For the first two hours after quitting the house, Gardiner, Daggett, and
the boat-steerer, were busily employed in working their way across the
broken surface of the island, to the base of the cone-like pinnacle that
formed the apex of all. There they rested, and took a little refreshment,
conversing the while on the state of the ice in the offing, so far as the
last could be seen from their present elevation.

"We shall have a sharp hill to climb, should we succeed in getting up
here," observed Roswell, "though the rocks appear to be quite clear of
snow just now."

"Just now, or never. This is the antarctic dog-days, Gar'ner," answered
Daggett, laughing, "and we must make the most of them. A man can move
about without his pee-jacket at noon-day, and that is something gained;
for, I have heard of ice making in the bays, even at mid-summer."

"We are not in a high enough latitude for that, thank heaven, though
pretty well south too. This is our harvest-time here, sure enough, and we
had better look to it."

As Gardiner said this, the eyes of all three were turned on the sterile
scene around them. The island was not absolutely destitute of vegetation,
as is the case a few degrees further south; but it might be said to be
nearly so. A few stunted plants were to be seen in the fissures of the
rocks, and a little soil had been made, seemingly by the crumbling of the
stones, in which a wiry grass occasionally showed itself. As for the
mountain, however, it was mostly bare; and when our party began to climb,
the ascent was not only difficult, but in places dangerous. Roswell had
foreseen this, and he had made a provision accordingly. In addition to his
lance, used as a leaping-staff and walking-pike, each man had a small coil
of ratlin-stuff thrown over his shoulder, in order to help him in
difficult places, or enable him to help his companions. It was in the
descent chiefly that these ropes were expected to be of service, though
their utility was made apparent ere the three reached the summit. The
ascent of a mountain a thousand feet in height is no great exploit under
ordinary circumstances. Even when there are precipitous cliffs, gorges,
ravines and broken masses, youth, activity and courage will commonly
overcome all the difficulties, placing the foot of man on eminences that
nature would appear to have intended solely for the dominion of the goat.
Thus did it turn out with the three sealers, all of whom stood on the ba