Roswell left the house, for the second time that eventful night, just at the hour of twelve.  He now went accompanied by the second mate and a foremast-hand, as well as by his old companion, the boat-steerer.  Each individual drank a bowl of hot coffee before he set out, and a good warm supper had also been taken in the interval between the return and this new sortie.  Experience shows that there is no such protector against the effect of cold as a full stomach, more especially if the food be warm and nourishing.  This was understood by Roswell; and not only did he cause the whole party that set forth with him at that late and menacing hour to receive this sustenance, but he ordered the kettle of boiling coffee to be carried with them, and kept two lamps burning, for the double purpose of maintaining the heat, and of having a fire ready on reaching the wreck.  The oil of the sea-elephant, together with pieces of canvass prepared for the purpose, supplied the necessary materials.

So intensely severe was the weather, that Roswell had serious thoughts of returning when he reached the spot where the black had been found.  But the picture of Daggett’s situation that occurred to his mind, urged him on, and he proceeded.  Every precaution had been taken to exclude the cold, as it is usually termed, which, as it respects the body, means little else than keeping the vital heat in, and very useful were these provisions found to be.  Skins formed the principal defence, though the men had long adopted the very simple but excellent expedient of wearing two shirts.  Owing to this, and to the other measures taken, neither of the four was struck with a chill, and they all continued on.

At the place mentioned by the black, the body of one of Daggett’s best men, a boat-steerer, was found.  The man was dead, of course, and the corpse was as rigid as a billet of wood.  Every particle of moisture in it had congealed, until the whole of what had been a very fine and manly frame, lay little more than a senseless lump of ice.  A few degrees to the southward of the spot where it was now seen, it is probable that this relic of humanity would have retained its form and impression, until the trump sounded to summon it to meet its former tenant, the spirit, in judgment.

No time was lost in useless lamentations over the body of this man, who was much of a favourite among the Oyster Ponders.  Twenty minutes later, the second corpse was found; both the bodies lying in what was the customary track between the house and the wreck.  It was the last that had died; but, like that of the unfortunate man just described, it was in a state to be preserved ten thousand years, without the occurrence of a thaw.  Merely glancing at the rigid features of the face, in order to identify the person, Roswell passed on, the chill feelings of every individual of his party now admonishing them all of the necessity of getting as soon as possible to some place where they could feel the influence