fellow-countrymen."

Here Hatteras paused.

"I ought to add," he resumed with some formality, and as if he could
hardly bring himself to utter the words,--"I ought to add that in 1854
the American, Captain Kane, in the brig _Advance_, went still farther
north, and that his lieutenant, Morton, journeying over the ice,
hoisted the United States flag beyond the eighty-second degree. Having
once said this, I shall not return to it. Now the main point is that
the captains of the _Neptune_, the _Enterprise_, the _Isabella_, and
the _Advance_ agree in the statement that beyond these high latitudes
there is an open polar sea, entirely free from ice."

"Free from ice!" cried Shandon, interrupting the captain, "it's
impossible!"

"You will notice, Shandon," observed Hatteras, quietly, while his eye
lighted up for an instant, "that I quote both facts and authorities. I
must add that in 1851, when Penny was stationed by the side of
Wellington Channel, his lieutenant, Stewart, found himself in the
presence of an open sea, and that his report was confirmed when, in
1853, Sir Edward Belcher wintered in Northumberland Bay, in latitude
76 degrees 52 minutes, and longitude 99 degrees 20 minutes; these
reports are indisputable, and one must be very incredulous not to
admit them."

"Still, Captain," persisted Shandon, "facts are as contradictory--"

"You're wrong, Shandon, you're wrong!" cried Dr. Clawbonny; "facts
never contradict a scientific statement; the captain will, I trust,
excuse me."

"Go on, Doctor!" said Hatteras.

"Well, listen to this, Shandon; it results very clearly from
geographical facts, and from the study of isothermal lines, that the
coldest spot on the globe is not on the Pole itself; like the magnetic
pole, it lies a few degrees distant. So the calculations of Brewster,
Berghaus, and other physicists prove that in our hemisphere there are
two poles of extreme cold: one in Asia in latitude 79 degrees 30
minutes N., and longitude 120 degrees E.; the other is in America, in
latitude 78 degrees N., and longitude 97 degrees W. This last alone
concerns us, and you see, Shandon, that it is more than twelve degrees
below the Pole. Well, I ask you why, then, the sea sh