CHAPTER I.
Some of the "dramatis personae" introduced--Retrospective glances--Causes of future effects--Our hero's early life at sea--A pirate--A terrible fight and its consequences--Buzzby's helm lashed amidships--A whaling-cruise begun.
CHAPTER II.
Departure of the "Pole Star" for the Frozen Seas--Sage reflections of Mrs.Bright, and sagacious remarks of Buzzby--Anxieties, fears, surmises, and resolutions--Isobel--A search proposed--Departure of the "Dolphin" for the Far North.
CHAPTER III.
The voyage--The "Dolphin" and her crew--Ice ahead--Polar scenes--Masthead observations--The first whale--Great excitement.
CHAPTER IV.
The chase and the battle--The chances and dangers of whaling war--Buzzby dives for his life and saves it--So does the whale and loses it--An anxious night, which terminates happily, though with a heavy loss.
CHAPTER V.
Miscellaneous reflections--The coast of Greenland--Upernavik--News of the "Pole Star"-- Midnight-day--Scientific facts and fairy-like scenes--Tom Singleton's opinion of poor old women--In danger of a squeeze--Escape.
CHAPTER VI.
The gale--Anchored to a berg which proves to be a treacherous one--Dangers of the "pack"-- Beset in the ice--Mivins shows an inquiring mind--Walruses--Gale freshens--Chains and cables--Holding on for life--An unexpected discovery--A "nip" and its terrible consequences--Yoked to an iceberg.
CHAPTER VII.
New characters introduced--An old game under novel circumstances--Remarkable appearances in the sky--O'Riley meets with a mishap.
CHAPTER VIII.
Fred and the doctor go on an excursion in which, among other strange things, they meet with red snow and a white bear, and Fred makes his first essay as a sportsman.
CHAPTER IX.
The "Dolphin" gets beset in the ice--Preparations for wintering in the ice--Captain Guy's code of laws.
CHAPTER X.
Beginning of winter--Meetuck effects a remarkable change in the men's appearance--Mossing, and working, and plans for a winter campaign.
CHAPTER XI.
A hunting-expedition, in the course of which the hunters meet with many interesting, dangerous, peculiar, and remarkable experiences, and make acquaintance with seals, walruses, deer, and rabbits.
CHAPTER XII.
A dangerous sleep interrupted--A night in a snow-hut, and an unpleasant visitor--Snowed up.
CHAPTER XIII.
Journey resumed--The hunters meet with bears and have a great fight, in which the dogs are sufferers--A bear's dinner--Mode in which Arctic rocks travel--The ice-belt.
CHAPTER XIV.
Departure of the sun--Effects of darkness on dogs--Winter arrangements in the interior of the "Dolphin." CHAPTER XV.
Strangers appear on the scene--The Esquimaux are hospitably entertained by the sailors--A spirited traffic--Thieving propensities and summary justice.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Arctic Theatre enlarged upon--Great success of the first play--The Esquimaux submit, and become fast friends.
CHAPTER XVII.
Expeditions on foot--Effects of darkness on dogs and men--The first death--Caught in a trap--The Esquimau camp.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The hunting-party--Reckless driving--A desperate encounter with a walrus, etc.
CHAPTER XIX.
The northern party--A narrow escape, and a great discovery--Esquimaux again, and a joyful surprise.
CHAPTER XX.
Keeping it down--Mutual explanations--The true comforter--Death--New-Year's day.
CHAPTER XXI.
First gleam of light--Trip to welcome the sun--Bears and strange discoveries--O'Riley is reckless--First view of the sun.
CHAPTER XXII.
The "Arctic Sun"-- Rats! rats! rats!--A hunting-party--Out on the floes--Hardships.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Unexpected arrivals--The rescue party--Lost and found--Return to the ship.
CHAPTER XXIV.
Winter ends--The first insect--Preparations for departure--Narrow escape--Cutting out--Once more afloat--Ship on fire--Crew take to the boats.
CHAPTER XXV.
Escape to Upernavik--Letter from home--Meetuck's grandmother--Dumps and Poker again.
CHAPTER XXVI.
The return--The surprise--Buzzby's sayings and doings--The narrative--Fighting battles o'er again--Conclusion..