that may be, if any men have to travel in such
a night as this, I pity them."

The hurricane raged ten hours without cessation, and no one of those
in the tent had a moment's sleep; the night passed in profound
uneasiness. In fact, under such circumstances, every new incident, a
tempest, an avalanche, might bring serious consequences. The doctor
would gladly have gone out to reconnoitre, but how could he with such
a wind raging?

Fortunately the hurricane grew less violent early the next day; they
could leave the tent which had resisted so sturdily. The doctor,
Hatteras, and Johnson went to a hill about three hundred feet high,
which they ascended without difficulty. Their eyes beheld an entirely
altered country, composed of bare rocks, sharp ridges entirely clear
of ice. It was summer succeeding winter, which had been driven away by
the tempest; the snow had been blown away by the wind before it could
melt, and the barren soil reappeared.

[Illustration: "They climbed a hill which commanded a wide view."]

But Hatteras's glances were all turned towards the north, where the
horizon appeared to be hidden by dark mist.

"That may be the effect of the ocean," said the doctor.

"You are right," said Hatteras; "the sea must be there."

"That's what we call the blink of the water," said Johnson.

"Exactly," said the doctor.

"Well, let us start," said Hatteras, "and push on to this new ocean."

"That rejoices my heart," said Clawbonny to the captain.

"Certainly," was the enthusiastic answer. "Soon we shall have reached
the Pole! and doesn't the prospect delight you, too, Doctor?"

"It does. I am always happy, and especially about the happiness of
others!"

The three Englishmen returned to the ravine; the sledge was made
ready, and they left the camp and resumed their march. Each one
dreaded finding new tracks, but all the rest of the way they saw no
trace of any human being. Three hours later they reached the coast.

"The sea! the sea!" they all shouted.

"And the open sea!" cried the captain.

[Illustration: "Three hours later they reached the coast. 'The sea!
the sea!' they all shouted."]

It was ten o'clock in the morning.

In fact, the hurricane had cleared up the polar basin; the shattered
ice was floating away in every direction; the largest pieces, forming
icebergs, had just weighed anchor and were sailing on the open sea.
The wind had made a harsh attack upon the field. Fragments of ice
covere