Fortunately, at that time an incident occurred which effected the mate’s purpose better than any efforts man could have made.  It has frequently happened that when Arctic voyagers have, from sickness and long confinement during a monotonous winter, become so depressed in spirits that games and amusements of every kind bailed to rouse them from their lethargic despondency, sudden danger has given to their minds the needful impulse, and effected a salutary change, for a time at least, in their spirits.  Such was the case at the present time.  The men were so worn with hard travel and the want of fresh food, and depressed by disappointment and long-continued darkness, that they failed in their attempts to cheer each other, and at length relapsed into moody silence.  Fred’s thoughts turned constantly to his father, and he ceased to remark cheerfully, as was his wont, on passing objects.  Even O’Riley’s jests became few and far between, and at last ceased altogether.  Bolton alone kept up his spirits, and sought to cheer his men, the feeling of responsibility being, probably, the secret of his superiority over them in this respect.  But even Bolton’s spirits began to sink at last.

While they were thus groping sadly along among the hummocks, a large fragment of ice was observed to break off from a berg just over their heads.

“Look out! follow me, quick!” shouted the first mate in a loud, sharp voice of alarm, at the same time darting in towards the side of the berg.

The startled men obeyed the order just in time, for they had barely reached the side of the berg when the enormous pinnacle fell, and was shattered into a thousand fragments on the spot they had just left.  A rebounding emotion sent the blood in a crimson flood to Fred’s forehead, and this was followed by a feeling of gratitude to the Almighty for the preservation of himself and the party.  Leaving the dangerous vicinity of the bergs, they afterwards kept more in-shore.

“What can yonder mound be?” said Fred, pointing to an object that was faintly seen at a short distance off upon the bleak shore.

“An Esquimau hut, maybe,” replied Grim.—­“What think’ee, Meetuck?”

Meetuck shook his head and looked grave, but made no reply.

“Why don’t you answer?” said Bolton.  “But come along, we’ll soon see.”

Meetuck now made various ineffectual attempts to dissuade the party from examining the mound, which turned out to be composed of stones heaped upon each other; but as all the conversation of which he was capable failed to enlighten his companions as to what the pile was, they instantly set to work to open a passage into the interior, believing that it might contain fresh provisions, as the Esquimaux were in the habit of thus preserving their superabundant food from bears and wolves.  In half-an-hour a hole, large enough for a man to creep through, was formed, and Fred entered, but started back with an exclamation of horror on finding himself in the presence of a human skeleton, which was seated on the ground in the centre of this strange tomb, with its head and arms resting on the knees.