“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 bald cap of that mountain, after a vigorous and somewhat hazardous ascent, that occupied rather more than an hour.  They had greatly aided each other in achieving their purpose, to be sure; and the ratlin-stuff was found of use on more than one occasion.

An extraordinary, and, considering the accessories, a most brilliant view, rewarded the adventurers.  But, after a few minutes passed in pure admiration of what they beheld, the minds of all three adverted to the parts which gave such unusual splendour to the panorama.  Icebergs were visible on all sides of them, the great bay excepted; and the group was surrounded by them, in a way that would seem to proclaim a blockade.  At that season, the south winds prevailed, though changes were frequent and sudden, and the vast frozen fleet was drifting north.  Gardiner saw that the passage by which he had brought in his schooner was now completely closed, and that the only means of exit from the bay was by its northern outlet.  The great depth of the bergs still prevented their coming within the cluster of islands, while their number and size completely stopped the floes from passing.