CHAPTER XI.

IN THE OPEN POLAR SEA.

Frank surveyed the scene about him with interest.

He paced the deck for some while, and then went below.

When he came on deck again he had a ship’s glass.

With this he studied the horizon for some time.

Roger Harmon finally joined him.

“Well, Mr. Reade,” he said, “your prophecy has come true!”

“It seems so!”

“This is really the open Polar Sea.”

“Yes.”

“There is no greater wonder on earth.”

“Well, that is so.”

“That there should be such a sea as this in the midst of a vast region of ice is simply wonderful!”

“It is, indeed.”

“How do you explain it?”

“Well, I think there are volcanic causes to explain it,” said Frank; “the inner fires of the earth come very near to the surface.”

“That is certainly an apt explanation. Ah, what is that?”

Roger pointed to a long, low line upon the horizon.

Frank picked up his glass.

He studied the line a moment.

Then he lowered the glass.

“It is land!” he said.

The interest of all was at once aroused.

That land was in sight there was no doubt. The voyagers felt much as Columbus must have when he discovered the New World.

They were the discoverers of a new continent.

They were the only known white men who had ever sailed these waters.

When the land was reached they would be the only ones who had ever set foot upon it.

What a story to relate when once they should return home!

The spirits of all were high.

The Explorer, being now upon the surface, could sail at a tremendous rate of speed.

Like a meteor the boat shot through the water.

Gradually the distant continent began to rise up out of the water.

It was not long before rocky cliffs could be seen, and above them tall trees and waving shrubs.

The Explorer every moment drew nearer, and now the land was in plain view.

The air was now so mild that the voyagers felt constrained to remove many of their fur garments.

There was not a particle of ice or snow to be seen.

The waves rolled in breakers upon the white sands of the shore.

It was a beautiful sight and one which impressed them.

Of course all were eager to go ashore.

But Barney and Pomp were instructed to stay aboard the Explorer.

“We will go ashore first,” said Frank, “then if we can find a good harbor, we will sink the Explorer and all walk ashore in our diving suits.”

This met with great favor and settled the fears of Barney and Pomp.

The small boat was got out and Frank and Roger entered it.

They quickly rowed ashore.

Drawing the boat upon the sands they proceeded to climb the cliffs.

A wonderful view was to be obtained from them.

It was a land fertile and diversified by valleys and hills.

As far as the eye could reach the land extended.

All was luxuriant foliage and thrifty growth.

The trees and shrubs were of kinds not common in southern countries.

Frank gazed upon the scene with wonderment.

“I am satisfied that this is not an island,” he declared.

“Never!” agreed Roger. “If it is not a continent, then I’m wrong. See that mighty river where it empties into the sea.”

“Is it river or lagoon?”

“A river.”

Frank studied it with his glass.

“That is true,” he cried. “It is a river, as I live!”

At once an idea seized Frank.

He started back for the shore.

“Where are you going?” asked Roger, in surprise.

“Back to the boat.”

“What for?”

“I’ll tell you when we get there.”

Roger said no more.

He followed Frank to the shore and got into the boat.

They rowed back to the Explorer and clambered aboard.

Barney and Pomp had been anxiously awaiting their return.

“Fo’ goodness’ sake, Marse Frank,” cried Pomp, “am yo’ back so soon?”

“Yes,” replied Frank.

“Bejabers, was it the inemy that druv yez back?” asked Barney.

“No,” replied Frank. “Hoist the anchor, Barney. We will leave here.”

The Celt was astounded.

“Leave is it, sor! Shure, I thought we wud all go ashore?”

“And so you shall, but not now,” replied Frank.

Barney and Pomp proceeded to obey orders.

The anchor was got up and the Explorer put out of the harbor.

Roger now saw through the purpose of Frank Reade, Jr.

“You are making for the river,” he said.

“Yes.”

“Good enough!”

Along the coast the Explorer ran.

Then when the mouth of the river was reached it turned its sharp prow into it.

Barney and Pomp now saw the plan.

They were in ecstasies.

Soon the boat was gliding along between high wooded banks.

The river was a broad and powerful stream.

It moved on with resistless current, and its force assured Frank that the land was indeed a continent.

The river was replete with fish, and huge salmon were so thick that it would have been easy to spear any number of them from the deck.

On went the Explorer.

As they left the sea a wonderful stretch of country was unfolded before them.

Suddenly, as the boat was gliding around a bend, Barney beheld a thrilling sight.

In a distant clump of reeds by the shore stood a wonderful looking object.

It was a bird, but such as the likes of which our explorers had never seen before.

To all appearances it was an auk, but of a most gigantic size.

The huge bird seemed to be feeding upon the reeds in the marsh.

It was fully four feet high, with a body as large as an ostrich.

“Whurroo! phwat the divil do yez call that anyway?” cried Barney, wildly.

All viewed the huge bird in surprise.

As they drew nearer, the giant auk made off with strides of tremendous sort.

Soon it had disappeared in the woods bordering the river.

But the greatest surprise of all was yet in store.

Before the reed swamp had been passed, Frank’s attention was claimed by what looked like a huge pile of some sort of stuff upon the shore.

But this pile suddenly began to move, and then to his horror Frank beheld the most hideous reptile he had ever seen.

It was a cross between an alligator and a frog, with huge, glittering scales and a terrible pair of jaws.

It looked like a mammoth specimen of the basilisk.

As the boat passed, its greenish eyes gleamed balefully and all shivered.

But the saurian, for such it was, did not move.

“Mercy on us!” exclaimed Frank. “What was that?”

“On me worrud!” cried Barney, excitedly. “I never saw the loikes in me loife!”

“Golly! looks like a big ‘gator!” said Pomp.

“I tell you we are only coming upon a few existing specimens of the antediluvian animal kingdom,” said Roger Harmon.

“You are right,” cried Frank.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we discovered a specimen of the megatheriun yet.”

“Nor I.”

The boat kept on up the river.

But no more wonderful animals were seen for the time.

New sights were in store.

Suddenly Barney, who was in the bow, raised his head and cried:

“Did any of yez iver see the loikes av that?”

“What”? asked Harmon.

“On me worrud, it’s the biggest man I iver see in me loife!”

Harmon and the others now saw the cause of Barney’s surprise.

Upon a point of land jutting into the river stood a man.

But he was not of the ordinary type.

He seemed more than seven feet tall, with limbs and body of Herculean proportion.

He was dressed in a barbarous and wild fashion.

The skins of animals covered him in part, and his broad chest and limbs were fully exposed to the air, the balminess of which, however, precluded anything like suffering.

The giant’s beard hung low and in a tangled mass upon his chest.

His hair was down upon his shoulders from beneath a heavy fur cap.

Indeed he presented the appearance of a type of prehistoric man.

In his hand he carried a huge club, and he was regarding the Explorer with much of surprise.

Our voyagers gazed upon him with deepest wonderment.

“Heavens!” gasped Frank Reade, Jr., “what a powerful fellow that is!”

“He is a shade heavier than an Esquimau,” said Roger.

“I should say so!”

“Bejabers, did yez iver see the loikes?” cried Barney, excitedly. “Shure, if he iver got a hold upon us he’d crush the loife out of us.”

“Golly, I done fink we bettah stay on board de boat!” cried Pomp.

“I think we will stay on board until in a safe position,” said Frank.

The giant now began to make menacing motions toward the boat. He waded out into the stream even and began to wave the club.

He called out to the voyagers in a strange, unintelligible tongue.

It would have been easy enough to have dropped him with a rifle ball.

But this would have been actual murder, and Frank Reade, Jr., would not agree to this.

If the barbarian should assume to do them actual harm, then it would be full time to stand upon the defensive.

The actions of the giant were frantic.

He swam out into the current and tried to catch hold of the boat.

But he was unable to do this.

Finally he gave up the attempt and swam ashore.

His actions now underwent a more aggressive aspect.