Seven Frozen Sailors
Book Excerpt
Of course, the doctor couldn't pass it without landing; and as there were some seals and a few birds sitting on the farther side, I ran the steamer close in, till, in the still water on the lee, we were able to bring her close alongside of what was just like a natural wharf of ice; when Scudds and four more got on the berg, a couple of ice-anchors were passed over to them, and soon after we were made fast, and the doctor took a gun, his nephew followed, and we had a good climb along the wonderful sides of the iceberg.
"If we could only get on the top I wouldn't mind," said the doctor, after making half a dozen tries; but every one was a failure, for it was for all the world like climbing the side of a slippery board.
"Suppose you did get up, sir--what then?" I said.
"What then, Captain Cookson? Why, I could take observations; notice the structure of the ice; chip off specimens; but I suppose I must be disappointed."
But he was no