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The floating sheets of Arctic ice were slowly freezing together , threatening to crush the small sailing ship . Robert Walton , its young English captain , stood on deck , wondering if he were wrong risking the lives of his brave crew for his own ambitions - to explore oceans ships had never sailed on and land men had never walked on . He dreamed of the benefits this discovery would have for all mankind if he were to discover a sea route near the North Pole from Europe to Asia . Walton had been born into wealth and could have chosen to spend his life in ease and luxury . Instead , he had spent the last six years at sea , working as a common sailor , enduring cold , hunger , thirst , sleeplessness , and often brutal discipline , just to prepare his body and mind for this long and dangerous voyage But now , with the ice threatening his ship and the lives of his crew , it was doubtful whether or not any of them would ever see their homes and families in England again ! At about two o'clock in the afternoon , the thick , heavy fog that had surrounded the ship all morning began to lift . As it did , a strange sight appeared on the ice . " Look , Captain ! " called a crewman , pointing to a dark spot a half - mile away . " It's a sledge , sir . And those dogs are pulling it as if their feet had wings ! " Walton lifted his telescope to his eye . " And look at that driver ! " he cried . " He has to be the most gigantic man I've ever laid eyes on ! What on earth is he doing here , out in the middle of the frozen sea , hundreds of miles away from any land ? " Within minutes , though , the mysterious traveler had disappeared on the ice , leaving Walton and his crew stunned and speechless ! The next morning at dawn , Walton came up on deck to find his sailors leaning over the rail , apparently talking to someone on the ice below . " What's happening , lads ? " he asked as he joined them at the rail . " It's a sledge , sir , " said a sailor , " much like the one we saw yesterday . " Walton looked out over the rail . There , frozen into a block of ice drifting towards the ship was a sledge , a dog team , and a driver . All the dogs were dead except one , and its reins were being held limply by a frost - covered man as he paddled the block of ice with a piece of wood . He appeared to be barely alive . " This isn't the same sledge we saw yesterday . " Walton told his men , " and this man is nothing at all like that gigantic creature that sped past us . " " Here is our captain , " called one of the sailors to the man below . " Perhaps he can persuade you to come aboard . " " Good Lord , man ! You're near death ! " called Walton . " Let my men bring you up . " " Thank you , sir , " answered the man in a weak voice , " but first I need to know where your ship is headed . " Walton was amazed that anyone so near death should ask such a question of anyone interested in saving his life . But he decided to humor the man by explaining , " We're exploring the seas near the North Pole . " The man nodded and whispered , " North is good . " And he let the sailors come down to carry him up to the ship . Once the man was on deck , the ship's doctor reported , " His legs are nearly frozen , sir , and his body is so thin that his bones are coming through his clothing . " " Wrap him in blankets and lay him gently near the stove , " ordered Walton . " When he warms up , feed him a little soup , then put him in my cabin . Hell be comfortable there , and I will take care of him myself . " For two days , the man didn't speak . The wild expression in his eyes and the frequent gnashing of his teeth made Walton fear that the man " s suffering had driven him mad . Yet there were moments , when someone was kind or helpful to him , that his eyes shone with kindness and gratitude . When the man was finally able to utter a few words , Walton asked him , " What were you doing out there on the ice in a sledge ? " The man " s face immediately turned gloomy as he replied , " I'm looking for someone in a sledge very much like mine . " " We saw him , " Walton explained , " only the day before we picked you up . " At that news , the stranger " s eyes opened wide , and he raised himself off the pillow . " Which way did that demon head ? " he gasped . " How many dogs did he have ? How much food ? I must know ! I must find him ! " " Calm yourself , my friend , " cautioned Walton . " You " ve been very ill , and you mustn't have this kind of excitement . " " You're right , " said the stranger with a sigh . " You've rescued me from near death , and I'm certain that you must be curious about me . My grief is so deep that I can't talk about it yet , but please be patient . I have a terrible secret which I promise to share with you very soon . " Days passed , and the man's strength returned . He insisted on spending his time on deck searching for the sledge , but he also enjoyed hearing Captain Walton talk about his dreams of exploration