The Wreck of the Titan

tepped out on the ice. The fog was gone and a blue, sailless sea stretched out to the horizon. Behind him was ice - a mou

merous ca&241;ons and caves, and glistening with waterfalls, shut out the horizon in this direction. Nowhere was there a sail or steamer's smoke t

object proved to be a traveler from the frozen North, lean and famished - a polar bear, who had scented food and was seeking it - coming on at a lumbering run, with great red jaws half open and yellow fangs exposed. Rowland had no weapon but a strong jackknife, but this he pulled from his pocket and opened as he ran. Not f

e child first, and with seemingly no effort, dashed it, with a blow of its massive paw,

carcely feeling the pain - awaited the second charge. Again was the crushed and useless arm gripped in the yellow vise, and again was he pressed backward; but this time he used the knife with method. The great snout was pressing his breast; the hot, fetid breath was in his nostrils; and at his shoulder the hungry eyes were glaring into his own. He struck for the left eye of the brute and struck true.

skill could hardly avail to reset the fractured particles of bone in the limp arm, and bring to place the crushed ribs. And he was

he child was bleeding from four deep, cruel scratches, extending diagonally from the right shoulder down the back; but he found upon examination that the s

his dangling arm. Then, with knife, fingers, and teeth, he partly skinned the bear - often compelled to pause to save himself from fainting with pain - and cut from the warm bu

acing. The body lining he wrapped around her waist, enclosing the arms, and around the whole he passed turn upon turn of canvas in strips, marling the mummy-like bundle with yarns, much as a sailor secure

to become stiffened with cold and pain. There was plenty of fresh water from melting ice, scattered in pools. The bear would furnish food; but the

above, partly below the pile, was a steel lifeboat, decked over air-tight ends, now doubled to more than a right angle and resting on its side. With canvas hung over one half, and a small fire in the other, it promised, by its

bear, he toasted it on the end of a splinter and found it sweet and satisfying; but when he attempted to feed the child, he understood the necessity of freeing its arms - which he did, sacrificing his left shirtsleeve to cover them. T