Ranworth worked his two assistants hard, but he did not spare himself. Within the specified time a sloping rampart of stones had been packed against the outside face of the barrier.
Then, having regained the sleigh, Ranworth gave the order for the decapod wheels to be brought into play.
The inclined plane served its purpose. Crunching over the loose stones, the Bird of Freedom rolled ponderously up the hitherto formidable obstruction.
Barely had she traversed ten yards beyond the surmounted obstacle, when, with an appalling crash, the lower portion of the glacier broke off and tumbled into the waters of Desolation Inlet. Where the sleigh had been but a few seconds previously a yawning gulf appeared, while the huge mass of ice, floundering violently in the agitated water, moved slowly towards the sea.
The crew of the Bird of Freedom had just witnessed Nature's method of creating an iceberg. But there was no chance of watching further developments in the career of the floating mountains of ice.
The portion of the glacier adjacent to the newly-formed abyss was in a state of unrest. Ominous cracks appeared in all directions, accompanied by weird noises as the ice rasped and settled over the uneven ground.
The sleigh, rocking violently, was still in danger of being engulfed, in addition to the peril of being crushed by continual falls of rock and ice from the cliffs above; till, after five minutes of acute suspense, the crew found themselves on the still firm ice towards the upper part of the glacier.
"My word," ejaculated Leslie, as he turned over the runners in place of the decapod wheels. "That was thick while it lasted."
"Never mind," remarked Ranworth. "The rock barrier has gone. It won't trouble us on the return journey, and by that time the ice will have subsided sufficiently to allow an easy descent of the water. Now, keep her at it for all she's worth. It seems plain sailing now."
The Bird of Freedom was now clear of the ravine. Ahead, the ground ascended with comparative regularity. All around the land was covered with a thick deposit of ice and snow.