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  [Redactor's Note: The Field of Ice {Number V004 (Part II)} in theT&M numerical listing of Verne's works is a translation of Part IIof Voyages et aventures du capitane Hatteras: II: LeDesert de glace(1866) first published in England in this Routledge (London, 1874)anonymous translation. Other translations are Osgood (Boston, 1874),Ward, Lock, and Tyler (1876), Goubaud & Son (London, 1877), andHutchinson (London, 1890). This early work was never published byScribners or Sampson and Low and never found the wide popularityobtained by the works published by those houses. Page numbers areretained in this version to assist in the later collating thenumerous illustrations. A List of Illustrations has been provided.(NMW)]

  THE FIELD OF ICE

  BY JULES VERNE,

  AUTHOR OF "A JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE.""THE CHILDREN OF CAPTAIN GRANT."ETC

  WITH 126 ILLUSTRATIONS BY RIOU

  LONDON AND NEW YORK

  GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS

  1875

  [All rights reserved.]

  LONDONPrinted by Simmons and BottenShoe Lane, E.C.

  CONTENTS.

  CHAPTER I.THE DOCTOR'S INVENTORY 1

  CHAPTER II.FIRST WORDS OF ALTAMONT 10

  CHAPTER III.A SEVENTEEN DAYS' MARCH 22

  CHAPTER IV.THE LAST CHARGE OF POWDER 32

  CHAPTER V.THE SEAL AND THE BEAR 44

  CHAPTER VI.THE "PORPOISE" 55

  CHAPTER VII.AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION 66

  CHAPTER VIII.AN EXCURSION TO THE NORTH OF VICTORIA BAY 77

  CHAPTER IX.COLD AND HEAT 88

  CHAPTER X.WINTER PLEASURES 97

  CHAPTER XI.TRACKS OF BEARS 107

  CHAPTER XII.IMPRISIONED IN DOCTOR'S HOUSE 118

  CHAPTER XIII.THE MINE 130

  CHAPTER XIV.AN ARCTIC SPRING 143

  CHAPTER XV.THE NORTH WEST PASSAGE 154

  CHAPTER XVI.ARCTIC ARCADIA 163

  CHAPTER XVII.ALTAMONT'S REVENGE 173

  CHAPTER XVIII.FINAL PREPARATIONS 181

  CHAPTER XIX.MARCH TO THE NORTH 187

  CHAPTER XX.FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW 199

  CHAPTER XXI.THE OPEN SEA 209

  CHAPTER XXII.GETTING NEAR THE POLE 216

  CHAPTER XXIII.THE ENGLISH FLAG 227

  CHAPTER XXIV.MOUNT HATTERAS 240

  CHAPTER XXV.RETURN SOUTH 253

  CHAPTER XXVI.CONCLUSION 264

  LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

  THE FIELD OF ICE

  "Altamont had already swung his hatchet to strike, when he wasarrested by a well known voice"

  132--frontispiece.

  "The tired-out dogs were harnessed sorely against their will, andbefore long bringing the few but precious treasures found among thedebris of the brig"

  9

  Johnson's Story

  11

  "The poor fellows felt like colonists safely arrived at theirdestination."

  57

  "'I dispute the claim,' said the Englishman, restraininghimself by a powerful effort."

  72

  "Clambering up the steep, rocky wall he succeeded, though withconsiderable difficulty, in reaching the top."

  77

  "Soon they were walking in a bright luminous track, leaving theirshadows behind them on the spotless snow."

  87

  "Hatteras could only manage to keep off his pursuers by flingingdown one article after another."

  120

  "The carpenter began his task immediately."

  154

  "The Doctor did not allow him to proceed, for he really feared thetwo antagonists might come to blows."

  162

  "It was a strange and touching spectacle to see the prettycreatures--they flew on Clawbonny's shoulders, etc."

  169

  "Dealt him such a blow on the head with his hatchet that the skullwas completely split open."

  177

  "The poor seal struggled desperately, but could not free himselffrom the grasp of his enemy."

  184

  "On the 29th Bell killed a fox and Altamont a musk-ox."

  192

  "At Bell's suggestion, torches were contrived."

  188

  Three hours afterwards, they arrived at the coast and shoutedsimultaneously "The sea, the sea!"

  206

  "And the doctor, leaning over the side of the vessel, could seethe whales and the dolphins and all the rest of the monsters of thedeep."

  214

  "It is a volcano, he explained."

  217

  "Mast and sail were torn off and went flying away through thedarkness like some large, white bird."

  224

  "Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks."

  234

  "There he was, standing on a rock, gazing fixedly at the top ofthe mountain."

  242

  "Hatteras did not even turn once to look back, but marchedstraight on, carrying his country's flag attached to his staff."

  249

  "Dead, frozen----"

  262

  "Two hours later, after unheard-of exertions, the survivors of theForward were picked up by the Hans Christian."

  266

  [no caption]

  267

  THE FIELD OF ICE.

  CHAPTER I.