t well be astonished at such a letter, and so he was, but astonished like a man used to astonishments. He fulfilled, too, all the required conditio

" he said to himself, "

sked for a sheet of letter-paper, and sent his acceptance in a large sailor's hand to the address indicated. The same day he put himself

of finding a crew, for he was known to be a clever commander. He was afraid that the mystery of the enterprise would embarrass his movements, and he said to himself, "The best thing I can do is to say nothing at all; there are sea-dogs who will want to know the why and the wherefore of the business, and

r, named James Wall. Wall was about thirty, and had made more than one trip to the North Seas. Shandon offered him the post of third officer, and he accepted blin

answered Wall. "If it's to seek the North-

t answer for," said Johnson; "bu

will be undertaken under good conditions. The Forward's a bonny lass, with a g

mber that the American, Kane, had on board when h

o Behring's Straits. The Franklin expeditions have already cost England more than seven hundred and sixty thousa

lly going to the Northern or Southern Seas. Perhaps we are going on a voyage of discover

go and hunt up some solid subjects, captain; and as to their a

ion across the ice. Johnson knew the maritime population of Liverpool, and started at once on his recruiting expedition. Shandon, Wall, and he did their work so well that the crew was complete in the beginning of December. It had been a difficult task; many, tempted by the high pay, fel

invariably; "you'll be in good company, that's all

eater numb

en heard of in the memory of sailors, and then the certainty of finding

r, "it is tempting; enough to liv

ought to know what you undertake; you will very likely be required to attempt all that it is possible for human beings to do, and perhaps more. If yo

or, for the want of something better t

ichard Shandon ti

bs of a whale turned upside down. Shandon and Johnson kept strictly to their instructions touching the health of the sailors who were to form the crew; they all looked hale and hearty, and had enough heat in their bodies to suffice for the engine of the Forward; their supple limbs, their clear and florid complexions were fit to react against the action of intense cold. The

n knew by experience the utility of these practices, and their influence on the mind of the crew; they are always employed on board ships that are intended to winter in the Polar Seas. The crew once got together, Shandon and his two officers set about the provisions; they strictly followed the instructions of

vent Shandon seeing a man of short stature, rather fat, with an intelligent and merry face and an amiable look, who came up to him, took him by the two hands, and shook them with an ardour, a petulance, and a familiarity "quite meridional," as a Frenchman would have said. But if this person did not come from the South, he had got his temperament there; he talked and gesticulated with volubility; his thought must come out or the machine would burst. His eyes, small as those of wi

and I should have lost my head! And so you are the commander Richard? You really exist? You are not a myth? Your hand, your hand! I want to shake it again. It is Richard Sh

hard Shandon; there is a bri

hing air-"that's logic. And I am ready to jump for joy at having my dearest wis

--" bega

out hearing him, "we are sure to go f

egan Shan

de of, commander; I know your deeds

will all

nstant in doubt, even by you! The captain who chose you for

to do with it," said

on't keep me in susp

you please, doctor, how it comes that you are

er, the letter of a brave captain-v

r held out the followi

VER

22nd

. Claw

r a long cruise, he may introduce himself to the commander

IN OF THE

.

this morning, and here

you know where

don't sell badly, I ought not to have done it; the public is silly for buying them. I know nothing, I tell you. I am only an ignorant man. When I have the offer of completing, or rather of goin

ointed, "you do not know whe

mpare-where we shall meet with other customs, other countries, other nations, to stud

ething more definite th

that we are bound fo

d Shandon, "you

orld! But he is an honest f

of all the literary and scientific institutions of Liverpool. His fortune allowed him to distribute counsels which were none the worse for being gratuitous; beloved as a man eminently lovable must always be, he had never wronged any one, not even himself; lively and talkative, he carried his heart in his hand, and put his hand into that of everybody. When it was known in Liverpool that he was going to embark on board the Forward his friends did all they could to dissuade him, and only fixed him more completely in his determination, and when the doctor was determined to do anything no one could prevent him. From that time the suppositions and appr

rpooner; 7. Bell, carpenter; 8. Brunton, chief engineer; 9. Plover, second engineer; 10. Strong (negro), cook; 11. Foker, ice-master; 1