On the others hastening up they saw the cause of his astonishment.
Beached in a little bay, with her topmasts gone and the hulk lying over on the port side, was a brig.
The water only washed her rudder-case, and the captain noticed, to his dismay, a thin coating of ice fringing the shore of the inlet.
Not a sign of life was to be seen.
"We must examine her before we do anything else," exclaimed Bob.
Captain Sumner looked at his watch.
"We can spare an hour," he said, "but not more."
There was a rush down the steep rocks on to the sand.
Arriving alongside, for some time they could find no means of climbing on board, till our hero found a rope hanging from the port-bow, which, on being pulled, seemed strong and firm.
As soon as he, the captain, Bok, and one of the men were on deck, which sloped acutely, Bob called to the ladies to say that he would fetch a chair, or something to serve as one, and hoist them up.