, which, making
allowance for sleep and rests, gives the distance of this island from
Chingatok's native land approximately at about 100 miles, so that the
home of this giant and his tribe is actually in the near neighbourhood
of the Pole itself. If this be so, we may consider that our success,
wind, weather, etcetera, permitting, is absolutely certain."

The Captain spoke in the deep earnest tones of one under the influence
of powerful but suppressed enthusiasm.

"Now then, Leo," he continued, "we will go and take formal possession of
this new discovery. What shall we call it? Good Hope is too familiar
as a cape."

"Why not Great Hope?" asked Leo.

"Good! That will do well."

So Captain Vane took possession of Great Hope Island; having fixed its
position in latitude 86 degrees 40 minutes north, and longitude 60
degrees west.

After that he proceeded to open the cases which had so long been objects
of interest to his own party, and objects of intense curiosity to the
Eskimos, who crowded round the entrance of the shallow cavern with eager
looks, while their leader went to work with hammer and chisel on the
copper fastenings.

"Wugh! Huk! hi! hosh! ho!" were something like the exclamations uttered
by the Eskimos when the lid of the first case flew up and revealed only
a mass of brown paper wrappings.

It was interesting to observe the utter self-oblivion of these children
of nature! Of course the eyes and mouths of all opened wider and wider
while the work went on. We can understand this, for it is
characteristic of the simple in all nations, but it was not so easy to
understand why shoulders should slowly rise and elbows be slightly bent,
and the ten fingers gradually expand like claws. Anxiety might account
for the way in which some of them softly lifted one foot and then the
other; but why did little Oblooria raise her left foot by imperceptible
degrees, and remain poised upon the other as if she were a bird, except
on the supposition that she was unconsciously imitating Tekkona, who was
doing the same thing?

It was interesting, also, to note the slight substratum of consciousness
that displayed itself in Oolichuk, who, while regarding the Captain in
glaring expectancy, put his arm, inadvertently as it were, round
Oblooria's waist--also the complete absence of consciousness in the
latter, who was so engrossed with the Captain, that she did not appear
to feel the touch of Oolichuk! These little pe