Suddenly Mrs.Block stopped.
"What is that ?" she cried, pointing to a spot in the icy wall which was nearest to the vessel.

Instantly every eye was turned that way.

They saw a very distinct, irregular blotch, surrounded by almost transparent ice.
Several glasses were now levelled upon this spot, and it was discovered to be the body of a polar bear, lying naturally upon its side, as if asleep, and entirely incased in ice.
"It must have lain down to die, on the surface of the ice," said Mr.
Gibbs, "and gradually the ice has formed above it, until it now rests in that vast funeral casket." "How long since he laid down there to die, Mr.Gibbs ?" asked Sarah, as she took the glass from her eye.

"He looks as natural as if he was asleep." "I cannot say," he answered.

"It may have been hundreds, even thousands, of years ago." "Oh, horrible!" said Sarah.