Fast in the Ice | Page 2

I can't say, sir," replied Mr Dicey, "but he looks 'orrible bad, all
yellow and green about the gills, and fearful red round the eyes. But
what frightens me most is that I heard him groanin' very heavy about a

quarter of an hour ago, and then I saw him suddenly fling himself into
his 'ammock and begin blubberin' like a child. Now, sir, I say, when a
grow'd-up man gives way like that, there must be some-think far wrong
with his inside. And it's a serious thing, sir, to take a sick man on such a
voyage as this."
"Does he not say what's wrong with him?" asked the captain.
"No, sir; he don't. He says it's nothin', and he'll be all right if he's only
let alone. I did hear him once or twice muttering some-think about his
wife and child; you know, sir, he's got a young wife, and she had a
baby about two months 'fore we came away, but I can't think that's got
much to do with it, for I've got a wife myself, sir, and six children, two
of 'em bein' babies, and that don't upset me, and Baker's a much
stronger man."
"You are right, Mr Dicey, he is a much stronger man than you," replied
the captain, "and I doubt not that his strength will enable him to get
over this without the aid of physic."
"Very well, sir," said Mr Dicey.
The second mate was a man whose countenance never showed any
signs of emotion, no matter what he felt. He seldom laughed, or, if he
did, his mouth remained almost motionless, and the sounds that came
out were anything but cheerful. He had light grey eyes which always
wore an expression of astonishment; but the expression was accidental;
it indicated no feeling. He would have said, "Very well, sir," if the
captain had refused to give poor Baker food instead of physic.
"And hark'ee, Mr Dicey," said the captain, "don't let him be disturbed
till he feels inclined to move."
"Very well, sir," replied the second mate, touching his cap as he turned
away.
"So," murmured the captain, as he gazed earnestly at the now distant
shore, "I'm not the only one who carries a heavy heart to sea this day

and leaves sorrowing hearts behind him."
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Note 1. This word is here spelled as pronounced. It is usually spelled
Esquimaux.
CHAPTER TWO.
AT SEA--THE FIRST STORM.
It is now hundreds of years since the North polar regions began to
attract general attention. Men have long felt very inquisitive about that
part of the earth, and many good ships, many noble lives have been lost
in trying to force a passage through the ice that encumbers the Arctic
seas, summer and winter. Britain has done more than other nations in
the cause of discovery within the Arctic circle. The last and greatest of
her Arctic heroes perished there--the famous Sir John Franklin.
Were I writing a history of those regions I would have much to say of
other countries as well as of our own. But such is not my object in this
book. I mean simply to follow in the wake of one of Britain's
adventurous discoverers, and thus give the reader an idea of the
fortunes of those gallant men who risk life and limb for the sake of
obtaining knowledge of distant lands.
There have always been restless spirits in this country. There have ever
been men who, when boys, were full of mischief, and who could "settle
to nothing" when they grew up. Lucky for us, lucky for the world, that
such is the case! Many of our "restless spirits," as we call them, have
turned out to be our heroes, our discoverers, our greatest men. No doubt
many of them have become our drones, our sharpers, our blacklegs. But
that is just saying that some men are good, while others are bad--no
blame is due to what is called the restlessness of spirit. Our restless
men, if good, find rest in action; in bold energetic toil; if bad, they find
rest, alas! in untimely graves.
Captain Harvey was one of our restless spirits. He had a deeply learned

friend who said to him one day that he felt sure "there was a sea of
open water round the North Pole!" Hundreds of ships had tried to reach
that pole without success, because they always found a barrier of thick
ice raised against them. This friend said that if a ship could only cut or
force its way through the ice to a certain latitude north, open water
would be found. Captain Harvey was much interested in this. He could
not rest until he had proved it. He had plenty of money, so had his
friend. They