aps may reach open water beyond,
where we can make skin canoes, and launch forth on a voyage of
discovery."

"I vote that we climb the cliffs and try to see over the top of this
horrid ice-jumble," said Benjy.

"Not a bad suggestion, lad. Let us do so. We will encamp here, Anders.
Let all the people have a good feed, and tell Chingatok to follow us.
You will come along with him."

A few hours later, and the Captain, Leo, Alf, Benjy, Chingatok, and the
interpreter stood on the extreme summit of the promontory which they had
named Cape Chaos, and from which they had a splendid bird's-eye view of
the whole region.

It was indeed a tremendous and never-to-be-forgotten scene.

As far as the eye could reach, the ocean was covered with ice heaped
together in some places in the wildest confusion, and so firmly wedged
in appearance that it seemed as if it had lain there in a solid mass
from the first day of creation. Elsewhere the ice was more level and
less compact. In the midst of this rugged scene, hundreds of giant
icebergs rose conspicuously above the rest, towering upwards in every
shape and of all sizes, from which the bright sun was flashed back in
rich variety of form, from the sharp gleam that trickled down an edge of
ice to the refulgent blaze on a glassy face which almost rivalled the
sun himself in brilliancy. These icebergs, extending as they did to the
horizon, where they mingled with and were lost in the pearl-grey sky,
gave an impression of vast illimitable perspective. Although no sign of
an open sea was at first observed, there was no lack of water to enliven
the scene, for here and there, and everywhere, were pools and ponds, and
even lakes of goodly size, which had been formed on the surface by the
melting ice. In these the picturesque masses were faithfully reflected,
and over them vast flocks of gulls, eider-ducks, puffins, and other
wild-fowl of the north, disported themselves in garrulous felicity.

On the edge of the rocky precipice, from which they had a bird's-eye
view of the scene, our discoverers stood silent for some time, absorbed
in contemplation, with feelings of mingled awe and wonder. Then
exclamations of surprise and admiration broke forth.

"The wonderful works of God!" said the Captain, in a tone of profound
reverence.

"Beautiful, beyond belief!" murmured Alf.

"But it seems an effectual check to our advance," said the practical
Leo, who, however, was by no means insensi