"Yes, when we can find a landing-place. No boat could get ashore here. We'll go gently along to the north, and keep a good look-out both for them and a sheltered cove." And, giving the necessary orders, the _Hvalross_ began to glide slowly in toward the wreck, with a man in the chains heaving the lead, and always finding deep water till they were quite close in to where the surf beat heavily with its deafening roar upon the rocks. A boat was in readiness for landing an exploring party, with guns and spears in case of game being met with, or, as the doctor pleasantly put it, a polar bear should come down prepared to make game of them. Even when close in there was nothing visible about the wreck which indicated its name or the port to which it belonged, and, the course being altered, they steamed along at a safe distance from the rocks, carefully scanning the shore and the cliffs right up to where the ice and snow lay thickly. But there was no sign of human habitation, no signal, no living creature but the sea-birds, which flew about the face of the cliffs in flocks, looking in places as thick as the flakes in a snow-squall, shrieking, whistling, and circling round to gaze down at the strange visitors to their solitude. Seen from the vessel, a more lovely spot could not be imagined; its beauty was dazzling; and Steve's spirits rose as he felt that if the captain and crew of the _Ice Blink_ had escaped safely from the wreck, they had found a glorious island in which to make their sojourn. He said something of the kind to Captain Marsham, but there was a saddened look and a shake of the head. "Heavenly-looking, Steve, my boy," he said, "with the blue sea and sky, the silvered rocks, and the lovely greys, reds, and browns of the cliffs; but don't you see why it is so beautiful? Once this glorious sunshine is blotted out by a cloud, and you have before you a terrible spot--desolate, sterile, storm-swept. Fancy what it must be when the arctic night, with its months of darkness, sets in!" Steve was silent, and his heart sank for the time, as he saw the truth of the captain's words; but there was hope still waiting to assert itself: he had his glass in his hand, with which he swept the shore as they steamed on mile after mile, till all at once he uttered a shout. "What is it?" said the captain, for the boy was pointing to where there was a perfect wilderness of rocks stretching down from the cliffs to the sea. "Some one! Look! There he goes! He is trying to get down to the sea to hail us." Steve had seen the moving figure with the naked eye, and his hands trembled so with excitement that he could not adjust his glass. "A bear--a monster," said the captain, who was gazing through his. "A bear in an island?" said the doctor in a tone of doubt; and Steve, whose hopes had been cast down by this announcement, felt his spirits rise again.