THE WORLD OF ICE OR The Whaling Cruise of "The Dolphin" AND The Adventures of Her Crew in the Polar Regions By Robert Michael Ballantyne Author of "The Dog Crusoe and his Master," "The Young Fur-Traders," "The Gorilla-Hunters," "Ungava," "The Coral Island," &c. 1893

PREFACE.

Dear Reader, most people prefer a short to a long preface. Permit me,therefore, to cut this one short, by simply expressing an earnest hopethat my book may afford you much profit and amusement.

R.M. BALLANTYNE.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Some of the "dramatis personæ" introduced—Retrospectiveglances—Causes of future effects—Our hero's early life at sea—Apirate—A terrible fight and its consequences—Buzzby's helm lashedamidships—A whaling-cruise begun.

CHAPTER II.

Departure of the "Pole Star" for the Frozen Seas—Sage reflections ofMrs. Bright, and sagacious remarks of Buzzby—Anxieties, fears,surmises, and resolutions—Isobel—A search proposed—Departure of the"Dolphin" for the Far North.

CHAPTER III.

The voyage—The "Dolphin" and her crew—Ice ahead—Polarscenes—Masthead observations—The first whale—Great excitement.

CHAPTER IV.

The chase and the battle—The chances and dangers of whalingwar—Buzzby dives for his life and saves it—So does the whale and losesit—An anxious night, which terminates happily, though with a heavyloss.

CHAPTER V.

Miscellaneous reflections—The coast of Greenland—Upernavik—News ofthe "Pole Star"—Midnight-day—Scientific facts and fairy-likescenes—Tom Singleton's opinion of poor old women—In danger of asqueeze—Escape.

CHAPTER VI.

The gale—Anchored to a berg which proves to be a treacherousone—Dangers of the "pack"—Beset in the ice—Mivins shows an inquiringmind—Walruses—Gale freshens—Chains and cables—Holding on forlife—An unexpected discovery—A "nip" and its terribleconsequences—Yoked to an iceberg.

CHAPTER VII.

New characters introduced—An old game under novelcircumstances—Remarkable appearances in the sky—O'Riley meets with amishap.

CHAPTER VIII.

Fred and the doctor go on an excursion in which, among other strangethings, they meet with red snow and a white bear, and Fred makes hisfirst essay as a sportsman.

CHAPTER IX.

The "Dolphin" gets beset in the ice—Preparations for wintering in the