A LAST EXPLORING EXPEDITION. 28 1 to be seen of Victoria Island, which ought to have been opposite to them. Yes ! — The island, which on this side had been such a conspicuous object, owing to the height of Cape Michael crowned with trees, had disappeared. In its place stretched a vast ice-field lit up by the sunbeams. All looked around them, and then at each other in amazement. " The island ought to be there ! " cried Sabine. " But it is not there," said Marbre. " Oh, sir — Lieutenant — where is it % what has become of it ' " But Hobson had not a word to say in reply, and Mrs Barnett was equally dumfounded. Kalumah now approached Lieutenant Hobson, and touching his arm, she said — " We went wrong in the valley, we went up it instead of down it, we shall only get back to where we were yesterday by crossing the chain of icebergs. Come, come ! " Hobson and the others mechanically followed Kalumah, and trust- ing in the young native's sagacity, retraced their steps. Appear- ances were, however, certainly against her, for they were now walking towards the sun in an easterly direction. Kalumah did not explain her motives, but muttered as she went along —
- ' Let us make haste ! "
All were quite exhausted, and could scarcely get along, when they found themselves on the other side of the ice-wall, after a walk* of three hours. The night had now fallen, and it was too dark to see if the island was there, but they were not long left in doubt. At about a hundred paces off, burning torches were moving about, whilst reports of guns and shouts were heard. The explorers replied, and were soon joined by Sergeant Long and others, amongst them Thomas Black, whose anxiety as to the fate of his friends had at last roused him from his torpor. The poor fellows left on the island had been in a terrible state of uneasiness, thinking that Hobson and his party had lost their way. They were right, but what was it that had made them think so % Twenty-four hours before, the immense ice-field and the island had turned half round, and in consequence of this displacement they were no longer on the west, but on the east of the ice-wall !
