Page:Furcountryorseve00vernrich.djvu/493

 CHAPTER XVIII. ALL AT WORK. FEARFUL catastrophe bad occurred. The icfe-wall had been flung upon the wandering island, the volume below the water being five times that of the projecting part, it had come under the influence of the submarine currents, and, open- ing a way for itself between the broken ice-masses, it had fallen bodily upon Victoria Island, which, driven along by this mighty propelling force, was drifting rapidly to the south. Mac-Nab and his companions, aroused by the noise of the ava- lanche dashing down upon the dog-house, stable, and principal house^ had been able to escape in time, but now the work of destruction was complete. Not a trace remained of the buildings in which they had slept, and the island was bearing all its inhabitants with it to the unfathomable depths of the ocean! Perhaps, however, Mrs Barnett, Madge, Kalumah, and the astronomer, were still living! Dead or alive they must be dug out. At this thought Hobson recovered his composure and shouted — " Get shovels and pickaxes! The house is strong! it may have held together! Let us set to work! " There were plenty of tools and pickaxes, but it was really impos- sible to approach the enceinte. The masses of ice were rolling down from the summits of the icebergs, and some parts of the ice-wall still towered amongst the ruins two hundred feet above the island. The force with which the tossing masses, which seemed to be surg- ing all along the northern horizon, were overthrown can be imagined; the whole coast between the former Cape Bathurst and Cape Esqui- maux was not only hemmed in, .but literally invaded by these moving mountains, which, impelled by a force they could not resist, had already advanced more than a quarter of a mile inland. Every moment the trembling of the ground and a loud report