CHAPTER IX,

Lhe“ Dolphin” gets beset in the ice— Preparations for winterty tn the ice—
Captain Guy's code of laws,

N accident now befell the Dolphin which effec-
A tually decided the fate of the ship and her
crew, at least for that winter. This was her getting
aground near the ravine of the giant flagstaff before
mentioned, and being finally beset by ice, from which
all efforts on the part of the men to extricate her
proved abortive, and in which she was ultimately
frozen in, hard and fast.

The first sight the crew obtained of the red snow
filled them with unbounded amazement, and a few
of the more superstitious amongst them with awe
approaching to fear. But soon their attention was
attracted from this by the wonderful column.

“Och, then! may I niver!” exclaimed O'Riley, the
moment he caught sight of it, “if there ben’t the north
pole at lone last

 

sure enough !”

The laugh that greeted this remark was almost
immediately checked, partly from the feelings of
solemnity inspired by the magnificent view which
opened up to them, and partly from a suspicion on