initial commit of ebook 10339HEADmain

1 files changed, 10366 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/10339-0.txt b/10339-0.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..650bfc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/10339-0.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,10366 @@
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10339 ***
+
+[Redactor's Note: _An Antarctic Mystery_ (Number V046 in the T&M
+numerical listing of Verne's works) is a translation of _Le Sphinx
+de Glaces_ (1897) translated by Mrs. Cashel Hoey who also translated
+other Verne works.]
+
+
+
+
+
+AN ANTARCTIC MYSTERY
+
+
+BY
+
+
+JULES  VERNE
+
+
+TRANSLATED BY MRS. CASHEL HOEY
+
+
+
+
+ILLUSTRATED
+
+1899
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+
+The _Tasman_ to the rescue
+
+The approach of the _Halbrane_
+
+Going aboard the _Halbrane_
+
+Cook's route was effectually barred by ice-floes
+
+Taking in sail under difficulties
+
+"There, look there! That's a fin-back!"
+
+Hunt to the rescue
+
+Four sailors at the oars, and one at the helm
+
+Hunt extended his enormous hand, holding a metal collar
+
+Dirk Peters shows the way
+
+The half-breed in the crow's-nest
+
+The _Halbrane_ fast in the iceberg
+
+The _Halbrane_, staved in, broken up
+
+"I was afraid; I got away from him"
+
+William Guy
+
+An Antarctic Mystery
+
+The _Paracuta_
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS.
+
+
+Chapter I.        The Kerguelen Islands.
+
+Chapter II.       The Schooner _Halbrane_
+
+Chapter III.      Captain Len Guy
+
+Chapter IV.       From the Kerguelen Isles to Prince Edward Island
+
+Chapter V.        Edgar Poe's Romance
+
+Chapter VI.       An Ocean Waif
+
+Chapter VII.      Tristan D'Acunha
+
+Chapter VIII.     Bound for the Falklands
+
+Chapter IX.       Fitting out the _Halbrane_
+
+Chapter X.        The Outset of the Enterprise
+
+Chapter XI.       From the Sandwich Islands to the Polar Circle
+
+Chapter XII.      Between the Polar Circle and the Ice Wall
+
+Chapter XIII.     Along the Front of the Icebergs
+
+Chapter XIV.      A Voice in a Dream
+
+Chapter XV.       Bennet Islet
+
+Chapter XVI.      Tsalal Island
+
+Chapter XVII.     And Pym
+
+Chapter XVIII.    A Revelation
+
+Chapter XIX.      Land
+
+Chapter XX.       "Unmerciful Disaster"
+
+Chapter XXI.      Amid the Mists
+
+Chapter XXII.     In Camp
+
+Chapter XXIII.    Found at Last
+
+Chapter XXIV.     Eleven Years in a Few Pages
+
+Chapter XXV.      "We Were the First"
+
+Chapter XXVI.     A Little Remnant
+
+
+
+
+AN ANTARCTIC MYSTERY
+
+(Also called THE SPHINX OF THE ICE FIELDS)
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+THE KERGUELEN ISLANDS.
+
+
+No doubt the following narrative will be received with entire
+incredulity, but I think it well that the public should be put in
+possession of the facts narrated in "An Antarctic Mystery." The
+public is free to believe them or not, at its good pleasure.
+
+No more appropriate scene for the wonderful and terrible adventures
+which I am about to relate could be imagined than the Desolation
+Islands, so called, in 1779, by Captain Cook. I lived there for
+several weeks, and I can affirm, on the evidence of my own eyes and
+my own experience, that the famous English explorer and navigator
+was happily inspired when he gave the islands that significant name.
+
+Geographical nomenclature, however, insists on the name of
+Kerguelen, which is generally adopted for the group which lies in
+49° 45' south latitude, and 69° 6' east longitude. This is
+just, because in 1772, Baron Kerguelen, a Frenchman, was the first
+to discover those islands in the southern part of the Indian Ocean.
+Indeed, the commander of the squadron on that voyage believed that
+he had found a new continent on the limit of the Antarctic seas, but
+in the course of a second expedition he recognized his error. There
+was only an archipelago. I may be believed when I assert that
+Desolation Islands is the only suitable name for this group of three
+hundred isles or islets in the midst of the vast expanse of ocean,
+which is constantly disturbed by austral storms.
+
+Nevertheless, the group is inhabited, and the number of Europeans
+and Americans who formed the nucleus of the Kerguelen population at
+the date of the 2nd of August, 1839, had been augmented for two
+months past by a unit in my person. Just then I was waiting for an
+opportunity of leaving the place, having completed the geological
+and mineralogical studies which had brought me to the group in
+general and to Christmas Harbour in particular.
+
+Christmas Harbour belongs to the most important islet of the
+archipelago, one that is about half as large as Corsica. It is safe,
+and easy, and free of access. Your ship may ride securely at single
+anchor in its waters, while the bay remains free from ice.
+
+The Kerguelens possess hundreds of other fjords. Their coasts are
+notched and ragged, especially in the parts between the north and
+the south-east, where little islets abound. The soil, of volcanic
+origin, is composed of quartz, mixed with a bluish stone. In summer
+it is covered with green mosses, grey lichens, various hardy plants,
+especially wild saxifrage. Only one edible plant grows there, a kind
+of cabbage, not found anywhere else, and very bitter of flavour.
+Great flocks of royal and other penguins people these islets,
+finding good lodging on their rocky and mossy surface. These stupid
+birds, in their yellow and white feathers, with their heads thrown
+back and their wings like the sleeves of a monastic habit, look, at
+a distance, like monks in single file walking in procession along
+the beach.
+
+The islands afford refuge to numbers of sea-calves, seals, and
+sea-elephants. The taking of those amphibious animals either on land
+or from the sea is profitable, and may lead to a trade which will
+bring a large number of vessels into these waters.
+
+On the day already mentioned, I was accosted while strolling on the
+port by mine host of mine inn.
+
+"Unless I am much mistaken, time is beginning to seem very long to
+you, Mr. Jeorling?"
+
+The speaker was a big tall American who kept the only inn on the
+port.
+
+"If you will not be offended, Mr. Atkins, I will acknowledge that
+I do find it long."
+
+"Of course I won't be offended. Am I not as well used to answers
+of that kind as the rocks of the Cape to the rollers?"
+
+"And you resist them equally well."
+
+"Of course. From the day of your arrival at Christmas Harbour,
+when you came to the Green Cormorant, I said to myself that in a
+fortnight, if not in a week, you would have enough of it, and would
+be sorry you had landed in the Kerguelens."
+
+"No, indeed, Mr. Atkins; I never regret anything I have done."
+
+"That's a good habit, sir."
+
+"Besides, I have gained knowledge by observing curious things
+here. I have crossed the rolling plains, covered with hard stringy
+mosses, and I shall take away curious mineralogical and geological
+specimens with me. I have gone sealing, and taken sea-calves with
+your people. I have visited the rookeries where the penguin and the
+albatross live together in good fellowship, and that was well worth
+my while. You have given me now and again a dish of petrel, seasoned
+by your own hand, and very acceptable when one has a fine healthy
+appetite. I have found a friendly welcome at the Green Cormorant,
+and I am very much obliged to you. But, if I am right in my
+reckoning, it is two months since the Chilian two-master _Peñas_ set
+me down at Christmas Harbour in mid-winter.
+
+"And you want to get back to your own country, which is mine, Mr.
+Jeorling; to return to Connecticut, to Providence, our capital."
+
+"Doubtless, Mr. Atkins, for I have been a globe-trotter for close
+upon three years. One must come to a stop and take root at some
+time."
+
+"Yes, and when one has taken root, one puts out branches."
+
+"Just so, Mr. Atkins. However, as I have no relations living, it
+is likely that I shall be the last of my line. I am not likely to
+take a fancy for marrying at forty."
+
+"Well, well, that is a matter of taste. Fifteen years ago I
+settled down comfortably at Christmas Harbour with my Betsy; she has
+presented me with ten children, who in their turn will present me
+with grandchildren."
+
+"You will not return to the old country?"
+
+"What should I do there, Mr. Jeorling, and what could I ever have
+done there? There was nothing before me but poverty. Here, on the
+contrary, in these Islands of Desolation, where I have no reason to
+feel desolate, ease and competence have come to me and mine!"
+
+"No doubt, and I congratulate you, Mr. Atkins, for you are a happy
+man. Nevertheless it is not impossible that the fancy may take you
+some day--"
+
+Mr. Atkins answered by a vigorous and convincing shake of the head.
+It was very pleasant to hear this worthy American talk. He was
+completely acclimatized on his archipelago, and to the conditions of
+life there. He lived with his family as the penguins lived in their
+rookeries. His wife was a "valiant" woman of the Scriptural
+type, his sons were strong, hardy fellows, who did not know what
+sickness meant. His business was prosperous. The Green Cormorant had
+the custom of all the ships, whalers and others, that put in at
+Kerguelen. Atkins supplied them with everything they required, and
+no second inn existed at Christmas Harbour. His sons were
+carpenters, sailmakers, and fishers, and they hunted the amphibians
+in all the creeks during the hot season. In short, this was a family
+of honest folk who fulfilled their destiny without much difficulty.
+
+"Once more, Mr. Atkins, let me assure you," I resumed, "I am
+delighted to have come to Kerguelen. I shall always remember the
+islands kindly. Nevertheless, I should not be sorry to find myself
+at sea again."
+
+"Come, Mr. Jeorling, you must have a little patience," said the
+philosopher, "you must not forget that the fine days will soon be
+here. In five or six weeks--"
+
+"Yes, and in the meantime, the hills and the plains, the rocks and
+the shores will be covered thick with snow, and the sun will not
+have strength to dispel the mists on the horizon."
+
+"Now, there you are again, Mr. Jeorling! Why, the wild grass is
+already peeping through the white sheet! Just look!"
+
+"Yes, with a magnifying glass! Between ourselves, Atkins, could
+you venture to pretend that your bays are not still ice-locked in
+this month of August, which is the February of our northern
+hemisphere?"
+
+"I acknowledge that, Mr. Jeorling. But again I say have patience!
+The winter has been mild this year. The ships will soon show up, in
+the east or in the west, for the fishing season is near."
+
+"May Heaven hear you, Atkins, and guide the _Halbrane_ safely into
+port."
+
+"Captain Len Guy? Ah, he's a good sailor, although he's
+English--there are good people everywhere--and he takes in his
+supplies at the Green Cormorant."
+
+"You think the _Halbrane_--"
+
+"Will be signalled before a week, Mr. Jeorling, or, if not, it
+will be because there is no longer a Captain Len Guy; and if there
+is no longer a Captain Len Guy, it is because the _Halbrane_ has sunk
+in full sail between the Kerguelens and the Cape of Good Hope."
+
+Thereupon Mr. Atkins walked away, with a scornful gesture,
+indicating that such an eventuality was out of all probability.
+
+My intention was to take my passage on board the _Halbrane_ so soon as
+she should come to her moorings in Christmas Harbour. After a rest
+of six or seven days, she would set sail again for Tristan
+d'Acunha, where she was to discharge her cargo of tin and copper.
+I meant to stay in the island for a few weeks of the fine season,
+and from thence set out for Connecticut. Nevertheless, I did not
+fail to take into due account the share that belongs to chance in
+human affairs, for it is wise, as Edgar Poe has said, always "to
+reckon with the unforeseen, the unexpected, the inconceivable, which
+have a very large share (in those affairs), and chance ought always
+to be a matter of strict calculation."
+
+Each day I walked about the port and its neighbourhood. The sun was
+growing strong. The rocks were emerging by degrees from their winter
+clothing of snow; moss of a wine-like colour was springing up on the
+basalt cliffs, strips of seaweed fifty yards long were floating on
+the sea, and on the plain the lyella, which is of Andean origin, was
+pushing up its little points, and the only leguminous plant of the
+region, that gigantic cabbage already mentioned, valuable for its
+anti-scorbutic properties, was making its appearance.
+
+I had not come across a single land mammal--sea mammals swarm in
+these waters--not even of the batrachian or reptilian kinds. A few
+insects only--butterflies or others--and even these did not fly,
+for before they could use their wings, the atmospheric currents
+carried the tiny bodies away to the surface of the rolling waves.
+
+"And the  _Halbrane_?" I used to say to Atkins each morning.
+
+"The _Halbrane_, Mr. Jeorling," he would reply with complacent
+assurance, "will surely come into port to-day, or, if not to-day,
+to-morrow."
+
+In my rambles on the shore, I frequently routed a crowd of
+amphibians, sending them plunging into the newly-released waters.
+The penguins, heavy and impassive creatures, did not disappear at my
+approach; they took no notice; but the black petrels, the puffins,
+black and white, the grebes and others, spread their wings at sight
+of me.
+
+One day I witnessed the departure of an albatross, saluted by the
+very best croaks of the penguins, no doubt as a friend whom they
+were to see no more. Those powerful birds can fly for two hundred
+leagues without resting for a moment, and with such rapidity that
+they sweep through vast spaces in a few hours. The departing
+albatross sat motionless upon a high rock, at the end of the bay of
+Christmas Harbour, looking at the waves as they dashed violently
+against the beach.
+
+Suddenly, the bird rose with a great sweep into the air, its claws
+folded beneath it, its head stretched out like the prow of a ship,
+uttering its shrill cry: a few moments later it was reduced to a
+black speck in the vast height and disappeared behind the misty
+curtain of the south.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+THE SCHOONER _HALBRANE_.
+
+
+The _Halbrane_ was a schooner of three hundred tons, and a fast
+sailer. On board there was a captain, a mate, or lieutenant, a
+boatswain, a cook, and eight sailors; in all twelve men, a
+sufficient number to work the ship. Solidly built, copper-bottomed,
+very manageable, well suited for navigation between the fortieth and
+sixtieth parallels of south latitude, the _Halbrane_ was a credit to
+the ship-yards of Birkenhead.
+
+All this I learned from Atkins, who adorned his narrative with
+praise and admiration of its theme. Captain Len Guy, of Liverpool,
+was three-fifths owner of the vessel, which he had commanded for
+nearly six years. He traded in the southern seas of Africa and
+America, going from one group of islands to another and from
+continent to continent. His ship's company was but a dozen men, it
+is true, but she was used for the purposes of trade only; he would
+have required a more numerous crew, and all the implements, for
+taking seals and other amphibia. The _Halbrane_ was not defenceless,
+however; on the contrary, she was heavily armed, and this was well,
+for those southern seas were not too safe; they were frequented at
+that period by pirates, and on approaching the isles the _Halbrane_
+was put into a condition to resist attack. Besides, the men always
+slept with one eye open.
+
+One morning--it was the 27th of August--I was roused out of my bed
+by the rough voice of the innkeeper and the tremendous thumps he
+gave my door.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling, are you awake?"
+
+"Of course I am, Atkins. How should I be otherwise, with all that
+noise going on? What's up?"
+
+"A ship six miles out in the offing, to the nor'east, steering
+for Christmas!"
+
+"Will it be the _Halbrane_?"
+
+"We shall know that in a short time, Mr. Jeorling. At any rate it
+is the first boat of the year, and we must give it a welcome."
+
+I dressed hurriedly and joined Atkins on the quay, where I found him
+in the midst of a group engaged in eager discussion. Atkins was
+indisputably the most considerable and considered man in the
+archipelago--consequently he secured the best listeners. The matter
+in dispute was whether the schooner in sight was or was not the
+_Halbrane_. The majority maintained that she was not, but Atkins was
+positive she was, although on this occasion he had only two backers.
+
+The dispute was carried on with warmth, the host of the Green
+Cormorant defending his view, and the dissentients maintaining that
+the fast-approaching schooner was either English or American, until
+she was near enough to hoist her flag and the Union Jack went
+fluttering up into the sky. Shortly after the _Halbrane_ lay at anchor
+in the middle of Christmas Harbour.
+
+[Illustration: The approach of the _Halbrane_.]
+
+The captain of the _Halbrane_, who received the demonstrative greeting
+of Atkins very coolly, it seemed to me, was about forty-five,
+red-faced, and solidly built, like his schooner; his head was large,
+his hair was already turning grey, his black eyes shone like coals
+of fire under his thick eyebrows, and his strong white teeth were
+set like rocks in his powerful jaws; his chin was lengthened by a
+coarse red beard, and his arms and legs were strong and firm. Such
+was Captain Len Guy, and he impressed me with the notion that he was
+rather impassive than hard, a shut-up sort of person, whose secrets
+it would not be easy to get at. I was told the very same day that my
+impression was correct, by a person who was better informed than
+Atkins, although the latter pretended to great intimacy with the
+captain. The truth was that nobody had penetrated that reserved
+nature.
+
+I may as well say at once that the person to whom I have alluded was
+the boatswain of the _Halbrane_, a man named Hurliguerly, who came
+from the Isle of Wight. This person was about forty-four, short,
+stout, strong, and bow-legged; his arms stuck out from his body, his
+head was set like a ball on a bull neck, his chest was broad enough
+to hold two pairs of lungs (and he seemed to want a double supply,
+for he was always puffing, blowing, and talking), he had droll
+roguish eyes, with a network of wrinkles under them. A noteworthy
+detail was an ear-ring, one only, which hung from the lobe of his
+left ear. What a contrast to the captain of the schooner, and how
+did two such dissimilar beings contrive to get on together? They had
+contrived it, somehow, for they had been at sea in each other's
+company for fifteen years, first in the brig _Power_, which had been
+replaced by the schooner _Halbrane_, six years before the beginning of
+this story.
+
+Atkins had told Hurliguerly on his arrival that I would take passage
+on the _Halbrane_, if Captain Len Guy consented to my doing so, and
+the boatswain presented himself on the following morning without any
+notice or introduction. He already knew my name, and he accosted me
+as follows:
+
+"Mr. Jeorling, I salute you."
+
+"I salute you in my turn, my friend. What do you want?"
+
+"To offer you my services."
+
+"On what account?"
+
+"On account of your intention to embark on the _Halbrane_."
+
+"Who are you?"
+
+"I am Hurliguerly, the boatswain of the _Halbrane_, and besides, I
+am the faithful companion of Captain Len Guy, who will listen to me
+willingly, although he has the reputation of not listening to
+anybody."
+
+"Well, my friend, let us talk, if you are not required on board
+just now."
+
+"I have two hours before me, Mr. Jeorling. Besides, there's very
+little to be done to-day. If you are free, as I am--"
+
+He waved his hand towards the port.
+
+"Cannot we talk very well here?" I observed.
+
+"Talk, Mr. Jeorling, talk standing up, and our throats dry, when
+it is so easy to sit down in a corner of the Green Cormorant in
+front of two glasses of whisky."
+
+"I don't drink."
+
+"Well, then, I'll drink for both of us. Oh! don't imagine you
+are dealing with a sot! No! never more than is good for me, but
+always as much!"
+
+I followed the man to the tavern, and while Atkins was busy on the
+deck of the ship, discussing the prices of his purchases and sales,
+we took our places in the eating-room of his inn. And first I said
+to Hurliguerly: "It was on Atkins that I reckoned to introduce me
+to Captain Len Guy, for he knows him very intimately, if I am not
+mistaken."
+
+"Pooh! Atkins is a good sort, and the captain has an esteem for
+him. But he can't do what I can. Let me act for you, Mr.
+Jeorling."
+
+"Is it so difficult a matter to arrange, boatswain, and is there
+not a cabin on board the _Halbrane_? The smallest would do for me, and
+I will pay--"
+
+"All right, Mr. Jeorling! There is a cabin, which has never been
+used, and since you don't mind putting your hand in your pocket if
+required--however--between ourselves--it will take somebody
+sharper than you think, and who isn't good old Atkins, to induce
+Captain Len Guy to take a passenger. Yes, indeed, it will take all
+the smartness of the good fellow who now drinks to your health,
+regretting that you don't return the compliment!"
+
+What a wink it was that accompanied this sentiment! And then the man
+took a short black pipe out of the pocket of his jacket, and smoked
+like a steamer in full blast.
+
+"Mr. Hurliguerly?" said I.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"Why does your captain object to taking me on his ship?"
+
+"Because he does not intend to take anybody on board his ship. He
+never has taken a passenger."
+
+"But, for what reason, I ask you."
+
+"Oh! because he wants to go where he likes, to turn about if he
+pleases and go the other way without accounting for his motives to
+anybody. He never leaves these southern seas, Mr. Jeorling; we have
+been going these many years between Australia on the east and
+America on the west; from Hobart Town to the Kerguelens, to Tristan
+d'Acunha, to the Falklands, only taking time anywhere to sell our
+cargo, and sometimes dipping down into the Antarctic Sea. Under
+these circumstances, you understand, a passenger might be
+troublesome, and besides, who would care to embark on the _Halbrane_?
+she does not like to flout the breezes, and goes wherever the wind
+drives her."
+
+"The _Halbrane_ positively leaves the Kerguelens in four days?"
+
+"Certainly."
+
+"And this time she will sail westward for Tristan d'Acunha?"
+
+"Probably."
+
+"Well, then, that probability will be enough for me, and since you
+offer me your services, get Captain Len Guy to accept me as a
+passenger."
+
+"It's as good as done."
+
+"All right, Hurliguerly, and you shall have no reason to repent of
+it."
+
+"Eh! Mr. Jeorling," replied this singular mariner, shaking his
+head as though he had just come out of the sea, "I have never
+repented of anything, and I know well that I shall not repent of
+doing you a service. Now, if you will allow me, I shall take leave
+of you, without waiting for Atkins to return, and get on board."
+
+With this, Hurliguerly swallowed his last glass of whisky at a
+gulp--I thought the glass would have gone down with the
+liquor--bestowed a patronizing smile on me, and departed.
+
+An hour later, I met the innkeeper on the port, and told him what
+had occurred.
+
+"Ah! that Hurliguerly!" said he, "always the old story. If you
+were to believe him, Captain Len Guy wouldn't blow his nose
+without consulting him. He's a queer fellow, Mr. Jeorling, not
+bad, not stupid, but a great hand at getting hold of dollars or
+guineas! If you fall into his hands, mind your purse, button up your
+pocket, and don't let yourself be done."
+
+"Thanks for your advice, Atkins. Tell me, you have been talking
+with Captain Len Guy; have you spoken about me?"
+
+"Not yet, Mr. Jeorling. There's plenty of time. The _Halbrane_ has
+only just arrived, and--"
+
+"Yes, yes, I know. But you understand that I want to be certain as
+soon as possible."
+
+"There's nothing to fear. The matter will be all right. Besides,
+you would not be at a loss in any case. When the fishing season
+comes, there will be more ships in Christmas Harbour than there are
+houses around the Green Cormorant. Rely on me. I undertake your
+getting a passage."
+
+Now, these were fair words, but, just as in the case of Hurliguerly,
+there was nothing in them. So, notwithstanding the fine promises of
+the two, I resolved to address myself personally to Len Guy, hard to
+get at though he might be, so soon as I should meet him alone.
+
+The next day, in the afternoon, I saw him on the quay, and
+approached him. It was plain that he would have preferred to avoid
+me. It was impossible that Captain Len Guy, who knew every dweller
+in the place, should not have known that I was a stranger, even
+supposing that neither of my would-be patrons had mentioned me to
+him.
+
+His attitude could only signify one of two things--either my
+proposal had been communicated to him, and he did not intend to
+accede to it; or neither Hurliguerly nor Atkins had spoken to him
+since the previous day. In the latter case, if he held aloof from
+me, it was because of his morose nature; it was because he did not
+choose to enter into conversation with a stranger.
+
+At the moment when I was about to accost him, the _Halbrane's_
+lieutenant rejoined his captain, and the latter availed himself of
+the opportunity to avoid me. He made a sign to the officer to follow
+him, and the two walked away at a rapid pace.
+
+"This is serious," said I to myself. "It looks as though I
+shall find it difficult to gain my point. But, after all it only
+means delay. To-morrow morning I will go on board the _Halbrane_.
+Whether he likes it or whether he doesn't, this Len Guy will have
+to hear what I've got to say, and to give me an answer, yes or
+no!"
+
+Besides, the captain of the _Halbrane_ might come at dinner-time to
+the Green Cormorant, where the ship's people usually took their
+meals when ashore. So I waited, and did not go to dinner until late.
+I was disappointed, however, for neither the captain nor anyone
+belonging to the ship patronized the Green Cormorant that day. I had
+to dine alone, exactly as I had been doing every day for two months.
+
+After dinner, about half-past seven, when it was dark, I went out to
+walk on the port, keeping on the side of the houses. The quay was
+quite deserted; not a man of the _Halbrane's_ crew was ashore. The
+ship's boats were alongside, rocking gently on the rising tide. I
+remained there until nine, walking up and down the edge in full view
+of the _Halbrane_. Gradually the mass of the ship became indistinct,
+there was no movement and no light. I returned to the inn, where I
+found Atkins smoking his pipe near the door.
+
+"Atkins," said I, "it seems that Captain Len Guy does not care
+to come to your inn very often?"
+
+"He sometimes comes on Sunday, and this is Saturday, Mr.
+Jeorling."
+
+"You have not spoken to him?"
+
+"Yes, I have."
+
+Atkins was visibly embarrassed.
+
+"You have informed him that a person of your acquaintance wished
+to take passage on the _Halbrane_?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"What was his answer?"
+
+"Not what either you or I would have wished, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"He refuses?"
+
+"Well, yes, I suppose it was refusing; what he said was: ‘My
+ship is not intended to carry passengers. I never have taken any,
+and I never intend to do so.'"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+CAPTAIN LEN GUY.
+
+
+I slept ill. Again and again I "dreamed that I was dreaming."
+Now--this is an observation made by Edgar Poe--when one suspects
+that one is dreaming, the waking comes almost instantly. I woke
+then, and every time in a very bad humour with Captain Len Guy. The
+idea of leaving the Kerguelens on the _Halbrane_ had full possession
+of me, and I grew more and more angry with her disobliging captain.
+In fact, I passed the night in a fever of indignation, and only
+recovered my temper with daylight. Nevertheless I was determined to
+have an explanation with Captain Len Guy about his detestable
+conduct. Perhaps I should fail to get anything out of that human
+hedgehog, but at least I should have given him a piece of my mind.
+
+I went out at eight o'clock in the morning. The weather was
+abominable. Rain, mixed with snow, a storm coming over the mountains
+at the back of the bay from the west, clouds scurrying down from the
+lower zones, an avalanche of wind and water. It was not likely that
+Captain Len Guy had come ashore merely to enjoy such a wetting and
+blowing.
+
+No one on the quay; of course not. As for my getting on board the
+_Halbrane_, that could not be done without hailing one of her boats,
+and the boatswain would not venture to send it for me.
+
+"Besides," I reflected, "on his quarter-deck the captain is at
+home, and neutral ground is better for what I want to say to him, if
+he persists in his unjustifiable refusal. I will watch him this
+time, and if his boat touches the quay, he shall not succeed in
+avoiding me."
+
+I returned to the Green Cormorant, and took up my post behind the
+window panes, which were dimmed by the hissing rain. There I waited,
+nervous, impatient, and in a state of growing irritation. Two hours
+wore away thus. Then, with the instability of the winds in the
+Kerguelens, the weather became calm before I did. I opened my
+window, and at the same moment a sailor stepped into one of the
+boats of the _Halbrane_ and laid hold of a pair of oars, while a
+second man seated himself in the back, but without taking the tiller
+ropes. The boat touched the landing-place and Captain Len Guy
+stepped on shore.
+
+In a few seconds I was out of the inn, and confronted him.
+
+"Sir," said I in a cold hard tone.
+
+Captain Len Guy looked at me steadily, and I was struck by the
+sadness of his eyes, which were as black as ink. Then in a very low
+voice he asked:
+
+"You are a stranger?"
+
+"A stranger at the Kerguelens? Yes."
+
+"Of English nationality?"
+
+"No. American."
+
+He saluted me, and I returned the curt gesture.
+
+"Sir," I resumed, "I believe Mr. Atkins of the Green Cormorant
+has spoken to you respecting a proposal of mine. That proposal, it
+seems to me, deserved a favourable reception on the part of a--"
+
+"The proposal to take passage on my ship?" interposed Captain
+Len Guy.
+
+"Precisely."
+
+"I regret, sir, I regret that I could not agree to your request."
+
+"Will you tell me why?"
+
+"Because I am not in the habit of taking passengers. That is the
+first reason."
+
+"And the second, captain?"
+
+"Because the route of the _Halbrane_ is never settled beforehand.
+She starts for one port and goes to another, just as I find it to my
+advantage. You must know that I am not in the service of a
+shipowner. My share in the schooner is considerable, and I have no
+one but myself to consult in respect to her."
+
+"Then it entirely depends on you to give me a passage?"
+
+"That is so, but I can only answer you by a refusal--to my
+extreme regret."
+
+"Perhaps you will change your mind, captain, when you know that I
+care very little what the destination of your schooner may be. It is
+not unreasonable to suppose that she will go somewhere--"
+
+"Somewhere indeed." I fancied that Captain Len Guy threw a long
+look towards the southern horizon.
+
+"To go here or to go there is almost a matter of indifference to
+me. What I desired above all was to get away from Kerguelen at the
+first opportunity that should offer."
+
+Captain Len Guy made me no answer; he remained in silent thought,
+but did not endeavour to slip away from me.
+
+"You are doing me the honour to listen to me?" I asked him
+sharply.
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"I will then add that, if I am not mistaken, and if the route of
+your ship has not been altered, it was your intention to leave
+Christmas Harbour for Tristan d'Acunha."
+
+"Perhaps for Tristan d'Acunha, perhaps for the Cape, perhaps for
+the Falklands, perhaps for elsewhere."
+
+"Well, then, Captain Guy, it is precisely elsewhere that I want to
+go," I replied ironically, and trying hard to control my
+irritation.
+
+Then a singular change took place in the demeanour of Captain Len
+Guy. His voice became more sharp and harsh. In very plain words he
+made me understand that it was quite useless to insist, that our
+interview had already lasted too long, that time pressed, and he had
+business at the port; in short that we had said all that we could
+have to say to each other.
+
+I had put out my arm to detain him--to seize him would be a more
+correct term--and the conversation, ill begun, seemed likely to end
+still more ill, when this odd person turned towards me and said in a
+milder tone,--
+
+"Pray understand, sir, that I am very sorry to be unable to do
+what you ask, and to appear disobliging to an American. But I could
+not act otherwise. In the course of the voyage of the _Halbrane_ some
+unforeseen incident might occur to make the presence of a passenger
+inconvenient--even one so accommodating as yourself. Thus I might
+expose myself to the risk of being unable to profit by the chances
+which I seek."
+
+"I have told you, captain, and I repeat it, that although my
+intention is to return to America and to Connecticut, I don't care
+whether I get there in three months or in six, or by what route;
+it's all the same to me, and even were your schooner to take me to
+the Antarctic seas--"
+
+"The Antarctic seas!" exclaimed Captain Len Guy, with a question
+in his tone. And his look searched my thoughts with the keenness of
+a dagger.
+
+"Why do you speak of the Antarctic seas?" he asked, taking my
+hand.
+
+"Well, just as I might have spoken of the ‘Hyperborean seas'
+from whence an Irish poet has made Sebastian Cabot address some
+lovely verses to his Lady.(1) I spoke of the South Pole as I might
+have spoken of the North."
+
+Captain Len Guy did not answer, and I thought I saw tears glisten in
+his eyes. Then, as though he would escape from some harrowing
+recollection which my words had evoked, he said,--
+
+"Who would venture to seek the South Pole?"
+
+"It would be difficult to reach, and the experiments would be of
+no practical use," I replied. "Nevertheless there are men
+sufficiently adventurous to embark in such an enterprise."
+
+"Yes--adventurous is the word!" muttered the captain.
+
+"And now," I resumed, "the United States is again making an
+attempt with Wilkes's fleet, the _Vancouver_, the _Peacock_, the
+_Flying Fish_, and others."
+
+"The United States, Mr. Jeorling? Do you mean to say that an
+expedition has been sent by the Federal Government to the Antarctic
+seas?"
+
+"The fact is certain, and last year, before I left America, I
+learned that the vessels had sailed. That was a year ago, and it is
+very possible that Wilkes has gone farther than any of the preceding
+explorers."
+
+Captain Len Guy had relapsed into silence, and came out of his
+inexplicable musing only to say abruptly,--
+
+"You come from Connecticut, sir?"
+
+"From Connecticut."
+
+"And more specially?"
+
+"From Providence."
+
+"Do you know Nantucket Island?"
+
+"I have visited it several times."
+
+"You know, I think," said the captain, looking straight into my
+eyes, "that Nantucket Island was the birthplace of Arthur Gordon
+Pym, the hero of your famous romance-writer Edgar Poe."
+
+"Yes. I remember that Poe's romance starts from Nantucket."
+
+"Romance, you say? That was the word you used?"
+
+"Undoubtedly, captain."
+
+"Yes, and that is what everybody says! But, pardon me, I cannot
+stay any longer. I regret that I cannot alter my mind with respect
+to your proposal. But, at any rate, you will only have a few days to
+wait. The season is about to open. Trading ships and whalers will
+put in at Christmas Harbour, and you will be able to make a choice,
+with the certainty of going to the port you want to reach. I am very
+sorry, sir, and I salute you."
+
+With these words Captain Len Guy walked quickly away, and the
+interview ended differently from what I had expected, that is to say
+in formal, although polite, fashion.
+
+As there is no use in contending with the impossible, I gave up the
+hope of a passage on the _Halbrane_, but continued to feel angry with
+her intractable captain. And why should I not confess that my
+curiosity was aroused? I felt that there was something mysterious
+about this sullen mariner, and I should have liked to find out what
+it was.
+
+That day, Atkins wanted to know whether Captain Len Guy had made
+himself less disagreeable. I had to acknowledge that I had been no
+more fortunate in my negotiations than my host himself, and the
+avowal surprised him not a little. He could not understand the
+captain's obstinate refusal. And--a fact which touched him more
+nearly--the Green Cormorant had not been visited by either Len Guy
+or his crew since the arrival of the _Halbrane_. The men were
+evidently acting upon orders. So far as Hurliguerly was concerned,
+it was easy to understand that after his imprudent advance he did
+not care to keep up useless relations with me. I knew not whether he
+had attempted to shake the resolution of his chief; but I was
+certain of one thing; if he had made any such effort it had failed.
+
+During the three following days, the 10th, 11th, and 12th of August,
+the work of repairing and re-victualling the schooner went on
+briskly; but all this was done with regularity, and without such
+noise and quarrelling as seamen at anchor usually indulge in. The
+_Halbrane_ was evidently well commanded, her crew well kept in hand,
+discipline strictly maintained.
+
+The schooner was to sail on the 15th of August, and on the eve of
+that day I had no reason to think that Captain Len Guy had repented
+him of his categorical refusal. Indeed, I had made up my mind to the
+disappointment, and had no longer any angry feeling about it. When
+Captain Len Guy and myself met on the quay, we took no notice of
+each other; nevertheless, I fancied there was some hesitation in his
+manner; as though he would have liked to speak to me. He did not do
+so, however, and I was not disposed to seek a further explanation.
+
+At seven o'clock in the evening of the 14th of August, the island
+being already wrapped in darkness, I was walking on the port after I
+had dined, walking briskly too, for it was cold, although dry
+weather. The sky was studded with stars and the air was very keen. I
+could not stay out long, and was returning to mine inn, when a man
+crossed my path, paused, came back, and stopped in front of me. It
+was the captain of the _Halbrane_.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling," he began, "the _Halbrane_ sails to-morrow
+morning, with the ebb tide."
+
+"What is the good of telling me that," I replied, "since you
+refuse--"
+
+"Sir, I have thought over it, and if you have not changed your
+mind, come on board at seven o'clock."
+
+"Really, captain," I replied, "I did not expect this relenting
+on your part."
+
+"I repeat that I have thought over it, and I add that the _Halbrane_
+shall proceed direct to Tristan d'Acunha. That will suit you, I
+suppose?"
+
+"To perfection, captain. To-morrow morning, at seven o'clock, I
+shall be on board."
+
+"Your cabin is prepared."
+
+"The cost of the voyage--"
+
+"We can settle that another time," answered the captain, "and
+to your satisfaction. Until to-morrow, then--"
+
+"Until to-morrow."
+
+I stretched out my arm, to shake hands with him upon our bargain.
+Perhaps he did not perceive my movement in the darkness, at all
+events he made no response to it, but walked rapidly away and got
+into his boat.
+
+I was greatly surprised, and so was Atkins, when I found him in the
+eating-room of the Green Cormorant and told him what had occurred.
+His comment upon it was characteristic.
+
+"This queer captain," he said, "is as full of whims as a
+spoilt child! It is to be hoped he will not change his mind again at
+the last moment."
+
+The next morning at daybreak I bade adieu to the Green Cormorant,
+and went down to the port, with my kind-hearted host, who insisted
+on accompanying me to the ship, partly in order to make his mind
+easy respecting the sincerity of the captain's repentance, and
+partly that he might take leave of him, and also of Hurliguerly. A
+boat was waiting at the quay, and we reached the ship in a few
+minutes.
+
+The first person whom I met on the deck was Hurliguerly; he gave me
+a look of triumph, which said as plainly as speech: "Ha! you see
+now. Our hard-to-manage captain has given in at last. And to whom do
+you owe this, but to the good boatswain who did his best for you,
+and did not boast overmuch of his influence?"
+
+Was this the truth? I had strong reasons for doubting it. After all,
+what did it matter?
+
+[Illustration: Going aboard the _Halbrane_.]
+
+Captain Len Guy came on deck immediately after my arrival; this was
+not surprising, except for the fact that he did not appear to remark
+my presence.
+
+Atkins then approached the captain and said in a pleasant tone,--
+
+"We shall meet next year!"
+
+"If it please God, Atkins."
+
+They shook hands. Then the boatswain took a hearty leave of the
+innkeeper, and was rowed back to the quay.
+
+Before dark the white summits of Table Mount and Havergal, which
+rise, the former to two, the other to three thousand feet above the
+level of the sea, had disappeared from our view.
+
+
+(1) Thomas D'Arcy McGee. (J.V.)
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+FROM THE KERGUELEN ISLES TO PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND.
+
+
+Never did a voyage begin more prosperously, or a passenger start in
+better spirits. The interior of the _Halbrane_ corresponded with its
+exterior. Nothing could exceed the perfect order, the Dutch
+cleanliness of the vessel. The captain's cabin, and that of the
+lieutenant, one on the port, the other on the starboard side, were
+fitted up with a narrow berth, a cupboard anything but capacious, an
+arm-chair, a fixed table, a lamp hung from the ceiling, various
+nautical instruments, a barometer, a thermometer, a chronometer, and
+a sextant in its oaken box. One of the two other cabins was prepared
+to receive me. It was eight feet in length, five in breadth. I was
+accustomed to the exigencies of sea life, and could do with its
+narrow proportions, also with its furniture--a table, a cupboard, a
+cane-bottomed arm-chair, a washing-stand on an iron pedestal, and a
+berth to which a less accommodating passenger would doubtless have
+objected. The passage would be a short one, however, so I took
+possession of that cabin, which I was to occupy for only four, or at
+the worst five weeks, with entire content.
+
+The eight men who composed the crew were named respectively Martin
+Holt, sailing-master; Hardy, Rogers, Drap, Francis, Gratian, Burg,
+and Stern--sailors all between twenty-five and thirty-five years
+old--all Englishmen, well trained, and remarkably well disciplined
+by a hand of iron.
+
+Let me set it down here at the beginning, the exceptionally able man
+whom they all obeyed at a word, a gesture, was not the captain of
+the _Halbrane_; that man was the second officer, James West, who was
+then thirty-two years of age.
+
+James West was born on the sea, and had passed his childhood on
+board a lighter belonging to his father, and on which the whole
+family lived. All his life he had breathed the salt air of the
+English Channel, the Atlantic, or the Pacific. He never went ashore
+except for the needs of his service, whether of the State or of
+trade. If he had to leave one ship for another he merely shifted his
+canvas bag to the latter, from which he stirred no more. When he was
+not sailing in reality he was sailing in imagination. After having
+been ship's boy, novice, sailor, he became quartermaster, master,
+and finally lieutenant of the _Halbrane_, and he had already served
+for ten years as second in command under Captain Len Guy.
+
+James West was not even ambitious of a higher rise; he did not want
+to make a fortune; he did not concern himself with the buying or
+selling of cargoes; but everything connected with that admirable
+instrument a sailing ship, James West understood to perfection.
+
+The personal appearance of the lieutenant was as follows: middle
+height, slightly built, all nerves and muscles, strong limbs as
+agile as those of a gymnast, the true sailor's "look," but of
+very unusual far-sightedness and surprising penetration, sunburnt
+face, hair thick and short, beardless cheeks and chin, regular
+features, the whole expression denoting energy, courage, and
+physical strength at their utmost tension.
+
+James West spoke but rarely--only when he was questioned. He gave
+his orders in a clear voice, not repeating them, but so as to be
+heard at once, and he was understood. I call attention to this
+typical officer of the Merchant Marine, who was devoted body and
+soul to Captain Len Guy as to the schooner _Halbrane_. He seemed to be
+one of the essential organs of his ship, and if the _Halbrane_ had a
+heart it was in James West's breast that it beat.
+
+There is but one more person to be mentioned; the ship's cook--a
+negro from the African coast named Endicott, thirty years of age,
+who had held that post for eight years. The boatswain and he were
+great friends, and indulged in frequent talks.
+
+Life on board was very regular, very simple, and its monotony was
+not without a certain charm. Sailing is repose in movement, a
+rocking in a dream, and I did not dislike my isolation. Of course I
+should have liked to find out why Captain Len Guy had changed his
+mind with respect to me; but how was this to be done? To question
+the lieutenant would have been loss of time. Besides, was he in
+possession of the secrets of his chief? It was no part of his
+business to be so, and I had observed that he did not occupy himself
+with anything outside of it. Not ten words were exchanged between
+him and me during the two meals which we took in common daily. I
+must acknowledge, however, that I frequently caught the captain's
+eyes fixed upon me, as though he longed to question me, as though he
+had something to learn from me, whereas it was I, on the contrary,
+who had something to learn from him. But we were both silent.
+
+Had I felt the need of talking to somebody very strongly, I might
+have resorted to the boatswain, who was always disposed to chatter;
+but what had he to say that could interest me? He never failed to
+bid me good morning and good evening in most prolix fashion, but
+beyond these courtesies I did not feel disposed to go.
+
+The good weather lasted, and on the 18th of August, in the
+afternoon, the look-out discerned the mountains of the Crozet group.
+The next day we passed Possession Island, which is inhabited only in
+the fishing season. At this period the only dwellers there are
+flocks of penguins, and the birds which whalers call "white
+pigeons."
+
+The approach to land is always interesting at sea. It occurred to me
+that Captain Len Guy might take this opportunity of speaking to his
+passenger; but he did not.
+
+We should see land, that is to say the peaks of Marion and Prince
+Edward Islands, before arriving at Tristan d'Acunha, but it was
+there the _Halbrane_ was to take in a fresh supply of water. I
+concluded therefore that the monotony of our voyage would continue
+unbroken to the end. But, on the morning of the 20th of August, to
+my extreme surprise, Captain Len Guy came on deck, approached me,
+and said, speaking very low,--
+
+"Sir, I have something to say to you."
+
+"I am ready to hear you, captain."
+
+"I have not spoken until to-day, for I am naturally taciturn."
+Here he hesitated again, but after a pause, continued with an
+effort,--
+
+"Mr. Jeorling, have you tried to discover my reason for changing
+my mind on the subject of your passage?"
+
+"I have tried, but I have not succeeded, captain. Perhaps, as I am
+not a compatriot of yours, you--"
+
+"It is precisely because you are an American that I decided in the
+end to offer you a passage on the _Halbrane_."
+
+"Because I am an American?"
+
+"Also, because you come from Connecticut."
+
+"I don't understand."
+
+"You will understand if I add that I thought it possible, since
+you belong to Connecticut, since you have visited Nantucket Island,
+that you might have known the family of Arthur Gordon Pym."
+
+"The hero of Edgar Poe's romance?"
+
+"The same. His narrative was founded upon the manuscript in which
+the details of that extraordinary and disastrous voyage across the
+Antarctic Sea was related."
+
+I thought I must be dreaming when I heard Captain Len Guy's words.
+Edgar Poe's romance was nothing but a fiction, a work of
+imagination by the most brilliant of our American writers. And here
+was a sane man treating that fiction as a reality.
+
+I could not answer him. I was asking myself what manner of man was
+this one with whom I had to deal.
+
+"You have heard my question?" persisted the captain.
+
+"Yes, yes, captain, certainly, but I am not sure that I quite
+understand."
+
+"I will put it to you more plainly. I ask you whether in
+Connecticut you personally knew the Pym family who lived in
+Nantucket Island? Arthur Pam's father was one of the principal
+merchants there, he was a Navy contractor. It was his son who
+embarked in the adventures which he related with his own lips to
+Edgar Poe--"
+
+"Captain! Why, that story is due to the powerful imagination of
+our great poet. It is a pure invention."
+
+"So, then, you don't believe it, Mr. Jeorling?" said the
+captain, shrugging his shoulders three times.
+
+"Neither I nor any other person believes it, Captain Guy, and you
+are the first I have heard maintain that it was anything but a mere
+romance."
+
+"Listen to me, then, Mr. Jeorling, for although this
+‘romance'--as you call it--appeared only last year, it is none
+the less a reality. Although eleven years have elapsed since the
+facts occurred, they are none the less true, and we still await the
+‘word' of an enigma which will perhaps never be solved."
+
+Yes, he was mad; but by good fortune West was there to take his
+place as commander of the schooner. I had only to listen to him, and
+as I had read Poe's romance over and over again, I was curious to
+hear what the captain had to say about it.
+
+"And now," he resumed in a sharper tone and with a shake in his
+voice which denoted a certain amount of nervous irritation, "it is
+possible that you did not know the Pym family, that you have never
+met them either at Providence or at Nantucket--"
+
+"Or elsewhere."
+
+"Just so! But don't commit yourself by asserting that the Pym
+family never existed, that Arthur Gordon is only a fictitious
+personage, and his voyage an imaginary one! Do you think any man,
+even your Edgar Poe, could have been capable of inventing, of
+creating--?"
+
+The increasing vehemence of Captain Len Guy warned me of the
+necessity of treating his monomania with respect, and accepting all
+he said without discussion.
+
+"Now," he proceeded, "please to keep the facts which I am
+about to state clearly in your mind; there is no disputing about
+facts. You may deduce any results from them you like. I hope you
+will not make me regret that I consented to give you a passage on
+the _Halbrane_."
+
+This was an effectual warning, so I made a sign of acquiescence. The
+matter promised to be curious. He went on,--
+
+"When Edgar Poe's narrative appeared in 1838, I was at New York.
+I immediately started for Baltimore, where the writer's family
+lived; the grandfather had served as quarter-master-general during
+the War of Independence. You admit, I suppose, the existence of the
+Poe family, although you deny that of the Pym family?"
+
+I said nothing, and the captain continued, with a dark glance at
+me,--
+
+"I inquired into certain matters relating to Edgar Poe. His abode
+was pointed out to me and I called at the house. A first
+disappointment! He had left America, and I could not see him.
+Unfortunately, being unable to see Edgar Poe, I was unable to refer
+to Arthur Gordon Pym in the case. That bold pioneer of the Antarctic
+regions was dead! As the American poet had stated, at the close of
+the narrative of his adventures, Gordon's death had already been
+made known to the public by the daily press."
+
+What Captain Len Guy said was true; but, in common with all the
+readers of the romance, I had taken this declaration for an artifice
+of the novelist. My notion was that, as he either could not or dared
+not wind up so extraordinary a work of imagination, Poe had given it
+to be understood that he had not received the last three chapters
+from Arthur Pym, whose life had ended under sudden and deplorable
+circumstances which Poe did not make known.
+
+"Then," continued the captain, "Edgar Poe being absent, Arthur
+Pym being dead, I had only one thing to do; to find the man who had
+been the fellow-traveller of Arthur Pym, that Dirk Peters who had
+followed him to the very verge of the high latitudes, and whence
+they had both returned--how? This is not known. Did they come back
+in company? The narrative does not say, and there are obscure points
+in that part of it, as in many other places. However, Edgar Poe
+stated explicitly that Dirk Peters would be able to furnish
+information relating to the non-communicated chapters, and that he
+lived at Illinois. I set out at once for Illinois; I arrived at
+Springfield; I inquired for this man, a half-breed Indian. He lived
+in the hamlet of Vandalia; I went there, and met with a second
+disappointment. He was not there, or rather, Mr. Jeorling, he was _no
+longer_ there. Some years before this Dirk Peters had left Illinois,
+and even the United States, to go--nobody knows where. But I have
+talked, at Vandalia with people who had known him, with whom he
+lived, to whom he related his adventures, but did not explain the
+final issue. Of that he alone holds the secret."
+
+What! This Dirk Peters had really existed? He still lived? I was
+on the point of letting myself be carried away by the statements of
+the captain of the _Halbrane_! Yes, another moment, and, in my turn, I
+should have made a fool of myself. This poor mad fellow imagined
+that he had gone to Illinois and seen people at Vandalia who had
+known Dirk Peters, and that the latter had disappeared. No wonder,
+since he had never existed, save in the brain of the novelist!
+
+Nevertheless I did not want to vex Len Guy, and perhaps drive him
+still more mad. Accordingly I appeared entirely convinced that he
+was speaking words of sober seriousness, even when he added,--
+
+"You are aware that in the narrative mention is made by the
+captain of the schooner on which Arthur Pym had embarked, of a
+bottle containing a sealed letter, which was deposited at the foot
+of one of the Kerguelen peaks?"
+
+"Yes, I recall the incident."
+
+"Well, then, in one of my latest voyages I sought for the place
+where that bottle ought to be. I found it and the letter also. That
+letter stated that the captain and Arthur Pym intended to make every
+effort to reach the uttermost limits of the Antarctic Sea!"
+
+"You found that bottle?"
+
+"Yes!"
+
+"And the letter?"
+
+"Yes!"
+
+I looked at Captain Len Guy. Like certain monomaniacs he had come to
+believe in his own inventions. I was on the point of saying to him,
+"Show me that letter," but I thought better of it. Was he not
+capable of having written the letter himself? And then I answered,--
+
+"It is much to be regretted, captain, that you were unable to come
+across Dirk Peters at Vandalia! He would at least have informed you
+under what conditions he and Arthur Pym returned from so far.
+Recollect, now, in the last chapter but one they are both there.
+Their boat is in front of the thick curtain of white mist; it dashes
+into the gulf of the cataract just at the moment when a veiled human
+form rises. Then there is nothing more; nothing but two blank
+lines--"
+
+"Decidedly, sir, it _is_ much to be regretted that I could not lay
+my hand on Dirk Peters! It would have been interesting to learn what
+was the outcome of these adventures. But, to my mind, it would have
+been still more interesting to have ascertained the fate of the
+others."
+
+"The others?" I exclaimed almost involuntarily. "Of whom do
+you speak?"
+
+"Of the captain and crew of the English schooner which picked up
+Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters after the frightful shipwreck of the
+_Grampus_, and brought them across the Polar Sea to Tsalal Island--"
+
+"Captain," said I, just as though I entertained no doubt of the
+authenticity of Edgar Poe's romance, "is it not the case that
+all these men perished, some in the attack on the schooner, the
+others by the infernal device of the natives of Tsalal?"
+
+"Who can tell?" replied the captain in a voice hoarse from
+emotion. "Who can say but that some of the unfortunate creatures
+survived, and contrived to escape from the natives?"
+
+"In any case," I replied, "it would be difficult to admit that
+those who had survived could still be living."
+
+"And why?"
+
+"Because the facts we are discussing are eleven years old."
+
+"Sir," replied the captain, "since Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters
+were able to advance beyond Tsalal Island farther than the
+eighty-third parallel, since they found means of living in the midst
+of those Antarctic lands, why should not their companions, if they
+were not all killed by the natives, if they were so fortunate as to
+reach the neighbouring islands sighted during the voyage--why
+should not those unfortunate countrymen of mine have contrived to
+live there? Why should they not still be there, awaiting their
+deliverance?"
+
+"Your pity leads you astray, captain," I replied. "It would
+be impossible."
+
+"Impossible, sir! And if a fact, on indisputable evidence,
+appealed to the whole civilized world; if a material proof of the
+existence of these unhappy men, imprisoned at the ends of the earth,
+were furnished, who would venture to meet those who would fain go to
+their aid with the cry of ‘Impossible!'"
+
+Was it a sentiment of humanity, exaggerated to the point of madness,
+that had roused the interest of this strange man in those
+shipwrecked folk who never had suffered shipwreck, for the good
+reason that they never had existed?
+
+Captain Len Guy approached me anew, laid his hand on my shoulder and
+whispered in my ear,--
+
+"No, sir, no! the last word has not been said concerning the crew
+of the _Jane_."
+
+Then he promptly withdrew.
+
+The _Jane_ was, in Edgar Poe's romance, the name of the ship which
+had rescued Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters from the wreck of the
+_Grampus_, and Captain Len Guy had now uttered it for the first time.
+It occurred to me then that Guy was the name of the captain of the
+_Jane_, an English ship; but what of that? The captain of the _Jane_
+never lived but in the imagination of the novelist, he and the
+skipper of the _Halbrane_ have nothing in common except a name which
+is frequently to be found in England. But, on thinking of the
+similarity, it struck me that the poor captain's brain had been
+turned by this very thing. He had conceived the notion that he was
+of kin to the unfortunate captain of the _Jane_! And this had brought
+him to his present state, this was the source of his passionate pity
+for the fate of the imaginary shipwrecked mariners!
+
+It would have been interesting to discover whether James West was
+aware of the state of the case, whether his chief had ever talked to
+him of the follies he had revealed to me. But this was a delicate
+question, since it involved the mental condition of Captain Len Guy;
+and besides, any kind of conversation with the lieutenant was
+difficult. On the whole I thought it safer to restrain my curiosity.
+In a few days the schooner would reach Tristan d'Acunha, and I
+should part with her and her captain for good and all. Never,
+however, could I lose the recollection that I had actually met and
+sailed with a man who took the fictions of Edgar Poe's romance for
+sober fact. Never could I have looked for such an experience!
+
+On the 22nd of August the outline of Prince Edward's Island was
+sighted, south latitude 46° 55', and 37° 46' east longitude.
+We were in sight of the island for twelve hours, and then it was
+lost in the evening mists.
+
+On the following day the _Halbrane_ headed in the direction of the
+north-west, towards the most northern parallel of the southern
+hemisphere which she had to attain in the course of that voyage.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+EDGAR POE'S ROMANCE.
+
+
+In this chapter I have to give a brief summary of Edgar Poe's
+romance, which was published at Richmond under the title of
+
+THE ADVENTURES OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM.
+
+We shall see whether there was any room for doubt that the
+adventures of this hero of romance were imaginary. But indeed, among
+the multitude of Poe's readers, was there ever one, with the sole
+exception of Len Guy, who believed them to be real? The story is
+told by the principal personage. Arthur Pym states in the preface
+that on his return from his voyage to the Antarctic seas he met,
+among the Virginian gentlemen who took an interest in geographical
+discoveries, Edgar Poe, who was then editor of the _Southern Literary
+Messenger_ at Richmond, and that he authorized the latter to publish
+the first part of his adventures in that journal "under the cloak
+of fiction." That portion having been favourably received, a
+volume containing the complete narrative was issued with the
+signature of Edgar Poe.
+
+Arthur Gordon Pym was born at Nantucket, where he attended the
+Bedford School until he was sixteen years old. Having left that
+school for Mr. Ronald's, he formed a friendship with one Augustus
+Barnard, the son of a ship's captain. This youth, who was
+eighteen, had already accompanied his father on a whaling expedition
+in the southern seas, and his yarns concerning that maritime
+adventure fired the imagination of Arthur Pym. Thus it was that the
+association of these youths gave rise to Pym's irresistible
+vocation to adventurous voyaging, and to the instinct that
+especially attracted him towards the high zones of the Antarctic
+region. The first exploit of Augustus Barnard and Arthur Pym was an
+excursion on board a little sloop, the _Ariel_, a two-decked boat
+which belonged to the Pyms. One evening the two youths, both being
+very tipsy, embarked secretly, in cold October weather, and boldly
+set sail in a strong breeze from the south-west. The _Ariel_, aided by
+the ebb tide, had already lost sight of land when a violent storm
+arose. The imprudent young fellows were still intoxicated. No one
+was at the helm, not a reef was in the sail. The masts were carried
+away by the furious gusts, and the wreck was driven before the wind.
+Then came a great ship which passed over the _Ariel_ as the _Ariel_
+would have passed over a floating feather.
+
+Arthur Pym gives the fullest details of the rescue of his companion
+and himself after this collision, under conditions of extreme
+difficulty. At length, thanks to the second officer of the _Penguin_,
+from New London, which arrived on the scene of the catastrophe, the
+comrades were picked up, with life all but extinct, and taken back to
+Nantucket.
+
+This adventure, to which I cannot deny an appearance of veracity, was
+an ingenious preparation for the chapters that were to follow, and
+indeed, up to the day on which Pym penetrates into the polar circle,
+the narrative might conceivably be regarded as authentic. But,
+beyond the polar circle, above the austral icebergs, it is quite
+another thing, and, if the author's work be not one of pure
+imagination, I am--well, of any other nationality than my own. Let
+us get on.
+
+Their first adventure had not cooled the two youths, and eight
+months after the affair of the _Ariel_--June, 1827--the brig
+_Grampus_ was fitted out by the house of Lloyd and Vredenburg for
+whaling in the southern seas. This brig was an old, ill-repaired
+craft, and Mr. Barnard, the father of Augustus, was its skipper. His
+son, who was to accompany him on the voyage, strongly urged Arthur
+to go with him, and the latter would have asked nothing better, but
+he knew that his family, and especially his mother, would never
+consent to let him go.
+
+This obstacle, however, could not stop a youth not much given to
+submit to the wishes of his parents. His head was full of the
+entreaties and persuasion of his companion, and he determined to
+embark secretly on the _Grampus_, for Mr. Barnard would not have
+authorized him to defy the prohibition of his family. He announced
+that he had been invited to pass a few days with a friend at New
+Bedford, took leave of his parents and left his home. Forty-eight
+hours before the brig was to sail, he slipped on board unperceived,
+and got into a hiding-place which had been prepared for him unknown
+alike to Mr. Barnard and the crew.
+
+The cabin occupied by Augustus communicated by a trap-door with the
+hold of the _Grampus_, which was crowded with barrels, bales, and the
+innumerable components of a cargo. Through the trap-door Arthur Pym
+reached his hiding-place, which was a huge wooden chest with a
+sliding side to it. This chest contained a mattress, blankets, a jar
+of water, ship's biscuit, smoked sausage, a roast quarter of
+mutton, a few bottles of cordials and liqueurs, and also
+writing-materials. Arthur Pym, supplied with a lantern, candles, and
+tinder, remained three days and nights in his retreat. Augustus
+Barnard had not been able to visit him until just before the _Grampus_
+set sail.
+
+An hour later, Arthur Pym began to feel the rolling and pitching of
+the brig. He was very uncomfortable in the chest, so he got out of
+it, and in the dark, while holding on by a rope which was stretched
+across the hold to the trap of his friend's cabin, he was
+violently sea-sick in the midst of the chaos. Then he crept back
+into his chest, ate, and fell asleep.
+
+Several days elapsed without the reappearance of Augustus Barnard.
+Either he had not been able to get down into the hold again, or he
+had not ventured to do so, fearing to betray the presence of Arthur
+Pym, and thinking the moment for confessing everything to his father
+had not yet come.
+
+Arthur Pym, meanwhile, was beginning to suffer from the hot and
+vitiated atmosphere of the hold. Terrible nightmares troubled his
+sleep. He was conscious of raving, and in vain sought some place
+amid the mass of cargo where he might breathe a little more easily.
+In one of these fits of delirium he imagined that he was gripped in
+the claws of an African lion,(1) and in a paroxysm of terror he was
+about to betray himself by screaming, when he lost consciousness.
+
+The fact is that he was not dreaming at all. It was not a lion that
+Arthur Pym felt crouching upon his chest, it was his own dog, Tiger,
+a young Newfoundland. The animal had been smuggled on board by
+Augustus Barnard unperceived by anybody--(this, at least, is an
+unlikely occurrence). At the moment of Arthur's coming out of his
+swoon the faithful Tiger was licking his face and hands with lavish
+affection.
+
+Now the prisoner had a companion. Unfortunately, the said companion
+had drunk the contents of the water jar while Arthur was
+unconscious, and when Arthur Pym felt thirsty, he discovered that
+there was "not a drop to drink!" His lantern had gone out during
+his prolonged faint; he could not find the candles and the
+tinder-box, and he then resolved to rejoin Augustus Barnard at all
+hazards. He came out of the chest, and although faint from inanition
+and trembling with weakness, he felt his way in the direction of the
+trap-door by means of the rope. But, while he was approaching, one
+of the bales of cargo, shifted by the rolling of the ship, fell down
+and blocked up the passage. With immense but quite useless exertion
+he contrived to get over this obstacle, but when he reached the
+trap-door under Augustus Barnard's cabin he failed to raise it,
+and on slipping the blade of his knife through one of the joints he
+found that a heavy mass of iron was placed upon the trap, as though
+it were intended to condemn him beyond hope. He had to renounce his
+attempt and drag himself back towards the chest, on which he fell,
+exhausted, while Tiger covered him with caresses.
+
+The master and the dog were desperately thirsty, and when Arthur
+stretched out his hand, he found Tiger lying on his back, with his
+paws up and his hair on end. He then felt Tiger all over, and his
+hand encountered a string passed round the dog's body. A strip of
+paper was fastened to the string under his left shoulder.
+
+Arthur Pym had reached the last stage of weakness. Intelligence was
+almost extinct. However, after several fruitless attempts to procure
+a light, he succeeded in rubbing the paper with a little
+phosphorus--(the details given in Edgar Poe's narrative are
+curiously minute at this point)--and then by the glimmer that
+lasted less than a second he discerned just seven words at the end
+of a sentence. Terrifying words these were: _blood--remain
+hidden--life depends on it_.
+
+What did these words mean? Let us consider the situation of Arthur
+Pym, at the bottom of the ship's hold, between the boards of a
+chest, without light, without water, with only ardent liquor to
+quench his thirst! And this warning to remain hidden, preceded by
+the word "blood"--that supreme word, king of words, so full of
+mystery, of suffering, of terror! Had there been strife on board the
+_Grampus_? Had the brig been attacked by pirates? Had the crew
+mutinied? How long had this state of things lasted?
+
+It might be thought that the marvellous poet had exhausted the
+resources of his imagination in the terror of such a situation; but
+it was not so. There is more to come!
+
+Arthur Pym lay stretched upon his mattress, incapable of thought, in
+a sort of lethargy; suddenly he became aware of a singular sound, a
+kind of continuous whistling breathing. It was Tiger, panting, Tiger
+with eyes that glared in the midst of the darkness, Tiger with
+gnashing teeth--Tiger gone mad. Another moment and the dog had
+sprung upon Arthur Pym, who, wound up to the highest pitch of
+horror, recovered sufficient strength to ward off his fangs, and
+wrapping around him a blanket which Tiger had torn with his white
+teeth, he slipped out of the chest, and shut the sliding side upon
+the snapping and struggling brute.
+
+Arthur Pym contrived to slip through the stowage of the hold, but
+his head swam, and, falling against a bale, he let his knife drop
+from his hand.
+
+Just as he felt himself breathing his last sigh he heard his name
+pronounced, and a bottle of water was held to his lips. He swallowed
+the whole of its contents, and experienced the most exquisite of
+pleasures.
+
+A few minutes later, Augustus Barnard, seated with his comrade in a
+corner of the hold, told him all that had occurred on board the brig.
+
+Up to this point, I repeat, the story is admissible, but we have not
+yet come to the events which "surpass all probability by their
+marvellousness."
+
+The crew of the _Grampus_ numbered thirty-six men, including the
+Barnards, father and son. After the brig had put to sea on the 20th
+of June, Augustus Barnard had made several attempts to rejoin Arthur
+Pym in his hiding-place, but in vain. On the third day a mutiny
+broke out on board, headed by the ship's cook, a negro like our
+Endicott; but he, let me say at once, would never have thought of
+heading a mutiny.
+
+Numerous incidents are related in the romance--the massacre of most
+of the sailors who remained faithful to Captain Barnard, then the
+turning adrift of the captain and four of those men in a small
+whaler's boat when the ship was abreast of the Bermudas. These
+unfortunate persons were never heard of again.
+
+Augustus Barnard would not have been spared, but for the
+intervention of the sailing-master of the _Grampus_. This
+sailing-master was a half-breed named Dirk Peters, and was the
+person whom Captain Len Guy had gone to look for in Illinois!
+
+The _Grampus_ then took a south-east course under the command of the
+mate, who intended to pursue the occupation of piracy in the
+southern seas.
+
+These events having taken place, Augustus Barnard would again have
+joined Arthur Pym, but he had been shut up in the forecastle in
+irons, and told by the ship's cook that he would not be allowed to
+come out until "the brig should be no longer a brig." Nevertheless,
+a few days afterwards, Augustus contrived to get rid of his fetters,
+to cut through the thin partition between him and the hold, and,
+followed by Tiger, he tried to reach his friend's hiding-place. He
+could not succeed, but the dog had scented Arthur Pym, and this
+suggested to Augustus the idea of fastening a note to Tiger's neck
+bearing the words:
+
+"I scrawl this with blood--remain hidden--your life depends on
+it--"
+
+This note, as we have already learned, Arthur Pym had received. Just
+as he had arrived at the last extremity of distress his friend
+reached him.
+
+Augustus added that discord reigned among the mutineers. Some wanted
+to take the _Grampus_ towards the Cape Verde Islands; others, and Dirk
+Peters was of this number, were bent on sailing to the Pacific Isles.
+
+Tiger was not mad. He was only suffering from terrible thirst, and
+soon recovered when it was relieved.
+
+The cargo of the _Grampus_ was so badly stowed away that Arthur Pym
+was in constant danger from the shifting of the bales, and Augustus,
+at all risks, helped him to remove to a corner of the ‘tween decks.
+
+The half-breed continued to be very friendly with the son of Captain
+Barnard, so that the latter began to consider whether the
+sailing-master might not be counted on in an attempt to regain
+possession of the ship.
+
+They were just thirty days out from Nantucket when, on the 4th of
+July, an angry dispute arose among the mutineers about a little brig
+signalled in the offing, which some of them wanted to take and
+others would have allowed to escape. In this quarrel a sailor
+belonging to the cook's party, to which Dirk Peters had attached
+himself, was mortally injured. There were now only thirteen men on
+board, counting Arthur Pym.
+
+Under these circumstances a terrible storm arose, and the _Grampus_
+was mercilessly knocked about. This storm raged until the 9th of
+July, and on that day, Dirk Peters having manifested an intention of
+getting rid of the mate, Augustus Barnard readily assured him of his
+assistance, without, however, revealing the fact of Arthur Pym's
+presence on board. Next day, one of the cook's adherents, a man
+named Rogers, died in convulsions, and, beyond all doubt, of poison.
+Only four of the cook's party then remained, of these Dirk Peters
+was one. The mate had five, and would probably end by carrying the
+day over the cook's party.
+
+There was not an hour to lose. The half-breed having informed
+Augustus Barnard that the moment for action had arrived, the latter
+told him the truth about Arthur Pym.
+
+While the two were in consultation upon the means to be employed for
+regaining possession of the ship, a tempest was raging, and
+presently a gust of irresistible force struck the _Grampus_ and flung
+her upon her side, so that on righting herself she shipped a
+tremendous sea, and there was considerable confusion on board. This
+offered a favourable opportunity for beginning the struggle,
+although the mutineers had made peace among themselves. The latter
+numbered nine men, while the half-breed's party consisted only of
+himself, Augustus Barnard and Arthur Pym. The ship's master
+possessed only two pistols and a hanger. It was therefore necessary
+to act with prudence.
+
+Then did Arthur Pym (whose presence on board the mutineers could not
+suspect) conceive the idea of a trick which had some chance of
+succeeding. The body of the poisoned sailor was still lying on the
+deck; he thought it likely, if he were to put on the dead man's
+clothes and appear suddenly in the midst of those superstitious
+sailors, that their terror would place them at the mercy of Dirk
+Peters. It was still dark when the half-breed went softly towards
+the ship's stern, and, exerting his prodigious strength to the
+utmost, threw himself upon the man at the wheel and flung him over
+the poop.
+
+Augustus Barnard and Arthur Pym joined him instantly, each armed
+with a belaying-pin. Leaving Dirk Peters in the place of the
+steersman, Arthur Pym, so disguised as to present the appearance of
+the dead man, and his comrade, posted themselves close to the head
+of the forecastle gangway. The mate, the ship's cook, all the
+others were there, some sleeping, the others drinking or talking;
+guns and pistols were within reach of their hands.
+
+The tempest raged furiously; it was impossible to stand on the deck.
+
+At that moment the mate gave the order for Augustus Barnard and Dirk
+Peters to be brought to the forecastle. This order was transmitted
+to the man at the helm, no other than Dirk Peters, who went down,
+accompanied by Augustus Barnard, and almost simultaneously Arthur
+Pym made his appearance.
+
+The effect of the apparition was prodigious. The mate, terrified on
+beholding the resuscitated sailor, sprang up, beat the air with his
+hands, and fell down dead. Then Dirk Peters rushed upon the others,
+seconded by Augustus Barnard, Arthur Pym, and the dog Tiger. In a
+few moments all were strangled or knocked on the head,--save Richard
+Parker, the sailor, whose life was spared.
+
+And now, while the tempest was in full force, only four men were
+left to work the brig, which was labouring terribly with seven feet
+of water in her hold. They had to cut down the mainmast, and, when
+morning came, the mizen. That day was truly awful, the night was
+more awful still! If Dirk Peters and his companions had not lashed
+themselves securely to the remains of the rigging, they must have
+been carried away by a tremendous sea, which drove in the hatches of
+the _Grampus_.
+
+Then follows in the romance a minute record of the series of
+incidents ensuing upon this situation, from the 14th of July to the
+7th of August; the fishing for victuals in the submerged hold, the
+coming of a mysterious brig laden with corpses, which poisoned the
+atmosphere and passed on like a huge coffin, the sport of a wind of
+death; the torments of hunger and thirst; the impossibility of
+reaching the provision store; the drawing of lots by straws--the
+shortest gave Richard Parker to be sacrificed for the life of the
+other three--the death of that unhappy man, who was killed by Dirk
+Peters and devoured; lastly, the finding in the hold of a jar of
+olives and a small turtle.
+
+Owing to the displacement of her cargo the _Grampus_ rolled and
+pitched more and more. The frightful heat caused the torture of
+thirst to reach the extreme limit of human endurance, and on the 1st
+of August, Augustus Barnard died. On the 3rd, the brig foundered in
+the night, and Arthur Pym and the half-breed, crouching upon the
+upturned keel, were reduced to feed upon the barnacles with which
+the bottom was covered, in the midst of a crowd of waiting, watching
+sharks. Finally, after the shipwrecked mariners of the _Grampus_ had
+drifted no less than twenty-five degrees towards the south, they
+were picked up by the schooner _Jane_, of Liverpool, Captain William
+Guy.
+
+Evidently, reason is not outraged by an admission of the reality of
+these facts, although the situations are strained to the utmost
+limits of possibility; but that does not surprise us, for the writer
+is the American magician-poet, Edgar Poe. But from this moment
+onwards we shall see that no semblance of reality exists in the
+succession of incidents.
+
+Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters were well treated on board the English
+schooner _Jane_. In a fortnight, having recovered from the effects of
+their sufferings, they remembered them no more. With alternations of
+fine and bad weather the _Jane_ sighted Prince Edward's Island on
+the 13th of October, then the Crozet Islands, and afterwards the
+Kerguelens, which I had left eleven days ago.
+
+Three weeks were employed in chasing sea-calves; these furnished the
+_Jane_ with a goodly cargo. It was during this time that the captain
+of the _Jane_ buried the bottle in which his namesake of the _Halbrane_
+claimed to have found a letter containing William Guy's
+announcement of his intention to visit the austral seas.
+
+On the 12th of November, the schooner left the Kerguelens, and after
+a brief stay at Tristan d'Acunha she sailed to reconnoitre the
+Auroras in 35° 15' of south latitude, and 37° 38' of west
+longitude. But these islands were not to be found, and she did not
+find them.
+
+On the 12th of December the _Jane_ headed towards the Antarctic pole.
+On the 26th, the first icebergs came in sight beyond the
+seventy-third degree.
+
+From the 1st to the 14th of January, 1828, the movements were
+difficult, the polar circle was passed in the midst of ice-floes,
+the icebergs' point was doubled and the ship sailed on the surface
+of an open sea--the famous open sea where the temperature is 47°
+Fahrenheit, and the water is 34°.
+
+Edgar Poe, every one will allow, gives free rein to his fancy at
+this point. No navigator had ever reached latitudes so high--not
+even James Weddell of the British Navy, who did not get beyond the
+seventy-fourth parallel in 1822. But the achievement of the _Jane_,
+although difficult of belief, is trifling in comparison with the
+succeeding incidents which Arthur Pym, or rather Edgar Poe, relates
+with simple earnestness. In fact he entertained no doubt of reaching
+the pole itself.
+
+In the first place, not a single iceberg is to be seen on this
+fantastic sea. Innumerable flocks of birds skim its surface, among
+them is a pelican which is shot. On a floating piece of ice is a
+bear of the Arctic species and of gigantic size. At last land is
+signalled. It is an island of a league in circumference, to which
+the name of Bennet Islet was given, in honour of the captain's
+partner in the ownership of the _Jane_.
+
+Naturally, in proportion as the schooner sailed southwards the
+variation of the compass became less, while the temperature became
+milder, with a sky always clear and a uniform northerly breeze.
+Needless to add that in that latitude and in the month of January
+there was no darkness.
+
+The _Jane_ pursued her adventurous course, until, on the 18th of
+January, land was sighted in latitude 83° 20' and longitude 43°
+5'.
+
+This proved to be an island belonging to a numerous group scattered
+about in a westerly direction.
+
+The schooner approached and anchored off the shore. Arms were placed
+in the boats, and Arthur Pym got into one of the latter with Dirk
+Peters. The men rowed shorewards, but were stopped by four canoes
+carrying armed men, "new men" the narrative calls them. These
+men showed no hostile intentions, but cried out continuously
+"anamoo" and "lamalama." When the canoes were alongside the
+schooner, the chief, Too-Wit, was permitted to go on board with
+twenty of his companions. There was profound astonishment on their
+part then, for they took the ship for a living creature, and lavished
+caresses on the rigging, the masts, and the bulwarks. Steered
+between the reefs by these natives, she crossed a bay with a bottom
+of black sand, and cast anchor within a mile of the beach. Then
+William Guy, leaving the hostages on board, stepped ashore amid the
+rocks.
+
+If Arthur Pym is to be believed, this was Tsalal Island! Its trees
+resembled none of the species in any other zone of our planet. The
+composition of the rocks revealed a stratification unknown to modern
+mineralogists. Over the bed of the streams ran a liquid substance
+without any appearance of limpidity, streaked with distinct veins,
+which did not reunite by immediate cohesion when they were parted by
+the blade of a knife!
+
+Klock-Klock, which we are obliged to describe as the chief
+"town" of the island, consisted of wretched huts entirely formed
+of black skins; it possessed domestic animals resembling the common
+pig, a sort of sheep with a black fleece, twenty kinds of fowls,
+tame albatross, ducks, and large turtles in great numbers.
+
+On arriving at Klock-Klock, Captain William Guy and his companions
+found a population--which Arthur Pym estimated at ten thousand
+souls, men, women, and children--if not to be feared, at least to
+be kept at a distance, so noisy and demonstrative were they.
+Finally, after a long halt at the hut of Too-Wit, the strangers
+returned to the shore, where the "bêche-de-mer"--the favourite
+food of the Chinese--would provide enormous cargoes; for the
+succulent mollusk is more abundant there than in any other part of
+the austral regions.
+
+Captain William Guy immediately endeavoured to come to an
+understanding with Too-Wit on this matter, requesting him to
+authorize the construction of sheds in which some of the men of the
+_Jane_ might prepare the bêche-de-mer, while the schooner should hold
+on her course towards the Pole. Too-Wit accepted this proposal
+willingly, and made a bargain by which the natives were to give
+their labour in the gathering-in of the precious mollusk.
+
+At the end of a month, the sheds being finished, three men were told
+off to remain at Tsalal. The natives had not given the strangers
+cause to entertain the slightest suspicion of them. Before leaving
+the place, Captain William Guy wished to return once more to the
+village of Klock-Klock, having, from prudent motives, left six men
+on board, the guns charged, the bulwark nettings in their place, the
+anchor hanging at the forepeak--in a word, all in readiness to
+oppose an approach of the natives. Too-Wit, escorted by a hundred
+warriors, came out to meet the visitors. Captain William Guy and his
+men, although the place was propitious to an ambuscade, walked in
+close order, each pressing upon the other. On the right, a little in
+advance, were Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters, and a sailor named Allen.
+Having reached a spot where a fissure traversed the hillside, Arthur
+Pym turned into it in order to gather some hazel nuts which hung in
+clusters upon stunted bushes. Having done this, he was returning to
+the path, when he perceived that Allen and the half-breed had
+accompanied him. They were all three approaching the mouth of the
+fissure, when they were thrown down by a sudden and violent shock.
+At the same moment the crumbling masses of the hill slid down upon
+them, and they instantly concluded that they were doomed to be buried
+alive.
+
+Alive--all three? No! Allen had been so deeply covered by the
+sliding soil that he was already smothered, but Arthur Pym and Dirk
+Peters contrived to drag themselves on their knees, and opening a
+way with their bowie knives, to a projecting mass of harder clay,
+which had resisted the movement from above, and from thence they
+climbed to a natural platform at the extremity of a wooded ravine.
+Above them they could see the blue sky-roof, and from their position
+were enabled to survey the surrounding country.
+
+An artificial landslip, cunningly contrived by the natives, had
+taken place. Captain William Guy and his twenty-eight companions had
+disappeared; they were crushed beneath more than a million tons of
+earth and stones.
+
+The plain was swarming with natives who had come, no doubt, from the
+neighbouring islets, attracted by the prospect of pillaging the
+_Jane_. Seventy boats were being paddled towards the ship. The six men
+on board fired on them, but their aim was uncertain in the first
+volley; a second, in which mitraille and grooved bullets were used,
+produced terrible effect. Nevertheless, the _Jane_ being boarded by
+the swarming islanders, her defenders were massacred, and she was
+set on fire.
+
+Finally a terrific explosion took place--the fire had reached the
+powder store--killing a thousand natives and mutilating as many
+more, while the others fled, uttering the cry of _tékéli-li!
+tékéli-li!_
+
+During the following week, Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters, living on
+nuts and bitterns' flesh, escaped discovery by the natives, who
+did not suspect their presence. They found themselves at the bottom
+of a sort of dark abyss including several planes, but without issue,
+hollowed out from the hillside, and of great extent. The two men
+could not live in the midst of these successive abysses, and after
+several attempts they let themselves slide on one of the slopes of
+the hill. Instantly, six savages rushed upon them; but, thanks to
+their pistols, and the extraordinary strength of the half-breed,
+four of the assailants were killed. The fifth was dragged away by
+the fugitives, who reached a boat which had been pulled up on the
+beach and was laden with three huge turtles. A score of natives
+pursued and vainly tried to stop them; the former were driven off,
+and the boat was launched successfully and steered for the south.
+
+Arthur Pym was then navigating beyond the eighty-fourth degree of
+south latitude. It was the beginning of March, that is to say, the
+antarctic winter was approaching. Five or six islands, which it was
+prudent to avoid, were visible towards the west. Arthur Pym's
+opinion was that the temperature would become more mild by degrees
+as they approached the pole. They tied together two white shirts
+which they had been wearing, and hoisted them to do duty as a sail.
+At sight of these shirts the native, who answered to the name of
+Nu-Nu, was terrified. For eight days this strange voyage continued,
+favoured by a mild wind from the north, in permanent daylight, on a
+sea without a fragment of ice, indeed, owing to the high and even
+temperature of the water, no ice had been seen since the parallel of
+Bennet Island.
+
+Then it was that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters entered upon a region of
+novelty and wonder. Above the horizon line rose a broad bar of light
+grey vapour, striped with long luminous rays, such as are projected
+by the polar aurora. A very strong current came to the aid of the
+breeze. The boat sailed rapidly upon a liquid surface of milky
+aspect, exceedingly hot, and apparently agitated from beneath. A
+fine white ash-dust began to fall, and this increased the terror of
+Nu-Nu, whose lips trembled over his two rows of black ivory.
+
+On the 9th of March this rain of ashes fell in redoubled volume, and
+the temperature of the water rose so high that the hand could no
+longer bear it. The immense curtain of vapour, spread over the
+distant perimeter of the southern horizon resembled a boundless
+cataract falling noiselessly from the height of some huge rampart
+lost in the height of the heavens.
+
+Twelve days later, it was darkness that hung over these waters,
+darkness furrowed by luminous streaks darting from the milky depths
+of the Antarctic Ocean, while the incessant shower of ash-dust fell
+and melted in its waters.
+
+The boat approached the cataract with an impetuous velocity whose
+cause is not explained in the narrative of Arthur Pym. In the midst
+of this frightful darkness a flock of gigantic birds, of livid white
+plumage, swept by, uttering their eternal _tékéli-li_, and then the
+savage, in the supreme throes of terror, gave up the ghost.
+
+Suddenly, in a mad whirl of speed, the boat rushed into the grasp of
+the cataract, where a vast gulf seemed ready to swallow it up. But
+before the mouth of this gulf there stood a veiled human figure, of
+greater size than any inhabitant of this earth, and the colour of
+the man's skin was the perfect whiteness of snow.
+
+Such is the strange romance conceived by the more than human genius
+of the greatest poet of the New World.
+
+
+(1) The American "lion" is only a small species of puma, and not
+formidable enough to terrify a Nantucket youth. J.V.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+AN OCEAN WAIF.
+
+
+The navigation of the _Halbrane_ went on prosperously with the help of
+the sea and the wind. In fifteen days, if this state of things
+lasted, she might reach Tristan d'Acunha. Captain Len Guy left the
+working of the ship to James West, and well might he do so; there
+was nothing to fear with such a seaman as he.
+
+"Our lieutenant has not his match afloat," said Hurliguerly to
+me one day. "He ought to be in command of a flag-ship."
+
+"Indeed," I replied, "he seems to be a true son of the sea."
+
+"And then, our _Halbrane_, what a craft! Congratulate yourself, Mr.
+Jeorling, and congratulate yourself also that I succeeded in
+bringing the captain to change his mind about you."
+
+"If it was you who obtained that result, boatswain, I thank you
+heartily."
+
+"And so you ought, for he was plaguily against it, was our
+captain, in spite of all old man Atkins could say. But I managed to
+make him hear reason."
+
+"I shan't forget it, boatswain, I shan't forget it, since,
+thanks to your intervention, instead of moping at Kerguelen I hope
+shortly to get within sight of Tristan d'Acunha."
+
+"In a few days, Mr. Jeorling. Only think, sir, according to what I
+hear tell, they are making ships in England and America with
+machines in their insides, and wheels which they use as a duck uses
+its paddles. All right, we shall know what's the good of them when
+they come into use. My notion is, however, that those ships will
+never be able to fight with a fine frigate sailing with a fresh
+breeze."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+It was the 3rd of September. If nothing occurred to delay us, our
+schooner would be in sight of port in three days. The chief island
+of the group is visible on clear days at a great distance.
+
+That day, between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning, I was
+walking backwards and forwards on the deck, on the windward side. We
+were sliding smoothly over the surface of an undulating sea. The
+_Halbrane_ resembled an enormous bird, one of the gigantic albatross
+kind described by Arthur Pym--which had spread its sail-like wings,
+and was carrying a whole ship's crew towards space.
+
+James West was looking out through his glasses to starboard at an
+object floating two or three miles away, and several sailors,
+hanging over the side, were also curiously observing it.
+
+I went forward and looked attentively at the object. It was an
+irregularly formed mass about twelve yards in length, and in the
+middle of it there appeared a shining lump.
+
+"That is no whale," said Martin Holt, the sailing-master. "It
+would have blown once or twice since we have been looking at it."
+
+"Certainly!" assented Hardy. "Perhaps it is the carcase of
+some deserted ship."
+
+"May the devil send it to the bottom!" cried Roger. "It would
+be a bad job to come up against it in the dark; it might send us
+down before we could know what had happened."
+
+"I believe you," added Drap, "and these derelicts are more
+dangerous than a rock, for they are now here and again there, and
+there's no avoiding them."
+
+Hurliguerly came up at this moment and planted his elbows on the
+bulwark, alongside of mine.
+
+"What do you think of it, boatswain?" I asked.
+
+"It is my opinion, Mr. Jeorling," replied the boatswain, "that
+what we see there is neither a blower nor a wreck, but merely a lump
+of ice."
+
+"Hurliguerly is right," said James West; "it is a lump of ice,
+a piece of an iceberg which the currents have carried hither."
+
+"What?" said I, "to the forty-fifth parallel?"
+
+"Yes, sir," answered West, "that has occurred, and the ice
+sometimes gets up as high as the Cape, if we are to take the word of
+a French navigator, Captain Blosseville, who met one at this height
+in 1828."
+
+"Then this mass will melt before long," I observed, feeling not
+a little surprised that West had honoured me by so lengthy a reply.
+
+"It must indeed be dissolved in great part already," he
+continued, "and what we see is the remains of a mountain of ice
+which must have weighed millions of tons."
+
+Captain Len Guy now appeared, and perceiving the group of sailors
+around West, he came forward. A few words were exchanged in a low
+tone between the captain and the lieutenant, and the latter passed
+his glass to the former, who turned it upon the floating object, now
+at least a mile nearer to us.
+
+"It is ice," said he, "and it is lucky that it is dissolving!
+The _Halbrane_ might have come to serious grief by collision with it
+in the night."
+
+I was struck by the fixity of his gaze upon the object, whose nature
+he had so promptly declared: he continued to contemplate it for
+several minutes, and I guessed what was passing in the mind of the
+man under the obsession of a fixed idea. This fragment of ice, torn
+from the southern icebergs, came from those waters wherein his
+thoughts continually ranged. He wanted to see it more near, perhaps
+at close quarters, it might be to take away some bits of it. At an
+order from West the schooner was directed towards the floating mass;
+presently we were within two cables'-length, and I could examine
+it.
+
+The mound in the center was melting rapidly; before the end of the
+day nothing would remain of the fragment of ice which had been
+carried by the currents so high up as the forty-fifth parallel.
+
+Captain Len Guy gazed at it steadily, but he now needed no glass,
+and presently we all began to distinguish a second object which
+little by little detached itself from the mass, according as the
+melting process went on--a black shape, stretched on the white ice.
+
+What was our surprise, mingled with horror, when we saw first an
+arm, then a leg, then a trunk, then a head appear, forming a human
+body, not in a state of nakedness, but clothed in dark garments.
+
+For a moment I even thought that the limbs moved, that the hands
+were stretched towards us.
+
+The crew uttered a simultaneous cry. No! this body was not moving,
+but it was slowly slipping off the icy surface.
+
+I looked at Captain Len Guy. His face was as livid as that of the
+corpse that had drifted down from the far latitudes of the austral
+zone. What could be done was done to recover the body of the
+unfortunate man, and who can tell whether a faint breath of life did
+not animate it even then? In any case his pockets might perhaps
+contain some document that would enable his identity to be
+established. Then, accompanied by a last prayer, those human remains
+should be committed to the depths of the ocean, the cemetery of
+sailors who die at sea.
+
+A boat was let down. I followed it with my eyes as it neared the
+side of the ice fragment eaten by the waves.
+
+Hurliguerly set foot upon a spot which still offered some
+resistance. Gratian got out after him, while Francis kept the boat
+fast by the chain. The two crept along the ice until they reached
+the corpse, then drew it to them by the arms and legs and so got it
+into the boat. A few strokes of the oars and the boatswain had
+rejoined the schooner. The corpse, completely frozen, having been
+laid at the foot of the mizen mast, Captain Len Guy approached and
+examined it long and closely, as though he sought to recognize it.
+
+It was the corpse of a sailor, dressed in coarse stuff, woollen
+trousers and a patched jersey; a belt encircled his waist twice. His
+death had evidently occurred some months previously, probably very
+soon after the unfortunate man had been carried away by the drift.
+He was about forty, with slightly grizzled hair, a mere skeleton
+covered with skin. He must have suffered agonies of hunger.
+
+Captain Len Guy lifted up the hair, which had been preserved by the
+cold, raised the head, gazed upon the scaled eyelids, and finally
+said with a sort of sob,--
+
+"Patterson! Patterson!"
+
+"Patterson?" I exclaimed.
+
+The name, common as it was, touched some chord in my memory. When
+had I heard it uttered? Had I read it anywhere?
+
+At this moment, James West, on a hint from the boatswain, searched
+the pockets of the dead man, and took out of them a knife, some
+string, an empty tobacco box, and lastly a leather pocket-book
+furnished with a metallic pencil.
+
+"Give me that," said the captain. Some of the leaves were
+covered with writing, almost entirely effaced by the damp. He found,
+however, some words on the last page which were still legible, and
+my emotion may be imagined when I heard him read aloud in a
+trembling voice: "The _Jane . . ._ Tsalal island . . . by
+eighty-three . . . There . . . eleven years . . . Captain . . . five
+sailors surviving . . . Hasten to bring them aid."
+
+And under these lines was a name, a signature, the name of Patterson!
+
+Then I remembered! Patterson was the second officer of the _Jane_, the
+mate of that schooner which had picked up Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters
+on the wreck of the _Grampus_, the _Jane_ having reached Tsalal Island;
+the _Jane_ which was attacked by natives and blown up in the midst of
+those waters.
+
+So then it was all true? Edgar Poe's work was that of an
+historian, not a writer of romance? Arthur Gordon Pym's journal
+had actually been confided to him! Direct relations had been
+established between them! Arthur Pym existed, or rather he had
+existed, he was a real being! And he had died, by a sudden and
+deplorable death under circumstances not revealed before he had
+completed the narrative of his extraordinary voyage. And what
+parallel had he reached on leaving Tsalal Island with his companion,
+Dirk Peters, and how had both of them been restored to their native
+land, America?
+
+I thought my head was turning, that I was going mad--I who accused
+Captain Guy of being insane! No! I had not heard aright! I had
+misunderstood! This was a mere phantom of my fancy!
+
+And yet, how was I to reject the evidence found on the body of the
+mate of the _Jane_, that Patterson whose words were supported by
+ascertained dates? And above all, how could I retain a doubt, after
+James West, who was the most self-possessed among us, had succeeded
+in deciphering the following fragments of sentences:--
+
+"Drifting since the 3rd of June north of Tsalal Island. . . . Still
+there . . . Captain William Guy and five of the men of the _Jane_--the
+piece of ice I am on is drifting across the iceberg . . . food will soon
+fail me. . . . Since the 13th of June . . . my last resources
+exhausted . . . to-day . . . 16th of June . . . I am going to die."
+
+So then for nearly three months Patterson's body had lain on the
+surface of this ice-waif which we had met on our way from the
+Kerguelens to Tristan d'Acunha! Ah! why had we not saved the mate
+of the _Jane_!
+
+I had to yield to evidence. Captain Len Guy, who knew Patterson, had
+recognized him in this frozen corpse! It was indeed he who
+accompanied the captain of the _Jane_ when he had interred that
+bottle, containing the letter which I had refused to believe
+authentic, at the Kerguelens. Yes! for eleven years, the survivors
+of the English schooner had been cast away there without any hope of
+succour.
+
+Len Guy turned to me and said,--
+
+"Do you believe--_now_?"
+
+"I believe," said I, falteringly; "but Captain William Guy of
+the _Jane_, and Captain Len Guy of the _Halbrane_--"
+
+"Are brothers!" he cried in a loud voice, which was heard by all
+the crew.
+
+Then we turned our eyes once more to the place where the lump of ice
+had been floating; but the double influence of the solar rays and
+the waters in this latitude had produced its effect, no trace of the
+dead man's last refuge remained on the surface of the sea.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+TRISTAN D'ACUNHA.
+
+
+Four days later, the _Halbrane_ neared that curious island of Tristan
+d'Acunha, which may be described as the big boiler of the African
+seas. By that time I had come to realize that the "hallucination" of
+Captain Len Guy was a truth, and that he and the captain of the _Jane_
+(also a reality) were connected with each other by this ocean waif from
+the authentic expedition of Arthur Pym. My last doubts were buried in
+the depths of the ocean with the body of Patterson.
+
+And now, what was Captain Len Guy going to do? There was not a
+shadow of doubt on that point. He would take the _Halbrane_ to Tsalal
+Island, as marked upon Patterson's note-book. His lieutenant,
+James West, would go whithersoever he was ordered to go; his crew
+would not hesitate to follow him, and would not be stopped by any
+fear of passing the limits assigned to human power, for the soul of
+their captain and the strength of their lieutenant would be in them.
+
+This, then, was the reason why Captain Len Guy refused to take
+passengers on board his ship, and why he had told me that his routes
+never were certain; he was always hoping that an opportunity for
+venturing into the sea of ice might arise. Who could tell indeed,
+whether he would not have sailed for the south at once without
+putting in at Tristan d'Acunha, if he had not wanted water? After
+what I had said before I went on board the _Halbrane_, I should have
+had no right to insist on his proceeding to the island for the sole
+purpose of putting me ashore. But a supply of water was
+indispensable, and besides, it might be possible there to put the
+schooner in a condition to contend with the icebergs and gain the
+open sea--since open it was beyond the eighty-second parallel---in
+fact to attempt what Lieutenant Wilkes of the American Navy was then
+attempting.
+
+The navigators knew at this period, that from the middle of November
+to the beginning of March was the limit during which some success
+might be looked for. The temperature is more bearable then, storms
+are less frequent, the icebergs break loose from the mass, the ice
+wall has holes in it, and perpetual day reigns in that distant
+region.
+
+Tristan d'Acunha lies to the south of the zone of the regular
+south-west winds. Its climate is mild and moist. The prevailing
+winds are west and north-west, and, during the winter--August and
+September--south. The island was inhabited, from 1811, by American
+whale fishers. After them, English soldiers were installed there to
+watch the St. Helena seas, and these remained until after the death
+of Napoleon, in 1821. Several years later the group of islands
+populated by Americans and Dutchmen from the Cape acknowledged the
+suzerainty of Great Britain, but this was not so in 1839. My
+personal observation at that date convinced me that the possession
+of Tristan d'Acunha was not worth disputing. In the sixteenth
+century the islands were called the Land of Life.
+
+On the 5th of September, in the morning, the towering volcano of the
+chief island was signalled; a huge snow-covered mass, whose crater
+formed the basin of a small lake. Next day, on our approach, we
+could distinguish a vast heaped-up lava field. At this distance the
+surface of the water was striped with gigantic seaweeds, vegetable
+ropes, varying in length from six hundred to twelve hundred feet,
+and as thick as a wine barrel.
+
+Here I should mention that for three days subsequent to the finding
+of the fragment of ice, Captain Len Guy came on deck for strictly
+nautical purposes only, and I had no opportunities of seeing him
+except at meals, when he maintained silence, that not even James
+West could have enticed him to break. I made no attempt to do this,
+being convinced that the hour would come when Len Guy would again
+speak to me of his brother, and of the efforts which he intended to
+make to save him and his companions. Now, I repeat, the season being
+considered, that hour had not come, when the schooner cast anchor on
+the 6th of September at Ansiedling, in Falmouth Bay, precisely in
+the place indicated in Arthur Pym's narrative as the moorings of
+the _Jane_.
+
+At the period of the arrival of the _Jane_, an ex-corporal of the
+English artillery, named Glass, reigned over a little colony of
+twenty-six individuals, who traded with the Cape, and whose only
+vessel was a small schooner. At our arrival this Glass had more than
+fifty subjects, and was, as Arthur Pym remarked, quite independent
+of the British Government. Relations with the ex-corporal were
+established on the arrival of the _Halbrane_, and he proved very
+friendly and obliging. West, to whom the captain left the business
+of refilling the water tanks and taking in supplies of fresh meat
+and vegetables, had every reason to be satisfied with Glass, who, no
+doubt, expected to be paid, and was paid, handsomely.
+
+The day after our arrival I met ex-corporal Glass, a vigorous,
+well-preserved man, whose sixty years had not impaired his
+intelligent vivacity. Independently of his trade with the Cape and
+the Falklands, he did an important business in seal-skins and the
+oil of marine animals, and his affairs were prosperous. As he
+appeared very willing to talk, I entered briskly into conversation
+with this self-appointed Governor of a contented little colony, by
+asking him,--
+
+"Do many ships put in to Tristan d'Acunha?"
+
+"As many as we require," he replied, rubbing his hands together
+behind his back, according to his invariable custom.
+
+"In the fine season?"
+
+"Yes, in the fine season, if indeed we can be said to have any
+other in these latitudes."
+
+"I congratulate you, Mr. Glass. But it is to be regretted that
+Tristan d'Acunha has not a single port. If you possessed a
+landing-stage, now?"
+
+"For what purpose, sir, when nature has provided us with such a
+bay as this, where there is shelter from gales, and it is easy to
+lie snug right up against the rocks? No, Tristan has no port, and
+Tristan can do without one."
+
+Why should I have contradicted this good man? He was proud of his
+island, just as the Prince of Monaco is justly proud of his tiny
+principality.
+
+I did not persist, and we talked of various things. He offered to
+arrange for me an excursion to the depths of the thick forests,
+which clothed the volcano up to the middle of the central cove.
+
+I thanked him, but declined his offer, preferring to employ my
+leisure on land in some mineralogical studies. Besides, the _Halbrane_
+was to set sail so soon as she had taken in her provisions.
+
+"Your captain is in a remarkable hurry!" said Governor Glass.
+
+"You think so?"
+
+"He is in such haste that his lieutenant does not even talk of
+buying skins or oil from me."
+
+"We require only fresh victuals and fresh water, Mr. Glass."
+
+"Very well," replied the Governor, who was rather annoyed,
+"what the _Halbrane_ will not take other vessels will."
+
+Then he resumed,--
+
+"And where is your schooner bound for on leaving us?"
+
+"For the Falklands, no doubt, where she can be repaired."
+
+"You, sir, are only a passenger, I suppose?"
+
+"As you say, Mr. Glass, and I had even intended to remain at
+Tristan d'Acunha for some weeks. But I have had to relinquish that
+project."
+
+"I am sorry to hear it, sir. We should have been happy to offer
+you hospitality while awaiting the arrival of another ship."
+
+"Such hospitality would have been most valuable to me," I
+replied, "but unfortunately I cannot avail myself of it."
+
+In fact, I had finally resolved not to quit the schooner, but to
+embark for America from the Falkland Isles without much delay. I
+felt sure that Captain Len Guy would  not refuse to take me to the
+islands. I informed Mr. Glass of my intention, and he remarked,
+still in a tone of annoyance,--
+
+"As for your captain, I have not even seen the colour of his
+hair."
+
+"I don't think he has any intention of coming ashore."
+
+"Is he ill?"
+
+"Not to my knowledge. But it does not concern you, since he has
+sent his lieutenant to represent him."
+
+"Oh, _he's_ a cheerful person! One may extract two words from him
+occasionally. Fortunately, it is easier to get coin out of his
+pocket than speech out of his lips."
+
+"That's the important thing, Mr. Glass."
+
+"You are right, sir--Mr. Jeorling, of Connecticut, I believe?"
+
+I assented.
+
+"So! I know _your_ name, while I have yet to learn that of the
+captain of the _Halbrane_."
+
+"His name is Guy--Len Guy."
+
+"An Englishman?"
+
+"Yes--an Englishman."
+
+"He might have taken the trouble to pay a visit to a countryman of
+his, Mr. Jeorling! But stay! I had some dealings formerly with a
+captain of that name. Guy, Guy--"
+
+"William Guy?" I asked, quickly.
+
+"Precisely. William Guy."
+
+"Who commanded the _Jane_?"
+
+"The _Jane_? Yes. The same man."
+
+"An English schooner which put in at Tristan d'Acunha eleven
+years ago?"
+
+"Eleven years, Mr. Jeorling. I had been settled in the island
+where Captain Jeffrey, of the _Berwick_, of London, found me in the
+year 1824, for full seven years. I perfectly recall this William
+Guy, as if he were before me. He was a fine, open-hearted fellow,
+and I sold him a cargo of seal-skins. He had the air of a gentleman,
+rather proud, but good-natured."
+
+"And the _Jane_?"
+
+"I can see her now at her moorings in the same place as the
+_Halbrane_. She was a handsome vessel of one hundred and eighty tons,
+very slender for'ards. She belonged to the port of Liverpool."
+
+"Yes; that is true, all that is true."
+
+"And is the _Jane_ still afloat, Mr. Jeorling?"
+
+"No, Mr. Glass."
+
+"Was she lost?"
+
+"The fact is only too true, and the greater part of her crew with
+her."
+
+"Will you tell me how this happened?"
+
+"Willingly. On leaving Tristan d'Acunha the _Jane_ headed for the
+bearings of the Aurora and other islands, which William Guy hoped to
+recognize from information--"
+
+"That came from me," interrupted the ex-corporal. "And those
+other islands, may I learn whether the _Jane_ discovered them?"
+
+"No, nor the Auroras either, although William Guy remained several
+weeks in those waters, running from east to west, with a look-out
+always at the masthead."
+
+"He must have lost his bearings, Mr. Jeorling, for, if several
+whalers, who were well deserving of credit, are to be believed,
+these islands do exist, and it was even proposed to give them my
+name."
+
+"That would have been but just," I replied politely.
+
+"It will be very vexatious if they are not discovered some day," added
+the Governor, in a tone which indicated that he was not devoid of
+vanity.
+
+"It was then," I resumed, "that Captain Guy resolved to carry
+out a project he had long cherished, and in which he was encouraged
+by a certain passenger who was on board the _Jane_--"
+
+"Arthur Gordon Pym," exclaimed Glass, "and his companion, one
+Dirk Peters; the two had been picked up at sea by the schooner."
+
+"You knew them, Mr. Glass?" I asked eagerly.
+
+"Knew them, Mr. Jeorling? I should think I did, indeed! That
+Arthur Pym was a strange person, always wanting to rush into
+adventures--a real rash American, quite capable of starting off to
+the moon! Has he gone there at last?"
+
+"No, not quite, Mr. Glass, but, during her voyage, the schooner,
+it seems, did clear the polar circle, and pass the ice-wall. She got
+farther than any ship had ever done before."
+
+"What a wonderful feat!"
+
+"Yes. Unfortunately, the _Jane_ did not return. Arthur Pym and
+William Guy escaped the doom of the _Jane_ and the most of her crew.
+They even got back to America, how I do not know. Afterwards Arthur
+Pym died, but under what circumstances I am ignorant. As for the
+half-breed, after having retired to Illinois, he went off one day
+without a word to anyone, and no trace of him has been found."
+
+"And William Guy?" asked Mr. Glass.
+
+I related the finding of the body of Patterson, the mate of the
+_Jane_, and I added that everything led to the belief that the captain
+of the _Jane_ and five of his companions were still living on an
+island in the austral regions, at less than six degrees from the
+Pole.
+
+"Ah, Mr. Jeorling," cried Glass, "if some day William Guy and
+his sailors might be saved! They seemed to me to be such fine
+fellows."
+
+"That is just what the _Halbrane_ is certainly going to attempt, so
+soon as she is ready, for her captain, Len Guy, is William Guy's
+own brother."
+
+"Is it possible? Well, although I do not know Captain Len Guy, I
+venture to assert that the brothers do not resemble each other--at
+least in their behaviour to the Governor of Tristan d'Acunha!"
+
+It was plain that the Governor was profoundly mortified, but no
+doubt he consoled himself by the prospect of selling his goods at
+twenty-five per cent. above their value.
+
+One thing was certain: Captain Len Guy had no intention of coming
+ashore. This was the more singular, inasmuch as he could not be
+unaware that the _Jane_ had put in at Tristan d'Acunha before
+proceeding to the southern seas. Surely he might be expected to put
+himself in communication with the last European who had shaken hands
+with his brother!
+
+Nevertheless, Captain Len Guy remained persistently on board his
+ship, without even going on deck; and, looking through the glass
+skylight of his cabin, I saw him perpetually stooping over the
+table, which was covered with open books and out-spread charts. No
+doubt the charts were those of the austral latitudes, and the books
+were narratives of the precursors of the _Jane_ in those mysterious
+regions of the south.
+
+On the table lay also a volume which had been read and re-read a
+hundred times. Most of its pages were dogs'-eared and their
+margins were filled with pencilled notes. And on the cover shone the
+title in brightly gilded letters:
+
+THE ADVENTURES OF ARTHUR GORDON PYM.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+BOUND FOR THE FALKLANDS.
+
+
+On the 8th of September, in the evening, I had taken leave of His
+Excellency the Governor-General of the Archipelago of Tristan
+d'Acunha--for such is the official title bestowed upon himself by
+that excellent fellow, Glass, ex-corporal of artillery in the
+British Army. On the following day, before dawn, the _Halbrane_ sailed.
+
+After we had rounded Herald Point, the few houses of Ansiedlung
+disappeared behind the extremity of Falmouth Bay. A fine breeze from
+the east carried us along gaily.
+
+During the morning we left behind us in succession Elephant Bay,
+Hardy Rock, West Point, Cotton Bay, and Daly's Promontory; but it
+took the entire day to lose sight of the volcano of Tristan
+d'Acunha, which is eight thousand feet high; its snow-clad bulk
+was at last veiled by the shades of evening.
+
+During that week our voyage proceeded under the most favourable
+conditions; if these were maintained, the end of the month of
+September ought to bring us within sight of the first peaks of the
+Falkland Group; and so, very sensibly towards the south; the
+schooner having descended from the thirty-eighth parallel to the
+fifty-fifth degree of latitude.
+
+The most daring, or, perhaps I ought to say, the most lucky of those
+discoverers who had preceded the _Halbrane_, under the command of
+Captain Len Guy, in the Antarctic seas, had not gone beyond--Kemp,
+the sixty-sixth parallel; Ballerry, the sixty-seventh; Biscoe, the
+sixty-eighth; Bellinghausen and Morrell, the seventieth; Cook, the
+seventy-first; Weddell, the seventy-fourth. And it was beyond the
+eighty-third, nearly five hundred and fifty miles farther, that we
+must go to the succour of the survivors of the _Jane_!
+
+I confess that for a practical man of unimaginative temperament, I
+felt strangely excited; a nervous restlessness had taken possession
+of me. I was haunted by the figures of Arthur Pym and his
+companions, lost in Antarctic ice-deserts. I began to feel a desire
+to take part in the proposed undertaking of Captain Len Guy. I
+thought about it incessantly. As a fact there was nothing to recall
+me to America. It is true that whether I should get the consent of
+the commander of the _Halbrane_ remained to be seen; but, after all,
+why should he refuse to keep me as a passenger? Would it not be a
+very "human" satisfaction to him to give me material proof that
+he was in the right, by taking me to the very scene of a catastrophe
+that I had regarded as fictitious, showing me the remains of the
+_Jane_ at Tsalal, and landing me on that selfsame island which I had
+declared to be a myth?
+
+Nevertheless, I resolved to wait, before I came to any definite
+determination, until an opportunity of speaking to the captain
+should arise.
+
+[Illustration: Cook's route was effectually barred by ice floes.]
+
+After an interval of unfavourable weather, during which the _Halbrane_
+made but slow progress, on the 4th of October, in the morning, the
+aspect of the sky and the sea underwent a marked change. The wind
+became calm, the waves abated, and the next day the breeze veered to
+the north-west. This was very favourable to us, and in ten days,
+with a continuance of such fortunate conditions, we might hope to
+reach the Falklands.
+
+It was on the 11th that the opportunity of an explanation with
+Captain Len Guy was presented to me, and by himself, for he came out
+of his cabin, advanced to the side of the ship where I was seated,
+and took his place at my side.
+
+Evidently he wished to talk to me, and of what, if not the subject
+which entirely absorbed him? He began by saying:
+
+"I have not yet had the pleasure of a chat with you, Mr. Jeorling,
+since our departure from Tristan d'Acunha!"
+
+"To my regret, captain," I replied, but with reserve, for I
+wanted him to make the running.
+
+"I beg you to excuse me," he resumed, "I have so many things
+to occupy me and make me anxious. A plan of campaign to organize, in
+which nothing must be unforeseen or unprovided for. I beg you not to
+be displeased with me--"
+
+"I am not, I assure you."
+
+"That is all right, Mr. Jeorling; and now that I know you, that I
+am able to appreciate you, I congratulate myself upon having you for
+a passenger until our arrival at the Falklands."
+
+"I am very grateful, captain, for what you have done for me, and I
+feel encouraged to--"
+
+The moment seemed propitious to my making my proposal, when Captain
+Len Guy interrupted me.
+
+"Well, Mr. Jeorling," he asked, "are you now convinced of the
+reality of the voyage of the _Jane_, or do you still regard Edgar
+Poe's book as a work of pure imagination?"
+
+"I do not so regard it, captain."
+
+"You no longer doubt that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters have really
+existed, or that my brother William Guy and five of his companions
+are living?"
+
+"I should be the most incredulous of men, captain, to doubt either
+fact, and my earnest desire is that the favour of Heaven may attend
+you and secure the safety of the shipwrecked mariners of the _Jane_."
+
+"I will do all in my power, Mr. Jeorling, and by the blessing of
+God I shall succeed."
+
+"I hope so, captain. Indeed, I am certain it will be so, and if
+you consent--"
+
+"Is it not the case that you talked of this matter with one Glass,
+an English ex-corporal, who sets up to be Governor of Tristan
+d'Acunha?" inquired the captain, without allowing me to finish
+my sentence.
+
+"That is so," I replied, "and what I learned from Glass has
+contributed not a little to change my doubts into certainty."
+
+"Ah! he has satisfied you?"
+
+"Yes. He perfectly remembers to have seen the _Jane_, eleven years
+ago, when she had put in at Tristan d'Acunha."
+
+"The _Jane_--and my brother?"
+
+"He told me that he had personal dealings with Captain William
+Guy."
+
+"And he traded with the _Jane_?"
+
+"Yes, as he has just been trading with the _Halbrane_."
+
+"She was moored in this bay?"
+
+"In the same place as your schooner."
+
+"And--Arthur Pym--Dirk Peters?"
+
+"He was with them frequently."
+
+"Did he ask what had become of them?"
+
+"Oh yes, and I informed him of the death of Arthur Pym, whom he
+regarded as a foolhardy adventurer, capable of any daring folly."
+
+"Say a madman, and a dangerous madman, Mr. Jeorling. Was it not he
+who led my unfortunate brother into that fatal enterprise?"
+
+"There is, indeed, reason to believe so from his narrative."
+
+"And never to forget it!" added the captain in a tone of agitation.
+
+"This man, Glass," I resumed, "also knew Patterson, the mate
+of the _Jane_."
+
+"He was a fine, brave, faithful fellow, Mr. Jeorling, and devoted,
+body and soul, to my brother."
+
+"As West is to you, captain."
+
+"Does Glass know where the shipwrecked men from the _Jane_ are
+now?"
+
+"I told him, captain, and also all that you have resolved to do to
+save them."
+
+I did not think proper to add that Glass had been much surprised at
+Captain Guy's abstaining from visiting him, as, in his absurd
+vanity, he held the commander of the _Halbrane_ bound to do, nor that
+he did not consider the Governor of Tristan d'Acunha bound to take
+the initiative.
+
+"I wish to ask you, Mr. Jeorling, whether you think everything in
+Arthur Pym's journal, which has been published by Edgar Poe, is
+exactly true?"
+
+"I think there is some need for doubt," I answered "the
+singular character of the hero of those adventures being taken into
+consideration--at least concerning the phenomena of the island of
+Tsalal. And we know that Arthur Pym was mistaken in asserting that
+Captain William Guy and several of his companions perished in the
+landslip of the hill at Klock-Klock."
+
+"Ah! but he does not assert this, Mr. Jeorling! He says only that,
+when he and Dirk Peters had reached the opening through which they
+could discern the surrounding country, the seat of the artificial
+earthquake was revealed to them. Now, as the whole face of the hill
+was rushing into the ravine, the fate of my brother and twenty-nine
+of his men could not be doubtful to his mind. He was, most
+naturally, led to believe that Dirk Peters and himself were the only
+white men remaining alive on the island. He said nothing but
+this--nothing more. These were only suppositions--very reasonable,
+are they not?"
+
+"I admit that, fully, captain."
+
+"But now, thanks to Patterson's note-book, we are certain that
+my brother and five of his companions escaped from the landslip
+contrived by the natives."
+
+"That is quite clear, captain. But, as to what became of the
+survivors of the _Jane_, whether they were taken by the natives of
+Tsalal and kept in captivity, or remained free, Patterson's
+note-book says nothing, nor does it relate under what circumstances
+he himself was carried far away from them."
+
+"All that we shall learn, Mr. Jeorling. Yes, we shall know all.
+The main point is that we are quite sure my brother and five of his
+sailors were living less than four months ago on some part of Tsalal
+Island. There is now no question of a romance signed ‘Edgar
+Poe,' but of a veracious narrative signed ‘Patterson.'"
+
+"Captain," said I, "will you let me be one of your company
+until the end of the campaign of the _Halbrane_ in the Antarctic
+seas?"
+
+Captain Len Guy looked at me with a glance as penetrating as a keen
+blade. Otherwise he did not appear surprised by the proposal I had
+made; perhaps he had been expecting it--and he uttered only the
+single word:
+
+"Willingly."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+FITTING OUT THE _HALBRANE_.
+
+
+On the 15th of October, our schooner cast anchor in Port Egmont, on
+the north of West Falkland. The group is composed of two islands,
+one the above-named, the other Soledad or East Falkland. Captain Len
+Guy gave twelve hours' leave to the whole crew. The next day the
+proceedings were to begin by a careful and minute inspection of the
+vessel's hull and keel, in view of the contemplated prolonged
+navigation of the Antarctic seas. That day Captain Len Guy went
+ashore, to confer with the Governor of the group on the subject of
+the immediate re-victualling of the schooner. He did not intend to
+make expense a consideration, because the whole adventure might be
+wrecked by an unwise economy. Besides I was ready to aid with my
+purse, as I told him, and I intended that we should be partners in
+tile cost of this expedition.
+
+James West remained on board all day, according to his custom in the
+absence of the captain, and was engaged until evening in the
+inspection of the hold. I did not wish to go ashore until the next
+day. I should have ample time while we remained in port to explore
+Port Egmont and its surroundings, and to study the geology and
+mineralogy of the island. Hurliguerly regarded the opportunity as
+highly favourable for the renewal of talk with me, and availed
+himself of it accordingly. He accosted me as follows:
+
+"Accept my sincere compliments, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"And wherefore, boatswain?"
+
+"On account of what I have just heard--that you are to come with
+us to the far end of the Antarctic seas."
+
+"Oh! not so far, I imagine, and if it is not a matter of going
+beyond the eighty-fourth parallel--"
+
+"Who can tell," replied the boatswain, "at all events the
+_Halbrane_ will make more degrees of latitude than any other ship
+before her."
+
+"We shall see."
+
+"And does that not alarm you, Mr. Jeorling?"
+
+"Not in the very least."
+
+"Nor us, rest assured. No, no! You see, Mr. Jeorling, our captain
+is a good one, although he is no talker. You only need to take him
+the right way! First he gives you the passage to Tristan d'Acunha
+that he refused you at first, and now he extends it to the pole."
+
+"The pole is not the question, boatswain."
+
+"Ah! it will be reached at last, some day."
+
+"The thing has not yet been done. And, besides, I don't take
+much interest in the pole, and have no ambition to conquer it. In
+any case it is only to Tsalal Island--"
+
+"Tsalal Island, of course. Nevertheless, you will acknowledge that
+our captain has been very accommodating to you, and--"
+
+"And therefore I am much obliged to him, boatswain, and," I
+hastened to add, "to you also; since it is to your influence I owe
+my passage."
+
+"Very likely." Hurliguerly, a good fellow at bottom, as I
+afterwards learned, discerned a little touch of irony in my tone;
+but he did not appear to do so; he was resolved to persevere in his
+patronage of me. And, indeed, his conversation could not be
+otherwise than profitable to me, for he was thoroughly acquainted
+with the Falkland Islands. The result was that on the following day
+I went ashore adequately prepared to begin my perquisitions. At that
+period the Falklands were not utilized as they have been since.
+
+It was at a later date that Port Stanley--described by Elisée
+Réclus, the French geographer, as "ideal"--was discovered.
+Port Stanley is sheltered at every point of the compass, and could
+contain all the fleets of Great Britain.
+
+If I had been sailing for the last two months with bandaged eyes,
+and without knowing whither the _Halbrane_ was bound, and had been
+asked during the first few hours at our moorings, "Are you in the
+Falkland Isles or in Norway?" I should have puzzled how to answer
+the question. For here were coasts forming deep creeks, the steep
+hills with peaked sides, and the coast-ledges faced with grey rock.
+Even the seaside climate, exempt from great extremes of cold and
+heat, is common to the two countries. Besides, the frequent rains of
+Scandinavia visit Magellan's region in like abundance. Both have
+dense fogs, and, in spring and autumn, winds so fierce that the very
+vegetables in the fields are frequently rooted up.
+
+A few walks inland would, however, have sufficed to make me
+recognize that I was still separated by the equator from the waters
+of Northern Europe. What had I found to observe in the neighbourhood
+of Port Egmont  after my explorations of the first few days? Nothing
+but the signs of a sickly vegetation, nowhere arborescent. Here and
+there a few shrubs grew, in place of the flourishing firs of the
+Norwegian mountains, and the surface of a spongy soil which sinks
+and rises under the foot is carpeted with mosses, fungi, and
+lichens. No! this was not the enticing country where the echoes of
+the sagas resound, this was not the poetic realm of Wodin and the
+Valkyries.
+
+On the deep waters of the Falkland Strait, which separates the two
+principal isles, great masses of extraordinary aquatic vegetation
+floated, and the bays of the Archipelago, where whales were already
+becoming scarce, were frequented by other marine mammals of enormous
+size--seals, twenty-five feet long by twenty in circumference, and
+great numbers of sea elephants, wolves, and lions, of proportions no
+less gigantic. The uproar made by these animals, by the females and
+their young especially, surpasses description. One would think that
+herds of cattle were bellowing on the beach. Neither difficulty nor
+danger attends the capture, or at least the slaughter of the marine
+beasts. The sealers kill them with a blow of a club when they are
+lying in the sands on the strand. These are the special features
+that differentiate Scandinavia from the Falklands, not to speak of
+the infinite number of birds which rose on my approach, grebe,
+cormorants, black-headed swans, and above all, tribes of penguins,
+of which hundreds of thousands are massacred every year.
+
+One day, when the air was filled with a sound of braying, sufficient
+to deafen one, I asked an old sailor belonging to Port Egmont,--
+
+"Are there asses about here?"
+
+"Sir," he replied, "those are not asses that you hear, but
+penguins."
+
+The asses themselves, had any been there, would have been deceived
+by the braying of these stupid birds. I pursued my investigations
+some way to the west of the bay. West Falkland is more extensive
+than its neighbour, La Soledad, and possesses another fort at the
+southern point of Byron's Sound--too far off for me to go there.
+
+I could not estimate the population of the Archipelago even
+approximately. Probably, it did not then exceed from two to three
+hundred souls, mostly English, with some Indians, Portuguese,
+Spaniards, Gauchos from the Argentine Pampas, and natives from Tierra
+Del Fuego. On the other hand, the representatives of the ovine and
+bovine races were to be counted by tens of thousands. More than five
+hundred thousand sheep yield over four hundred thousand dollars'
+worth of wool yearly. There are also horned cattle bred on the
+islands; these seem to have increased in size, while the other
+quadrupeds, for instance, horses, pigs, and rabbits, have decreased.
+All these live in a wild state, and the only beast of prey is the
+dog-fox, a species peculiar to the fauna of the Falklands.
+
+Not without reason has this island been called "a cattle farm."
+What inexhaustible pastures, what an abundance of that savoury
+grass, the tussock, does nature lavish on animals there! Australia,
+though so rich in this respect, does not set a better spread table
+before her ovine and bovine pensioners.
+
+The Falklands ought to be resorted to for the re-victualling of
+ships. The groups are of real importance to navigators making for
+the Strait of Magellan, as well as to those who come to fish in the
+vicinity of the polar regions.
+
+When the work on the hull was done, West occupied himself with the
+masts and the rigging, with the assistance of Martin Holt, our
+sailing-master, who was very clever at this kind of industry.
+
+On the 21st of October, Captain Len Guy said to me:
+
+"You shall see, Mr. Jeorling, that nothing will be neglected to ensure
+the success of our enterprise. Everything that can be foreseen has been
+foreseen, and if the _Halbrane_ is to perish in some catastrophe, it
+will be because it is not permitted to human beings to go against
+the designs of God."
+
+"I have good hopes, captain, as I have already said. Your vessel
+and her crew are worthy of confidence. But, supposing the expedition
+should be much prolonged, perhaps the supply of provisions--"
+
+"We shall carry sufficient for two years, and those shall be of
+good quality. Port Egmont has proved capable of supplying us with
+everything we require."
+
+"Another question, if you will allow me?"
+
+"Put it, Mr. Jeorling, put it."
+
+"Shall you not need a more numerous crew for the _Halbrane_?
+Though you have men enough for the working of the ship, suppose you
+find you have to attack or to defend in the Antarctic waters? Let us
+not forget that, according to Arthur Pym's narrative, there were
+thousands of natives on Tsalal Island, and if your brother--if his
+companions are prisoners--"
+
+"I hope, Mr. Jeorling, our artillery will protect the _Halbrane_
+better than the _Jane_ was protected by her guns. To tell the truth,
+the crew we have would not be sufficient for an expedition of this
+kind. I have been arranging for recruiting our forces."
+
+"Will it be difficult?"
+
+"Yes and no; for the Governor has promised to help me."
+
+"I surmise, captain, that recruits will have to be attracted by
+larger pay."
+
+"Double pay, Mr. Jeorling, and the whole crew must have the
+same."
+
+"You know, captain, I am disposed, and, indeed, desirous to
+contribute to the expenses of the expedition. Will you kindly
+consider me as your partner?"
+
+"All that shall be arranged, Mr. Jeorling, and I am very grateful
+to you. The main point is to complete our armament with the least
+possible delay. We must be ready to clear out in a week."
+
+The news that the schooner was bound for the Antarctic seas had
+produced some sensation in the Falklands, at Port Egmont, and in the
+ports of La Soledad. At that season a number of unoccupied sailors
+were there, awaiting the passing of the whaling-ships to offer their
+services, for which they were very well paid in general. If it had
+been only for a fishing campaign on the borders of the Polar
+Circle, between the Sandwich Islands and New Georgia, Captain Len
+Guy would have merely had to make a selection. But the projected
+voyage was a very different thing; and only the old sailors of the
+_Halbrane_ were entirely indifferent to the dangers of such an
+enterprise, and ready to follow their chief whithersoever it might
+please him to go.
+
+In reality it was necessary to treble the crew of the schooner.
+Counting the captain, the mate, the boatswain, the cook and myself,
+we were thirteen on board. Now, thirty-two or thirty-four men would
+not be too many for us, and it must be remembered that there were
+thirty-eight on board the _Jane_.
+
+In this emergency the Governor exerted himself to the utmost, and
+thanks to the largely-extra pay that was offered, Captain Len Guy
+procured his full tale of seamen. Nine recruits signed articles for
+the duration of the campaign, which could not be fixed beforehand,
+but was not to extend beyond Tsalal Island.
+
+The crew, counting every man on board except myself, numbered
+thirty-one, and a thirty-second for whom I bespeak especial
+attention. On the eve of our departure, Captain Len Guy was accosted
+at the angle of the port by an individual whom he recognized as a
+sailor by his clothes, his walk, and his speech.
+
+This individual said, in a rough and hardly intelligible voice,--
+
+"Captain, I have to make a proposal to you."
+
+"What is it?"
+
+"Have you still a place?"
+
+"For a sailor?"
+
+"For a sailor."
+
+"Yes and no."
+
+"Is it yes?"
+
+"It is yes, if the man suits me."
+
+"Will you take me?"
+
+"You are a seaman?"
+
+"I have served the sea for twenty-five years."
+
+"Where?"
+
+"In the Southern Seas."
+
+"Far?"
+
+"Yes, far, far."
+
+"Your age?"
+
+"Forty-four years."
+
+"And you are at Port Egmont?"
+
+"I shall have been there three years, come Christmas."
+
+"Did you expect to get on a passing whale-ship?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Then what were you doing here?"
+
+"Nothing, and I did not think of going to sea again."
+
+"Then why seek a berth?"
+
+"Just an idea. The news of the expedition your schooner is going
+on was spread. I desire, yes, I desire to take part in it--with
+your leave, of course."
+
+"You are known at Port Egmont?"
+
+"Well known, and I have incurred no reproach since I came here."
+
+"Very well," said the captain. "I will make inquiry respecting
+you."
+
+"Inquire, captain, and if you say yes, my bag shall be on board
+this evening."
+
+"What is your name?"
+
+"Hunt."
+
+"And you are--?"
+
+"An American."
+
+This Hunt was a man of short stature, his weather beaten face was
+brick red, his skin of a yellowish-brown like an Indian's, his
+body clumsy, his head very large, his legs were bowed, his whole
+frame denoted exceptional strength, especially the arms, which
+terminated in huge hands. His grizzled hair resembled a kind of fur.
+
+A particular and anything but prepossessing character was imparted
+to the physiognomy of this individual by the extraordinary keenness
+of his small eyes, his almost lipless mouth, which stretched from
+ear to ear, and his long teeth, which were dazzlingly white; their
+enamel being intact, for he had never been attacked by scurvy, the
+common scourge of seamen in high latitudes.
+
+Hunt had been living in the Falklands for three years; he lived
+alone on a pension, no one knew from whence this was derived. He was
+singularly uncommunicative, and passed his time in fishing, by which
+he might have lived, not only as a matter of sustenance, but as an
+article of commerce.
+
+The information gained by Captain Len Guy was necessarily
+incomplete, as it was confined to Hunt's conduct during his
+residence at Port Egmont. The man did not fight, he did not drink,
+and he had given many proofs of his Herculean strength. Concerning
+his past nothing was known, but undoubtedly he had been a sailor. He
+had said more to Len Guy than he had ever said to anybody; but he
+kept silence respecting the family to which he belonged, and the
+place of his birth. This was of no importance; that he should prove
+to be a good sailor was all we had to think about. Hunt obtained a
+favourable reply, and came on board that same evening.
+
+On the 27th, in the morning, in the presence of the authorities of
+the Archipelago, the _Halbrane's_ anchor was lifted, the last good
+wishes and the final adieus were exchanged, and the schooner took
+the sea. The same evening Capes Dolphin and Pembroke disappeared in
+the mists of the horizon.
+
+Thus began the astonishing adventure undertaken by these brave men,
+who were driven by a sentiment of humanity towards the most terrible
+regions of the Antarctic realm.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+THE OUTSET OF THE ENTERPRISE.
+
+
+Here was I, then, launched into an adventure which seemed likely to
+surpass all my former experiences. Who would have believed such a
+thing of me. But I was under a spell which drew me towards the
+unknown, that unknown of the polar world whose secrets so many
+daring pioneers had in vain essayed to penetrate. And this time, who
+could tell but that the sphinx of the Antarctic regions would speak
+for the first time to human ears!
+
+The new crew had firstly to apply themselves to learning their
+several duties, and the old--all fine fellows--aided them in the
+task. Although Captain Len Guy had not had much choice, he seemed to
+have been in luck. These sailors, of various nationalities,
+displayed zeal and good will. They were aware, also, that the mate
+was a man whom it would not do to vex, for Hurliguerly had given
+them to understand that West would break any man's head who did
+not go straight. His chief allowed him full latitude in this respect.
+
+"A latitude," he added, "which is obtained by taking the
+altitude of the eye with a shut fist."
+
+I recognized my friend the boatswain in the manner of this warning
+to all whom it might concern.
+
+The new hands took the admonition seriously, and there was no
+occasion to punish any of them. As for Hunt, while he observed the
+docility of a true sailor in all his duties, he always kept himself
+apart, speaking to none, and even slept on the deck, in a corner,
+rather than occupy a bunk in the forecastle with the others.
+
+Captain Len Guy's intention was to take the Sandwich Isles for his
+point of departure towards the south, after having made acquaintance
+with New Georgia, distant eight hundred miles from the Falklands.
+Thus the schooner would be in longitude on the route of the _Jane_.
+
+On the 2nd of November this course brought us to the bearings which
+certain navigators have assigned to the Aurora Islands, 30° 15'
+of latitude and 47° 33' of east longitude.
+
+Well, then, notwithstanding the affirmations--which I regarded with
+suspicion--of the captains of the _Aurora_ in 1762, of the _Saint
+Miguel_, in 1769, of the _Pearl_, in 1779, of the _Prinicus_ and the
+_Dolores_, in 1790, of the _Atrevida_, in 1794, which gave the bearings
+of the three islands of the group, we did not perceive a single
+indication of land in the whole of the space traversed by us. It was
+the same with regard to the alleged islands of the conceited Glass.
+Not a single little islet was to be seen in the position he had
+indicated, although the look-out was most carefully kept. It is to
+be feared that his Excellency the Governor of Tristan d'Acunha
+will never see his name figuring in geographical nomenclature.
+
+[Illustration: Taking in sail under difficulties.]
+
+It was now the 6th of November. Our passage promised to be shorter
+than that of the _Jane_. We had no need to hurry, however. Our
+schooner would arrive before the gates of the iceberg wall would
+be open. For three days the weather caused the working of the ship
+to be unusually laborious, and the new crew behaved very well;
+thereupon the boatswain congratulated them. Hurliguerly bore witness
+that Hunt, for all his awkward and clumsy build, was in himself worth
+three men.
+
+"A famous recruit," said he.
+
+"Yes, indeed," I replied, "and gained just at the last
+moment."
+
+"Very true, Mr. Jeorling! But what a face and head he has, that
+Hunt!"
+
+"I have often met Americans like him in the regions of the Far
+West," I answered, "and I should not be surprised if this man
+had Indian blood in his veins. Do you ever talk with Hunt?"
+
+"Very seldom, Mr. Jeorling. He keeps himself to himself, and away
+from everybody. And yet, it is not for want of mouth. I never saw
+anything like his! And his hands! Have you seen his hands? Be on
+your guard, Mr. Jeorling, if ever he wants to shake hands with
+you."
+
+"Fortunately, boatswain, Hunt does not seem to be quarrelsome. He
+appears to be a quiet man who does not abuse his strength."
+
+"No--except when he is setting a halyard. Then I am always afraid
+the pulley will come down and the yard with it."
+
+Hunt certainly was a strange being, and I could not resist observing
+him with curiosity, especially as it struck me that he regarded me
+at times with a curious intentness.
+
+On the 10th of November, at about two in the afternoon, the look-out
+shouted,--
+
+"Land ahead, starboard!"
+
+An observation had just given 55° 7' latitude and 41° 13'
+longitude. This land could only be the Isle de Saint Pierre--its
+British names are South Georgia, New Georgia, and King George's
+Island--and it belongs to the circumpolar regions.
+
+It was discovered by the Frenchman, Barbe, in 1675, before Cook;
+but, although he came in second, the celebrated navigator gave it
+the series of names which it still bears.
+
+The schooner took the direction of this island, whose snow-clad
+heights--formidable masses of ancient rock--rise to an immense
+altitude through the yellow fogs of the surrounding space.
+
+New Georgia, situated within five hundred leagues of Magellan
+Straits, belongs to the administrative domain of the Falklands. The
+British administration is not represented there by anyone, the
+island is not inhabited, although it is habitable, at least in the
+summer season.
+
+On the following day, while the men were gone in search of water, I
+walked about in the vicinity of the bay. The place was an utter
+desert, for the period at which sealing is pursued there had not
+arrived. New Georgia, being exposed to the direct action of the
+Antarctic polar current, is freely frequented by marine mammals. I
+saw several droves of these creatures on the rocks, the strand, and
+within the rock grottoes of the coast. Whole "smalas" of
+penguins, standing motionless in interminable rows, brayed their
+protest against the invasion of an intruder--I allude to myself.
+
+Innumerable larks flew over the surface of the waters and the sands;
+their song awoke my memory of lands more favoured by nature. It is
+fortunate that these birds do not want branches to perch on; for
+there does not exist a tree in New Georgia. Here and there I found a
+few phanerogams, some pale-coloured mosses, and especially tussock
+grass in such abundance that numerous herds of cattle might be fed
+upon the island.
+
+On the 12th November the _Halbrane_ sailed once more, and having
+doubled Charlotte Point at the extremity of Royal Bay, she headed in
+the direction of the Sandwich Islands, four hundred miles from
+thence.
+
+So far we had not encountered floating ice. The reason was that the
+summer sun had not detached any, either from the icebergs or the
+southern lands. Later on, the current would draw them to the height
+of the fiftieth parallel, which, in the southern hemisphere, is that
+of Paris or Quebec. But we were much impeded by huge banks of fog
+which frequently shut out the horizon. Nevertheless, as these waters
+presented no danger, and there was nothing to fear from ice packs or
+drifting icebergs, the _Halbrane_ was able to pursue her route towards
+the Sandwich Islands comfortably enough. Great flocks of clangorous
+birds, breasting the wind and hardly moving their wings, passed us
+in the midst of the fogs, petrels, divers, halcyons, and albatross,
+bound landwards, as though to show us the way.
+
+Owing, no doubt, to these mists, we were unable to discern Traversey
+Island. Captain Len Guy, however, thought some vague streaks of
+intermittent light which were perceived in the night, between the
+14th and 15th, probably proceeded from a volcano which might be that
+of Traversey, as the crater frequently emits flames.
+
+On the 17th November the schooner reached the Archipelago to which
+Cook gave the name of Southern Thule in the first instance, as it
+was the most southern land that had been discovered at that period.
+He afterwards baptized it Sandwich Isles.
+
+James West repaired to Thule in the large boat, in order to explore
+the approachable points, while Captain Len Guy and I descended on
+the Bristol strand.
+
+We found absolutely desolate country; the only inhabitants were
+melancholy birds of Antarctic species. Mosses and lichens cover the
+nakedness of an unproductive soil. Behind the beach a few firs rise
+to a considerable height on the bare hill-sides, from whence great
+masses occasionally come crashing down with a thundering sound.
+Awful solitude reigns everywhere. There was nothing to attest the
+passage of any human being, or the presence of any shipwrecked
+persons on Bristol Island.
+
+West's exploration at Thule produced a precisely similar result. A
+few shots fired from our schooner had no effect but to drive away
+the crowd of petrels and divers, and to startle the rows of stupid
+penguins on the beach.
+
+While Captain Len Guy and I were walking, I said to him,--
+
+"You know, of course, what Cook's opinion on the subject of the
+Sandwich group was when he discovered it. At first he believed he
+had set foot upon a continent. According to him, the mountains of
+ice carried out of the Antarctic Sea by the drift were detached from
+that continent. He recognized afterwards that the Sandwiches only
+formed an Archipelago, but, nevertheless, his belief that a polar
+continent farther south exists, remained firm and unchanged."
+
+"I know that is so, Mr. Jeorling," replied the captain, "but
+if such a continent exists, we must conclude that there is a great
+gap in its coast, and that Weddell and my brother each got in by
+that gap at six years' interval. That our great navigator had not
+the luck to discover this passage is easy to explain; he stopped at
+the seventy-first parallel! But others found it after Captain Cook,
+and others will find it again."
+
+"And we shall be of the number, captain."
+
+"Yes--with the help of God! Cook did not hesitate to assert that
+no one would ever venture farther than he had gone, and that the
+Antarctic lands, if any such existed, would never be seen, but the
+future will prove that he was mistaken. They have been seen so far
+as the eighty-fourth degree of latitude--"
+
+"And who knows," said I, "perhaps beyond that, by Arthur
+Pym."
+
+"Perhaps, Mr. Jeorling. It is true that we have not to trouble
+ourselves about Arthur Pym, since he, at least, and Dirk Peters
+also, returned to America."
+
+"But--supposing he did not return?"
+
+"I consider that we have not to face that eventuality," replied
+Captain Len Guy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+FROM THE SANDWICH ISLANDS TO THE POLAR CIRCLE.
+
+
+The _Halbrane_, singularly favoured by the weather, sighted the New
+South Orkneys group in six days after she had sailed from the
+Sandwich Islands. This archipelago was discovered by Palmer, an
+American, and Bothwell, an Englishman, jointly, in 1821-22. Crossed
+by the sixty-first parallel, it is comprehended between the
+forty-fourth and the forty-seventh meridian.
+
+On approaching, we were enabled to observe contorted masses and
+steep cliffs on the north side, which became less rugged as they
+neared the coast, at whose edge lay enormous ice-floes, heaped
+together in formidable confusion; these, before two months should
+have expired, would be drifted towards the temperate waters. At that
+season the whaling ships would appear to carry on the taking of the
+great blowing creatures, while some of their crews would remain on
+the islands to capture seals and sea-elephants.
+
+In order to avoid the strait, which was encumbered with islets and
+ice-floes, Captain Len Guy first cast anchor at the south-eastern
+extremity of Laurie Island, where he passed the day on the 24th;
+then, having rounded Cape Dundas, he sailed along the southern coast
+of Coronation Island, where the schooner anchored on the 25th. Our
+close and careful researches produced no result as regarded the
+sailors of the _Jane_.
+
+The islands and islets were peopled by multitudes of birds. Without
+taking the penguins into account, those guano-covered rocks were
+crowded with white pigeons, a species of which I had already seen
+some specimens. These birds have rather short, conical beaks, and
+red-rimmed eyelids; they can be knocked over with little difficulty.
+As for the vegetable kingdom in the New South Orkneys, it is
+represented only by grey lichen and some scanty seaweeds. Mussels
+are found in great abundance all along the rocks; of these we
+procured an ample supply.
+
+The boatswain and his men did not lose the opportunity of killing
+several dozens of penguins with their sticks, not from a ruthless
+instinct of destruction, but from the legitimate desire to procure
+fresh food.
+
+"Their flesh is just as good as chicken, Mr. Jeorling," said
+Hurliguerly. "Did you not eat penguin at the Kerguelens?"
+
+"Yes, boatswain, but it was cooked by Atkins."
+
+"Very well, then; it will be cooked by Endicott here, and you will
+not know the difference."
+
+And in fact we in the saloon, like the men in the forecastle, were
+regaled with penguin, and acknowledged the merits of our excellent
+sea-cook.
+
+The _Halbrane_ sailed on the 26th of November, at six o'clock in the
+morning, heading south. She reascended the forty-third meridian;
+this we were able to ascertain very exactly by a good observation.
+This route it was that Weddell and then William Guy had followed,
+and, provided the schooner did not deflect either to the east or the
+west, she must inevitably come to Tsalal Island. The difficulties of
+navigation had to be taken into account, of course.
+
+The wind, continuing to blow steadily from the west, was in our
+favour, and if the present speed of the _Halbrane_ could be
+maintained, as I ventured to suggest to Captain Len Guy, the voyage
+from the South Orkneys to the Polar Circle would be a short one.
+Beyond, as I knew, we should have to force the gate of the thick
+barrier of icebergs, or to discover a breach in that ice-fortress.
+
+"So that, in less than a month, captain--" I suggested,
+tentatively.
+
+"In less than a month I hope to have found the iceless sea which
+Weddell and Arthur Pym describe so fully, beyond the ice-wall, and
+thenceforth we need only sail on under ordinary conditions to Bennet
+Island in the first place, and afterwards to Tsalal Island. Once on
+that ‘wide open sea,' what obstacle could arrest or even retard
+our progress?"
+
+"I can foresee none, captain, so soon as we shall get to the back
+of the ice-wall. The passage through is the difficult point; it must
+be our chief source of anxiety, and if only the wind holds--"
+
+"It will hold, Mr. Jeorling. All the navigators of the austral
+seas have been able to ascertain, as I myself have done, the
+permanence of this wind."
+
+"That is true, and I rejoice in the assurance, captain. Besides, I
+acknowledge, without shrinking from the admission, that I am
+beginning to be superstitious."
+
+"And why not, Mr. Jeorling? What is there unreasonable in
+admitting the intervention of a supernatural power in the most
+ordinary circumstances of life? And we, who sail the _Halbrane_,
+should we venture to doubt it? Recall to your mind our meeting with
+the unfortunate Patterson on our ship's course, the fragment of
+ice carried into the waters where we were, and dissolved immediately
+afterwards. Were not these facts providential? Nay, I go farther
+still, and am sure that, after having done so much to guide us
+towards our compatriots, God will not abandon us--"
+
+"I think as you think, captain. No, His intervention is not to be
+denied, and I do not believe that chance plays the part assigned to
+it by superficial minds upon the stage of human life. All the facts
+are united by a mysterious chain."
+
+"A chain, Mr. Jeorling, whose first link, so far as we are
+concerned, is Patterson's ice-block, and whose last will be Tsalal
+Island. Ah! My brother! my poor brother! Left there for eleven
+years, with his companions in misery, without being able to
+entertain the hope that succour ever could reach them! And Patterson
+carried far away from them, under we know not what conditions, they
+not knowing what had become of him! If my heart is sick when I think
+of these catastrophes, Mr. Jeorling, at least it will not fail me
+unless it be at the moment when my brother throws himself into my
+arms."
+
+So then we two were agreed in our trust in Providence. It had been
+made plain to us in a manifest fashion that God had entrusted us
+with a mission, and we would do all that might be humanly possible
+to accomplish it.
+
+The schooner's crew, I ought to mention, were animated by the like
+sentiments, and shared the same hopes. I allude to the original
+seamen who were so devoted to their captain. As for the new ones,
+they were probably indifferent to the result of the enterprise,
+provided it should secure the profits promised to them by their
+engagement.
+
+At least, I was assured by the boatswain that such was the case, but
+with the exception of Hunt. This man had apparently not been induced
+to take service by the bribe of high wages or prize money. He was
+absolutely silent on that and every other subject.
+
+"If he does not speak to you, boatswain," I said, "neither
+does he speak to me."
+
+"Do you know, Mr. Jeorling, what it is my notion that man has
+already done?"
+
+"Tell me, Hurliguerly."
+
+"Well, then, I believe he has gone far, far into the southern
+seas, let him be as dumb as a fish about it. Why he _is_ dumb is his
+own affair. But if that sea-hog of a man has not been inside the
+Antarctic Circle and even the ice wall by a good dozen degrees, may
+the first sea we ship carry me overboard."
+
+"From what do you judge, boatswain?"
+
+"From his eyes, Mr. Jeorling, from his eyes. No matter at what
+moment, let the ship's head be as it may, those eyes of his are
+always on the south, open, unwinking, fixed like guns in position."
+
+Hurliguerly did not exaggerate, and I had already remarked this. To
+employ an expression of Edgar Poe's, Hunt had eyes like a
+falcon's.
+
+"When he is not on the watch," resumed the boatswain, "that
+savage leans all the time with his elbows on the side, as motionless
+as he is mute. His right place would be at the end of our bow, where
+he would do for a figurehead to the _Halbrane_, and a very ugly one at
+that! And then, when he is at the helm, Mr. Jeorling, just observe
+him! His enormous hands clutch the handles as though they were
+fastened to the wheel; he gazes at the binnacle as though the magnet
+of the compass were drawing his eyes. I pride myself on being a good
+steersman, but as for being the equal of Hunt, I'm not! With him,
+not for an instant does the needle vary from the sailing-line,
+however rough a lurch she may give. I am sure that if the binnacle
+lamp were to go out in the night Hunt would not require to relight
+it. The fire in his eyes would light up the dial and keep him
+right."
+
+For several days our navigation went on in unbroken monotony,
+without a single incident, and under favourable conditions. The
+spring season was advancing, and whales began to make their
+appearance in large numbers.
+
+In these waters a week would suffice for ships of heavy tonnage to
+fill their casks with the precious oil. Thus the new men of the
+crew, and especially the Americans, did not conceal their regret for
+the captain's indifference in the presence of so many animals
+worth their weight in gold, and more abundant than they had ever
+seen whales at that period of the year. The leading malcontent was
+Hearne, a sealing-master, to whom his companions were ready to
+listen. He had found it easy to get the upper hand of the other
+sailors by his rough manner and the surly audacity that was
+expressed by his whole personality. Hearne was an American, and
+forty-five years of age. He was an active, vigorous man, and I could
+see him in my mind's eye, standing up on his double bowed
+whaling-boat brandishing the harpoon, darting it into the flank of a
+whale, and paying out the rope. He must have been fine to see.
+Granted his passion for this business, I could not be surprised that
+his discontent showed itself upon occasion.
+
+In any case, however, our schooner was not fitted out for fishing, and 
+the implements of whaling were not on board.
+
+One day, about three o'clock in the afternoon, I had gone forward
+to watch the gambols of a "school" of the huge sea mammals.
+Hearne was pointing them out to his companions, and muttering in
+disjointed phrases,--
+
+"There, look there! That's a fin-back! There's another, and
+another; three of them with their dorsal fins five or six feet high.
+Just see them swimming between two waves, quietly, making no jumps.
+Ah! if I had a harpoon, I bet my head that I could send it into one
+of the four yellow spots they have on their bodies. But there's
+nothing to be done in this traffic-box; one cannot stretch one's
+arms. Devil take it! In these seas it is fishing we ought to be at,
+not--"
+
+Then, stopping short, he swore a few oaths, and cried out, "And
+that other whale!"
+
+"The one with a hump like a dromedary?" asked a sailor.
+
+"Yes. It is a humpback," replied Hearne. "Do you make out its
+wrinkled belly, and also its long dorsal fin? They're not easy to
+take, those humpbacks, for they go down into great depths and devour
+long reaches of your lines. Truly, we deserve that he should give us
+a switch of his tail on our side, since we don't send a harpoon
+into his."
+
+[Illustration: "There, look there! That's a fin-back!"]
+
+"Look out! Look out!" shouted the boatswain. This was not to
+warn us that we were in danger of receiving the formidable stroke of
+the humpback's tail which the sealing-master had wished us. No, an
+enormous blower had come alongside the schooner, and almost on the
+instant a spout of ill-smelling water was ejected from its blow-hole
+with a noise like a distant roar of artillery. The whole foredeck to
+the main hatch was inundated.
+
+"That's well done!" growled Hearne, shrugging his shoulders,
+while his companions shook themselves and cursed the humpback.
+
+Besides these two kinds of cetacea we had observed several
+right-whales, and these are the most usually met with in the
+southern seas. They have no fins, and their blubber is very thick.
+The taking of these fat monsters of the deep is not attended with
+much danger. The right-whales are vigorously pursued in the southern
+seas, where the little shell fish called "whales' food"
+abound. The whales subsist entirely upon these small crustaceans.
+
+Presently, one of these right-whales, measuring sixty feet in
+length--that is to say, the animal was the equivalent of a hundred
+barrels of oil--was seen floating within three cables' lengths of
+the schooner.
+
+"Yes! that's a right-whale," exclaimed Hearne. "You might
+tell it by its thick, short spout. See, that one on the port side,
+like a column of smoke, that's the spout of a right-whale! And all
+this is passing before our very noses---a dead loss! Why, it's
+like emptying money-bags into the sea not to fill one's barrels
+when one can. A nice sort of captain, indeed, to let all this
+merchandise be lost, and do such wrong to his crew!"
+
+"Hearne," said an imperious voice, "go up to the maintop. You
+will be more at your ease there to reckon the whales."
+
+"But, sir--"
+
+"No reply, or I'll keep you up there until to-morrow. Come--be
+off at once."
+
+And as he would have got the worst of an attempt at resistance, the
+sealing-master obeyed in silence.
+
+The season must have been abnormally advanced, for although we
+continued to see a vast number of testaceans, we did not catch sight
+of a single whaling-ship in all this fishing-ground.
+
+I hasten to state that, although we were not to be tempted by
+whales, no other fishing was forbidden on board the _Halbrane_, and
+our daily bill of fare profited by the boatswain's trawling lines,
+to the extreme satisfaction of stomachs weary of salt meat. Our
+lines brought us goby, salmon, cod, mackerel, conger, mullet, and
+parrot-fish.
+
+The birds which we saw, and which came from every point of the
+horizon, were those I have already mentioned, petrels, divers,
+halcyons, and pigeons in countless flocks. I also saw--but beyond
+aim--a giant petrel; its dimensions were truly astonishing. This
+was one of those called "quebrantahnesos" by the Spaniards. This
+bird of the Magellanian waters is very remarkable; its curved and
+slender wings have a span of from thirteen to fourteen feet, equal
+to that of the wings of the great albatross. Nor is the latter
+wanting among these powerful winged creatures; we saw the
+dusky-plumed albatross of the cold latitudes, sweeping towards the
+glacial zone.
+
+On the 30th of November, after observation taken at noon, it was
+found that we had reached 66° 23' 3" of latitude.
+
+The _Halbrane_ had then crossed the Polar Circle which circumscribes
+the area of the Antarctic zone.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+BETWEEN THE POLAR CIRCLE AND THE ICE WALL.
+
+
+Since the _Halbrane_ has passed beyond the imaginary curve drawn at
+twenty-three and a half degrees from the Pole, it seems as though
+she had entered a new region, "that region of Desolation and
+Silence," as Edgar Poe says; that magic person of splendour and
+glory in which the _Eleanora's_ singer longed to be shut up to all
+eternity; that immense ocean of light ineffable.
+
+It is my belief--to return to less fanciful hypotheses--that the
+Antarctic region, with a superficies of more than five millions of
+square miles, has remained what our spheroid was during the glacial
+period. In the summer, the southern zone, as we all know, enjoys
+perpetual day, owing to the rays projected by the orb of light above
+its horizon in his spiral ascent. Then, so soon as he has
+disappeared, the long night sets in, a night which is frequently
+illumined by the polar aurora or Northern Lights.
+
+It was then in the season of light that our schooner was about to
+sail in these formidable regions. The permanent brightness would not
+fail us before we should have reached Tsalal Island, where we felt
+no doubt of finding the men of the _Jane_.
+
+When Captain Len Guy, West, and the old sailors of the crew learned
+that the schooner had cleared the sixty-sixth parallel of latitude,
+their rough and sunburnt faces shone with satisfaction. The next
+day, Hurliguerly accosted me on the deck with a broad smile and a
+cheerful manner.
+
+"So then, Mr. Jeorling," said he, "we've left the famous
+‘Circle' behind us!"
+
+"Not far enough, boatswain, not far enough!"
+
+"Oh, that will come! But I am disappointed."
+
+"In what way?"
+
+"Because we have not done what is usual on board ships on
+crossing the Line!"
+
+"You regret that?"
+
+"Certainly I do, and the _Halbrane_ might have been allowed the
+ceremony of a southern baptism."
+
+"A baptism? And whom would you have baptized, boatswain, seeing
+that all our men, like yourself, have already sailed beyond this
+parallel?"
+
+"We! Oh, yes! But you! Oh, no, Mr. Jeorling. And why, may I ask,
+should not that ceremony be performed in your honour?"
+
+"True, boatswain; this is the first time in the course of my
+travels that I have been in so high a latitude."
+
+"And you should have been rewarded by a baptism, Mr. Jeorling.
+Yes, indeed, but without any big fuss--no drum and trumpet about
+it, and leaving out old Father Neptune with his masquerade. If you
+would permit me to baptize you--"
+
+"So be it, Hurliguerly," said I, putting my hand into my pocket.
+"Baptize as you please. Here is something to drink my health with at
+the nearest tavern."
+
+"Then that will be Bennet Islet or Tsalal Island, provided there
+are any taverns in those savage islands, and any Atkinses to keep
+them."
+
+"Tell me, boatswain--I always get back to Hunt--does he seem so
+much pleased to have passed the Polar Circle as the _Halbrane's_ old
+sailors are?"
+
+"Who knows? There's nothing to be got out of him one way or
+another. But, as I have said before, if he has not already made
+acquaintance with the ice-barrier."
+
+"What makes you think so?"
+
+"Everything and nothing, Mr. Jeorling. One feels these things; one
+doesn't think them. Hunt is an old sea-dog, who has carried his
+canvas bag into every corner of the world."
+
+The boatswain's opinion was mine also, and some inexplicable
+presentiment made me observe Hunt constantly, for he occupied a
+large share of my thoughts.
+
+Early in December the wind showed a north-west tendency, and that
+was not good for us, but we would have no serious right to complain
+so long as it did not blow due south-west. In the latter case the
+schooner would have been thrown out of her course, or at least she
+would have had a struggle to keep in it, and it was better for us,
+in short, not to stray from the meridian which we had followed since
+our departure from the New South Orkneys. Captain Len Guy was made
+anxious by this alteration in the wind, and besides, the speed of
+the _Halbrane_ was manifestly lessened, for the breeze began to soften
+on the 4th, and in the middle of the night it died away.
+
+In the morning the sails hung motionless and shrivelled along the
+masts. Although not a breath reached us, and the surface of the
+ocean was unruffled, the schooner was rocked from side to side by
+the long oscillations of the swell coming from the west.
+
+"The sea feels something," said Captain Len Guy to me, "and
+there must be rough weather on that side," he added, pointing
+westward.
+
+"The horizon is misty," I replied; "but perhaps the sun
+towards noon--"
+
+"The sun has no strength in this latitude, Mr. Jeorling, not even
+in summer. Jem!"
+
+West came up to us.
+
+"What do you think of the sky?"
+
+"I do not think well of it. We must be ready for anything and
+everything, captain."
+
+"Has not the look-out given warning of the first drifting ice?"
+I asked.
+
+"Yes," replied Captain Len Guy, "and if we get near the
+icebergs the damage will not be to them. Therefore, if prudence
+demands that we should go either to the east or to the west, we
+shall resign ourselves, but only in case of absolute necessity."
+
+The watch had made no mistake. In the afternoon we sighted masses,
+islets they might be called, of ice, drifting slowly southward, but
+these were not yet of considerable extent or altitude. These packs
+were easy to avoid; they could not interfere with the sailing of the
+_Halbrane_. But, although the wind had hitherto permitted her to keep
+on her course, she was not advancing, and it was exceedingly
+disagreeable to be rolling about in a rough and hollow sea which
+struck our ship's sides most unpleasantly.
+
+About two o'clock it was blowing a hurricane from all the points
+of the compass. The schooner was terribly knocked about, and the
+boatswain had the deck cleared of everything that was movable by her
+rolling and pitching.
+
+Fortunately, the cargo could not be displaced, the stowage having
+been effected with perfect forecast of nautical eventualities. We
+had not to dread the fate of the _Grampus_, which was lost owing to
+negligence in her lading. It will be remembered that the brig turned
+bottom upwards, and that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters remained for
+several days crouching on its keel.
+
+Besides, the schooner's pumps did not give a drop of water; the
+ship was perfectly sound in every part, owing to the efficient
+repairs that had been done during our stay at the Falklands. The
+temperature had fallen rapidly, and hail, rain, and snow thickened
+and darkened the air. At ten o'clock in the evening--I must use
+this word, although the sun remained always above the horizon--the
+tempest increased, and the captain and his lieutenant, almost unable
+to hear each other's voices amid the elemental strife, communicated
+mostly by gestures, which is as good a mode as speech between sailors.
+
+I could not make up my mind to retire to my cabin, and, seeking the
+shelter of the roundhouse, I remained on deck, observing the weather
+phenomena, and the skill, certainty, celerity, and effect with which
+the crew carried out the orders of the captain and West. It was a
+strange and terrible experience for a landsman, even one who had
+seen so much of the sea and seamanship as I had. At the moment of a
+certain difficult manoeuvre, four men had to climb to the crossbars
+of the fore-mast in order to reef the mainsail. The first who sprang
+to the ratlines was Hunt. The second was Martin Holt; Burry and one
+of the recruits followed them. I could not have believed that any
+man could display such skill and agility as Hunt's. His hands and
+feet hardly caught the ratlines. Having reached the crossbars first,
+he stretched himself on the ropes to the end of the yard, while Holt
+went to the other end, and the two recruits remained in the middle.
+
+While the men were working, and the tempest was raging round us, a
+terrific lurch of the ship to starboard under the stroke of a
+mountainous wave, flung everything on the deck into wild confusion,
+and the sea rushed in through the scupper-holes. I was knocked down,
+and for some moments was unable to rise.
+
+So great had been the incline of the schooner that the end of the
+yard of the mainsail was plunged three or four feet into the crest
+of a wave. When it emerged Martin Holt, who had been astride on it,
+had disappeared. A cry was heard, uttered by the sailing-master,
+whose arm could be seen wildly waving amid the whiteness of the
+foam. The sailors rushed to the side and flung out one a rope,
+another a cask, a third a spar--in short, any object of which
+Martin Holt might lay hold. At the moment when I struggled up to my
+feet I caught sight of a massive substance which cleft the air and
+vanished in the whirl of the waves.
+
+Was this a second accident? No! it was a voluntary action, a deed of
+self-sacrifice. Having finished his task, Hunt had thrown himself
+into the sea, that he might save Martin Holt.
+
+"Two men overboard!"
+
+Yes, two--one to save the other. And were they not about to perish
+together?
+
+The two heads rose to the foaming surface of the water. Hunt was
+swimming vigorously, cutting through the waves, and was nearing
+Martin Holt.
+
+[Illustration: Hunt to the rescue.]
+
+"They are lost! both lost!" exclaimed the captain. "The boat,
+West, the boat!"
+
+"If you give the order to lower it," answered West, "I will be
+the first to get into it, although at the risk of my life. But I
+must have the order."
+
+In unspeakable suspense the ship's crew and myself had witnessed
+this scene. None thought of the position of the _Halbrane_, which was
+sufficiently dangerous; all eyes were fixed upon the terrible waves.
+Now fresh cries, the frantic cheers of the crew, rose above the roar
+of the elements. Hunt had reached the drowning man just as he sank
+out of sight, had seized hold of him, and was supporting him with
+his left arm, while Holt, incapable of movement, swayed helplessly
+about like a weed. With the other arm Hunt was swimming bravely and
+making way towards the schooner.
+
+A minute, which seemed endless, passed. The two men, the one
+dragging the other, were hardly to be distinguished in the midst of
+the surging waves.
+
+At last Hunt reached the schooner, and caught one of the lines
+hanging over the side.
+
+In a minute Hunt and Martin Holt were hoisted on board; the latter
+was laid down at the foot of the fore-mast, and the former was quite
+ready to go to his work. Holt was speedily restored by the aid of
+vigorous rubbing; his senses came back, and he opened his eyes.
+
+"Martin Holt," said Captain Len Guy, who was leaning over him,
+"you have been brought back from very far--"
+
+"Yes, yes, captain," answered Holt, as he looked about him with
+a searching gaze, "but who saved me?"
+
+"Hunt," cried the boatswain, "Hunt risked his life for you."
+
+As the latter was hanging back, Hurliguerly pushed him towards
+Martin Holt, whose eyes expressed the liveliest gratitude.
+
+"Hunt," said he, "you have saved me. But for you I should have
+been lost. I thank you."
+
+Hunt made no reply.
+
+"Hunt," resumed Captain Len Guy, "don't you hear?"
+
+The man seemed not to have heard.
+
+"Hunt," said Martin Holt again, "come near to me. I thank you.
+I want to shake hands with you."
+
+And he held out his right hand. Hunt stepped back a few paces,
+shaking his head with the air of a man who did not want so many
+compliments for a thing so simple, and quietly walked forward to
+join his shipmates, who were working vigorously under the orders of
+West.
+
+Decidedly, this man was a hero in courage and self-devotion; but
+equally decidedly he was a being impervious to impressions, and not
+on that day either was the boatswain destined to know "the colour
+of his words!"
+
+For three whole days, the 6th, 7th, and 8th of December, the tempest
+raged in these waters, accompanied by snow storms which perceptibly
+lowered the temperature. It is needless to say that Captain Len Guy
+proved himself a true seaman, that James West had an eye to
+everything, that the crew seconded them loyally, and that Hunt was
+always foremost when there was work to be done or danger to be
+incurred.
+
+In truth, I do not know how to give an idea of this man! What a
+difference there was between him and most of the sailors recruited
+at the Falklands, and especially between him and Hearne, the
+sealing-master! They obeyed, no doubt, for such a master as James
+West gets himself obeyed, whether with good or ill will. But behind
+backs what complaints were made, what recriminations were exchanged!
+All this, I feared, was of evil presage for the future.
+
+Martin Holt had been able to resume his duties very soon, and he
+fulfilled them with hearty good-will. He knew the business of a
+sailor right well, and was the only man on board who could compete
+with Hunt in handiness and zeal.
+
+"Well, Holt," said I to him one day when he was talking with the
+boatswain, "what terms are you on with that queer fellow Hunt now?
+Since the salvage affair, is he a little more communicative?"
+
+"No, Mr. Jeorling, and I think he even tries to avoid me."
+
+"To avoid you?"
+
+"Well, he did so before, for that matter."
+
+"Yes, indeed, that is true," added Hurliguerly; "I have made
+the same remark more than once."
+
+"Then he keeps aloof from you, Holt, as from the others?"
+
+"From me more than from the others."
+
+"What is the meaning of that?"
+
+"I don't know, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+I was surprised at what the two men had said, but a little
+observation convinced me that Hunt actually did avoid every occasion
+of coming in contact with Martin Holt. Did he not think that he had
+a right to Holt's gratitude although the latter owed his life to
+him? This man's conduct was certainly very strange.
+
+In the early morning of the 9th the wind showed a tendency to change
+in the direction of the east, which would mean more manageable
+weather for us. And, in fact, although the sea still remained rough,
+at about two in the morning it became feasible to put on more sail
+without risk, and thus the _Halbrane_ regained the course from which
+she had been driven by the prolonged tempest.
+
+In that portion of the Antarctic sea the ice-packs were more
+numerous, and there was reason to believe that the tempest, by
+hastening the smash-up, had broken the barrier of the iceberg wall
+towards the east.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+ALONG THE FRONT OF THE ICEBERGS.
+
+
+Although the seas beyond the Polar Circle were wildly tumultuous, it
+is but just to acknowledge that our navigation had been accomplished
+so far under exceptional conditions. And what good luck it would be
+if the _Halbrane_, in this first fortnight of December, were to find
+the Weddell route open!
+
+There! I am talking of the Weddell route as though it were a
+macadamized road, well kept, with mile-stones and "This way to the
+South Pole" on a signpost!
+
+The numerous wandering masses of ice gave our men no trouble; they
+were easily avoided. It seemed likely that no real difficulties
+would arise until the schooner should have to try to make a passage
+for herself through the icebergs.
+
+Besides, there was no surprise to be feared. The presence of ice was
+indicated by a yellowish tint in the atmosphere, which the whalers
+called "blink." This is a phenomenon peculiar to the glacial
+zones which never deceives the observer.
+
+For five successive days the _Halbrane_ sailed without sustaining any
+damage, without having, even for a moment, had to fear a collision.
+It is true that in  proportion as she advanced towards the south the
+number of ice-packs increased and the channels became narrower. On
+the 14th an observation gave us 72° 37' for latitude, our
+longitude remaining the same, between the forty-second and the
+forty-third meridian. This was already a point beyond the Antarctic
+Circle that few navigators had been able to reach. We were at only
+two degrees lower than Weddell.
+
+The navigation of the schooner naturally became a more delicate
+matter in the midst of those dim, wan masses soiled with the excreta
+of birds. Many of them had a leprous look: compared with their
+already considerable volume, how small our little ship, over whose
+mast some of the icebergs already towered, must have appeared!
+
+Captain Len Guy admirably combined boldness and prudence in his
+command of his ship. He never passed to leeward of an iceberg, if
+the distance did not guarantee the success of any manoeuvre
+whatsoever that might suddenly become necessary. He was familiar
+with all the contingencies of ice-navigation, and was not afraid to
+venture into the midst of these flotillas of drifts and packs. That
+day he said to me,--
+
+"Mr. Jeorling, this is not the first time that I have tried to
+penetrate into the Polar Sea, and without success. Well, if I made
+the attempt to do this when I had nothing but presumption as to the
+fate of the _Jane_ to go upon, what shall I not do now that
+presumption is changed into certainty?"
+
+"I understand that, captain, and of course your experience of
+navigation in these waters must increase our chances of success."
+
+"Undoubtedly. Nevertheless, all that lies beyond the fixed
+icebergs is still the Unknown for me, as it is for other
+navigators."
+
+"The Unknown! No, not absolutely, captain, since we possess the
+important reports of Weddell, and, I must add, of Arthur Pym also."
+
+"Yes, I know; they have spoken of the open sea."
+
+"Do you not believe that such a sea exists?"
+
+"Yes, I do believe that it exists, and for valid reasons. In fact,
+it is perfectly manifest that these masses, called icebergs and
+ice-fields, could not be formed in the ocean itself. It is the
+tremendous and irresistible action of the surge which detaches them
+from the continents or islands of the high latitudes. Then the
+currents carry them into less cold waters, where their edges are
+worn by the waves, while the temperature disintegrates their bases
+and their sides, which are subjected to thermometric influences."
+
+"That seems very plain," I replied. "Then these masses have
+come from the icebergs.(1) They clash with them in drifting,
+sometimes break into the main body, and clear their passage through.
+Again, we must not judge the southern by the northern zone. The
+conditions are not identical. Cook has recorded that he never met
+the equivalent of the Antarctic ice mountains in the Greenland seas,
+even at a higher latitude."
+
+"What is the reason?" I asked.
+
+"No doubt that the influence of the south winds is predominant in
+the northern regions. Now, those winds do not reach the northern
+regions until they have been heated in their passage over America,
+Asia, and Europe, and they contribute to raise the temperature of
+the atmosphere. The nearest land, ending in the points of the Cape
+of Good Hope, Patagonia, and Tasmania, does not modify the
+atmospheric currents."
+
+"That is an important observation, captain, and it justifies your
+opinion with regard to an open sea."
+
+"Yes, open--at least, for ten degrees behind the icebergs. Let us
+then only get through that obstacle, and our greatest difficulty
+will have been conquered. You were right in saying that the
+existence of that open sea has been formally recognized by
+Weddell."
+
+"And by Arthur Pym, captain."
+
+"And by Arthur Pym."
+
+From the 15th of December the difficulties of navigation increased
+with the number of the drifting masses. The wind, however, continued
+to be uniformly favourable, showing no tendency to veer to the
+south. The breeze freshened now and then, and we had to take in
+sail. When this occurred we saw the sea foaming along the sides of
+the ice packs, covering them with spray like the rocks on the coast
+of a floating island, but without hindering their onward march.
+
+Our crew could not fail to be impressed by the sight of the
+schooner making her way through these moving masses; the new men
+among them, at least, for the old hands had seen such manoeuvres
+before. But they soon became accustomed to it, and took it all for
+granted.
+
+It was necessary to organize the look-out ahead with the greatest
+care. West had a cask fixed at the head of the foremast--what is
+called a crow's-nest--and from thence an unremitting watch was
+kept.
+
+The 16th was a day of excessive fatigue to the men. The packs and
+drifts were so close that only very narrow and winding passage-way
+between them was to be found, so that the working of the ship was
+more than commonly laborious.
+
+Under these circumstances, none of the men grumbled, but Hunt
+distinguished himself by his activity. Indeed, he was admitted by
+Captain Len Guy and the crew to be an incomparable seaman. But there
+was something mysterious about him that excited the curiosity of
+them all.
+
+At this date the _Halbrane_ could not be very far from the icebergs.
+If she held on in her course in that direction she would certainly
+reach them before long, and would then have only to seek for a
+passage. Hitherto, however, the look-out had not been able to make
+out between the icebergs an unbroken crest of ice beyond the
+ice-fields.
+
+Constant and minute precautions were indispensable all day on the
+16th, for the helm, which was loosened by merciless blows and bumps,
+was in danger of being unshipped.
+
+The sea mammals had not forsaken these seas. Whales were seen in
+great numbers, and it was a fairy-like spectacle when several of
+them spouted simultaneously. With fin-backs and hump-backs,
+porpoises of colossal size appeared, and these Hearne harpooned
+cleverly when they came within range. The flesh of these creatures
+was much relished on board, after Endicott had cooked it in his best
+manner.
+
+As for the usual Antarctic birds, petrels, pigeons, and cormorants,
+they passed in screaming flocks, and legions of penguins, ranged
+along the edges of the ice-fields, watched the evolutions of the
+schooner. These penguins are the real inhabitants of these dismal
+solitudes, and nature could not have created a type more suited to
+the desolation of the glacial zone.
+
+On the morning of the 17th the man in the crow's-nest at last
+signalled the icebergs.
+
+Five or six miles to the south a long dentated crest upreared
+itself, plainly standing out against the fairly clear sky, and all
+along it drifted thousands of ice-packs. This motionless barrier
+stretched before us from the north-west to the south-east, and by
+merely sailing along it the schooner would still gain some degrees
+southwards.
+
+When the _Halbrane_ was within three miles of the icebergs, she lay-to
+in the middle of a wide basin which allowed her complete freedom of
+movement.
+
+A boat was lowered, and Captain Len Guy got into it, with the
+boatswain, four sailors at the oars, and one at the helm. The boat
+was pulled in the direction of the enormous rampart, vain search was
+made for a channel through which the schooner could have slipped,
+and after three hours of this fatiguing reconnoitring, the men
+returned to the ship. Then came a squall of rain and snow which
+caused the temperature to fall to thirty-six degrees (2°22 C.
+above zero), and shut out the view of the ice-rampart from us.
+
+During the next twenty-four hours the schooner lay within four miles
+of the icebergs. To bring her nearer would have been to get among
+winding channels from which it might not have been possible to
+extricate her. Not that Captain Len Guy did not long to do this, in
+his fear of passing some opening unperceived.
+
+"If I had a consort," he said, "I would sail closer along the
+icebergs, and it is a great advantage to be two, when one is on such
+an enterprise as this! But the _Halbrane_ is alone, and if she were to
+fail us--"
+
+[Illustration: Four sailors at the oars, and one at the helm.]
+
+Even though we approached no nearer to the icebergs than prudence
+permitted, our ship was exposed to great risk, and West was
+constantly obliged to change his trim in order to avoid the shock of
+an icefield.
+
+Fortunately, the wind blew from east to north-nor'-east without
+variation, and it did not freshen. Had a tempest arisen I know not
+what would have become of the schooner--yes, though, I do know too
+well: she would have been lost and all on board of her. In such a
+case the _Halbrane_ could not have escaped; we must have been flung on
+the base of the barrier.
+
+After a long examination Captain Len Guy had to renounce the hope
+of finding a passage through the terrible wall of ice. It remained
+only to endeavour to reach the south-east point of it. At any rate,
+by following that course we lost nothing in latitude; and, in fact,
+on the 18th the observation taken made the seventy-third parallel
+the position of the _Halbrane_.
+
+I must repeat, however, that navigation in the Antarctic seas will
+probably never be accomplished under more felicitous
+circumstances--the precocity of the summer season, the permanence
+of the north wind, the temperature forty-nine degrees at the lowest;
+all this was the best of good-fortune. I need not add that we
+enjoyed perpetual light, and the whole twenty-four hours round the
+sun's rays reached us from every point of the horizon.
+
+Two or three times the captain approached within two miles of the
+icebergs. It was impossible but that the vast mass must have been
+subjected to climateric influences; ruptures must surely have taken
+place at some points.
+
+But his search had no result, and we had to fall back into the
+current from west to east.
+
+I must observe at this point that during all our search we never
+descried land or the appearance of land out at sea, as indicated on
+the charts of preceding navigators. These maps are incomplete, no
+doubt, but sufficiently exact in their main lines. I am aware that
+ships have often passed over the indicated bearings of land. This,
+however, was not admissible in the case of Tsalal. If the _Jane_ had
+been able to reach the islands, it was because that portion of the
+Antarctic sea was free, and in so "early" a year, we need not
+fear any obstacle in that direction.
+
+At last, on the 19th, between two and three o'clock in the
+afternoon, a shout from the crow's-nest was heard.
+
+"What is it?" roared West.
+
+"The iceberg wall is split on the south-east."
+
+"What is beyond?"
+
+"Nothing in sight."
+
+It took West very little time to reach the point of observation, and
+we all waited below, how impatiently may be imagined. What if the
+look-out were mistaken, if some optical delusion?---- But West, at all
+events, would make no mistake.
+
+After ten interminable minutes his clear voice reached us on the
+deck.
+
+"Open sea!" he cried.
+
+Unanimous cheers made answer.
+
+The schooner's head was put to the south-east, hugging the wind as
+much as possible.
+
+Two hours later we had doubled the extremity of the ice-barrier, and
+there lay before our eyes a sparkling sea, entirely open.
+
+(1) The French word is _banquise_, which means the vast stretch of
+icebergs farther south than the _barrière_ or ice-wall.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+A VOICE IN A DREAM.
+
+
+Entirely free from ice? No. It would have been premature to affirm
+this as a fact. A few icebergs were visible in the distance, while
+some drifts and packs were still going east. Nevertheless, the
+break-up had been very thorough on that side, and the sea was in
+reality open, since a ship could sail freely.
+
+"God has come to our aid," said Captain Len Guy. "May He be
+pleased to guide us to the end."
+
+"In a week," I remarked, "our schooner might come in sight of
+Tsalal Island."
+
+"Provided that the east wind lasts, Mr. Jeorling. Don't forget
+that in sailing along the icebergs to their eastern extremity, the
+_Halbrane_ went out of her course, and she must be brought back
+towards the west."
+
+"The breeze is for us, captain."
+
+"And we shall profit by it, for my intention is to make for Bennet
+Islet. It was there that my brother first landed, and so soon as we
+shall have sighted that island we shall be certain that we are on
+the right route. To-day, when I have ascertained our position
+exactly, we shall steer for Bennet Islet."
+
+"Who knows but that we may come upon some fresh sign?"
+
+"It is not impossible, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+I need not say that recourse was had to the surest guide within our
+reach, that veracious narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, which I read
+and re-read with intense attention, fascinated as I was by the idea
+that I might be permitted to behold with my own eyes those strange
+phenomena of nature in the Antarctic world which I, in common with
+all Edgar Poe's readers, had hitherto regarded as creations of the
+most imaginative writer who ever gave voice by his pen to the
+phantasies of a unique brain. No doubt a great part of the wonders
+of Arthur Gordon Pym's narrative would prove pure fiction, but if
+even a little of the marvellous story were found to be true, how
+great a privilege would be mine!
+
+The picturesque and wonderful side of the story we were studying as
+gospel truth had little charm and but slight interest for Captain
+Len Guy; he was indifferent to everything in Pym's narrative that
+did not relate directly to the castaways of Tsalal Island: his mind
+was solely and constantly set upon their rescue.
+
+According to the narrative of Arthur Pym, the _Jane_ experienced
+serious difficulties, due to bad weather, from the 1st to the 4th of
+January, 1828. It was not until the morning of the 5th, in latitude
+73° 15', that she found a free passage through the last iceberg
+that barred her way. The final difference between our position and
+the _Jane_ in a parallel case, was that the _Jane_ took fifteen days to
+accomplish the distance of ten degrees, or six hundred miles, which
+separated her on the 5th of January from Tsalal Island, while on the
+19th of December the _Halbrane_ was only about seven degrees, or four
+hundred miles, off the island. Bennet Islet, where Captain Guy
+intended to put in for twenty-four hours, was fifty miles nearer.
+Our voyage was progressing under prosperous conditions; we were no
+longer visited by sudden hail and snow storms, or those rapid falls
+of temperature which tried the crew of the _Jane_ so sorely. A few
+ice-floes drifted by us, occasionally peopled, as tourists throng a
+pleasure yacht, by penguins, and also by dusky seals, lying flat
+upon the white surfaces like enormous leeches. Above this strange
+flotilla we traced the incessant flight of petrels, pigeons, black
+puffins, divers, grebe, sterns, cormorants, and the sooty-black
+albatross of the high latitudes. Huge medusæ, exquisitely tinted,
+floated on the water like spread parasols. Among the denizens of the
+deep, captured by the crew of the schooner with line and net, I
+noted more particularly a sort of giant John Dory(1) (_dorade_) three
+feet in length, with firm and savoury flesh.
+
+During the night, or rather what ought to have been the night of the
+19th-20th, my sleep was disturbed by a strange dream. Yes! there
+could be no doubt but that it was only a dream! Nevertheless, I
+think it well to record it here, because it is an additional
+testimony to the haunting influence under which my brain was
+beginning to labour.
+
+I was sleeping--at two hours after midnight--and was awakened by a
+plaintive and continuous murmuring sound. I opened--or I imagined I
+opened my eyes. My cabin was in profound darkness. The murmur began
+again; I listened, and it seemed to me that a voice--a voice which
+I did not know--whispered these words:--
+
+"Pym . . . Pym . . . poor Pym!"
+
+Evidently this could only be a delusion; unless, indeed, some one
+had got into my cabin: the door was not locked.
+
+"Pym!" the voice repeated. "Poor Pym must never be
+forgotten."
+
+This time the words were spoken close to my ear. What was the
+meaning of the injunction, and why was it addressed to me? And
+besides, had not Pym, after his return to America, met with a sudden
+and deplorable death, the circumstances or the details being unknown?
+
+I began to doubt whether I was in my right mind, and shook myself
+into complete wakefulness, recognizing that I had been disturbed by
+an extremely vivid dream due to some cerebral cause.
+
+I turned out of my berth, and, pushing back the shutter, looked out
+of my cabin. No one aft on the deck, except Hunt, who was at the
+helm.
+
+I had nothing to do but to lie down again, and this I did. It seemed
+to me that the name of Arthur Pym was repeated in my hearing several
+times; nevertheless, I fell asleep and did not wake until morning,
+when I retained only a vague impression of this occurrence, which
+soon faded away. No other incident at that period of our voyage
+calls for notice. Nothing particular occurred on board our schooner.
+The breeze from the north, which had forsaken us, did not recur, and
+only the current carried the _Halbrane_ towards the south. This caused
+a delay unbearable to our impatience.
+
+At last, on the 21st, the usual observation gave 82° 50' of
+latitude, and 42° 20' of west longitude. Bennet Islet, if it had
+any existence, could not be far off now.
+
+Yes! the islet did exist, and its bearings were those indicated by
+Arthur Pym.
+
+At six o'clock in the evening one of the crew cried out that there
+was land ahead on the port side.
+
+(1) The legendary etymology of this piscatorial designation is
+_Janitore_, the "door-keeper," in allusion to St. Peter, who
+brought a fish, said to be of that species, to our Lord at His
+command.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+BENNET ISLET.
+
+
+The _Halbrane_ was then within sight of Bennet Islet! The crew
+urgently needed rest, so the disembarkation was deferred until the
+following day, and I went back to my cabin.
+
+The night passed without disturbance, and when day came not a craft
+of any kind was visible on the waters, not a native on the beach.
+There were no huts upon the coast, no smoke arose in the distance to
+indicate that Bennet Islet was inhabited. But William Guy had not
+found any trace of human beings there, and what I saw of the islet
+answered to the description given by Arthur Pym. It rose upon a
+rocky base of about a league in circumference, and was so arid that
+no vegetation existed on its surface.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling," said Captain Len Guy, "do you observe a
+promontory in the direction of the north-east?"
+
+"I observe it, captain."
+
+"Is it not formed of heaped-up rocks which look like giant bales
+of cotton?"
+
+"That is so, and just what the narrative describes."
+
+"Then all we have to do is to land on the promontory, Mr. Jeorling.
+Who knows but we may come across some vestige of the crew of the
+_Jane_, supposing them to have succeeded in escaping from Tsalal
+Island."
+
+The speaker was devouring the islet with his eyes. What must his
+thoughts, his desires, his impatience have been! But there was a man
+whose gaze was set upon the same point even more fixedly; that man
+was Hunt.
+
+Before we left the _Halbrane_ Len Guy enjoined the most minute and
+careful watchfulness upon his lieutenant. This was a charge which
+West did not need. Our exploration would take only half a day at
+most. If the boat had not returned in the afternoon a second was to
+be sent in search of us.
+
+"Look sharp also after our recruits," added the captain.
+
+"Don't be uneasy, captain," replied the lieutenant. "Indeed,
+since you want four men at the oars you had better take them from
+among the new ones. That will leave four less troublesome fellows on
+board."
+
+This was a good idea, for, under the deplorable influence of Hearne,
+the discontent of his shipmates from the Falklands was on the
+increase. The boat being ready, four of the new crew took their
+places forward, while Hunt, at his own request, was steersman.
+Captain Len Guy, the boatswain and myself, all well armed, seated
+ourselves aft, and we started for the northern point of the islet.
+In the course of an hour we had doubled the promontory, and come in
+sight of the little bay whose shores the boats of the _Jane_ had
+touched.
+
+Hunt steered for this bay, gliding with remarkable skill between the
+rocky points which stuck up here and there. One would have thought
+he knew his way among them.
+
+We disembarked on a stony coast. The stones were covered with sparse
+lichen. The tide was already ebbing, leaving uncovered the sandy
+bottom of a sort of beach strewn with black blocks, resembling big
+nail-heads.
+
+Two men were left in charge of the boat while we landed amid the
+rocks, and, accompanied by the other two, Captain Len Guy, the
+boatswain, Hunt and I proceeded towards the centre, where we found
+some rising ground, from whence we could see the whole extent of the
+islet. But there was nothing to be seen on any side, absolutely
+nothing. On coming down from the slight eminence Hunt went on in
+front, as it had been agreed that he was to be our guide. We
+followed him therefore, as he led us towards the southern extremity
+of the islet. Having reached the point, Hunt looked carefully on all
+sides of him, then stooped and showed us a piece of half rotten wood
+lying among the scattered stones.
+
+"I remember!" I exclaimed; "Arthur Pym speaks of a piece of
+wood with traces of carving on it which appeared to have belonged to
+the bow of a ship."
+
+"Among the carving my brother fancied he could trace the design of
+a tortoise," added Captain Len Guy.
+
+"Just so," I replied, "but Arthur Pym pronounced that
+resemblance doubtful. No matter; the piece of wood is still in the
+same place that is indicated in the narrative, so we may conclude
+that since the _Jane_ cast anchor here no other crew has ever set foot
+upon Bennet Islet. It follows that we should only lose time in
+looking out for any tokens of another landing. We shall know nothing
+until we reach Tsalal Island."
+
+"Yes, Tsalal Island," replied the captain.
+
+We then retraced our steps in the direction of the bay. In various
+places we observed fragments of coral reef, and bêche-de-mer was so
+abundant that our schooner might have taken a full cargo of it.
+
+Hunt walked on in silence with downcast eyes, until as we were close
+upon the beach to the east, he, being about ten paces ahead, stopped
+abruptly, and summoned us to him by a hurried gesture.
+
+In an instant we were by his side. Hunt had evinced no surprise on
+the subject of the piece of wood first found, but his attitude
+changed when he knelt down in front of a worm-eaten plank lying on
+the sand. He felt it all over with his huge hands, as though he were
+seeking some tracery on its rough surface whose signification might
+be intelligible to him. The black paint was hidden under the thick
+dirt that had accumulated upon it. The plank had probably formed
+part of a ship's stern, as the boatswain requested us to observe.
+
+"Yes, yes," repeated Captain Len Guy, "it made part of a
+stern."
+
+Hunt, who still remained kneeling, nodded his big head in assent.
+
+"But," I remarked, "this plank must have been cast upon Bennet
+Islet from a wreck! The cross-currents must have found it in the
+open sea, and--"
+
+"If that were so--" cried the captain.
+
+The same thought had occurred to both of us. What was our surprise,
+indeed our amazement, our unspeakable emotion, when Hunt showed us
+eight letters cut in the plank, not painted, but hollow and
+distinctly traceable with the finger.
+
+It was only too easy to recognize the letters of two names, arranged
+in two lines, thus:
+
+  AN
+  LI.E.PO.L.
+
+The _Jane of Liverpool_! The schooner commanded by Captain William
+Guy! What did it matter that time had blurred the other letters?
+Did not those suffice to tell the name of the ship and the port she
+belonged to? The _Jane_ of Liverpool!
+
+Captain Len Guy had taken the plank in his hands, and now he pressed
+his lips to it, while tears fell from his eyes.
+
+It was a fragment of the _Jane_! I did not utter a word until the
+captain's emotion had subsided. As for Hunt, I had never seen such
+a lightning glance from his brilliant hawk-like eyes as he now cast
+towards the southern horizon.
+
+Captain Len Guy rose.
+
+Hunt, without a word, placed the plank upon his shoulder, and we
+continued our route.
+
+When we had made the tour of the island, we halted at the place
+where the boat had been left under the charge of two sailors, and
+about half-past two in the afternoon we were again on board.
+
+Early on the morning of the 23rd of December the _Halbrane_ put off
+from Bennet Islet, and we carried away with us new and convincing
+testimony to the catastrophe which Tsalal Island had witnessed.
+
+During that day, I observed the sea water very attentively, and it
+seemed to me less deeply blue than Arthur Pym describes it. Nor had
+we met a single specimen of his monster of the austral fauna, an
+animal three feet long, six inches high, with four short legs, long
+coral claws, a silky body, a rat's tail, a cat's head, the
+hanging ears, blood-red lips and white teeth of a dog. The truth is
+that I regarded several of these details as "suspect," and
+entirely due to an over-imaginative temperament.
+
+Seated far aft in the ship, I read Edgar Poe's book with sedulous
+attention, but I was not unaware of the fact that Hunt, whenever his
+duties furnished him with an opportunity, observed me pertinaciously,
+and with looks of singular meaning.
+
+And, in fact, I was re-perusing the end of Chapter XVII., in which
+Arthur Pym acknowledged his responsibility for the sad and tragic
+events which were the results of his advice. It was, in fact, he who
+over-persuaded Captain William Guy, urging him "to profit by so
+tempting an opportunity of solving the great problem relating to the
+Antarctic Continent." And, besides, while accepting that
+responsibility, did he not congratulate himself on having been the
+instrument of a great discovery, and having aided in some degree to
+reveal to science one of the most marvellous secrets which had ever
+claimed its attention?
+
+At six o'clock the sun disappeared behind a thick curtain of mist.
+After midnight the breeze freshened, and the _Halbrane's_ progress
+marked a dozen additional miles.
+
+On the morrow the good ship was less than the third of a degree,
+that is to say less than twenty miles, from Tsalal Island.
+
+Unfortunately, just after mid-day, the wind fell. Nevertheless,
+thanks to the current, the Island of Tsalal was signalled at
+forty-five minutes past six in the evening.
+
+The anchor was cast, a watch was set, with loaded firearms within
+hand-reach, and boarding-nets ready.
+
+The _Halbrane_ ran no risk of being surprised. Too many eyes were 
+watching on board--especially those of Hunt, whose gaze never 
+quitted the horizon of that southern zone for an instant.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+TSALAL ISLAND.
+
+
+The night passed without alarm. No boat had put off from the island,
+nor had a native shown himself upon the beach. The _Halbrane_, then,
+had not been observed on her arrival; this was all the better.
+
+We had cast anchor in ten fathoms, at three miles from the coast.
+
+When the _Jane_ appeared in these waters, the people of Tsalal beheld
+a ship for the first time, and they took it for an enormous animal,
+regarding its masts as limbs, and its sails as garments. Now, they
+ought to be better informed on this subject, and if they did not
+attempt to visit us, to what motive were we to assign such conduct?
+
+Captain Len Guy gave orders for the lowering of the ship's largest
+boat, in a voice which betrayed his impatience.
+
+The order was executed, and the captain, addressing West, said,--
+
+"Send eight men down with Martin Holt; send Hunt to the helm.
+Remain yourself at the moorings, and keep a look-out landwards as
+well as to sea."
+
+"Aye, aye, sir; don't be uneasy."
+
+"We are going ashore, and we shall try to gain the village of
+Klock-Klock. If any difficulty should arise on sea, give us warning
+by firing three shots."
+
+"All right," replied West--"at a minute's interval."
+
+"If we should not return before evening, send the second boat with
+ten armed men under the boatswain's orders, and let them station
+themselves within a cable's length of the shore, so as to escort
+us back. You understand?"
+
+"Perfectly, captain."
+
+"If we are not to be found, after you have done all in your power,
+you will take command of the schooner, and bring her back to the
+Falklands."
+
+"I will do so."
+
+The large boat was rapidly got ready. Eight men embarked in it,
+including Martin Holt and Hunt, all armed with rifles, pistols, and
+knives; the latter weapons were slung in their belts. They also
+carried cartridge-pouches.
+
+I stepped forward and said,--
+
+"Will you not allow me to accompany you, captain?"
+
+"If you wish to do so, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+I went to my cabin, took my gun--a repeating rifle--with ball and
+powder, and rejoined Captain Len Guy, who had kept a place in the
+stern of the boat for me. Our object was to discover the passage
+through which Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters had crossed the reef on the
+19th of January, 1828, in the _Jane's_ boat. For twenty minutes we
+rowed along the reef, and then Hunt discovered the pass, which was
+through a narrow cut in the rocks. Leaving two men in the boat, we
+landed, and having gone through the winding gorge which gave access
+to the crest of the coast, our little force, headed by Hunt, pushed
+on towards the centre of the island. Captain Len Guy and myself
+exchanged observations, as we walked, on the subject of this
+country, which, as Arthur Pym declared, differed essentially from
+every other land hitherto visited by human beings. We soon found
+that Pym's description was trustworthy. The general colour of the
+plains was black, as though the clay were made of lava-dust; nowhere
+was anything white to be seen. At a hundred paces' distance Hunt
+began to run towards an enormous mass of rock, climbed on it with
+great agility, and looked out over a wide extent of space like a man
+who ought to recognize the place he is in, but does not.
+
+"What is the matter with him?" asked Captain Len Guy, who was
+observing Hunt attentively.
+
+"I don't know what is the matter with him, captain. But, as you
+are aware, everything about this man is odd: his ways are
+inexplicable, and on certain sides of him he seems to belong to
+those strange beings whom Arthur Pym asserts that he found on this
+island. One would even say that--"
+
+"That--" repeated the captain.
+
+And then, without finishing my sentence, I said,--
+
+"Captain, are you sure that you made a good observation when you
+took the altitude yesterday?"
+
+"Certainly."
+
+"So that your point--"
+
+"Gave 83° 20' of latitude and 43° 5' of longitude."
+
+"Exactly?"
+
+"Exactly."
+
+"There is, then, no doubt that we are on Tsalal Island?"
+
+"None, Mr. Jeorling, if Tsalal Island lies where Arthur Pym places
+it."
+
+This was quite true, there could be no doubt on the point, and yet
+of all that Arthur Pym described nothing existed, or rather, nothing
+was any longer to be seen. Not a tree, not a shrub, not a plant was
+visible in the landscape. There was no sign of the wooded hills
+between which the village of Klock-Klock ought to lie, or of the
+streams from which the crew of the _Jane_ had not ventured to drink.
+There was no water anywhere; but everywhere absolute, awful drought.
+
+Nevertheless, Hunt walked on rapidly, without showing any
+hesitation. It seemed as though he was led by a natural instinct,
+"a bee's flight," as we say in America. I know not what
+presentiment induced us to follow him as the best of guides, a
+Chingachgook, a Renard-Subtil. And why not? Was not he the
+fellow-countryman of Fenimore Cooper's heroes?
+
+But, I must repeat that we had not before our eyes that fabulous
+land which Arthur Pym described. The soil we were treading had been
+ravaged, wrecked, torn by convulsion. It was black, a cindery black,
+as though it had been vomited from the earth under the action of
+Plutonian forces; it suggested that some appalling and irresistible
+cataclysm had overturned the whole of its surface.
+
+Not one of the animals mentioned in the narrative was to be seen,
+and even the penguins which abound in the Antarctic regions had fled
+from this uninhabitable land. Its stern silence and solitude made it
+a hideous desert. No human being was to be seen either on the coast
+or in the interior. Did any chance of finding William Guy and the
+survivors of the _Jane_ exist in the midst of this scene of desolation?
+
+I looked at Captain Len Guy. His pale face, dim eyes, and knit brow
+told too plainly that hope was beginning to die within his breast.
+
+And then the population of Tsalal Island, the almost naked men,
+armed with clubs and lances, the tall, well-made, upstanding women,
+endowed with grace and freedom of bearing not to be found in a
+civilized society--those are the expressions of Arthur Pym--and
+the crowd of children accompanying them, what had become of all
+these? Where were the multitude of natives, with black skins, black
+hair, black teeth, who regarded white colour with deadly terror?
+
+All of a sudden a light flashed upon me. "An earthquake!" I
+exclaimed. "Yes, two or three of those terrible shocks, so common
+in these regions where the sea penetrates by infiltration, and a day
+comes when the quantity of accumulated vapour makes its way out and
+destroys everything on the surface."
+
+"Could an earthquake have changed Tsalal Island to such an
+extent?" asked Len Guy, musingly.
+
+"Yes, captain, an earthquake has done this thing; it has destroyed
+every trace of all that Arthur Pym saw here."
+
+Hunt, who had drawn nigh to us, and was listening, nodded his head
+in approval of my words.
+
+"Are not these countries of the southern seas volcanic?" I
+resumed. "If the _Halbrane_ were to transport us to Victoria Land,
+we might find the _Erebus_ and the _Terror_ in the midst of an
+eruption."
+
+"And yet," observed Martin Holt, "if there had been an
+eruption here, we should find lava beds."
+
+"I do not say that there has been an eruption," I replied,
+"but I do say the soil has been convulsed by an earthquake."
+
+On reflection it will be seen that the explanation given by me
+deserved to be admitted. And then it came to my remembrance that
+according to Arthur Pym's narrative, Tsalal belonged to a group of
+islands which extended towards the west. Unless the people of Tsalal
+had been destroyed, it was possible that they might have fled into
+one of the neighbouring islands. We should do well, then, to go and
+reconnoitre that archipelago, for Tsalal clearly had no resources
+whatever to offer after the cataclysm.
+
+I spoke of this to the captain.
+
+"Yes," he replied, and tears stood in his eyes, "yes, it may
+be so. And yet, how could my brother and his unfortunate companions
+have found the means of escaping? Is it not far more probable that
+they all perished in the earthquake?"
+
+Here Hunt made us a signal to follow him, and we did so.
+
+After he had pushed across the valley for a considerable distance,
+he stopped.
+
+What a spectacle was before our eyes!
+
+There, lying in heaps, were human bones, all the fragments of that
+framework of humanity which we call the skeleton, hundreds of them,
+without a particle of flesh, clusters of skulls still bearing some
+tufts of hair--a vast bone heap, dried and whitened in this place!
+We were struck dumb and motionless by this spectacle. When Captain
+Len Guy could speak, he murmured,--
+
+"My brother, my poor brother!"
+
+On a little reflection, however, my mind refused to admit certain
+things. How was this catastrophe to be reconciled with Patterson's
+memoranda? The entries in his note-book stated explicitly that the
+mate of the _Jane_ had left his companions on Tsalal Island seven
+months previously. They could not then have perished in this
+earthquake, for the state of the bones proved that it had taken
+place several years earlier, and must have occurred after the
+departure of Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters, since no mention of it was
+made in the narrative of the former.
+
+These facts were, then, irreconcilable. If the earthquake was of
+recent date, the presence of those time-bleached skeletons could not
+be attributed to its action. In any case, the survivors of the _Jane_
+were not among them. But then, where were they?
+
+The valley of Klock-Klock extended no farther; we had to retrace our
+steps in order to regain the coast.
+
+We had hardly gone half a mile on the cliff's edge when Hunt again
+stopped, on perceiving some fragments of bones which were turning to
+dust, and did not seem to be those of a human being.
+
+Were these the remains of one of the strange animals described by
+Arthur Pym, of which we had not hitherto seen any specimens?
+
+Hunt suddenly uttered a cry, or rather a sort of savage growl, and
+held out his enormous hand, holding a metal collar. Yes! a brass
+collar, a collar eaten by rust, but bearing letters which might
+still be deciphered. These letters formed the three following
+words:--
+
+"_Tiger_--Arthur Pym."
+
+Tiger!--the name of the dog which had saved Arthur Pym's life in
+the hold of the _Grampus_, and, during the revolt of the crew, had
+sprung at the throat of Jones, the sailor, who was immediately
+"finished" by Dirk Peters.
+
+[Illustration: Hunt extended his enormous hand, holding a metal
+collar.]
+
+So, then, that faithful animal had not perished in the shipwreck of
+the _Grampus_. He had been taken on board the _Jane_ at the same time
+as Arthur Pym and the half-breed. And yet the narrative did not allude
+to this, and after the meeting with the schooner there was no longer
+any mention of the dog. All these contradictions occurred to me. I
+could not reconcile the facts. Nevertheless, there could be no doubt
+that Tiger had been saved from the shipwreck like Arthur Pym, had
+escaped the landslip of the Klock-Klock hill, and had come to his
+death at last in the catastrophe which had destroyed a portion of
+the population of Tsalal.
+
+But, again, William Guy and his five sailors could not be among
+those skeletons which were strewn upon the earth, since they were
+living at the time of Patterson's departure, seven months ago, and
+the catastrophe already dated several years back!
+
+Three hours later we had returned on board the _Halbrane_, without
+having made any other discovery. Captain Len Guy went direct to his
+cabin, shut himself up there, and did not reappear even at dinner
+hour.
+
+The following day, as I wished to return to the island in order to
+resume its exploration from one coast to the other, I requested West
+to have me rowed ashore.
+
+He consented, after he had been authorized by Captain Len Guy, who
+did not come with us.
+
+Hunt, the boatswain, Martin Holt, four men, and myself took our
+places in the boat, without arms; for there was no longer anything
+to fear.
+
+We disembarked at our yesterday's landing-place, and Hunt again
+led the way towards the hill of Klock-Klock. Nothing remained of the
+eminence that had been carried away in the artificial landslip, from
+which the captain of the _Jane_, Patterson, his second officer, and
+five of his men had happily escaped. The village of Klock-Klock had
+thus disappeared; and doubtless the mystery of the strange
+discoveries narrated in Edgar Poe's work was now and ever would
+remain beyond solution.
+
+We had only to regain our ship, returning by the east side of the
+coast. Hunt brought us through the space where sheds had been
+erected for the preparation of the _bêche-de mer_, and we saw the
+remains of them. On all sides silence and abandonment reigned.
+
+We made a brief pause at the place where Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters
+seized upon the boat which bore them towards higher latitudes, even
+to that horizon of dark vapour whose rents permitted them to discern
+the huge human figure, the white giant.
+
+Hunt stood with crossed arms, his eyes devouring the vast extent of
+the sea.
+
+"Well, Hunt?" said I, tentatively.
+
+Hunt did not appear to hear me; he did not turn his head in my
+direction.
+
+"What are we doing here?" I asked him, and touched him on the
+shoulder.
+
+He started, and cast a glance upon me which went to my heart.
+
+"Come along, Hunt," cried Hurliguerly. "Are you going to take
+root on this rock? Don't you see the _Halbrane_ waiting for us at
+her moorings? Come along. We shall be off to-morrow. There is
+nothing more to do here."
+
+It seemed to me that Hunt's trembling lips repeated the word
+"nothing," while his whole bearing protested against what the
+boatswain said.
+
+The boat brought us back to the ship. Captain Len Guy had not left
+his cabin. West, having received no orders, was pacing the deck aft.
+I seated myself at the foot of the mainmast, observing the sea which
+lay open and free before us.
+
+At this moment the captain came on deck; he was very pale, and his
+features looked pinched and weary.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling," said he, "I can affirm conscientiously that I
+have done all it was possible to do. Can I hope henceforth that my
+brother William and his companions-- No! No! We must go
+away--before winter--"
+
+He drew himself up, and cast a last glance towards Tsalal Island.
+
+"To-morrow, Jim," he said to West, "to-morrow we will make
+sail as early as possible."
+
+At this moment a rough voice uttered the words:
+
+"And Pym--poor Pym!"
+
+I recognized this voice.
+
+It was the voice I had heard in my dream.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+AND PYM?
+
+
+"And Pym--poor Pym?"
+
+I turned round quickly.
+
+Hunt had spoken. This strange person was standing motionless at a
+little distance, gazing fixedly at the horizon.
+
+It was so unusual to hear Hunt's voice on board the schooner, that
+the men, whom the unaccustomed sound reached, drew near, moved by
+curiosity. Did not his unexpected intervention point to--I had a
+presentiment that it did--some wonderful revelation?
+
+A movement of West's hand sent the men forward, leaving only the
+mate, the boatswain, Martin Holt, the sailing-master, and Hardy,
+with the captain and myself in the vicinity of Hunt. The captain
+approached and addressed him:
+
+"What did you say?"
+
+"I said, ‘And Pym--poor Pym.'"
+
+"Well, then, what do you mean by repeating the name of the man
+whose pernicious advice led my brother to the island on which the
+_Jane_ was lost, the greater part of her crew was massacred, and where
+we have not found even one left of those who were still here seven
+months ago?"
+
+Hunt did not speak.
+
+"Answer, I say--answer!" cried the captain.
+
+Hunt hesitated, not because he did not know what to say, but from a
+certain difficulty in expressing his ideas. The latter were quite
+clear, but his speech was confused, his words were unconnected. He
+had a certain language of his own which sometimes was picturesque,
+and his pronunciation was strongly marked by the hoarse accent of
+the Indians of the Far West.
+
+"You see," he said, "I do not know how to tell things. My
+tongue stops. Understand me, I spoke of Pym, poor Pym, did I not?"
+
+"Yes," answered West, sternly; "and what have you to say about
+Arthur Pym?"
+
+"I have to say that he must not be abandoned."
+
+"Abandoned!" I exclaimed.
+
+"No, never! It would be cruel--too cruel. We must go to seek
+him."
+
+"To seek him?" repeated Captain Len Guy.
+
+"Understand me; it is for this that I have embarked on the
+_Halbrane_--yes, to find poor Pym!"
+
+"And where is he," I asked, "if not deep in a grave, in the
+cemetery of his natal city?"
+
+"No, he is in the place where he remained, alone, all alone,"
+continued Hunt, pointing towards the south; "and since then the
+sun has risen on that horizon seven times."
+
+It was evident that Hunt intended to designate the Antarctic
+regions, but what did he mean by this?
+
+"Do you not know that Arthur Pym is dead?" said the captain.
+
+"Dead!" replied Hunt, emphasizing the word with an expressive
+gesture. "No! listen to me: I know things; understand me, he is
+not dead."
+
+"Come now, Hunt," said I, "remember what you do know. In the
+last chapter of the adventures of Arthur Pym, does not Edgar Poe
+relate his sudden and deplorable end?"
+
+"Explain yourself, Hunt," said the captain, in a tone of
+command. "Reflect, take your time, and say plainly whatever you
+have to say."
+
+And, while Hunt passed his hand over his brow, as though to collect
+his memory of far-off things, I observed to Captain Len Guy,--
+
+"There is something very singular in the intervention of this man,
+if indeed he be not mad."
+
+At my words the boatswain shook his head, for he did not believe
+Hunt to be in his right mind.
+
+The latter understood this shake of the boatswain's head, and
+cried out in a harsh tone,--
+
+"No, not mad. And madmen are respected on the prairies, even if
+they are not believed. And I--I must be believed. No, no, no! Pym
+is not dead!"
+
+"Edgar Poe asserts that he is," I replied.
+
+"Yes, I know, Edgar Poe of Baltimore. But--he never saw poor Pym,
+never, never."
+
+"What!" exclaimed Captain Len Guy; "the two men were not
+acquainted?"
+
+"No!"
+
+"And it was not Arthur Pym himself who related his adventures to
+Edgar Poe?"
+
+"No, captain, no! He, below there, at Baltimore, had only the
+notes written by Pym from the day when he hid himself on board the
+_Grampus_ to the very last hour--the last--understand me the last."
+
+"Who, then, brought back that journal?" asked Captain Len Guy,
+as he seized Hunt's hand.
+
+"It was Pym's companion, he who loved him, his poor Pym, like a
+son. It was Dirk Peters, the half-breed, who came back alone from
+there--beyond."
+
+"The half-breed, Dirk Peters!" I exclaimed.
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Alone?"
+
+"Alone."
+
+"And Arthur Pym may be--"
+
+"There," answered Hunt, in a loud voice, bending towards the
+southern line, from which he had not diverted his gaze for a moment.
+
+Could such an assertion prevail against the general incredulity? No,
+assuredly not! Martin Holt nudged Hurliguerly with his elbow, and
+both regarded Hunt with pity, while West observed him without
+speaking. Captain Len Guy made me a sign, meaning that nothing
+serious was to be got out of this poor fellow, whose mental
+faculties must have been out of gear for a long time.
+
+And nevertheless, when I looked keenly at Hunt, it seemed to me that
+a sort of radiance of truth shone out of his eyes.
+
+Then I set to work to interrogate the man, putting to him precise
+and pressing questions which he tried to answer categorically, as we
+shall see, and not once did he contradict himself.
+
+"Tell me," I asked, "did Arthur Pym really come to Tsalal
+Island on board the _Grampus_?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Did Arthur Pym separate himself, with the half-breed and one of
+the sailors, from his companions while Captain William Guy had gone
+to the village of Klock-Klock?"
+
+"Yes. The sailor was one Allen, and he was almost immediately
+stifled under the stones."
+
+"Then the two others saw the attack, and the destruction of the
+schooner, from the top of the hill?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Then, some time later, the two left the island, after they had
+got possession of one of the boats which the natives could not take
+from them?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"And, after twenty days, having reached the front of the curtain
+of vapour, they were both carried down into the gulf of the
+cataract?"
+
+This time Hunt did not reply in the affirmative; he hesitated, he
+stammered out some vague words; he seemed to be trying to rekindle
+the half-extinguished flame of his memory. At length, looking at me
+and shaking his head, he answered,--
+
+"No, not both. Understand me--Dirk never told me--"
+
+"Dirk Peters," interposed Captain Len Guy, quickly. "You knew
+Dirk Peters?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Where?"
+
+"At Vandalia, State of Illinois."
+
+"And it is from him that you have all this information concerning
+the voyage?"
+
+"From him."
+
+"And he came back alone--alone--from that voyage, having left
+Arthur Pym."
+
+"Alone!"
+
+"Speak, man--do speak!" I cried, impatiently. Then, in broken,
+but intelligible sentences, Hunt spoke,--
+
+"Yes--there--a curtain of vapour--so the half-breed often
+said--understand me. The two, Arthur Pym and he, were in the Tsalal
+boat. Then an enormous block of ice came full upon them. At the
+shock Dirk Peters was thrown into the sea, but he clung to the ice
+block, and--understand me, he saw the boat drift with the current,
+far, very far, too far! In vain did Pym try to rejoin his companion,
+he could not; the boat drifted on and on, and Pym, that poor dear
+Pym, was carried away. It is he who has never come back, and he is
+there, still there!"
+
+If Hunt had been the half-breed in person he could not have spoken
+with more heartfelt emotion of "poor Pym."
+
+It was then, in front of the "curtain of vapour," that Arthur
+Pym and the half-breed had been separated from each other. Dirk
+Peters had succeeded in returning from the ice-world to America,
+whither he had conveyed the notes that were communicated to Edgar
+Poe.
+
+Hunt was minutely questioned upon all these points and he replied,
+conformably, he declared, to what the half-breed had told him many
+times. According to this statement, Dirk Peters had Arthur Pym's
+note-book in his pocket at the moment when the ice-block struck
+them, and thus the journal which the half-breed placed at the
+disposal of the American romance-writer was saved.
+
+"Understand me," Hunt repeated, "for I tell you things as I
+have them from Dirk Peters. While the drift was carrying him away,
+he cried out with all his strength. Pym, poor Pym, had already
+disappeared in the midst of the vapour. The half-breed, feeding upon
+raw fish, which he contrived to catch, was carried back by a cross
+current to Tsalal Island, where he landed half dead from hunger."
+
+"To Tsalal Island!" exclaimed Captain Len Guy. "And how long
+was it since they had left it?"
+
+"Three weeks--yes, three weeks at the farthest, so Dirk Peters
+told me."
+
+"Then he must have found all that remained of the crew of the
+_Jane_--my brother William and those who had survived with him?"
+
+"No," replied Hunt; "and Dirk Peters always believed that they
+had perished--yes, to the very last man. There was no one upon the
+island."
+
+"No one?"
+
+"Not a living soul."
+
+"But the population?"
+
+"No one! No one, I tell you. The island was a desert--yes, a desert!"
+
+This statement contradicted certain facts of which we were
+absolutely certain. After all, though, it was possible that when Dirk
+Peters returned to Tsalal Island, the population, seized by who can
+tell what terror, had already taken refuge upon the south-western
+group, and that William Guy and his companions were still hidden in the
+gorges of Klock-Klock. That would explain why the half-breed had not
+come across them, and also why the survivors of the _Jane_ had had
+nothing to fear during the eleven years of their sojourn in the island.
+On the other hand, since Patterson had left them there seven months
+previously, if we did not find them, that must have been because they
+had been obliged to leave Tsalal, the place being rendered
+uninhabitable by the earthquake.
+
+"So that," resumed Captain Len Guy, "on the return of Dirk Peters,
+there was no longer an inhabitant on the island?"
+
+"No one," repeated Hunt, "no one. The half-breed did not meet a single
+native."
+
+"And what did Dirk Peters do?"
+
+"Understand me. A forsaken boat lay there, at the back of the bay,
+containing some dried meat and several casks of water. The
+half-breed got into it, and a south wind--yes, south, very strong,
+the same that had driven the ice block, with the cross current,
+towards Tsalal Island--carried him on for weeks and weeks--to the
+iceberg barrier, through a passage in it--you may believe me, I am
+telling you only what Dirk Peters told me--and he cleared the polar
+circle."
+
+"And beyond it?" I inquired.
+
+"Beyond it. He was picked up by an American whaler, the _Sandy
+Hook_, and taken back to America."
+
+Now, one thing at all events was clear. Edgar Poe had never known
+Arthur Pym. This was the reason why, wishing to leave his readers in
+exciting uncertainty, he had brought Pym to an end "as sudden as
+it was deplorable," but without indicating the manner or the cause of
+his death.
+
+"And yet, although Arthur Pym did not return, could it be
+reasonably admitted that he had survived his companion for any
+length of time, that he was still living, eleven years having
+elapsed since his disappearance?"
+
+"Yes, yes," replied Hunt.
+
+And this he affirmed with the strong conviction that Dirk Peters had
+infused into his mind while the two were living together in
+Vandalia, in Illinois.
+
+Now the question arose, was Hunt sane? Was it not he who had stolen
+into my cabin in a fit of insanity--of this I had no doubt--and
+murmured in my ear the words: "And Pym--poor Pym"?
+
+Yes, and I had not been dreaming! In short, if all that Hunt had
+just said was true, if he was but the faithful reporter of secrets
+which had been entrusted to him by Dirk Peters, ought he to be
+believed when he repeated in a tone of mingled command and
+entreaty,--
+
+"Pym is not dead. Pym is there. Poor Pym must not be forsaken!"
+
+When I had made an end of questioning Hunt, Captain Len Guy came out
+of his meditative mood, profoundly troubled, and gave the word,
+"All hands forward!"
+
+When the men were assembled around him, he said,--
+
+"Listen to me, Hunt, and seriously consider the gravity of the
+questions I am about to put to you."
+
+Hunt held his head up, and ran his eyes over the crew of the
+_Halbrane_.
+
+"You assert, Hunt, that all you have told us concerning Arthur Pym is
+true?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"You knew Dirk Peters?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"You lived some years with him in Illinois?"
+
+"Nine years."
+
+"And he often related these things to you?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"And, for your own part, you have no doubt that he told you the
+exact truth?"
+
+"None."
+
+"Well, then, did it never occur to him that some of the crew of
+the _Jane_ might have remained on Tsalal Island?"
+
+"No."
+
+"He believed that William Guy and his companions must all have
+perished in the landslip of the hill of Klock-Klock?"
+
+"Yes, and from what he often repeated to me, Pym believed it also."
+
+"Where did you see Dirk Peters for the last time?"
+
+"At Vandalia."
+
+"How long ago?"
+
+"Over two years."
+
+"And which of you two was the first to leave Vandalia?"
+
+I thought I detected a slight hesitation in Hunt before he
+answered,--
+
+"We left the place together."
+
+"You, to go to?"
+
+"The Falklands."
+
+"And he?"
+
+"He?" repeated Hunt.
+
+And then his wandering gaze fixed itself on Martin Holt, our
+sailing-master, whose life he had saved at the risk of his own
+during the tempest.
+
+"Well!" resumed the captain, "do you not understand what I am
+asking you?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"Then answer me. When Dirk Peters left Illinois, did he finally
+give up America?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"To go whither? Speak!"
+
+"To the Falklands."
+
+"And where is he now?"
+
+"He stands before you."
+
+Dirk Peters! Hunt was the half-breed Dirk Peters, the devoted
+companion of Arthur Pym, he whom Captain Guy had so long sought for
+in the United States, and whose presence was probably to furnish us
+with a fresh reason for pursuing our daring campaign.
+
+I shall not be at all surprised if my readers have already
+recognized Dirk Peters in Hunt; indeed, I shall be astonished if
+they have failed to do so. The extraordinary thing is that Captain
+Len Guy and myself, who had read Edgar Poe's book over and over
+again, did not see at once, when Hunt came on the ship at the
+Falklands, that he and the half-breed were identical! I can only
+admit that we were both blindfolded by some hidden action of Fate,
+just when certain pages of that book ought to have effectually
+cleared our vision.
+
+There was no doubt whatever that Hunt really was Dirk Peters.
+Although he was eleven years older, he answered in every particular
+to the description of him given by Arthur Pym, except that he was no
+longer "of fierce aspect." In fact, the half-breed had changed
+with age and the experience of terrible scenes through which he had
+passed; nevertheless, he was still the faithful companion to whom
+Arthur Pym had often owed his safety, that same Dirk Peters who
+loved him as his own son, and who had never--no, never--lost the
+hope of finding him again one day amid the awful Antarctic wastes.
+
+Now, why had Dirk Peters hidden himself in the Falklands under the
+name of Hunt? Why, since his embarkation on the _Halbrane_, had he
+kept up that _incognito_? Why had he not told who he was, since he was
+aware of the intentions of the captain, who was about to make every
+effort to save his countrymen by following the course of the _Jane_?
+
+Why? No doubt because he feared that his name would inspire horror.
+Was it not the name of one who had shared in the horrible scenes of
+the _Grampus_, who had killed Parker, the sailor, who had fed upon the
+man's flesh, and quenched his thirst in the man's blood? To
+induce him to reveal his name he must needs be assured that the
+_Halbrane_ would attempt to discover and rescue Arthur Pym!
+
+And as to the existence of Arthur Pym? I confess that my reason did
+not rebel against the admission of it as a possibility. The
+imploring cry of the half-breed, "Pym, poor Pym! he must not be
+forsaken!" troubled me profoundly.
+
+Assuredly, since I had resolved to take part in the expedition of
+the _Halbrane_, I was no longer the same man!
+
+A long silence had followed the astounding declaration of the
+half-breed. None dreamed of doubting his veracity. He had said, "I
+am Dirk Peters." He was Dirk Peters.
+
+At length, moved by irresistible impulse, I said:
+
+"My friends, before any decision is made, let us carefully
+consider the situation. Should we not lay up everlasting regret for
+ourselves if we were to abandon our expedition at the very moment
+when it promises to succeed? Reflect upon this, captain, and you,
+my companions. It is less than seven months since Patterson left
+your countrymen alive on Tsalal Island. If they were there then, the
+fact proves that for eleven years they had been enabled to exist on
+the resources provided by the island, having nothing to fear from
+the islanders, some of whom had fallen victims to circumstances
+unknown to us, and others had probably transferred themselves to
+some neighbouring island. This is quite plain, and I do not see how
+any objection can be raised to my reasoning."
+
+No one made answer: there was none to be made.
+
+"If we have not come across the captain of the _Jane_ and his
+people," I resumed, "it is because they have been obliged to
+abandon Tsalal Island since Patterson's departure. Why? In my
+belief, it was because the earthquake had rendered the island
+uninhabitable. Now, they would only have required a native boat to
+gain either another island or some point of the Antarctic continent
+by the aid of the southern current. I hardly hesitate to assert that
+all this has occurred; but in any case, I know, and I repeat, that
+we shall have done nothing if we do not persevere in the search on
+which the safety of your countrymen depends."
+
+I questioned my audience by a searching look. No answer.
+
+Captain Len Guy, whose emotion was unrestrained, bowed his head, for
+he felt that I was right, that by invoking the duties of humanity I
+was prescribing the only course open to men with feeling hearts.
+
+"And what is in question?" I continued, after the silent pause.
+"To accomplish a few degrees of latitude, and that while the sea
+is open, while we have two months of good weather to look for, and
+nothing to fear from the southern winter. I certainly should not ask
+you to brave its severity. And shall we hesitate, when the _Halbrane_
+is abundantly furnished, her crew complete and in good health? Shall
+we take fright at imaginary dangers? Shall we not have courage to go
+on, on, thither?"
+
+[Illustration: Dirk Peters shows the way.]
+
+And I pointed to the southern horizon. Dirk Peters pointed to it
+also, with an imperative gesture which spoke for him.
+
+Still, the eyes of all were fixed upon us, but there was no
+response. I continued to urge every argument, and to quote every
+example in favour of the safety of pursuing our voyage, but the
+silence was unbroken, and now the men stood with eyes cast down.
+
+And yet I had not once pronounced the name of Dirk Peters, nor
+alluded to Dirk Peters' proposal.
+
+I was asking myself whether I had or had not succeeded in inspiring
+my companions with my own belief, when Captain Len Guy spoke:
+
+"Dirk Peters," he said, "do you assert that Arthur Pym and you
+after your departure from Tsalal Island saw land in the direction of
+the south?"
+
+"Yes, land," answered the half-breed. "Islands or
+continent--understand me--and I believe that Pym, poor Pym, is
+waiting there until aid comes to him."
+
+"There, where perhaps William Guy and his companions are also
+waiting," said I, to bring back the discussion to more practical
+points.
+
+Captain Len Guy reflected for a little while, and then spoke:
+
+"Is it true, Dirk Peters," he asked, "that beyond the
+eighty-fourth parallel the horizon is shut in by that curtain of
+vapour which is described in the narrative? Have you seen--seen
+with your own eyes--those cataracts in the air, that gulf in which
+Arthur Pym's boat was lost?"
+
+The half-breed looked from one to the other of us, and shook his big
+head.
+
+"I don't know," he said. "What are you asking me about,
+captain? A curtain of vapour? Yes, perhaps, and also appearances of
+land towards the south."
+
+Evidently Dirk Peters had never read Edgar Poe's book, and very
+likely did not know how to read. After having handed over Pym's
+journal, he had not troubled himself about its publication. Having
+retired to Illinois at first and to the Falklands afterwards, he had
+no notion of the stir that the work had made, or of the fantastic
+and baseless climax to which our great poet had brought those
+strange adventures.
+
+And, besides, might not Arthur Pym himself, with his tendency to the
+supernatural, have fancied that he saw these wondrous things, due
+solely to his imaginative brain?
+
+Then, for the first time in the course of this discussion, West's
+voice made itself heard. I had no idea which side he would take. The
+first words he uttered were:
+
+"Captain, your orders?"
+
+Captain Len Guy turned towards his crew, who surrounded him, both
+the old and the new. Hearne remained in the background, ready to
+intervene if he should think it necessary.
+
+The captain questioned the boatswain and his comrades, whose
+devotion was unreservedly his, by a long and anxious look, and I
+heard him mutter between his teeth,--
+
+"Ah! if it depended only on me! if I were sure of the assent and
+the help of them all!"
+
+Then Hearne spoke roughly:
+
+"Captain," said he, "it's two months since we left the
+Falklands. Now, my companions were engaged for a voyage which was
+not to take them farther beyond the icebergs than Tsalal Island."
+
+"That is not so," exclaimed Captain Len Guy. "No! That is not
+so. I recruited you all for an enterprise which I have a right to
+pursue, so far as I please."
+
+"Beg pardon," said Hearne, coolly, "but we have come to a
+point which no navigator has ever yet reached, in a sea, no ship
+except the _Jane_ has ever ventured into before us, and therefore my
+comrades and I mean to return to the Falklands before the bad
+season. From there _you_ can return to Tsalal Island, and even go on
+to the Pole, if you so please."
+
+A murmur of approbation greeted his words; no doubt the
+sealing-master justly interpreted the sentiments of the majority,
+composed of the new recruits. To go against their opinion, to exact
+the obedience of these ill-disposed men, and under such conditions
+to risk the unknown Antarctic waters, would have been an act of
+temerity--or, rather, an act of madness--that would have brought
+about some catastrophe.
+
+Nevertheless, West, advancing upon Hearne, said to him in a
+threatening tone, "Who gave you leave to speak?"
+
+"The captain questioned us," replied Hearne. "I had a right to
+reply."
+
+The man uttered these words with such insolence that West, who was
+generally so self-restrained, was about to give free vent to his
+wrath, when Captain Len Guy, stopping him by a motion of his hand,
+said quietly,--
+
+"Be calm, Jem. Nothing can be done unless we are all agreed. What
+is your opinion, Hurliguerly?"
+
+"It is very clear, captain," replied the boatswain. "I will
+obey your orders, whatever they may be! It is our duty not to
+forsake William Guy and the others so long as any chance of saving
+them remains."
+
+The boatswain paused for a moment, while several of the sailors gave
+unequivocal signs of approbation.
+
+"As for what concerns Arthur Pym--"
+
+"There is no question of Arthur Pym," struck in the captain,
+"but only of my brother William and his companions."
+
+I saw at this moment that Dirk Peters was about to protest, and
+caught hold of his arm. He shook with anger, but kept silence.
+
+The captain continued his questioning of the men, desiring to know
+by name all those upon whom he might reckon. The old crew to a man
+acquiesced in his proposals, and pledged themselves to obey his
+orders implicitly and follow him whithersoever he chose to go.
+
+Three only of the recruits joined those faithful seamen; these were
+English sailors. The others were of Hearne's opinion, holding that
+for them the campaign was ended at Tsalal Island. They therefore
+refused to go beyond that point, and formally demanded that the ship
+should be steered northward so as to clear the icebergs at the most
+favourable period of the season.
+
+Twenty men were on their side, and to constrain them to lend a hand
+to the working of the ship if she were to be diverted to the south
+would have been to provoke them to rebel. There was but one
+resource: to arouse their covetousness, to strike the chord of
+self-interest.
+
+I intervened, therefore, and addressed them in a tone which
+placed the seriousness of my proposal beyond a doubt.
+
+"Men of the _Halbrane_, listen to me! Just as various States have
+done for voyages of discovery in the Polar Regions, I offer a reward
+to the crew of this schooner. Two thousand dollars shall be shared
+among you for every degree we make beyond the eighty-fourth
+parallel."
+
+Nearly seventy dollars to each man; this was a strong temptation.
+
+I felt that I had hit the mark.
+
+"I will sign an agreement to that effect," I continued, "with
+Captain Len Guy as your representative, and the sums gained shall be
+handed to you on your return, no matter under what conditions that
+return be accomplished."
+
+I waited for the effect of this promise, and, to tell the truth, I
+had not to wait long.
+
+"Hurrah!" cried the boatswain, acting as fugleman to his
+comrades, who almost unanimously added their cheers to his. Hearne
+offered no farther opposition; it would always be in his power to
+put in his word when the circumstances should be more propitious.
+
+Thus the bargain was made, and, to gain my ends, I have made a
+heavier sacrifice.
+
+It is true we were within seven degrees of the South Pole, and, if
+the _Halbrane_ should indeed reach that spot, it would never cost
+me more than fourteen thousand dollars.
+
+Early in the morning of the 27th of December the _Halbrane_ put out to
+sea, heading south-west.
+
+After the scene of the preceding evening Captain Len Guy had taken a
+few hours' rest. I met him next day on deck while West was going
+about fore and aft, and he called us both to him.
+
+"Mr. Jeorling," he said, "it was with a terrible pang that I
+came to the resolution to bring our schooner back to the north! I
+felt I had not done all I ought to do for our unhappy
+fellow-countrymen: but I knew that the majority of the crew would be
+against me if I insisted on going beyond Tsalal Island."
+
+"That is true, captain; there was a beginning of indiscipline on
+board, and perhaps it might have ended in a revolt."
+
+"A revolt we should have speedily put down," said West, coolly,
+"were it only by knocking Hearne, who is always exciting the
+mutinous men, on the head."
+
+"And you would have done well, Jem," said the captain. "Only,
+justice being satisfied, what would have become of the agreement
+together, which we must have in order to do anything?"
+
+"Of course, captain, it is better that things passed off without
+violence! But for the future Hearne will have to look out for
+himself."
+
+"His companions," observed the captain, "are now greedy for
+the prizes that have been promised them. The greed of gain will make
+them more willing and persevering. The generosity of Mr. Jeorling
+has succeeded where our entreaties would undoubtedly have failed. I
+thank him for it."
+
+Captain Len Guy held out a hand to me, which I grasped cordially.
+
+After some general conversation relating to our purpose, the
+ship's course, and the proposed verification of the bearings of
+the group of islands on the west of Tsalal which is described by
+Arthur Pym, the captain said,--
+
+"As it is possible that the ravages of the earthquake did not
+extend to this group, and that it may still be inhabited, we must be
+on our guard in approaching the bearings."
+
+"Which cannot be very far off," I added. "And then, captain,
+who knows but that your brother and his sailors might have taken
+refuge on one of these islands!"
+
+This was admissible, but not a consoling eventuality, for in that
+case the poor fellows would have fallen into the hands of those
+savages of whom they were rid while they remained at Tsalal.
+
+"Jem," resumed Captain Len Guy, "we are making good way, and
+no doubt land will be signalled in a few hours. Give orders for the
+watch to be careful."
+
+"It's done, captain."
+
+"There is a man in the crow's-nest?"
+
+"Dirk Peters himself, at his own request."
+
+"All right, Jem; we may trust his vigilance."
+
+"And also his eyes," I added, "for he is gifted with amazing
+sight."
+
+For two hours of very quick sailing not the smallest indication of
+the group of eight islands was visible.
+
+"It is incomprehensible that we have not come in sight of them,"
+said the captain. "I reckon that the _Halbrane_ has made sixty miles
+since this morning, and the islands in question are tolerably close
+together."
+
+"Then, captain, we must conclude--and it is not unlikely--that
+the group to which Tsalal belonged has entirely disappeared in the
+earthquake."
+
+"Land ahead!" cried Dirk Peters.
+
+We looked, but could discern nothing on the sea, nor was it until a
+quarter of an hour had elapsed that our glasses enabled us to
+recognize the tops of a few scattered islets shining in the oblique
+rays of the sun, two or three miles to the westward.
+
+What a change! How had it come about? Arthur Pym described spacious
+islands, but only a small number of tiny islets, half a dozen at
+most, protruded from the waters.
+
+At this moment the half-breed came sliding down from his lofty perch
+and jumped to the deck.
+
+"Well, Dirk Peters! Have you recognized the group?" asked the
+captain.
+
+"The group?" replied the half-breed, shaking his head. "No, I
+have only seen the tops of five or six islets. There is nothing but
+stone heaps there--not a single island!"
+
+As the schooner approached we easily recognized these fragments of
+the group, which had been almost entirely destroyed on its western
+side. The scattered remains formed dangerous reefs which might
+seriously injure the keel or the sides of the _Halbrane_, and there
+was no intention of risking the ship's safety among them. We
+accordingly cast anchor at a safe distance, and a boat was lowered
+for the reception of Captain Len Guy, the boatswain, Dirk Peters,
+Holt, two men and myself. The still, transparent water, as Peters
+steered us skilfully between the projecting edges of the little
+reefs, allowed us to see, not a bed of sand strewn with shells, but
+blackish heaps which were overgrown by land vegetation, tufts of plants
+not belonging to the marine flora that floated on the surface of the
+sea. Presently we landed on one of the larger islets which rose to
+about thirty feet above the sea.
+
+"Do the tides rise sometimes to that height?" I inquired of the
+captain.
+
+[Illustration: The half-breed in the crow's-nest.]
+
+"Never," he replied, "and perhaps we shall discover some
+remains of the vegetable kingdom, of habitations, or of an
+encampment."
+
+"The best thing we can do," said the boatswain, "is to follow
+Dirk Peters, who has already distanced us. The half-breed's lynx
+eyes will see what we can't."
+
+Peters had indeed scaled the eminence in a moment, and we presently
+joined him on the top.
+
+The islet was strewn with remains (probably of those domestic
+animals mentioned in Arthur Pym's journal), but these bones
+differed from the bones on Tsalal Island by the fact that the heaps
+dated from a few months only. This then agreed with the recent
+period at which we placed the earthquake. Besides, plants and tufts
+of flowers were growing here and there.
+
+"And these are this year's," I cried, "no southern winter
+has passed over them."
+
+These facts having been ascertained, no doubt could remain
+respecting the date of the cataclysm after the departure of
+Patterson. The destruction of the population of Tsalal whose bones
+lay about the village was not attributable to that catastrophe.
+William Guy and the five sailors of the _Jane_ had been able to fly in
+time, since no bones that could be theirs had been found on the
+island.
+
+Where had they taken refuge? This was the ever-pressing question.
+What answer were we to obtain? Must we conclude that having reached
+one of these islets they had perished in the swallowing-up of the
+archipelago? We debated this point, as may be supposed, at a length
+and with detail which I can only indicate here. Suffice it to say
+that a decision was arrived at to the following effect. Our sole
+chance of discovering the unfortunate castaways was to continue our
+voyage for two or three parallels farther; the goal was there, and
+which of us would not sacrifice even his life to attain it?
+
+"God is guiding us, Mr. Jeorling," said Captain Len Guy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+A REVELATION.
+
+
+The following day, the 29th of December, at six in the morning, the
+schooner set sail with a north-east wind, and this time her course
+was due south. The two succeeding days passed wholly without
+incident; neither land nor any sign of land was observed. The men on
+the _Halbrane_ took great hauls of fish, to their own satisfaction and
+ours. It was New Year's Day, 1840, four months and seventeen days
+since I had left the Kerguelens and two months and five days since
+the _Halbrane_ had sailed from the Falklands. The half-breed, between
+whom and myself an odd kind of tacit understanding subsisted,
+approached the bench on which I was sitting--the captain was in his
+cabin, and West was not in sight--with a plain intention of
+conversing with me. The subject may easily be guessed.
+
+"Dirk Peters," said I, taking up the subject at once, "do you
+wish that we should talk of _him_?"
+
+"Him!" he murmured.
+
+"You have remained faithful to his memory, Dirk Peters."
+
+"Forget him, sir! Never!"
+
+"He is always there--before you?"
+
+"Always! So many dangers shared! That makes brothers! No, it makes
+a father and his son! Yes! And I have seen America again, but
+Pym--poor Pym--he is still beyond there!"
+
+"Dirk Peters," I asked, "have you any idea of the route which
+you and Arthur Pym followed in the boat after your departure from
+Tsalal Island?"
+
+"None, sir! Poor Pym had no longer any instrument--you
+know--sea machines--for looking at the sun. We could not know,
+except that for the eight days the current pushed us towards the
+south, and the wind also. A fine breeze and a fair sea, and our
+shirts for a sail."
+
+"Yes, white linen shirts, which frightened your prisoner Nu
+Nu--"
+
+"Perhaps so--I did not notice. But if Pym has said so, Pym must
+be believed."
+
+"And during those eight days you were able to supply yourselves
+with food?"
+
+"Yes, sir, and the days after--we and the savage. You know--the
+three turtles that were in the boat. These animals contain a store
+of fresh water--and their flesh is sweet, even raw. Oh, raw flesh,
+sir!"
+
+He lowered his voice, and threw a furtive glance around him. It
+would be impossible to describe the frightful expression of the
+half-breed's face as he thus recalled the terrible scenes of the
+_Grampus_. And it was not the expression of a cannibal of Australia or
+the New Hebrides, but that of a man who is pervaded by an
+insurmountable horror of himself.
+
+"Was it not on the 1st of March, Dirk Peters," I asked, "that
+you perceived for the first time the veil of grey vapour shot with
+luminous and moving rays?"
+
+"I do not remember, sir, but if Pym says it was so, Pym must be
+believed."
+
+"Did he never speak to you of fiery rays which fell from the
+sky?" I did not use the term "polar aurora," lest the half-breed should
+not understand it.
+
+"Never, sir," said Dirk Peters, after some reflection.
+
+"Did you not remark that the colour of the sea changed, grew white
+like milk, and that its surface became ruffled around your boat?"
+
+"It may have been so, sir; I did not observe. The boat went on and
+on, and my head went with it."
+
+"And then, the fine powder, as fine as ashes, that fell--"
+
+"I don't remember it."
+
+"Was it not snow?"
+
+"Snow? Yes! No! The weather was warm. What did Pym say? Pym must
+be believed." He lowered his voice and continued: "But Pym will
+tell you all that, sir. He knows. I do not know. He saw, and you
+will believe him."
+
+"Yes, Dirk Peters, I shall believe him."
+
+"We are to go in search of him, are we not?"
+
+"I hope so."
+
+"After we shall have found William Guy and the sailors of the
+_Jane_!"
+
+"Yes, after."
+
+"And even if we do not find them?"
+
+"Yes, even in that case. I think I shall induce our captain. I
+think he will not refuse--"
+
+"No, he will not refuse to bring help to a man--a man like him!"
+
+"And yet," I said, "if William Guy and his people are living,
+can we admit that Arthur Pym--"
+
+"Living? Yes! Living!" cried the half-breed. "By the great
+spirit of my fathers, he is--he is waiting for me, my poor Pym! How
+joyful he will be when he clasps his old Dirk in his arms, and
+I--I, when I feel him, there, there."
+
+And the huge chest of the man heaved like a stormy sea. Then he went
+away, leaving me inexpressibly affected by the revelation of the
+tenderness for his unfortunate companion that lay deep in the heart
+of this semi-savage.
+
+In the meantime I said but little to Captain Len Guy, whose whole
+heart and soul were set on the rescue of his brother, of the
+possibility of our finding Arthur Gordon Pym. Time enough, if in the
+course of this strange enterprise of ours we succeeded in that object,
+to urge upon him one still more visionary.
+
+At length, on the 7th of January--according to Dirk Peters, who had
+fixed it only by the time that had expired--we arrived at the
+place where Nu Nu the savage breathed his last, lying in the bottom
+of the boat. On that day an observation gave 86° 33' for the latitude,
+the longitude remaining the same between the forty-second and the
+forty-third meridian. Here it was, according to the half-breed, that
+the two fugitives were parted after the collision between the boat
+and the floating mass of ice. But a question now arose. Since the
+mass of ice carrying away Dirk Peters had drifted towards the north,
+was this because it was subjected to the action of a counter-current?
+
+Yes, that must have been so, for our schooner had not felt the
+influence of the current which had guided her on leaving the
+Falklands, for fully four days. And yet, there was nothing
+surprising in that, for everything is variable in the austral seas.
+Happily, the fresh breeze from the north-east continued to blow, and
+the _Halbrane_ made progress toward higher waters, thirteen degrees in
+advance upon Weddell's ship and two degrees upon the _Jane_. As for the
+land--islands or continent--which Captain Len Guy was seeking on
+the surface of that vast ocean, it did not appear. I was well aware
+that he was gradually losing confidence in our enterprise.
+
+As for me, I was possessed by the desire to rescue Arthur Pym as
+well as the survivors of the _Jane_. And yet, how could he have
+survived! But then, the half-breed's fixed idea! Supposing our
+captain were to give the order to go back, what would Dirk Peters
+do? Throw himself into the sea rather than return northwards? This
+it was which made me dread some act of violence on his part, when he
+heard the greater number of the sailors protesting against this
+insensate voyage, and talking of putting the ship about, especially
+towards Hearne, who was stealthily inciting his comrades of the
+Falklands to insubordination.
+
+It was absolutely necessary not to allow discipline to decline, or
+discouragement to grow among the crew; so that, on the 7th of
+January, Captain Len Guy at my request assembled the men and
+addressed them in the following words:--
+
+"Sailors of the _Halbrane_, since our departure from Tsalal Island,
+the schooner has gained two degrees southwards, and I now inform
+you, that, conformably with the engagement signed by Mr. Jeorling,
+four thousand dollars--that is two thousand dollars for each
+degree--are due to you, and will be paid at the end of the
+voyage."
+
+These words were greeted with some murmurs of satisfaction, but not
+with cheers, except those of Hurliguerly the boatswain, and Endicott
+the cook, which found no echo.
+
+On the 13th of January a conversation took place between the
+boatswain and myself of a nature to justify my anxiety concerning
+the temper of our crew.
+
+The men were at breakfast, with the exception of Drap and Stern. The
+schooner was cutting the water under a stiff breeze. I was walking
+between the fore and main masts, watching the great flights of birds
+wheeling about the ship with deafening clangour, and the petrels
+occasionally perching on our yards. No effort was made to catch or
+shoot them; it would have been useless cruelty, since their oily and
+stringy flesh is not eatable.
+
+At this moment Hurliguerly approached me, looked attentively at the
+birds, and said,--
+
+"I remark one thing, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"What is it, boatswain?"
+
+"That these birds do not fly so directly south as they did up to
+the present. Some of them are setting north."
+
+"I have noticed the same fact."
+
+"And I add, Mr. Jeorling, that those who are below there will come
+back without delay."
+
+"And you conclude from this?"
+
+"I conclude that they feel the approach of winter."
+
+"Of winter?"
+
+"Undoubtedly."
+
+"No, no, boatswain; the temperature is so high that the birds
+can't want to get to less cold regions so prematurely."
+
+"Oh! prematurely, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"Yes, boatswain; do we not know that navigators have always been
+able to frequent the Antarctic waters until the month of March?"
+
+"Not at such a latitude. Besides, there are precocious winters as
+well as precocious summers. The fine season this year was full two
+months in advance, and it is to be feared the bad season may come
+sooner than usual."
+
+"That is very likely," I replied. "After all, it does not
+signify to us, since our campaign will certainly be over in three
+weeks."
+
+"If some obstacle does not arise beforehand, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"And what obstacle?"
+
+"For instance, a continent stretching to the south and barring our
+way."
+
+"A continent, Hurliguerly!"
+
+"I should not be at all surprised."
+
+"And, in fact, there would be nothing surprising in it."
+
+"As for the lands seen by Dirk Peters," said the boatswain,
+"where the men of the _Jane_ might have landed on one or another of
+them, I don't believe in them."
+
+"Why?"
+
+"Because William Guy, who can only have had a small craft at his
+disposal, could not have got so far into these seas."
+
+"I do not feel quite so sure of that."
+
+Nevertheless, Mr. Jeorling--"
+
+"What would there be so surprising in William Guy's being
+carried to land somewhere by the action of the currents? He did not
+remain on board his boat for eight months, I suppose. His companions
+and he may have been able to land on an island, or even on a
+continent, and that is a sufficient motive for us to pursue our
+search."
+
+"No doubt--but all are not of your opinion," replied
+Hurliguerly, shaking his head.
+
+"I know," said I, "and that is what makes me most anxious. Is
+the ill-feeling increasing?"
+
+"I fear so, Mr. Jeorling. The satisfaction of having gained
+several hundreds of dollars is already lessened, and the prospect of
+gaining a few more hundreds does not put a stop to disputes. And yet
+the prize is tempting! From Tsalal Island to the pole, admitting
+that we might get there, is six degrees. Now six degrees at two
+thousand dollars each makes twelve thousand dollars for thirty men,
+that is four hundred dollars a head. A nice little sum to slip into
+one's pocket on the return of the _Halbrane_, but, notwithstanding,
+that fellow Hearne works so wickedly upon his comrades that I
+believe they are ready to ‘bout ship in spite of anybody."
+
+"I can believe that of the recruits, boatswain, but the old
+crew--"
+
+"H--m! there are three or four of those who are beginning to
+reflect, and they are not easy in their minds about the prolongation
+of the voyage."
+
+"I fancy Captain Len Guy and his lieutenant will know how to get
+themselves obeyed."
+
+"We shall see, Mr. Jeorling. But may it not be that our captain
+himself will get disheartened; that the sense of his responsibility
+will prevail, and that he will renounce his enterprise?"
+
+Yes! this was what I feared, and there was no remedy on that side.
+
+"As for my friend Endicott, Mr. Jeorling, I answer for him as for
+myself. We would go to the end of the world--if the world has an
+end--did the captain want to go there. True, we two, Dirk Peters
+and yourself, are but a few to be a law to the others."
+
+"And what do you think of the half-breed?" I asked.
+
+"Well, our men appear to accuse him chiefly of the prolongation of
+the voyage. You see, Mr. Jeorling, though you have a good deal to do
+with it, you pay, and pay well, while this crazy fellow, Dirk
+Peters, persists in asserting that his poor Pym is still
+living--his poor Pym who was drowned, or frozen, or crushed--killed,
+anyhow, one way or another, eleven years ago!"
+
+So completely was this my own belief that I never discussed the
+subject with the half-breed.
+
+"You see, Mr. Jeorling," resumed the boatswain, "at the first
+some curiosity was felt about Dirk Peters. Then, after he saved
+Martin Holt, it was interest. Certainly, he was no more talkative
+than before, and the bear came no oftener out of his den! But now we
+know what he is, and no one likes him the better for that. At all
+events it was he who induced our captain, by talking of land to the
+south of Tsalal Island, to make this voyage, and it is owing to him
+that he has reached the eighty-sixth degree of latitude."
+
+"That is quite true, boatswain."
+
+"And so, Mr. Jeorling, I am always afraid that one of these days
+somebody will do Peters an ill turn."
+
+"Dirk Peters would defend himself, and I should pity the man who
+laid a finger on him."
+
+"Quite so. It would not be good for anybody to be in his hands,
+for they could bend iron! But then, all being against him, he would
+be forced into the hold."
+
+"Well, well, we have not yet come to that, I hope, and I count on
+you, Hurliguerly, to prevent any attempt against Dirk Peters. Reason
+with your men. Make them understand that we have time to return to the
+Falklands before the end of the fine season. Their reproaches must
+not be allowed to provide the captain with an excuse for turning
+back before the object is attained."
+
+"Count on me, Mr. Jeorling, I will serve you to the best of my
+ability."
+
+"You will not repent of doing so, Hurliguerly. Nothing is easier
+than to add a round 0 to the four hundred dollars which each man is
+to have, if that man be something more than a sailor--even were his
+functions simply those of boatswain on board the _Halbrane_."
+
+Nothing important occurred on the 13th and 14th, but a fresh fall in
+the temperature took place. Captain Len Guy called my attention to
+this, pointing out the flocks of birds continuously flying north.
+
+While he was speaking to me I felt that his last hopes were fading.
+And who could wonder? Of the land indicated by the half-breed
+nothing was seen, and we were already more than one hundred and
+eighty miles from Tsalal Island. At every point of the compass was the
+sea, nothing but the vast sea with its desert horizon which the
+sun's disk had been nearing since the 21st of December, and would touch
+on the 21st March, prior to disappearing during the six months of the
+austral night. Honestly, was it possible to admit that William Guy and
+his five companions could have accomplished such a distance on a frail
+craft, and was there one chance in a hundred that they could ever be
+recovered?
+
+On the 15th of January an observation most carefully taken gave 43° 13'
+longitude and 88° 17' latitude. The _Halbrane_ was less than two
+degrees from the pole.
+
+Captain Len Guy did not seek to conceal the result of this
+observation, and the sailors knew enough of nautical calculation to
+understand it. Besides, if the consequences had to be explained to
+them, were not Holt and Hardy there to do this, and Hearne, to
+exaggerate them to the utmost?
+
+During the afternoon I had indubitable proof that the sealing-master
+had been working on the minds of the crew. The men, emerging at the
+foot of the mainmast, talked in whispers and cast evil glances at
+us. Two or three sailors made threatening gestures undisguisedly;
+then arose such angry mutterings that West could not to be deaf to
+them.
+
+He strode forward and called out: "Silence, there! The first man
+who speaks will have to reckon with me!"
+
+Captain Len Guy was shut up in his cabin, but every moment I
+expected to see him come out, give one last look around the waste of
+waters, and then order the ship's course to be reversed.
+Nevertheless, on the next day the schooner was sailing in the same
+direction. Unfortunately--for the circumstance had some gravity--a
+mist was beginning to come down on us. I could not keep still, I
+confess. My apprehensions were redoubled. It was evident that West was
+only awaiting the order to change the helm. What mortal anguish soever
+the captain's must be, I understood too well that he would not give
+that order without hesitation.
+
+For several days past I had not seen the half-breed, or, at least, I
+had not exchanged a word with him. He was boycotted by the whole
+crew, with the exception of the boatswain, who was careful to
+address him, although he rarely got a word in return. Dirk Peters took
+not the faintest notice of this state of things. He remained completely
+absorbed in his own thoughts, yet, had he heard West give the word
+to steer north, I know not to what acts of violence he might have been
+driven. He seemed to avoid me; was this from a desire not to
+compromise me?
+
+On the 17th, in the afternoon, however, Dirk Peters manifested an
+intention of speaking to me, and never, no, never, could I have
+imagined what I was to learn in that interview.
+
+It was about half-past two, and, not feeling well, I had gone to my
+cabin, where the side window was open, while that at the back was
+closed. I heard a knock at the door, and asked who was there.
+
+"Dirk Peters," was the reply.
+
+"You want to speak to me?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+"I am coming out."
+
+"If you please--I should prefer--may I come into your cabin?"
+
+"Come in."
+
+He entered, and shut the door behind him.
+
+Without rising I signed to him to seat himself in the arm-chair, but he
+remained standing.
+
+"What do you want of me, Dirk Peters?" I asked at length, as he
+seemed unable to make up his mind to speak.
+
+"I want to tell you something--because it seems well that you
+should know it, and you only. In the crew--they must never know
+it."
+
+"If it is a grave matter, and you fear any indiscretion, Dirk
+Peters, why do you speak to me?"
+
+"If!--I must! Ah, yes! I must! It is impossible to keep it there!
+It weighs on me like a stone."
+
+And Dirk Peters struck his breast violently.
+
+Then he resumed:
+
+"Yes! I am always afraid it may escape me during my sleep, and
+that someone will hear it, for I dream of it, and in dreaming--"
+
+"You dream," I replied, "and of what?"
+
+"Of him, of him. Therefore it is that I sleep in corners, all
+alone, for fear that his true name should be discovered."
+
+Then it struck me that the half-breed was perhaps about to respond
+to an inquiry which I had not yet made--why he had gone to live at
+the Falklands under the name of Hunt after leaving Illinois?
+
+I put the question to him, and he replied,--
+
+"It is not that; no, it is not that I wish--"
+
+"I insist, Dirk Peters, and I desire to know in the first place
+for what reason you did not remain in America, for what reason you
+chose the Falklands--"
+
+"For what reason, sir? Because I wanted to get near Pym, my poor
+Pym--because I hoped to find an opportunity at the Falklands of
+embarking on a whaling ship bound for the southern sea."
+
+"But that name of Hunt?"
+
+"I would not bear my own name any longer--on account of the
+affair of the _Grampus_."
+
+The half-breed was alluding to the scene of the "short straw"
+(or lot-drawing) on board the American brig, when it was decided
+between Augustus Barnard, Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters, and Parker, the
+sailor, that one of the four should be sacrificed--as food for the
+three others. I remembered the obstinate resistance of Arthur Pym,
+and how it was impossible for him to refuse to take his part in
+the tragedy about to be performed--he says this himself--and the
+horrible act whose remembrance must poison the existence of all
+those who had survived it.
+
+Oh, that lot-drawing! The "short straws" were little splinters
+of wood of uneven length which Arthur Pym held in his hand. The
+shortest was to designate him who should be immolated. And he speaks
+of the sort of involuntary fierce desire to deceive his companions
+that he felt--"to cheat" is the word he uses--but he did not "cheat,"
+and he asks pardon for having had the idea! Let us try to put
+ourselves in his place!
+
+He made up his mind, and held out his hand, closed on the four
+slips. Dirk Peters drew the first. Fate had favoured him. He had
+nothing more to fear. Arthur Pym calculated that one more chance was
+against him. Augustus Barnard drew in his turn. Saved, too, he! And now
+Arthur Pym reckoned up the exact chances between Parker and himself.
+At that moment all the ferocity of the tiger entered into his soul. He
+conceived an intense and devilish hatred of his poor comrade, his
+fellow-man.
+
+Five minutes elapsed before Parker dared to draw. At length Arthur
+Pym, standing with closed eyes, not knowing whether the lot was for
+or against him, felt a hand seize his own. It was the hand of Dirk
+Peters. Arthur Pym had escaped death. And then the half-breed rushed
+upon Parker and stabbed him in the back. The frightful repast
+followed--immediately--and words are not sufficient to convey to
+the mind the horror of the reality.
+
+Yes! I knew that hideous story, not a fable, as I had long believed.
+This was what had happened on board the _Grampus_, on the 16th of
+July, 1827, and vainly did I try to understand Dirk Peters' reason
+for recalling it to my recollection.
+
+"Well, Dirk Peters," I said, "I will ask you, since you were
+anxious to hide your name, what it was that induced you to reveal
+it, when the _Halbrane_ was moored off Tsalal Island; why you did not
+keep to the name of Hunt?"
+
+"Sir--understand me--there was hesitation about going
+farther--they wanted to turn back. This was decided, and then I
+thought that by telling who I was--Dirk Peters--of the _Grampus_--poor
+Pym's companion--I should be heard; they would believe with me that he
+was still living, they would go in search of him! And yet, it was a
+serious thing to do--to acknowledge that I was Dirk Peters, he who had
+killed Parker! But hunger, devouring hunger!"
+
+"Come, come, Dirk Peters," said I, "you exaggerate! If the lot
+had fallen to you, you would have incurred the fate of Parker. You
+cannot be charged with a crime."
+
+"Sir, would Parker's family speak of it as you do?"
+
+"His family! Had he then relations?"
+
+"Yes--and that is why Pym changed his name in the narrative.
+Parker's name was not Parker--it was--"
+
+"Arthur Pym was right," I said, interrupting him quickly, "and
+as for me, I do not wish to know Parker's real name. Keep this
+secret."
+
+"No, I will tell it to you. It weighs too heavily on me, and I
+shall be relieved, perhaps, when I have told you, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"No, Dirk Peters, no!"
+
+"His name was Holt--Ned Holt."
+
+"Holt!" I exclaimed, "the same name as our sailing-master's."
+
+"Who is his own brother, sir."
+
+"Martin Holt?"
+
+"Yes--understand me--his brother."
+
+"But he believes that Ned Holt perished in the wreck of the
+_Grampus_ with the rest."
+
+"It was not so, and if he learned that I--"
+
+Just at that instant a violent shock flung me out of my bunk.
+
+The schooner had made such a lurch to the port side that she was
+near foundering.
+
+I heard an angry voice cry out:
+
+"What dog is that at the helm?"
+
+It was the voice of West, and the person he addressed was Hearne.
+
+I rushed out of my cabin.
+
+"Have you let the wheel go?" repeated West, who had seized
+Hearne by the collar of his jersey.
+
+"Lieutenant--I don't know--"
+
+"Yes, I tell you, you have let it go. A little more and the
+schooner would have capsized under full sail."
+
+"Gratian," cried West, calling one of the sailors, "take the
+helm; and you, Hearne, go down into the hold."
+
+On a sudden the cry of "Land!" resounded, and every eye was
+turned southwards.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX.
+LAND?
+
+
+"Land" is the only word to be found at the beginning of the
+nineteenth chapter of Edgar Poe's book. I thought it would be a
+good idea--placing after it a note of interrogation--to put it as
+a heading to this portion of our narrative.
+
+Did that word, dropped from our fore-masthead, indicate an island or
+a continent? And, whether a continent or an island, did not a
+disappointment await us? Could they be there whom we had come to
+seek? And Arthur Pym, who was dead, unquestionably dead, in spite of
+Dirk Peters' assertions, had he ever set foot on this land?
+
+When the welcome word resounded on board the _Jane_ on the 17th
+January, 1828--(a day full of incidents according to Arthur Pym's
+diary)--it was succeeded by "Land on the starboard bow!" Such
+might have been the signal from the masthead of the _Halbrane_.
+
+The outlines of land lightly drawn above the sky line were visible
+on this side.
+
+The land announced to the sailors of the _Jane_ was the wild and
+barren Bennet Islet. Less than one degree south of it lay Tsalal
+Island, then fertile, habitable and inhabited, and on which Captain
+Len Guy had hoped to meet his fellow-countrymen. But what would this
+unknown island, five degrees farther off in the depths of the
+southern sea, be for our schooner? Was it the goal so ardently
+desired and so earnestly sought for? Were the two brothers, William
+and Len Guy, to meet at this place? Would the _Halbrane_ come there to
+the end of a voyage whose success would be definitely secured by the
+restoration of the survivors of the _Jane_ to their country?
+
+I repeat that I was just like the half-breed. Our aim was not merely
+to discover the survivors, nor was success in this matter the only
+success we looked for. However, since land was before our eyes, we
+must get nearer to it first.
+
+That cry of "Land" caused an immediate diversion of our
+thoughts. I no longer dwelt upon the secret Dirk Peters had just
+told me--and perhaps the half-breed forgot it also, for he rushed
+to the bow and fixed his eyes immovably on the horizon. As for West,
+whom nothing could divert from his duty, he repeated his commands.
+Gratian came to take the helm, and Hearne was shut up in the hold.
+
+On the whole this was a just punishment, and none of the old crew
+protested against it, for Hearne's inattention or awkwardness had
+really endangered the schooner, though for a short time only.
+
+Five or six of the Falklands sailors did, however, murmur a little.
+
+A sign from the mate silenced them, and they returned at once to
+their posts.
+
+Needless to say, Captain Len Guy, upon hearing the cry of the
+look-out man, had tumbled up from his cabin and eagerly examined
+this land at ten or twelve miles distance.
+
+As I have said, I was no longer thinking about the secret Dirk
+Peters had confided to me. Besides, so long as the secret remained
+between us two--and neither would betray it--there would be
+nothing to fear. But if ever an unlucky accident were to reveal to
+Martin Holt that his brother's name had been changed to Parker,
+that the unfortunate man had not perished in the shipwreck of the
+_Grampus_, but had been sacrificed to save his companions from
+perishing of hunger; that Dirk Peters, to whom Martin Holt himself
+owed his life, had killed him with his own hand, what might not
+happen then? This was the reason why the half-breed shrank from any
+expression of thanks from Martin Holt--why he avoided Martin Holt,
+the victim's brother.
+
+The boatswain had just struck six bells. The schooner was sailing
+with the caution demanded by navigation in unknown seas. There might
+be shoals or reefs barely hidden under the surface on which she
+might run aground or be wrecked. As things stood with the _Halbrane_,
+and even admitting that she could be floated again, an accident
+would have rendered her return impossible before the winter set in.
+We had urgent need that every chance should be in our favour and not
+one against us.
+
+West had given orders to shorten sail. When the boatswain had furled
+the top-gallant-sail, the top-sail and royal, the _Halbrane_ remained
+under her mainsail, her fore-sail and her jib: sufficient canvas to
+cover the distance that separated her from land in a few hours.
+Captain Len Guy immediately heaved the lead, which showed a depth of
+twenty fathoms. Several other soundings showed that the coast, which
+was very steep, was probably prolonged like a wall under the water.
+Nevertheless, as the bottom might happen to rise sharply instead of
+following the slope of the coast, we did not venture to proceed without
+the sounding line in hand.
+
+The weather was still beautiful, although the sky was overcast by a
+mist from south-east to south-west. Owing to this there was some
+difficulty in identifying the vague outlines which stood out like
+floating vapour in the sky, disappearing and then reappearing
+between the breaks of the mist.
+
+However, we all agreed to regard this land as being from twenty-five
+to thirty fathoms in height, at least at its highest part.
+
+No! we would not admit that we were the victims of a delusion, and
+yet our uneasy minds feared that it might be so!
+
+Is it not natural, after all, for the heart to be assailed by a
+thousand apprehensions as we near the end of any enterprise? At this
+thought my mind became confused and dreamy. The _Halbrane_ seemed to
+be reduced to the dimensions of a small boat lost in this boundless
+space--the contrary of that limitless sea of which Edgar Poe
+speaks, where, like a living body, the ship grows larger.
+
+When we have charts, or even sailing directions to instruct us
+concerning the hydrography of the coasts, the nature of the
+landfalls, the bays and the creeks, we may sail along boldly. In
+every other region, the master of a ship must not defer the order to
+cast anchor near the shore until the morrow. But, where we were,
+what an amount of prudence was necessary! And yet, no manifest
+obstacle was before us. Moreover, we had no cause to fear that the
+light would fail us during the sunny hours of the night. At this season
+the sun did not set so soon under the western horizon, and its rays
+bathed the vast Antarctic zone in unabated light.
+
+From that day forward the ship's log recorded that the temperature
+fell continuously. The thermometer in the air and in the shade did
+not mark more than 32° (0° C.), and when plunged into water it
+only indicated 26° (3° 33' C. below 0°). What could be the
+cause of this fall, since we were at the height of the southern
+summer? The crew were obliged to resume their woollen clothing,
+which they had left off a month previously. The schooner, however,
+was sailing before the wind, and these first cold blasts were less
+keenly felt. Yet we recognized the necessity of reaching our goal as
+soon as possible. To linger in this region or to expose ourselves to
+the danger of wintering out would be to tempt Providence!
+
+Captain Len Guy tested the direction of the current repeatedly by heavy
+lead lines, and discovered that it was beginning to deviate from its
+former course.
+
+"Whether it is a continent," said he, "that lies before us, or
+whether it is an island, we have at present no means of determining.
+If it be a continent, we must conclude that the current has an issue
+towards the south-east."
+
+"And it is quite possible," I replied, "that the solid part of
+the Antarctic region may be reduced to a mere polar mound. In any
+case, it is well to note any of those observations which are likely
+to be accurate."
+
+"That is just what I am doing, Mr. Jeorling, and we shall bring
+back a mass of information about this portion of the southern sea
+which will prove useful to navigators."
+
+"If ever any venture to come so far south, captain! We have
+penetrated so far, thanks to the help of particular circumstances,
+the earliness of the summer season, an abnormal temperature and a
+rapid thaw. Such conditions may only occur once in twenty or fifty
+years!"
+
+"Wherefore, Mr. Jeorling, I thank Providence for this, and hope
+revives in me to some extent. As the weather has been constantly
+fine, what is there to make it impossible for my brother and my
+fellow-countrymen to have landed on this coast, whither the wind and
+the tide bore them? What our schooner has done, their boat may have
+done! They surely did not start on a voyage which might be prolonged to
+an indefinite time without a proper supply of provisions! Why should
+they not have found the resources as those afforded to them by the
+island of Tsalal during many long years? They had ammunition and
+arms elsewhere. Fish abound in these waters, water-fowl also. Oh
+yes! my heart is full of hope, and I wish I were a few hours
+older!"
+
+Without being quite so sanguine as Len Guy, I was glad to see he had
+regained his hopeful mood. Perhaps, if his investigations were
+successful, I might be able to have them continued in Arthur Pym's
+interest--even into the heart of this strange land which we were
+approaching.
+
+The _Halbrane_ was going along slowly on these clear waters, which
+swarmed with fish belonging to the same species as we had already
+met. The sea-birds were more numerous, and were evidently not
+frightened; for they kept flying round the mast, or perching in the
+yards. Several whitish ropes about five or six feet long were
+brought on board. They were chaplets formed of millions of
+pearly shell-fish.
+
+Whales, spouting jets of feathery water from their blow-holes,
+appeared at a distance, and I remarked that all of them took a
+southerly direction. There was therefore reason to believe that the
+sea extended far and wide in that direction.
+
+The schooner covered two or three miles of her course without any
+increase of speed. This coast evidently stretched from north-west to
+south-east. Nevertheless, the telescopes revealed no distinctive
+features--even after three hours' navigation.
+
+The crew, gathered together on the forecastle, were looking on
+without revealing their impressions. West, after going aloft to the
+fore-cross-trees, where he had remained ten minutes, had reported
+nothing precise. Stationed at the port side, leaning my elbows on
+the bulwarks, I closely watched the sky line, broken only towards
+the east.
+
+At this moment the boatswain rejoined me, and without preface said:
+
+"Will you allow me to give you my opinion, Mr. Jeorling?"
+
+"Give it, boatswain," I replied, "at the risk of my not
+adopting it if I don't agree with it."
+
+"It is correct, and according as we get nearer one must really be
+blind not to adopt it!"
+
+"And what idea have you got?"
+
+"That it is not land which lies before us, Mr. Jeorling!"
+
+"What is it you are saying?"
+
+"Look attentively, putting one finger before your eyes--look
+there--out a--starboard."
+
+I did as Hurliguerly directed.
+
+"Do you see?" he began again. "May I lose my liking for my
+grog if these heights do not change place, not with regard to the
+schooner, but with regard to themselves!"
+
+"And what do you conclude from this?"
+
+"That they are moving icebergs."
+
+"Icebergs?"
+
+"Sure enough, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+Was not the boatswain mistaken? Were we in for a disappointment?
+Were there only drifting ice-mountains in the distance instead of a
+shore?
+
+Presently, there was no doubt on the subject; for some time past the
+crew had no longer believed in the existence of land in that direction.
+
+Ten minutes afterwards, the man in the crow's-nest announced that
+several icebergs were coming from the north-west, in an oblique
+direction, into the course of the _Halbrane_.
+
+This news produced a great sensation on board. Our last hope was
+suddenly extinguished. And what a blow to Captain Len Guy! We should
+have to seek this land of the austral zone under higher latitudes
+without being sure of ever coming across it!
+
+And then the cry, "Back ship! back ship!" resounded almost
+unanimously on board the _Halbrane_.
+
+Yes, indeed, the recruits from the Falklands were demanding that we
+should turn back, although Hearne was not there to fan the flame of
+insubordination, and I must acknowledge that the greater part of the
+old tars seemed to agree with them.
+
+West awaited his chief's orders, not daring to impose silence.
+
+Gratian was at the helm, ready to give a turn to the wheel, whilst his
+comrades with their hands on the cleats were preparing to ease off
+the sheets.
+
+Dirk Peters remained immovable, leaning against the fore-mast, his
+head down, his body bent, and his mouth set firm. Not a word passed
+his lips.
+
+But now he turned towards me, and what a look of mingled wrath and
+entreaty he gave me!
+
+I don't know what irresistible motive induced me to interfere
+personally, and once again to protest! A final argument had just
+crossed my mind--an argument whose weight could not be disputed.
+
+So I began to speak, and I did so with such conviction that none
+tried to interrupt me.
+
+The substance of what I said was as follows:--
+
+"No! all hope must not be abandoned. Land cannot be far off. The
+icebergs which are formed in the open sea by the accumulation of ice
+are not before us. These icebergs must have broken off from the
+solid base of a continent or an island. Now, since the thaw begins
+at this season of the year, the drift will last for only a short
+time. Behind them we must meet the coast on which they were formed.
+In another twenty-four hours, or forty-eight at the most, if the
+land does not appear, Captain Len Guy will steer to the north again!"
+
+Had I convinced the crew, or ought I to take advantage of Hearne's
+absence and of the fact that he could not communicate with them to
+make them understand that they were being deceived, and to repeat to
+them that it would endanger the schooner if our course were now to
+be reversed.
+
+The boatswain came to my help, and in a good-humoured voice
+exclaimed,--
+
+"Very well reasoned, and for my part I accept Mr. Jeorling's
+opinion. Assuredly, land is near! If we seek it beyond those
+icebergs, we shall discover it without much hard work, or great
+danger! What is one degree farther south, when it is a question of
+putting a hundred additional dollars into one's pocket? And let us
+not forget that if they are acceptable when they go in, they are
+none the less so when they come out!"
+
+Upon this, Endicott, the cook, came to the aid of his friend the
+boatswain.
+
+"Yes, very good things indeed are dollars!" cried he, showing
+two rows of shining white teeth.
+
+Did the crew intend to yield to Hurliguerly's argument, or would
+they try to resist if the _Halbrane_ went on in the direction of the
+icebergs?
+
+Captain Len Guy took up his telescope again, and turned it upon
+these moving masses; he observed them with much attention, and cried
+out in a loud voice,--
+
+"Steer south-sou'-west!"
+
+West gave orders to execute the manoeuvres. The sailors hesitated an
+instant. Then, recalled to obedience, they began to brace the yards
+and slack the sheets, and the schooner increased her speed.
+
+When the operation was over, I went up to Hurliguerly, and drawing
+him aside, I said,--
+
+"Thank you, boatswain."
+
+"Ah, Mr. Jeorling," he replied, shaking his head, "it is all
+very fine for this time, but you must not do it again! Everyone
+would turn against me, even Endicott, perhaps."
+
+"I have urged nothing which is not at least probable," I
+answered sharply.
+
+"I don't deny that fact, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"Yes, Hurliguerly, yes--I believe what I have said, and I have no
+doubt but that we shall really see the land beyond the icebergs."
+
+"Just possible, Mr. Jeorling, quite possible. But it must appear
+before two days, or, on the word of a boatswain, nothing can prevent
+us from putting about!"
+
+During the next twenty-four hours the _Halbrane_ took a
+south-south-westerly course. Nevertheless, her direction must have
+been frequently changed and her speed decreased in avoiding the ice.
+The navigation became very difficult so soon as the schooner headed
+towards the line of the bergs, which it had to cut obliquely.
+However, there were none of the packs which blocked up all access to
+the iceberg on the 67th parallel. The enormous heaps were melting
+away with majestic slowness. The ice-blocks appeared "quite new"
+(to employ a perfectly accurate expression), and perhaps they had
+only been formed some days. However, with a height of one hundred
+and fifty feet, their bulk must have been calculated by millions of
+tons. West was watching closely in order to avoid collisions, and
+did not leave the deck even for an instant.
+
+Until now, Captain Len Guy had always been able to rely upon the
+indications of the compass. The magnetic pole, still hundreds of
+miles off, had no influence on the compass, its direction being
+east. The needle remained steady, and might be trusted.
+
+So, in spite of my conviction, founded, however, on very serious
+arguments, there was no sign of land, and I was wondering whether it
+would not be better to steer more to the west, at the risk of
+removing the _Halbrane_ from that extreme point where the meridians of
+the globe cross each other.
+
+Thus, as the hours went by--and I was only allowed forty-eight--it
+was only too plain that lack of courage prevailed, and that everyone
+was inclined to be insubordinate. After another day and a half, I could
+no longer contend with the general discontent. The schooner must
+ultimately retrace her course towards the north.
+
+The crew were working in silence, whilst West was giving sharp short
+orders for manoeuvring through the channels, sometimes luffing in
+order to avoid a collision, now bearing away almost square before
+the wind. Nevertheless, in spite of a close watch, in spite of the
+skill of the sailors, in spite of the prompt execution of the
+manoeuvres, dangerous friction against the hull, which left long
+traces of the ridge of the icebergs, occurred. And, in truth, the
+bravest could not repress a feeling of terror when thinking that the
+planking might have given way and the sea have invaded us.
+
+The base of these floating ice-mountains was very steep, so that it
+would have been impossible for us to land upon one. Moreover, we saw
+no seals--these were usually very numerous where the ice-fields
+abounded--nor even a flock of the screeching penguins which, on
+other occasions, the _Halbrane_ sent diving by myriads as she passed
+through them; the birds themselves seemed rarer and wilder. Dread,
+from which none of us could escape, seemed to come upon us from
+these desolate and deserted regions. How could we still entertain a
+hope that the survivors of the _Jane_ had found shelter, and obtained
+means of existence in those awful solitudes?
+
+And if the _Halbrane_ were also shipwrecked, would there remain any
+evidence of her fate?
+
+Since the previous day, from the moment our southern course had been
+abandoned, to cut the line of the icebergs, a change had taken place
+in the demeanour of the half-breed. Nearly always crouched down at
+the foot of the fore-mast, looking afar into the boundless space, he
+only got up in order to lend a hand to some manoeuvre, and without
+any of his former vigilance or zeal. Not that he had ceased to
+believe that his comrade of the _Jane_ was still living--that thought
+never even came into his mind! But he felt by instinct that the
+traces of poor Pym were not to be recovered by following this course.
+
+"Sir," he would have said to me, "this is not the way! No,
+this is not the way!" And how could I have answered him?
+
+Towards seven o'clock in the evening a rather thick mist arose;
+this would tend to make the navigation of the schooner difficult and
+dangerous.
+
+The day, with its emotions of anxiety and alternatives, had worn me
+out. So I returned to my cabin, where I threw myself on my bunk in
+my clothes.
+
+But sleep did not come to me, owing to my besetting thoughts. I
+willingly admit that the constant reading of Edgar Poe's works,
+and reading them in this place in which his heroes delighted, had
+exercised an influence on me which I did not fully recognize.
+
+To-morrow, the forty-eight hours would be up, the last concession
+which the crew had made to my entreaties.
+
+"Things are not going as you wish?" the boatswain said to me
+just as I was leaving the deck.
+
+No, certainly not, since land was not to be seen behind the fleet of
+icebergs. If no sign of a coast appeared between these moving
+masses, Captain Len Guy would steer north to-morrow.
+
+Ah! were I only master of the schooner! If I could have bought it
+even at the price of all my fortune, if these men had been my slaves
+to drive by the lash, the _Halbrane_ should never have given up this
+voyage, even if it led her so far as the point above which flames
+the Southern Cross.
+
+My mind was quite upset, and teemed with a thousand thoughts, a
+thousand regrets, a thousand desires! I wanted to get up, but a
+heavy hand held me down in my bunk! And I longed to leave this cabin
+where I was struggling against nightmare in my half-sleep, to launch
+one of the boats of the _Halbrane_, to jump into it with Dirk Peters,
+who would not hesitate about following me, and so abandon both of us
+to the current running south.
+
+And lo! I was doing this in a dream. It is to-morrow! Captain Len
+Guy has given orders to reverse our course, after a last glance at
+the horizon. One of the boats is in tow. I warn the half-breed. We
+creep along without being seen. We cut the painter. Whilst the
+schooner sails on ahead, we stay astern and the current carries us
+off.
+
+Thus we drift on the sea without hindrance! At length our boat
+stops. Land is there. I see a sort of sphinx surmounting the
+southern peak--the sea-sphinx. I go to him. I question him. He
+discloses the secrets of these mysterious regions to me. And then,
+the phenomena whose reality Arthur Pym asserted appear around the
+mythic monster. The curtain of flickering vapours, striped with
+luminous rays, is rent asunder. And it is not a face of superhuman
+grandeur which arises before my astonished eyes: it is Arthur Pym,
+fierce guardian of the south pole, flaunting the ensign of the
+United States in those high latitudes!
+
+Was this dream suddenly interrupted, or was it changed by a freak of
+my brain? I cannot tell, but I felt as though I had been suddenly
+awakened. It seemed as though a change had taken place in the motion
+of the schooner, which was sliding along on the surface of the quiet
+sea, with a slight list to starboard. And yet, there was neither
+rolling nor pitching. Yes, I felt myself carried off as though my
+bunk were the car of an air-balloon. I was not mistaken, and I had
+fallen from dreamland into reality.
+
+Crash succeeded crash overhead. I could not account for them. Inside
+my cabin the partitions deviated from the vertical in such a way as
+to make one believe that the _Halbrane_ had fallen over on her beam
+ends. Almost immediately, I was thrown out of my bunk and barely
+escaped splitting my skull against the corner of the table. However,
+I got up again, and, clinging on to the edge of the door frame, I
+propped myself against the door.
+
+At this instant the bulwarks began to crack and the port side of the
+ship was torn open.
+
+Could there have been a collision between the schooner and one of
+those gigantic floating masses which West was unable to avoid in the
+mist?
+
+Suddenly loud shouts came from the after-deck, and then screams of
+terror, in which the maddened voices of the crew joined.
+
+At length there came a final crash, and the _Halbrane_ remained
+motionless.
+
+I had to crawl along the floor to reach the door and gain the deck.
+Captain Len Guy having already left his cabin, dragged himself on
+his knees, so great was the list to port, and caught on as best he
+could.
+
+In the fore part of the ship, between the forecastle and the
+fore-mast, many heads appeared.
+
+Dirk Peters, Hardy, Martin Holt and Endicott, the latter with his
+black face quite vacant, were clinging to the starboard shrouds.
+
+A man came creeping up to me, because the slope of the deck
+prevented him from holding himself upright: it was Hurliguerly,
+working himself along with his hands like a top-man on a yard.
+
+Stretched out at full length, my feet propped up against the jamb of
+the door, I held out my hand to the boatswain, and helped him, not
+without difficulty, to hoist himself up near me.
+
+"What is wrong?" I asked.
+
+"A stranding, Mr. Jeorling."
+
+"We are ashore!"
+
+"A shore presupposes land," replied the boatswain ironically,
+"and so far as land goes there was never any except in that rascal
+Dirk Peters' imagination."
+
+"But tell me--what has happened?"
+
+"We came upon an iceberg in the middle of the fog, and were unable
+to keep clear of it."
+
+"An iceberg, boatswain?"
+
+"Yes, an iceberg, which has chosen just now to turn head over
+heels. In turning, it struck the _Halbrane_ and carried it off just as
+a battledore catches a shuttlecock, and now here we are, stranded at
+certainly one hundred feet above the level of the Antarctic Sea."
+
+Could one have imagined a more terrible conclusion to the
+adventurous voyage of the _Halbrane_?
+
+In the middle of these remote regions our only means of transport
+had just been snatched from its natural element, and carried off by
+the turn of an iceberg to a height of more than one hundred feet!
+What a conclusion! To be swallowed up in a polar tempest, to be
+destroyed in a fight with savages, to be crushed in the ice, such
+are the dangers to which any ship engaged in the polar seas is
+exposed! But to think that the _Halbrane_ had been lifted by a
+floating mountain just as that mountain was turning over, was
+stranded and almost at its summit--no! such a thing seemed quite
+impossible.
+
+I did not know whether we could succeed in letting down the schooner
+from this height with the means we had at our disposal. But I did
+know that Captain Len Guy, the mate and the older members of the
+crew, when they had recovered from their first fright, would not
+give up in despair, no matter how terrible the situation might be;
+of that I had no doubt whatsoever! They would all look to the
+general safety; as for the measures to be taken, no one yet knew
+anything. A foggy veil, a sort of greyish mist still hung over the
+iceberg. Nothing could be seen of its enormous mass except the
+narrow craggy cleft in which the schooner was wedged, nor even what
+place it occupied in the middle of the ice-fleet drifting towards
+the south-east.
+
+Common prudence demanded that we should quit the _Halbrane_, which
+might slide down at a sharp shake of the iceberg. Were we even
+certain that the latter had regained its position on the surface of
+the sea? Was her stability secure? Should we not be on the look-out
+for a fresh upheaval? And if the schooner were to fall into the
+abyss, which of us could extricate himself safe and sound from such
+a fall, and then from the final plunge into the depths of the ocean?
+
+In a few minutes the crew had abandoned the _Halbrane_. Each man
+sought for refuge on the ice-slopes, awaiting the time when the
+iceberg should be freed from mist. The oblique rays from the sun did
+not succeed in piercing it, and the red disk could hardly be
+perceived through the opaque mass.
+
+However, we could distinguish each other at about twelve feet apart.
+As for the _Halbrane_, she looked like a confused blackish mass
+standing out sharply against the whiteness of the ice.
+
+We had now to ascertain whether any of those who were on the deck at
+the time of the catastrophe had been thrown over the bulwarks and
+precipitated into the sea?
+
+By Captain Len Guy's orders all the sailors then present joined
+the group in which I stood with the mate, the boatswain, Hardy and
+Martin Holt.
+
+So far, this catastrophe had cost us five men--these were the first
+since our departure from Kerguelen, but were they to be the last?
+
+There was no doubt that these unfortunate fellows had perished,
+because we called them in vain, and in vain we sought for them, when
+the fog abated, along the sides of the iceberg, at every place where
+they might have been able to catch on to a projection.
+
+When the disappearance of the five men had been ascertained, we fell
+into despair. Then we felt more keenly than before the dangers which
+threaten every expedition to the Antarctic zone.
+
+"What about Hearne?" said a voice.
+
+Martin Holt pronounced the name at a moment when there was general
+silence. Had the sealing-master been crushed to death in the narrow
+part of the hold where he was shut up?
+
+[Illustration: The _Halbrane_ fast in the iceberg.]
+
+West rushed towards the schooner, hoisted himself on board by means
+of a rope hanging over the bows, and gained the hatch which gives
+access to that part of the hold.
+
+We waited silent and motionless to learn the fate of Hearne,
+although the evil spirit of the crew was but little worthy of our
+pity.
+
+And yet, how many of us were then thinking that if we had heeded his
+advice, and if the schooner had taken the northern course, a whole
+crew would not have been reduced to take refuge on a drifting
+ice-mountain! I scarcely dared to calculate my own share of the vast
+responsibility, I who had so vehemently insisted on the prolongation
+of the voyage.
+
+At length the mate reappeared on deck and Hearne followed him! By a
+miracle, neither the bulkheads, nor the ribs, nor the planking had
+yielded at the place where the sealing-master was confined.
+
+Hearne rejoined his comrades without opening his lips, and we had no
+further trouble about him.
+
+Towards six o'clock in the morning the fog cleared off, owing to a
+marked fall in the temperature. We had no longer to do with
+completely frozen vapour, but had to deal with the phenomenon called
+frost-rime, which often occurs in these high latitudes. Captain Len
+Guy recognized it by the quantity of prismatic threads, the point
+following the wind which roughened the light ice-crust deposited on
+the sides of the iceberg. Navigators know better than to confound
+this frost-rime with the hoar frost of the temperate zones, which
+only freezes when it has been deposited on the surface of the soil.
+
+We were now enabled to estimate the size of the solid mass on which
+we clustered like flies on a sugar-loaf, and the schooner, seen from
+below, looked no bigger than the yawl of a trading vessel.
+
+This iceberg of between three and four hundred fathoms in
+circumference measured from 130 to 140 feet high. According to all
+calculations, therefore, its depth would be four or five times
+greater, and it would consequently weigh millions of tons.
+
+This is what had happened:
+
+The iceberg, having been melted away at its base by contact with
+warmer waters, had risen little by little; its centre of gravity had
+become displaced, and its equilibrium could only be re-established
+by a sudden capsize, which had lifted up the part that had been
+underneath above the sea-level. The _Halbrane_, caught in this
+movement, was hoisted as by an enormous lever. Numbers of icebergs
+capsize thus on the polar seas, and form one of the greatest dangers
+to which approaching vessels are exposed.
+
+Our schooner was caught in a hollow on the west side of the iceberg.
+She listed to starboard with her stern raised and her bow lowered.
+We could not help thinking that the slightest shake would cause her
+to slide along the slope of the iceberg into the sea. The collision
+had been so violent as to stave in some of the planks of her hull.
+After the first collision, the galley situated before the fore-mast
+had broken its fastenings. The door between Captain Len Guy's and
+the mate's cabins was torn away from the hinges. The topmast and
+the top-gallant-mast had come down after the back-stays parted, and
+fresh fractures could plainly be seen as high as the cap of the
+masthead.
+
+Fragments of all kinds, yards, spars, a part of the sails, breakers,
+cases, hen-coops, were probably floating at the foot of the mass and
+drifting with it.
+
+The most alarming part of our situation was the fact that of the two
+boats belonging to the _Halbrane_, one had been stove in when we
+grounded, and the other, the larger of the two, was still hanging on
+by its tackles to the starboard davits. Before anything else was
+done this boat had to be put in a safe place, because it might prove
+our only means of escape.
+
+As a result of the first examination, we found that the lower masts
+had remained in their places, and might be of use if ever we
+succeeded in releasing the schooner. But how were we to release her
+from her bed in the ice and restore her to her natural element?
+
+When I found myself with Captain Len Guy, the mate, and the
+boatswain, I questioned them on this subject.
+
+"I agree with you," replied West, "that the operation involves
+great risks, but since it is indispensable, we will accomplish it. I
+think it will be necessary to dig out a sort of slide down to the
+base of the iceberg."
+
+"And without the delay of a single day," added Captain Len Guy.
+
+"Do you hear, boatswain?" said Jem West. "Work begins to-day."
+
+"I hear, and everyone will set himself to the task," replied
+Hurliguerly. "If you allow me, I shall just make one observation,
+captain."
+
+"What is it?"
+
+"Before beginning the work, let us examine the hull and see what
+the damage is, and whether it can be repaired. For what use would it
+be to launch a ship stripped of her planks, which would go to the
+bottom at once?"
+
+We complied with the boatswain's just demand.
+
+The fog having cleared off, a bright sun then illumined the eastern
+side of the iceberg, whence the sea was visible round a large part
+of the horizon. Here the sides of the iceberg showed rugged
+projections, ledges, shoulders, and even flat instead of smooth
+surfaces, giving no foothold. However, caution would be necessary in
+order to avoid the falling of those unbalanced blocks, which a
+single shock might set loose. And, as a matter of fact, during the
+morning, several of these blocks did roll into the sea with a
+frightful noise just like an avalanche.
+
+On the whole, the iceberg seemed to be very steady on its new base.
+So long as the centre of gravity was below the level of the
+water-line, there was no fear of a fresh capsize.
+
+I had not yet had an opportunity of speaking to Dirk Peters since
+the catastrophe. As he had answered to his name, I knew he was not
+numbered among the victims. At this moment, I perceived him standing
+on a narrow projection; needless to specify the direction in which
+his eyes were turned.
+
+Captain Len Guy, the mate, the boatswain, Hardy, and Martin Holt,
+whom I accompanied, went up again towards the schooner in order to
+make a minute investigation of the hull. On the starboard side the
+operation would be easy enough, because the _Halbrane_ had a list to
+the opposite side. On the port side we would have to slide along to
+the keel as well as we could by scooping out the ice, in order to
+insure the inspection of every part of the planking.
+
+After an examination which lasted two hours, it was discovered that
+the damage was of little importance, and could be repaired in a
+short time. Two or three planks only were wrenched away by the
+collision. In the inside the skin was intact, the ribs not having
+given way. Our vessel, constructed for the polar seas, had resisted
+where many others less solidly built would have been dashed to
+pieces. The rudder had indeed been unshipped, but that could easily
+be set right.
+
+Having finished our inspection inside and outside, we agreed that
+the damage was less considerable than we feared, and on that subject
+we became reassured. Reassured! Yes, if we could only succeed in
+getting the schooner afloat again.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX.
+"UNMERCIFUL DISASTER."
+
+
+In the morning, after breakfast, it was decided that the men should
+begin to dig a sloping bed which would allow the _Halbrane_ to slide
+to the foot of the iceberg. Would that Heaven might grant success to
+the operation, for who could contemplate without terror having to
+brave the severity of the austral winter, and to pass six months
+under such conditions as ours on a vast iceberg, dragged none could
+tell whither? Once the winter had set in, none of us could have
+escaped from that most terrible of fates--dying of cold.
+
+At this moment, Dirk Peters, who was observing the horizon from
+south to east at about one hundred paces off, cried out in a rough
+voice: "Lying to!"
+
+Lying to? What could the half-breed mean by that, except that the
+floating mass had suddenly ceased to drift? As for the cause of this
+stoppage, it was neither the moment to investigate it, nor to ask
+ourselves what the consequences were likely to be.
+
+"It is true, however," cried the boatswain. "The iceberg is
+not stirring, and perhaps has not stirred since it capsized!"
+
+"How?" said I, "it no longer changes its place?"
+
+"No," replied the mate, "and the proof is that the others,
+drifting on, are leaving it behind!"
+
+And, in fact, whilst five or six icebergs were descending towards
+the south, ours was as motionless as though it had been stranded on
+a shoal.
+
+The simplest explanation was that the new base had encountered
+ground at the bottom of the sea to which it now adhered, and would
+continue to adhere, unless the submerged part rose in the water so
+as to cause a second capsize.
+
+This complicated matters seriously, because the dangers of positive
+immobility were such that the chances of drifting were preferable.
+At least, in the latter case there was some hope of coming across a
+continent or an island, or even (if the currents did not change) of
+crossing the boundaries of the austral region.
+
+Here we were, then, after three months of this terrible voyage! Was
+there now any question of trying to save William Guy, his comrades
+on the _Jane_, and Arthur Pym? Was it not for our own safety that any
+means at our disposal should be employed? And could it be wondered
+at were the sailors of the _Halbrane_ to rebel, were they to listen to
+Hearne's suggestions, and make their officers, or myself
+especially, responsible for the disasters of this expedition?
+
+Moreover, what was likely to take place, since, notwithstanding
+their losses, the followers of the sealing-master were still a
+majority of the ship's company?
+
+This question I could clearly see was occupying the thoughts of
+Captain Len Guy and West.
+
+Again, although the recruits from the Falklands formed only a total
+of fourteen men, as against the twelve of the old crew, was it not
+to be feared that some of the latter would take Hearne's side?
+What if Hearne's people, urged by despair, were already thinking
+of seizing the only boat we now possessed, setting off towards the
+north, and leaving us on this iceberg? It was, then, of great
+importance that our boat should be put in safety and closely watched.
+
+A marked change had taken place in Captain Len Guy since the recent
+occurrences. He seemed to be transformed upon finding himself face
+to face with the dangers which menaced us. Up to that time he had
+been solely occupied in searching for his fellow-countrymen; he had
+handed over the command of the schooner to West, and he could not
+have given it to anyone more zealous and more capable. But from this
+date he resumed his position as master of the ship, and used it with
+the energy required by the circumstances; in a word, he again became
+sole master on board, after God.
+
+At his command the crew were drawn up around him on a flat spot a
+little to the left of the _Halbrane_. In that place the following were
+assembled:--on the seniors' side: Martin Holt and Hardy, Rogers,
+Francis, Gratian, Bury, Stern, the cook (Endicott), and I may add
+Dirk Peters; on the side of the new-comers, Hearne and the thirteen
+other Falkland sailors. The latter composed a distinct group; the
+sealing-master was their spokesman and exercised a baneful influence
+over them.
+
+Captain Len Guy cast a stern glance upon the men and said in a sharp
+tone:
+
+"Sailors of the _Halbrane_, I must first speak to you of our lost
+companions. Five of us have just perished in this catastrophe."
+
+"We are waiting to perish in our turn, in these seas, where we
+have been dragged in spite of--"
+
+"Be silent, Hearne," cried West, pale with anger, "or if
+not--"
+
+"Hearne has said what he had to say," Captain Len Guy continued,
+coldly. "Now it is said, and I advise him not to interrupt me a
+second time!"
+
+The sealing-master might possibly have ventured on an answer, for he
+felt that he was backed by the majority of the crew; but Martin Holt
+held him back, and he was silent.
+
+Captain Len Guy then took off his hat and pronounced the following
+words with an emotion that affected us to the bottom of our hearts:--
+
+"We must pray for those who have died in this dangerous voyage,
+which was undertaken in the name of humanity. May God be pleased to
+take into consideration the fact that they devoted their lives to
+their fellow-creatures, and may He not be insensible to our prayers!
+Kneel down, sailors of the _Halbrane_!"
+
+They all knelt down on the icy surface, and the murmurs of prayer
+ascended towards heaven.
+
+We waited for Captain Len Guy to rise before we did so.
+
+"Now," he resumed, "after those who are dead come those who
+have survived. To them I say that they must obey me, whatever my
+orders may be, and even in our present situation I shall not
+tolerate any hesitation or opposition. The responsibility for the
+general safety is mine, and I will not yield any of it to anyone. I
+am master here, as on board--"
+
+"On board--when there is no longer a ship," muttered the
+sealing-master.
+
+"You are mistaken, Hearne, the vessel is there, and we will put it
+back into the sea. Besides, if we had only a boat, I am the captain
+of it. Let him beware who forgets this!"
+
+That day, Captain Len Guy, having taken the height of the sun by the
+sextant and fixed the hour by the chronometer (both of these
+instruments had escaped destruction in the collision), obtained the
+following position of his ship:--
+
+South latitude: 88° 55'.
+
+West longitude: 39° 12'.
+
+The _Halbrane_ was only at 1° 5'--about 65 miles--from the south
+pole.
+
+"All hands to work," was the captain's order that afternoon,
+and every one obeyed it with a will. There was not a moment to lose,
+as the question of time was more important than any other. So far
+as provisions were concerned, there was enough in the schooner for
+eighteen months on full rations, so we were not threatened with
+hunger, nor with thirst either, notwithstanding that owing to the
+water-casks having been burst in the collision, their contents had
+escaped through their staves. Luckily, the barrels of gin, whisky,
+beer, and wine, being placed in the least exposed part of the hold,
+were nearly all intact. Under this head we had experienced no loss,
+and the iceberg would supply us with good drinking-water. It is a
+well-known fact that ice, whether formed from fresh or salt water,
+contains no salt, owing to the chloride of sodium being eliminated
+in the change from the liquid to the solid state. The origin of the
+ice, therefore, is a matter of no importance. However, those blocks
+which are easily distinguished by their greenish colour and their
+perfect transparency are preferable. They are solidified rain, and
+therefore much more suitable for drinking-water.
+
+Without doubt, our captain would have recognized any blocks of this
+description, but none were to be found on the glacier, owing to its
+being that part of the berg which was originally submerged, and came
+to the top after the fall.
+
+The captain and West decided first to lighten the vessel, by
+conveying everything on board to land. The masts were to be cleared
+of rigging, taken out, and placed on the plateau. It was necessary
+to lighten the vessel as much as possible, even to clear out the
+ballast, owing to the difficult and dangerous operation of
+launching. It would be better to put off our departure for some days
+if this operation could be performed under more favourable
+circumstances. The loading might be afterwards accomplished without
+much difficulty.
+
+Besides this, another reason by no means less serious presented
+itself to us. It would have been an act of unpardonable rashness to
+leave the provisions in the store-room of the _Halbrane_, her situation
+on the side of the iceberg being very precarious. One shake would
+suffice to detach the ship, and with her would have disappeared the
+supplies on which our lives depended.
+
+On this account, we passed the day in removing casks of half-salted
+meat, dried vegetables, flour, biscuits, tea, coffee, barrels of
+gin, whisky, wine and beer from the hold and store-room and placing
+them in safety in the hammocks near the _Halbrane_.
+
+We also had to insure our landing against any possible accident,
+and, I must add, against any plot on the part of Hearne and others
+to seize the boat in order to return to the ice-barrier.
+
+We placed the long boat in a cavity which would be easy to watch,
+about thirty feet to the left of the schooner, along with its oars,
+rudder, compass, anchor, masts and sail.
+
+By day there was nothing to fear, and at night, or rather during the
+hours of sleep, the boatswain and one of the superiors would keep
+guard near the cavity, and we might rest assured that no evil could
+befall.
+
+The 19th, 20th, and 21st of January were passed in working extra
+hard in the unshipping of the cargo and the dismantling of the
+_Halbrane_. We slung the lower masts by means of yards forming props.
+Later on, West would see to replacing the main and mizzen masts; in
+any case, we could do without them until we had reached the
+Falklands or some other winter port.
+
+Needless to say, we had set up a camp on the plateau of which I have
+spoken, not far from the _Halbrane_. Sufficient shelter against the
+inclemency of the weather, not unfrequent at this time of the year,
+was to be found under tents, constructed of sails placed on spars
+and fastened down by pegs. The glass remained set fair; the wind was
+nor'-east, the temperature having risen to 46 degrees (2° 78' C.).
+
+Endicott's kitchen was fitted up at the end of the plain, near a
+steep projection by which we could climb to the very top of the berg.
+
+It is only fair to state that during these three days of hard work
+no fault was to be found with Hearne. The sealing-master knew he was
+being closely watched, and he was well aware that Captain Len Guy
+would not spare him if he tried to get up insubordination amongst
+his comrades. It was a pity that his bad instincts had induced him
+to play such a part, for his strength, skill, and cleverness made
+him a very valuable man, and he had never proved more useful than
+under these circumstances.
+
+Was he changed for the better? Did he understand that general good
+feeling was necessary for the safety of all? I know not, but I had
+no confidence in him, neither had Hurliguerly!
+
+I need not dwell on the ardour with which the half-breed did the
+rough work, always first to begin and the last to leave off, doing
+as much as four men, and scarcely sleeping, only resting during
+meals, which he took apart from the others. He had hardly spoken to
+me at all since the schooner had met with this terrible accident.
+
+What indeed could he say to me? Did I not know as well as he that it
+would be necessary to renounce every hope of pursuing our intended
+voyage?
+
+Now and again I noticed Martin Holt and the half-breed near each
+other while some difficult piece of work was in progress. Our
+sailing-master did not miss a chance of getting near Dirk Peters, who
+always tried his best to escape from him, for reasons well known to
+me. And whenever I thought of the secret of the fate of the
+so-called Parker, Martin Holt's brother, which had been entrusted
+to me, that dreadful scene of the _Grampus_ filled me with horror. I
+was certain that if this secret were made known the half-breed would
+become an object of terror. He would no longer be looked upon as the
+rescuer of the sailing-master; and the latter, learning that his
+brother-- Luckily, Dirk Peters and myself were the only two
+acquainted with the fact.
+
+While the _Halbrane_ was being unloaded, Captain Len Guy and the mate
+were considering how the vessel might be launched. They had to allow
+for a drop of one hundred feet between the cavity in which the ship
+lay and the sea; this to be effected by means of an inclined bed
+hollowed in an oblique line along the west side of the iceberg, and
+to measure two or three hundred perches in length. So, while the
+first lot of men, commanded by the boatswain, was unloading the
+schooner, a second batch under West's orders began to cut the
+trench between the blocks which covered the side of the floating
+mountain.
+
+Floating? I know not why I use this expression, for the iceberg no
+longer floated, but remained as motionless as an island. There was
+nothing to indicate that it would ever move again. Other icebergs
+drifted along and passed us, going south-east, whilst ours, to use
+Dirk Peters' expression, was "lying to." Would its base be
+sufficiently undermined to allow it to detach itself? Perhaps some
+heavy mass of ice might strike it and set it free by the shock. No
+one could predict such an event, and we had only the _Halbrane_ to
+rely upon for getting us out of these regions.
+
+We were engaged in these various tasks until the 24th of January.
+The atmosphere was clear, the temperature was even, and the
+thermometer had indeed gone up to two or three degrees above
+freezing-point. The number of icebergs coming from the nor'-west
+was therefore increasing; there were now a hundred of them, and a
+collision with any of these might have a most disastrous result.
+Hardy, the caulker, hastened first of all to mend the hull; pegs had
+to be changed, bits of planking to be replaced, seams to be caulked.
+We had everything that was necessary for this work, and we might
+rest assured that it would be performed in the best possible manner.
+In the midst of the silence of these solitudes, the noise of the
+hammers striking nails into the side, and the sound of the mallet
+stuffing tow into the seams, had a startling effect. Sea-gulls, wild
+duck, albatross, and petrels flew in a circle round the top of the
+berg with a shrill screaming, and made a terrible uproar.
+
+When I found myself with West and the captain, our conversation
+naturally turned on our situation and how to get out of it, and upon
+our chances of pulling through. The mate had good hopes that if no
+accident occurred the launching would be successfully accomplished.
+The captain was more reserved on the subject, but at the thought
+that he would have to renounce all hope of finding the survivors of
+the _Jane_, his heart was ready to break.
+
+When the _Halbrane_ should again be ready for the sea, and when West
+should inquire what course he was to steer, would Captain Len Guy
+dare to reply, "To the south"? No! for he would not be followed either
+by the new hands, or by the greater portion of the older members of
+the crew. To continue our search in this direction, to go beyond the
+pole, without being certain of reaching the Indian Ocean instead of
+the Atlantic, would have been rashness of which no navigator would be
+guilty. If a continent bound the sea on this side, the schooner
+would run the danger of being crushed by the mass of ice before it
+could escape the southern winter.
+
+Under such circumstances, to attempt to persuade Captain Len Guy to
+pursue the voyage would only be to court a certain refusal. It could
+not even be proposed, now that necessity obliged us to return
+northwards, and not to delay a single day in this portion of the
+Antarctic regions. At any rate, though I resolved not again to speak
+of the matter to the captain, I lost no opportunity of sounding the
+boatswain. Often when he had finished his work, Hurliguerly would
+come and join me; we would chat, and we would compare our
+recollections of travel.
+
+One day as we were seated on the summit of the iceberg, gazing
+fixedly on the deceptive horizon, he exclaimed,--
+
+"Who could ever have imagined, Mr. Jeorling, when the _Halbrane_
+left Kerguelen, that six and a half months afterwards she would be
+stuck on the side of an ice-mountain?"
+
+"A fact much more to be regretted," I replied, "because only
+for that accident we should have attained our object, and we should
+have begun our return journey."
+
+"I don't mean to contradict," replied the boatswain, "but
+you say we should have attained our object. Do you mean by that,
+that we should have found our countrymen?"
+
+"Perhaps."
+
+"I can scarcely believe such would have been the case, Mr.
+Jeorling, although this was the principal and perhaps even the only
+object of our navigation in the polar seas."
+
+"The only one--yes--at the start," I insinuated. "But since
+the half-breed's revelations about Arthur Pym--"
+
+"Ah! You are always harking back on that subject, like brave Dirk
+Peters."
+
+"Always, Hurliguerly; and only that a deplorable and unforeseen
+accident made us run aground--"
+
+"I leave you to your delusions, Mr. Jeorling, since you believe
+you have run aground--"
+
+"Why? Is not this the case?"
+
+"In any case it is a wonderful running aground," replied the
+boatswain. "Instead of a good solid bottom, we have run aground in
+the air."
+
+"Then I am right, Hurliguerly, in saying it is an unfortunate
+adventure."
+
+"Unfortunate, truly, but in my opinion we should take warning by
+it."
+
+"What warning?"
+
+"That it is not permitted to us to venture so far in these
+latitudes, and I believe that the Creator forbids His creatures to
+climb to the summit of the poles."
+
+"Notwithstanding that the summit of one pole is only sixty miles
+away from us now."
+
+"Granted, Mr. Jeorling, but these sixty miles are equal to
+thousands when we have no means of making them! And if the launch of
+the schooner is not successful, here are we condemned to winter
+quarters which the polar bears themselves would hardly relish!"
+
+I replied only by a shake of my head, which Hurliguerly could not
+fail to understand.
+
+"Do you know, Mr. Jeorling, of what I think oftenest?"
+
+"What do you think of, boatswain?"
+
+"Of the Kerguelens, whither we are certainly not travelling.
+Truly, in a bad season it was cold enough there! There is not much
+difference between this archipelago and the islands situated on the
+edge of the Antarctic Sea! But there one is not far from the Cape,
+and if we want to warm our shins, no iceberg bars the way. Whereas
+here it is the devil to weigh anchor, and one never knows if one
+shall find a clear course."
+
+"I repeat it, boatswain. If this last accident had not occurred,
+everything would have been over by this time, one way or another. We
+should still have had more than six weeks to get out of these
+southern seas. It is seldom that a ship is so roughly treated as
+ours has been, and I consider it real bad luck, after our having
+profited by such fortunate circumstances--"
+
+"These circumstances are all over, Mr. Jeorling," exclaimed
+Hurliguerly, "and I fear indeed--"
+
+"What--you also, boatswain--you whom I believed to be so
+confident!"
+
+"Confidence, Mr. Jeorling, wears out like the ends of one's
+trousers. What would you have me do? When I compare my lot to old
+Atkins, installed in his cosy inn; when I think of the Green
+Cormorant, of the big parlours downstairs with the little tables
+round which friends sip whisky and gin, discussing the news of the
+day, while the stove makes more noise than the weathercock on the
+roof--oh, then the comparison is not in our favour, and in my
+opinion Mr. Atkins enjoys life better than I do."
+
+"You shall see them all again, boatswain--Atkins, the Green
+Cormorant, and Kerguelen! For God's sake do not let yourself grow
+downhearted! And if you, a sensible and courageous man, despair
+already--"
+
+"Oh, if I were the only one it would not be half so bad as it
+is!"
+
+"The whole crew does not despair, surely?"
+
+"Yes--and no," replied Hurliguerly, "for I know some who are
+not at all satisfied!"
+
+"Has Hearne begun his mischief again? Is he exciting his
+companions?"
+
+"Not openly at least, Mr. Jeorling, and since I have kept him
+under my eye I have neither seen nor heard anything. Besides, he
+knows what awaits him if he budges. I believe I am not mistaken, the
+sly dog has changed his tactics. But what does not astonish me in
+him, astonishes me in Martin Holt."
+
+"What do you mean, boatswain?"
+
+"That they seem to be on good terms with each other. See how
+Hearne seeks out Martin Holt, talks to him frequently, and Holt does
+not treat his overtures unfavourably.''
+
+"Martin Holt is not one of those who would listen to Hearne's
+advice, or follow it if he tried to provoke rebellion amongst the
+crew."
+
+"No doubt, Mr. Jeorling. However, I don't fancy seeing them so
+much together. Hearne is a dangerous and unscrupulous individual,
+and most likely Martin Holt does not distrust him sufficiently."
+
+"He is wrong, boatswain."
+
+"And--wait a moment--do you know what they were talking about
+the other day when I overheard a few scraps of their conversation?"
+
+"I could not possibly guess until you tell me, Hurliguerly."
+
+"Well, while they were conversing on the bridge of the _Halbrane_, I
+heard them talking about Dirk Peters, and Hearne was saying: ‘You
+must not owe a grudge to the half-breed, Master Holt, because he
+refused to respond to your advances and accept your thanks! If he be
+only a sort of brute, he possesses plenty of courage, and has showed
+it in getting you out of a bad corner at the risk of his life. And
+besides, do not forget that he formed part of the crew of the
+_Grampus_, and your brother Ned, if I don't mistake--'"
+
+"He said that, boatswain; he spoke of the _Grampus_?" I exclaimed.
+
+"Yes--of the _Grampus_!"
+
+"And of Ned Holt?"
+
+"Precisely, Mr. Jeorling!"
+
+"And what answer did Martin Holt make?"
+
+"He replied: ‘I don't even know under what circumstances my
+unfortunate brother perished. Was it during a revolt on board? Brave
+man that he was, he would not betray his captain, and perhaps he was
+massacred.'"
+
+"Did Hearne dwell on this, boatswain?"
+
+"Yes, but he added: ‘It is very sad for you, Master Holt! The
+captain of the _Grampus_, according to what I have been told, was
+abandoned, being placed in a small boat with one or two of his
+men--and who knows if your brother was not along with him?'"
+
+"And what next?"
+
+"Then, Mr. Jeorling, he added: ‘Did it never occur to you to ask
+Dirk Peters to enlighten you on the subject?' ‘Yes, once,'
+replied Martin Holt, ‘I questioned the half-breed about it, and
+never did I see a man so overcome. He replied in so low a voice that
+I could scarcely understand him, "I know not--I know not--"
+and he ran away with his face buried in his hands.'"
+
+"Was that all you heard of the conversation, boatswain?"
+
+"That was all, Mr. Jeorling, and I thought it so strange that I
+wished to inform you of it."
+
+"And what conclusion did you draw from it?"
+
+"Nothing, except that I look upon the sealing-master as a
+scoundrel of the deepest dye, perfectly capable of working in
+secret for some evil purpose with which he would like to associate
+Martin Holt!"
+
+What did Hearne's new attitude mean? Why did he strive to gain
+Martin Holt, one of the best of the crew, as an ally? Why did he
+recall the scenes of the _Grampus_? Did Hearne know more of this
+matter of Dirk Peters and Ned Holt than the others; this secret of
+which the half-breed and I believed ourselves to be the sole
+possessors?
+
+The doubt caused me serious uneasiness. However, I took good care
+not to say anything of it to Dirk Peters. If he had for a moment
+suspected that Hearne spoke of what happened on board the _Grampus_,
+if he had heard that the rascal (as Hurliguerly called him, and not
+without reason) constantly talked to Martin Holt about his brother,
+I really do not know what would have happened.
+
+In short, whatever the intentions of Hearne might be, it was
+dreadful to think that our sailing-master, on whose fidelity Captain
+Len Guy ought to be able to count, was in conspiracy with him.
+
+The sealing-master must have a strong motive for acting in this way.
+What it was I could not imagine. Although the crew seemed to have
+abandoned every thought of mutiny, a strict watch was kept,
+especially on Hearne.
+
+Besides, the situation must soon change, at least so far as the
+schooner was concerned. Two days afterwards the work was finished.
+The caulking operations were completed, and also the slide for
+lowering the vessel to the base of our floating mountain.
+
+Just now the upper portion of the ice had been slightly softened, so
+that this last work did not entail much labour for pickaxe or
+spade. The course ran obliquely round the west side of the berg, so
+that the incline should not be too great at any point. With cables
+properly fixed, the launch, it seemed, might be effected without any
+mishap. I rather feared lest the melting of the ice should make the
+gliding less smooth at the lower part of the berg.
+
+Needless to say, the cargo, masting, anchors, chains, &c., had not
+been put on board. The hull was quite heavy enough, and not easily
+moved, so it was necessary to lighten it as much as possible. When
+the schooner was again in its element, the loading could be
+effected in a few days.
+
+On the afternoon of the 28th, the finishing touches were given. It
+was necessary to put supports for the sides of the slide in some
+places where the ice had melted quickly. Then everyone was allowed
+to rest from 4 o'clock p.m. The captain had double rations served
+out to all hands, and well they merited this extra supply of
+spirits; they had indeed worked hard during the week. I repeat that
+every sign of mutiny had disappeared. The crew thought of nothing
+except this great operation of the launching. The _Halbrane_ in the
+sea would mean departure, it would also mean return! For Dirk Peters
+and me it would be the definite abandonment of Arthur Pym.
+
+That night the temperature was the highest we had so far
+experienced. The thermometer registered 53° (11° 67' C. below
+zero). So, although the sun was nearing the horizon, the ice was
+melting, and thousands of small streams flowed in every direction.
+The early birds awoke at four o'clock, and I was one of their
+number. I had scarcely slept, and I fancy that Dirk Peters did not
+sleep much, haunted as he was by the sad thought of having to turn
+back!
+
+The launch was to take place at ten o'clock. Taking every possible
+difficulty into account, and allowing for the minutest precautions,
+the captain hoped that it would be completed before the close of the
+day. Everyone believed that by evening the schooner would be at the
+foot of the berg.
+
+Of course we had all to lend a hand to this difficult task. To each
+man a special duty was assigned; some were employed to facilitate
+the sliding with wooden rollers, if necessary; others to moderate
+the speed of the hull, in case it became too great, by means of
+hawsers and cables.
+
+We breakfasted at nine o'clock in the tents. Our sailors were
+perfectly confident, and could not refrain from drinking "success
+to the event"; and although this was a little premature, we added
+our hurrahs to theirs. Success seemed very nearly assured, as the
+captain and the mate had worked out the matter so carefully and
+skilfully. At last we were about to leave our encampment and take up
+our stations (some of the sailors were there already), when cries of
+amazement and fear were raised. What a frightful scene, and, short
+as it may have been, what an impression of terror it left on our
+minds!
+
+One of the enormous blocks which formed the bank of the mud-bed
+where the _Halbrane_ lay, having become loose owing to the melting of
+its base, had slipped and was bounding over the others down the
+incline.
+
+In another moment, the schooner, being no longer retained in
+position, was swinging on this declivity.
+
+On board, on deck, in front, there were two sailors, Rogers and
+Gratian. In vain did the unfortunate men try to jump over the
+bulwarks, they had not time, and they were dragged away in this
+dreadful fall.
+
+Yes! I saw it! I saw the schooner topple over, slide down first on
+its left side, crush one of the men who delayed too long about
+jumping to one side, then bound from block to block, and finally
+fling itself into space.
+
+In another moment the _Halbrane_, staved in, broken up, with gaping
+planks and shattered ribs, had sunk, causing a tremendous jet of
+water to spout up at the foot of the iceberg.
+
+Horrified! yes, indeed, we were horrified when the schooner, carried
+off as though by an avalanche, had disappeared in the abyss! Not a
+particle of our _Halbrane_ remained, not even a wreck!
+
+A minute ago she was one hundred feet in the air, now she was five
+hundred in the depths of the sea! Yes, we were so stupefied that we
+were unable to think of the dangers to come--our amazement was that
+of people who "cannot believe their eyes."
+
+Prostration succeeded as a natural consequence. There was not a word
+spoken. We stood motionless, with our feet rooted to the icy soil.
+No words could express the horror of our situation!
+
+As for West, when the schooner had disappeared in the abyss, I saw
+big tears fall from his eyes. The _Halbrane_ that he loved so much was
+now an unknown quantity! Yes, our stout-hearted mate wept.
+
+[Illustration: The _Halbrane_, staved in, broken up.]
+
+Three of our men had perished, and in what frightful fashion! I had
+seen Rogers and Gratian, two of our most faithful sailors, stretch
+out their hands in despair as they were knocked about by the
+rebounding of the schooner, and finally sink with her! The other man
+from the Falklands, an American, was crushed in its rush; his
+shapeless form lay in a pool of blood. Three new victims within the
+last ten days had to be inscribed on the register of those who died
+during this fatal voyage! Ah! fortune had favoured us up to the hour
+when the _Halbrane_ was snatched from her own element, but her hand
+was now against us. And was not this last the worst blow--must it
+not prove the stroke of death?
+
+The silence was broken by a tumult of despairing voices, whose
+despair was justified indeed by this irreparable misfortune!
+
+And I am sure that more than one thought it would have been better
+to have been on the _Halbrane_ as she rebounded off the side of the
+iceberg!
+
+Everything would have been over then, as all was over with Rogers
+and Gratian! This foolish expedition would thus have come to a
+conclusion worthy of such rashness and imprudence!
+
+At last, the instinct of self-preservation triumphed, and except
+Hearne, who stood some distance off and affected silence, all the
+men shouted: "To the boat! to the boat!"
+
+These unfortunate fellows were out of their mind. Terror led them
+astray. They rushed towards the crag where our one boat (which could
+not hold them all) had been sheltered during the unloading of the
+schooner.
+
+Captain Len Guy and Jem West rushed after them. I joined them
+immediately, followed by the boatswain. We were armed, and resolved
+to make use of our arms. We had to prevent these furious men from
+seizing the boat, which did not belong to a few, but to all!
+
+"Hallo, sailors!" cried the captain.
+
+"Hallo!" repeated West, "stop there, or we fire on the first
+who goes a step farther!"
+
+Both threatened the men with their pistols. The boatswain pointed
+his gun at them. I held my rifle, ready to fire.
+
+It was in vain! The frenzied men heard nothing, would not hear
+anything, and one of them fell, struck by the mate's bullet, just
+as he was crossing the last block. He was unable to catch on to the
+bank with his hands, and slipping on the frozen slope, he
+disappeared in the abyss.
+
+Was this the beginning of a massacre? Would others let themselves be
+killed at this place? Would the old hands side with the new-comers?
+
+At that moment I remarked that Hardy, Martin Holt, Francis Bury, and
+Stern hesitated about coming over to our side, while Hearne, still
+standing motionless at some distance, gave no encouragement to the
+rebels.
+
+However, we could not allow them to become masters of the boat, to
+bring it down, to embark ten or twelve men, and to abandon us to our
+certain fate on this iceberg. They had almost reached the boat,
+heedless of danger and deaf to threats, when a second report was
+heard, and one of the sailors fell, by a bullet from the
+boatswain's gun.
+
+One American and one Fuegian less to be numbered amongst the
+sealing-master's partisans!
+
+Then, in front of the boat, a man appeared. It was Dirk Peters, who
+had climbed the opposite slope.
+
+The half-breed put one of his enormous hands on the stern and with
+the other made a sign to the furious men to clear off. Dirk Peters
+being there, we no longer needed our arms, as he alone would suffice
+to protect the boat.
+
+And indeed, as five or six of the sailors were advancing, he went up
+to them, caught hold of the nearest by the belt, lifted him up, and
+sent him flying ten paces off. The wretched man not being able to
+catch hold of anything, would have rebounded into the sea had not
+Hearne seized him.
+
+Owing to the half-breed's intervention the revolt was instantly
+quelled. Besides, we were coming up to the boat, and with us those of
+our men whose hesitation had not lasted long.
+
+No matter. The others were still thirteen to our ten.
+
+Captain Len Guy made his appearance; anger shone in his eyes, and with
+him was West, quite unmoved. Words failed the captain for some
+moments, but his looks said what his tongue could not utter. At length,
+in a terrible voice, he said,--
+
+"I ought to treat you as evil-doers; however, I will only consider
+you as madmen! The boat belongs to everybody. It is now our only
+means of salvation, and you wanted to steal it--to steal it like
+cowards! Listen attentively to what I say for the last time! This
+boat, belonging to the _Halbrane_, is now the _Halbrane_ herself! I am
+the captain of it, and let him who disobeys me, beware!"
+
+With these last words Captain Len Guy looked at Hearne, for whom
+this warning was expressly meant. The sealing-master had not
+appeared in the last scene, not openly at least, but nobody doubted
+that he had urged his comrades to make off with the boat, and that
+he had every intention of doing the same again.
+
+"Now to the camp," said the captain, "and you, Dirk Peters,
+remain here!"
+
+The half-breed's only reply was to nod his big head and betake
+himself to his post.
+
+The crew returned to the camp without the least hesitation. Some lay
+down in their sleeping-places, others wandered about. Hearne neither
+tried to join them nor to go near Martin Holt.
+
+Now that the sailors were reduced to idleness, there was nothing to
+do except to ponder on our critical situation, and invent some means
+of getting out of it.
+
+The captain, the mate, and the boatswain formed a council, and I
+took part in their deliberations.
+
+Captain Len Guy began by saying,--
+
+"We have protected our boat, and we shall continue to protect
+it."
+
+"Until death," declared West.
+
+"Who knows," said I, "whether we shall not soon be forced to
+embark?"
+
+"In that case," replied the captain, "as all cannot fit into
+it, it will be necessary to make a selection. Lots shall determine
+which of us are to go, and I shall not ask to be treated differently
+from the others."
+
+"We have not come to that, luckily," replied the boatswain.
+"The iceberg is solid, and there is no fear of its melting before
+winter."
+
+"No," assented West, "that is not to be feared. What it
+behoves us to do is, while watching the boat, to keep an eye on the
+provisions."
+
+"We are lucky," added Hurliguerly, "to have put our cargo in
+safety. Poor, dear _Halbrane_. She will remain in these seas, like the
+_Jane_, her elder sister!"
+
+Yes, without doubt, and I thought so for many reasons, the one
+destroyed by the savages of Tsalal, the other by one of these
+catastrophes that no human power can prevent.
+
+"You are right," replied the captain, "and we must prevent our
+men from plundering. We are sure of enough provisions for one year,
+without counting what we may get by fishing."
+
+"And it is so much the more necessary, captain, to keep a close
+watch, because I have seen some hovering about the spirit casks."
+
+"I will see to that," replied West.
+
+"But," I then asked, "had we not better prepare ourselves for
+the fact that we may be compelled to winter on this iceberg."
+
+"May Heaven avert such a terrible probability," replied the
+captain.
+
+"After all, if it were necessary, we could get through it, Mr.
+Jeorling," said the boatswain. "We could hollow out sheltering-places
+in the ice, so as to be able to bear the extreme cold of the pole,
+and so long as we had sufficient to appease our hunger--"
+
+At this moment the horrid recollection of the _Grampus_ came to my
+mind--the scenes in which Dirk Peters killed Ned Holt, the brother
+of our sailing-master. Should we ever be in such extremity?
+
+Would it not, before we proceed to set up winter quarters for seven
+or eight months, be better to leave the iceberg altogether, if such
+a thing were possible?
+
+I called the attention of Captain Len Guy and West to this point.
+
+This was a difficult question to answer, and a long silence preceded
+the reply.
+
+At last the captain said,--
+
+"Yes, that would be the best resolution to come to; and if our
+boat could hold us all, with the provisions necessary for a voyage
+that might last three or four weeks, I would not hesitate to put to
+sea now and return towards the north."
+
+But I made them observe that we should be obliged to direct our
+course contrary to wind and current; our schooner herself could
+hardly have succeeded in doing this. Whilst to continue towards the
+south--
+
+"Towards the south?" repeated the captain, who looked at me as
+though he sought to read my thoughts.
+
+"Why not?" I answered. "If the iceberg had not been stopped
+in its passage, perhaps it would have drifted to some land in that
+direction, and might not our boat accomplish what it would have
+done?"
+
+The captain, shaking his head, answered nothing. West also was
+silent.
+
+"Eh! our iceberg will end by raising its anchor," replied
+Hurliguerly. "It does not hold to the bottom, like the Falklands
+or the Kerguelens! So the safest course is to wait, as the boat
+cannot carry twenty-three, the number of our party."
+
+I dwelt upon the fact that it was not necessary for all twenty-three
+to embark. It would be sufficient, I said, for five or six of us to
+reconnoitre further south for twelve or fifteen miles.
+
+"South?" repeated Captain Len Guy.
+
+"Undoubtedly, captain," I added. "You probably know what the
+geographers frankly admit, that the antarctic regions are formed by
+a capped continent."
+
+"Geographers know nothing, and can know nothing about it,"
+replied West, coldly.
+
+"It is a pity," said I, "that as we are so near, we should not
+attempt to solve this question of a polar continent."
+
+I thought it better not to insist just at present.
+
+Moreover there would be danger in sending out our only boat on a
+voyage of discovery, as the current might carry it too far, or it
+might not find us again in the same place. And, indeed, if the
+iceberg happened to get loose at the bottom, and to resume its
+interrupted drift, what would become of the men in the boat?
+
+The drawback was that the boat was too small to carry us all, with
+the necessary provisions. Now, of the seniors, there remained ten
+men, counting Dirk Peters; of the new men there were thirteen;
+twenty-three in all. The largest number our boat could hold was from
+eleven to twelve persons. Then eleven of us, indicated by lot, would
+have to remain on this island of ice. And what would become of them?
+
+With regard to this Hurliguerly made a sound observation.
+
+"After all," he said, "I don't know that those who would
+embark would be better off than those who remained! I am so doubtful
+of the result, that I would willingly give up my place to anyone who
+wanted it."
+
+Perhaps the boatswain was right. But in my own mind, when I asked
+that the boat might be utilized, it was only for the purpose of
+reconnoitring the iceberg.
+
+We finally decided to arrange everything with a view to wintering
+out, even were our ice-mountain again to drift.
+
+"We may be sure that will be agreed to by our men," declared
+Hurliguerly.
+
+"What is necessary must be done," replied the mate, "and
+to-day we must set to work."
+
+That was a sad day on which we began our preparations.
+
+Endicott, the cook, was the only man who submitted without
+murmuring. As a negro, who cares little about the future, shallow
+and frivolous like all his race, he resigned himself easily to his
+fate; and this is, perhaps, true philosophy. Besides, when it came
+to the question of cooking, it mattered very little to him whether
+it was here or there, so long as his stoves were set up somewhere.
+
+So he said to his friend the mate, with his broad negro smile,--
+
+"Luckily my kitchen did not go off with the schooner, and you
+shall see, Hurliguerly, if I do not make up dishes just as good as
+on board the _Halbrane_, so long as provisions don't grow scarce, of
+course--"
+
+"Well! they will not be wanting for some time to come," replied
+the boatswain. "We need not fear hunger, but cold, such cold as
+would reduce you to an icicle the minute you cease to warm your
+feet--cold that makes your skin crack and your skull split! Even if
+we had some hundreds of tons of coal--But, all things being well
+calculated, there is only just what will do to boil this large
+kettle."
+
+"And that is sacred," cried Endicott; "touching is forbidden!
+The kitchen before all."
+
+"And that is the reason why it never strikes you to pity yourself,
+you old nigger! You can always make sure of keeping your feet warm
+at your oven!"
+
+"What would you have, boatswain? You are a first-rate cook, or you
+are not. When you are, you take advantage of it; but I will remember
+to keep you a little place before my stove."
+
+"That's good! that's good, Endicott! Each one shall have his
+turn! There is no privilege, even for a boatswain! On the whole, it
+is better not to have to fear famine! One can fight against the
+cold. We shall dig holes in the iceberg, and cuddle ourselves up
+there. And why should we not have a general dwelling-room? We could
+make a cave for ourselves with pickaxes! I have heard tell that ice
+preserves heat. Well, let it preserve ours, and that is all I ask of
+it!"
+
+The hour had come for us to return to the camp and to seek our
+sleeping-places.
+
+Dirk Peters alone refused to be relieved of his duty as watchman of
+the boat, and nobody thought of disputing the post with him.
+
+Captain Len Guy and West did not enter the tents until they had made
+certain that Hearne and his companions had gone to their usual place
+of rest.
+
+I came back likewise and went to bed.
+
+I could not tell how long I had been sleeping, nor what time it was,
+when I found myself rolling on the ground after a violent shock.
+
+What could be happening? Was it another capsize of the iceberg?
+
+We were all up in a second, then outside the tents in the full light
+of a night in the polar regions.
+
+A second floating mass of enormous size had just struck our iceberg,
+which had "hoisted the anchor" (as the sailors say) and was
+drifting towards the south.
+
+An unhoped-for change in the situation had taken place. What were to
+be the consequences of our being no longer cast away at that place?
+The current was now carrying us in the direction of the pole! The
+first feeling of joy inspired by this conviction was, however,
+succeeded by all the terrors of the unknown! and what an unknown!
+
+Dirk Peters only was entirely rejoiced that we had resumed the route
+which, he believed, would lead us to the discovery of traces of his
+"poor Pym"--far other ideas occupied the minds of his companions.
+
+Captain Len Guy no longer entertained any hope of rescuing his
+countrymen, and having reached the condition of despair, he was
+bound by his duty to take his crew back to the north, so as to clear
+the antarctic circle while the season rendered it possible to do so.
+And we were being carried away towards the south!
+
+Naturally enough, we were all deeply impressed by the fearfulness of
+our position, which may be summed up in a few words. We were no
+longer cast away, with a possible ship, but the tenants of a
+floating iceberg, with no hope but that our monster tenement might
+encounter one of the whaling ships whose business in the deep waters
+lies between the Orkneys, New Georgia, and the Sandwich Islands. A
+quantity of things had been thrown into the ice by the collision
+which had set our iceberg afloat, but these were chiefly articles
+belonging to the _Halbrane_. Owing to the precaution that had been
+taken on the previous day, when the cargo was stowed away in the
+clefts, it had been only slightly damaged. What would have become of
+us, had all our reserves been swallowed up in that grim encounter?
+
+Now, the two icebergs formed but one, which was travelling south at
+the rate of two miles an hour. At this rate, thirty hours would
+suffice to bring us to the point of the axis at which the
+terrestrial meridians unite. Did the current which was carrying us
+along pass on to the pole itself, or was there any land which might
+arrest our progress? This was another question, and I discussed it
+with the boatswain.
+
+"Nobody knows, Mr. Jeorling," was Hurliguerly's reply. "If
+the current goes to the pole, we shall go there; and if it
+doesn't, we shan't. An iceberg isn't a ship, and as it has
+neither sails nor helm, it goes as the drift takes it."
+
+"That's true, boatswain. And therefore I had the idea that if
+two or three of us were to embark in the boat--"
+
+"Ah! you still hold to your notion of the boat--"
+
+"Certainly, for, if there is land somewhere, is it not possible
+that the people of the _Jane_--"
+
+"Have come upon it, Mr. Jeorling--at four thousand miles from
+Tsalal Island."
+
+"Who knows, boatswain?"
+
+"That may be, but allow me to say that your argument will be
+reasonable when the land comes in sight, if it ever does so. Our
+captain will see what ought to be done, and he will remember that
+time presses. We cannot delay in these waters, and, after all, the
+one thing of real importance to us is to get out of the polar circle
+before the winter makes it impassable."
+
+There was good sense in Hurliguerly's words; I could not deny the
+fact.
+
+During that day the greater part of the cargo was placed in the
+interior of a vast cave-like fissure in the side of the iceberg,
+where, even in case of a second collision, casks and barrels would
+be in safety. Our men then assisted Endicott to set up his
+cooking-stove between two blocks, so that it was firmly fixed, and
+they heaped up a great mass of coals close to it.
+
+No murmurs, no recrimination disturbed these labours. It was evident
+that silence was deliberately maintained. The crew obeyed the
+captain and West because they gave no orders but such as were of
+urgent necessity. But, afterwards, would these men allow the
+authority of their leaders to be uncontested? How long would the
+recruits from the Falklands, who were already exasperated by the
+disasters of our enterprise, resist their desire to seize upon the
+boat and escape?
+
+I did not think they would make the attempt, however, so long as our
+iceberg should continue to drift, for the boat could not outstrip
+its progress; but, if it were to run aground once more, to strike
+upon the coast of an island or a continent, what would not these
+unfortunate creatures do to escape the horrors of wintering under
+such conditions?
+
+In the afternoon, during the hour of rest allowed to the crew, I had
+a second conversation with Dirk Peters. I had taken my customary
+seat at the top of the iceberg, and had occupied it for half an
+hour, being, as may be supposed, deep in thought, when I saw the
+half-breed coming quickly up the slope. We had exchanged hardly a
+dozen words since the iceberg had begun to move again. When Dirk
+Peters came up to me, he did not address me at first, and was so
+intent on his thoughts that I was not quite sure he saw me. At
+length, he leaned back against an ice-block, and spoke:
+
+"Mr. Jeorling," he said, "you remember, in your cabin in the
+_Halbrane_, I told you the--the affair of the _Grampus_?"
+
+I remembered well.
+
+"I told you that Parker's name was not Parker, that it was Holt,
+and that he was Ned Holt's brother?"
+
+[Illustration: "I was afraid; I got away from him."]
+
+"I know, Dirk Peters," I replied, "but why do you refer to
+that sad story again?"
+
+"Why, Mr. Jeorling? Have not--have you never said anything about
+it to anybody?"
+
+"Not to anybody," I protested. "How could you suppose I should
+be so ill-advised, so imprudent, as to divulge your secret, a secret
+which ought never to pass our lips--a dead secret?"
+
+"Dead, yes, dead! And yet, understand me, it seems to me that,
+among the crew, something is known."
+
+I instantly recalled to mind what the boatswain had told me
+concerning a certain conversation in which he had overheard Hearne
+prompting Martin Holt to ask the half-breed what were the
+circumstances of his brother's death on board the _Grampus_. Had a
+portion of the secret got out, or was this apprehension on the part
+of Dirk Peters purely imaginary?
+
+"Explain yourself," I said.
+
+"Understand me, Mr. Jeorling, I am a bad hand at explaining. Yes,
+yesterday--I have thought of nothing else since--Martin Holt took
+me aside, far from the others, and told me that he wished to speak
+to me--"
+
+"Of the _Grampus_?"
+
+"Of the _Grampus_--yes, and of his brother, Ned Holt. For the first
+time he uttered that name before me--and yet we have sailed
+together for nearly three months."
+
+The half-breed's voice was so changed that I could hardly hear him.
+
+"It seemed to me," he resumed, "that in Martin Holt's
+mind--no, I was not mistaken--there was something like a
+suspicion."
+
+"But tell me what he said! Tell me exactly what he asked you. What
+is it?"
+
+I felt sure that the question put by Martin Holt, whatsoever its
+bearing, had been inspired by Hearne. Nevertheless, as I considered
+it well that the half-breed should know nothing of the sealing-master's
+disquieting and inexplicable intervention in this tragic affair, I
+decided upon concealing it from him.
+
+"He asked me," replied Dirk Peters, "did I not remember Ned
+Holt of the _Grampus_, and whether he had perished in the fight with
+the mutineers or in the shipwreck; whether he was one of the men who
+had been abandoned with Captain Barnard; in short, he asked me if I
+could tell him how his brother died. Ah! how!"
+
+No idea could be conveyed of the horror with which the half-breed
+uttered words which revealed a profound loathing of himself.
+
+"And what answer did you make to Martin Holt?"
+
+"None, none!"
+
+"You should have said that Ned Holt perished in the wreck of the
+brig."
+
+"I could not--understand me--I could not. The two brothers are
+so like each other. In Martin Holt I seemed to see Ned Holt. I was
+afraid, I got away from him."
+
+The half-breed drew himself up with a sudden movement, and I sat
+thinking, leaning my head on my hands. These tardy questions of
+Holt's respecting his brother were put, I had no doubt whatsoever,
+at the instigation of Hearne, but what was his motive, and was it at
+the Falklands that he had discovered the secret of Dirk Peters? I
+had not breathed a word on the subject to anyone. To the second
+question no answer suggested itself; the first involved a serious
+issue. Did the sealing-master merely desire to gratify his enmity
+against Dirk Peters, the only one of the Falkland sailors who had
+always taken the side of Captain Len Guy, and who had prevented the
+seizure of the boat by Hearne and his companions? Did he hope, by
+arousing the wrath and vengeance of Martin Holt, to detach the
+sailing-master from his allegiance and induce him to become an
+accomplice in Hearne's own designs? And, in fact, when it was a
+question of sailing the boat in these seas, had he not imperative
+need of Martin Holt, one of the best seamen of the _Halbrane_? A man
+who would succeed where Hearne and his companions would fail, if
+they had only themselves to depend on?
+
+I became lost in this labyrinth of hypotheses, and it must be
+admitted that its complications added largely to the troubles of an
+already complicated position.
+
+When I raised my eyes, Dirk Peters had disappeared; he had said what
+he came to say, and he now knew that I had not betrayed his
+confidence.
+
+The customary precautions were taken for the night, no individual
+being allowed to remain outside the camp, with the exception of the
+half-breed, who was in charge of the boat.
+
+The following day was the 31st of January. I pushed back the canvas
+of the tent, which I shared with Captain Len Guy and West
+respectively, as each succeeded the other on release from the
+alternate "watch," very early, and experienced a severe
+disappointment.
+
+Mist, everywhere! Nay, more than mist, a thick yellow,
+mouldy-smelling fog. And more than this again; the temperature had
+fallen sensibly: this was probably a forewarning of the austral
+winter. The summit of our ice-mountain was lost in vapour, in a fog
+which would not resolve itself into rain, but would continue to
+muffle up the horizon.
+
+"Bad luck!" said the boatswain, "for now if we were to pass by
+land we should not perceive it."
+
+"And our drift?"
+
+"More considerable than yesterday, Mr. Jeorling. The captain has
+sounded, and he makes the speed no less than between three and four
+miles."
+
+"And what do you conclude from this?"
+
+"I conclude that we must be within a narrower sea, since the
+current is so strong. I should not be surprised if we had land on
+both sides of us within ten or fifteen miles."
+
+"This, then, would be a wide strait that cuts the antarctic
+continent?"
+
+"Yes. Our captain is of that opinion."
+
+"And, holding that opinion, is he not going to make an attempt to
+reach one or other of the coasts of this strait?"
+
+"And how?"
+
+"With the boat."
+
+"Risk the boat in the midst of this fog!" exclaimed the
+boatswain, as he crossed his arms. "What are you thinking of, Mr.
+Jeorling? Can we cast anchor to wait for it? And all the chances
+would be that we should never see it again. Ah! if we only had the
+_Halbrane_!"
+
+But there was no longer a _Halbrane_!
+
+In spite of the difficulty of the ascent through the half-condensed
+vapour, I climbed up to the top of the iceberg, but when I had
+gained that eminence I strove in vain to pierce the impenetrable
+grey mantle in which the waters were wrapped.
+
+I remained there, hustled by the north-east wind, which was
+beginning to blow freshly and might perhaps rend the fog asunder.
+But no, fresh vapours accumulated around our floating refuge, driven
+up by the immense ventilation of the open sea. Under the double
+action of the atmospheric and antarctic currents, we drifted more
+and more rapidly, and I perceived a sort of shudder pass throughout
+the vast bulk of the iceberg.
+
+Then it was that I felt myself under the dominion of a sort of
+hallucination, one of those hallucinations which must have troubled
+tile mind of Arthur Pym. It seemed to me that I was losing myself in
+his extraordinary personality; at last I was beholding all that he
+had seen! Was not that impenetrable mist the curtain of vapours
+which he had seen in his delirium? I peered into it, seeking for
+those luminous rays which had streaked the sky from east to west! I
+sought in its depths for that limitless cataract, rolling in silence
+from the height of some immense rampart lost in the vastness of the
+zenith! I sought for the awful white giant of the South Pole!
+
+At length reason resumed her sway. This visionary madness,
+intoxicating while it lasted, passed off by degrees, and I descended
+the slope to our camp.
+
+The whole day passed without a change. The fog never once lifted to
+give us a glimpse outside of its muffling folds, and if the iceberg,
+which had travelled forty miles since the previous day, had passed
+by the extremity of the axis of the earth, we should never know it.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI.
+AMID THE MISTS.
+
+
+So this was the sum of all our efforts, trials and disappointments!
+Not to speak of the destruction of the _Halbrane_, the expedition had
+already cost nine lives. From thirty-two men who had embarked on the
+schooner, our number was reduced to twenty-three: how low was that
+figure yet to fall?
+
+Between the south pole and antarctic circle lay twenty degrees, and
+those would have to be cleared in a month or six weeks at the most;
+if not, the iceberg barrier would be re-formed and closed-up. As for
+wintering in that part of the antarctic circle, not a man of us
+could have survived it.
+
+Besides, we had lost all hope of rescuing the survivors of the _Jane_,
+and the sole desire of the crew was to escape as quickly as possible
+from the awful solitudes of the south. Our drift, which had been
+south, down to the pole, was now north, and, if that direction
+should continue, perhaps we might be favoured with such good
+fortune as would make up for all the evil that had befallen us! In
+any case there was nothing for it but, in familiar phrase, "to let
+ourselves go."
+
+The mist did not lift during the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of February, and
+it would have been difficult to make out the rate of progress of our
+iceberg since it had passed the pole. Captain Len Guy, however, and
+West, considered themselves safe in reckoning it at two hundred and
+fifty miles.
+
+The current did not seem to have diminished in speed or changed its
+course. It was now beyond a doubt that we were moving between the
+two halves of a continent, one on the east, the other on the west,
+which formed the vast antarctic region. And I thought it was a matter
+of great regret that we could not get aground on one or the other
+side of this vast strait, whose surface would presently be
+solidified by the coming of winter.
+
+When I expressed this sentiment to Captain Len Guy, he made me the
+only logical answer:
+
+"What would you have, Mr. Jeorling? We are powerless. There is
+nothing to be done, and the persistent fog is the worst part of our
+ill luck. I no longer know where we are. It is impossible to take an
+observation, and this befalls us just as the sun is about to
+disappear for long months."
+
+"Let me come back to the question of the boat," said I, "for
+the last time. Could we not, with the boat--"
+
+"Go on a discovery cruise? Can you think of such a thing? That
+would be an imprudence I would not commit, even though the crew
+would allow me."
+
+I was on the point of exclaiming: "And what if your brother and
+your countrymen have found refuge on some spot of the land that
+undoubtedly lies about us?"
+
+But I restrained myself. Of what avail was it to reawaken our
+captain's grief? He, too, must have contemplated this eventuality,
+and he had not renounced his purpose of further search without being
+fully convinced of the folly of a last attempt.
+
+During those three days of fog I had not caught sight of Dirk
+Peters, or rather he had made no attempt to approach, but had
+remained inflexibly at his post by the boat. Martin Holt's
+questions respecting his brother Ned seemed to indicate that his
+secret was known--at least in part, and the half-breed held himself
+more than ever aloof, sleeping while the others watched, and
+watching in their time of sleep. I even wondered whether he
+regretted having confided in me, and fancied that he had aroused my
+repugnance by his sad story. If so, he was mistaken; I deeply pitied
+the poor half-breed.
+
+Nothing could exceed the melancholy monotony of the hours which we
+passed in the midst of a fog so thick that the wind could not lift
+its curtain. The position of the iceberg could not be ascertained.
+It went with the current at a like speed, and had it been motionless
+there would have been no appreciable difference for us, for the wind
+had fallen--at least, so we supposed--and not a breath was
+stirring. The flame of a torch held up in the air did not flicker.
+The silence of space was broken only by the clangour of the
+sea-birds, which came in muffled croaking tones through the stifling
+atmosphere of vapour. Petrels and albatross swept the top of the
+iceberg, where they kept a useless watch in their flight. In what
+direction were those swift-winged creatures--perhaps already driven
+towards the confines of the arctic region at the approach of
+winter--bound? We could not tell. One day, the boatswain, who was
+determined to solve this question if possible, having mounted to the
+extreme top, not without risk of breaking his neck, came into such
+violent contact with a _quebranta huesos_--a sort of gigantic petrel
+measuring twelve feet with spread wings--that he was flung on his
+back.
+
+"Curse the bird!" he said on his return to the camp, addressing
+the observation to me. "I have had a narrow escape! A thump, and
+down I went, sprawling. I saved myself I don't know how, for I was
+all but over the side. Those ice ledges, you know, slip through
+one's fingers like water. I called out to the bird, ‘Can't you
+even look before you, you fool?' But what was the good of that?
+The big blunderer did not even beg my pardon!"
+
+In the afternoon of the same day our ears were assailed by a hideous
+braying from below. Hurliguerly remarked that as there were no asses
+to treat us to the concert, it must be given by penguins. Hitherto
+these countless dwellers in the polar regions had not thought proper
+to accompany us on our moving island; we had not seen even one,
+either at the foot of the iceberg or on the drifting packs.
+There could be no doubt that they were there in thousands, for the
+music was unmistakably that of a multitude of performers. Now those
+birds frequent by choice the edges of the coasts of islands and
+continents in high latitudes, or the ice-fields in their
+neighbourhood. Was not their presence an indication that land was
+near?
+
+I asked Captain Len Guy what he thought of the presence of these
+birds.
+
+"I think what you think, Mr. Jeorling," he replied. "Since we
+have been drifting, none of them have taken refuge on the iceberg,
+and here they are now in crowds, if we may judge by their deafening
+cries. From whence do they come? No doubt from land, which is
+probably near."
+
+"Is this West's opinion?"
+
+"Yes, Mr. Jeorling, and you know he is not given to vain
+imaginations."
+
+"Certainly not."
+
+"And then another thing has struck both him and me, which has
+apparently escaped your attention. It is that the braying of the
+penguins is mingled with a sound like the lowing of cattle. Listen
+and you will readily distinguish it."
+
+I listened, and, sure enough, the orchestra was more full than I had
+supposed.
+
+"I hear the lowing plainly," I said; "there are, then, seals
+and walrus also in the sea at the base."
+
+"That is certain, Mr. Jeorling, and I conclude from the fact that
+those animals--both birds and mammals--very rare since we left
+Tsalal Island, frequent the waters into which the currents have
+carried us."
+
+"Of course, captain, of course. Oh! what a misfortune it is that
+we should be surrounded by this impenetrable fog!"
+
+"Which prevents us from even getting down to the base of the
+iceberg! There, no doubt, we should discover whether there are
+seaweed drifts around us; if that be so, it would be another sign."
+
+"Why not try, captain?"
+
+"No, no, Mr. Jeorling, that might lead to falls, and I will not
+permit anybody to leave the camp. If land be there, I imagine our
+iceberg will strike it before long."
+
+"And if it does not?"
+
+"If it does not, how are we to make it?"
+
+I thought to myself that the boat might very well be used in the
+latter case. But Captain Len Guy preferred to wait, and perhaps this
+was the wiser course under our circumstances.
+
+At eight o'clock that evening the half-condensed mist was so
+compact that it was difficult to walk through it. The composition of
+the air seemed to be changed, as though it were passing into a solid
+state. It was not possible to discern whether the fog had any effect
+upon the compass. I knew the matter had been studied by
+meteorologists, and that they believe they may safely affirm that
+the needle is not affected by this condition of the atmosphere. I
+will add here that since we had left the South Pole behind no
+confidence could be placed in the indications of the compass; it had
+gone wild at the approach to the magnetic pole, to which we were no
+doubt on the way. Nothing could be known, therefore, concerning the
+course of the iceberg.
+
+The sun did not set quite below the horizon at this period, yet the
+waters were wrapped in tolerably deep darkness at nine o'clock in
+the evening, when the muster of the crew took place.
+
+On this occasion each man as usual answered to his name except Dirk
+Peters.
+
+The call was repeated in the loudest of Hurliguerly's stentorian
+tones. No reply.
+
+"Has nobody seen Dirk Peters during the day?" inquired the
+captain.
+
+"Nobody," answered the boatswain.
+
+"Can anything have happened to him?"
+
+"Don't be afraid," cried the boatswain. "Dirk Peters is in
+his element, and as much at his ease in the fog as a polar bear. He
+has got out of one bad scrape; he will get out of a second!"
+
+I let Hurliguerly have his say, knowing well why the half-breed kept
+out of the way.
+
+That night none of us, I am sure, could sleep. We were smothered in
+the tents, for lack of oxygen. And we were all more or less under
+the influence of a strange sort of presentiment, as though our fate
+were about to change, for better or worse, if indeed it could be
+worse.
+
+The night wore on without any alarm, and at six o'clock in the
+morning each of us came out to breathe a more wholesome air.
+
+The state of things was unchanged, the density of the fog was
+extraordinary. It was, however, found that the barometer had risen,
+too quickly, it is true, for the rise to be serious. Presently other
+signs of change became evident. The wind, which was growing
+colder--a south wind since we had passed beyond the south
+pole--began to blow a full gale, and the noises from below were
+heard more distinctly through the space swept by the atmospheric
+currents.
+
+At nine o'clock the iceberg doffed its cap of vapour quite
+suddenly, producing an indescribable transformation scene which no
+fairy's wand could have accomplished in less time or with greater
+success.
+
+In a few moments, the sky was clear to the extreme verge of the
+horizon, and the sea reappeared, illumined by the oblique rays of
+the sun, which now rose only a few degrees above it. A rolling swell
+of the waves bathed the base of our iceberg in white foam, as it
+drifted, together with a great multitude of floating mountains under
+the double action of wind and current, on a course inclining to the
+nor'-nor'-east.
+
+"Land!"
+
+This cry came from the summit of the moving mountain, and Dirk
+Peters was revealed to our sight, standing on the outermost block,
+his hand stretched towards the north.
+
+The half-breed was not mistaken. The land this time--yes!--it was
+land! Its distant heights, of a blackish hue, rose within three or
+four miles of us.
+
+  86° 12' south latitude.
+  114° 17' east longitude.
+
+The iceberg was nearly four degrees beyond the antarctic pole, and
+from the western longitudes that our schooner had followed tracing
+the course of the _Jane_, we had passed into the eastern longitudes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII.
+IN CAMP.
+
+
+A little after noon, the iceberg was within a mile of the land.
+
+After their dinner, the crew climbed up to the topmost block, on
+which Dirk Peters was stationed. On our approach the half-breed
+descended the opposite slope, and when I reached the top he was no
+longer to be seen.
+
+The land on the north evidently formed a continent or island of
+considerable extent. On the west there was a sharply projecting
+cape, surmounted by a sloping height which resembled an enormous
+seal's head on the side view; then beyond that was a wide stretch
+of sea. On the east the land was prolonged out of sight.
+
+Each one of us took in the position. It depended on the
+current whether it would carry the iceberg into an eddy which might
+drive it on the coast, or continue to drift it towards the north.
+
+Which was the more admissible hypothesis?
+
+Captain Len Guy, West, Hurliguerly, and I talked over the matter,
+while the crew discussed it among themselves. Finally, it was agreed
+that the current tended rather to carry the iceberg towards the
+northern point of land.
+
+"After all," said Captain Len Guy, "if it is habitable during
+the months of the summer season, it does not look like being
+inhabited, since we cannot descry a human being on the shore."
+
+"Let us bear in mind, captain," said I, "that the iceberg is
+not calculated to attract attention as the _Halbrane_ would have
+done."
+
+"Evidently, Mr. Jeorling; and the natives, if there were any,
+would have been collected on the beach to see the _Halbrane_
+already."
+
+"We must not conclude, captain, because we do not see any
+natives--"
+
+"Certainly not, Mr. Jeorling; but you will agree with me that the
+aspect of this land is very unlike that of Tsalal Island when the
+_Jane_ reached it; there is nothing here but desolation and
+barrenness."
+
+"I acknowledge that--barrenness and desolation, that is all.
+Nevertheless, I want to ask you whether it is your intention to go
+ashore, captain?"
+
+"With the boat?"
+
+"With the boat, should the current carry our iceberg away from the
+land."
+
+"We have not an hour to lose, Mr. Jeorling, and the delay of a few
+hours might condemn us to a cruel winter stay, if we arrived too
+late at the iceberg barrier."
+
+"And, considering the distance, we are not too soon," observed
+West.
+
+"I grant it," I replied, still persisting. "But, to leave this
+land behind us without ever having set foot on it, without having
+made sure that it does not preserve the traces of an encampment, if
+your brother, captain--his companions--"
+
+Captain Len Guy shook his head. How could the castaways have
+supported life in this desolate region for several months?
+
+Besides, the British flag was hoisted on the summit of the iceberg,
+and William Guy would have recognized it and come down to the shore
+had he been living.
+
+No one. No one.
+
+At this moment, West, who had been observing certain points of
+approach, said,--
+
+"Let us wait a little before we come to a decision. In less than
+an hour we shall be able to decide. Our speed is slackening, it
+seems to me, and it is possible that an eddy may bring us back
+obliquely to the coast."
+
+"That is my opinion too," said the boatswain, "and if our
+floating machine is not stationary, it is nearly so. It seems to be
+turning round."
+
+West and Hurliguerly were not mistaken. For some reason or other the
+iceberg was getting out of the course which it had followed
+continuously. A giratory movement had succeeded to that of drifting,
+owing to the action of an eddy which set towards the coast.
+
+Besides, several ice-mountains, in front of us, had just run aground
+on the edge of the shore. It was, then, useless to discuss whether
+we should take to the boat or not. According as we approached, the
+desolation of the land became more and more apparent, and the
+prospect of enduring six months' wintering there would have
+appalled the stoutest hearts.
+
+At five in the afternoon, the iceberg plunged into a deep rift in
+the coast ending in a long point on the right, and there stuck fast.
+
+"On shore! On shore!" burst from every man, like a single
+exclamation, and the men were already hurrying down the slope of the
+iceberg, when West commanded:
+
+"Wait for orders!"
+
+Some hesitation was shown--especially on the part of Hearne and
+several of his comrades. Then the instinct of discipline prevailed,
+and finally the whole crew ranged themselves around Captain Len Guy.
+It was not necessary to lower the boat, the iceberg being in contact
+with the point.
+
+The captain, the boatswain, and myself, preceding the others, were
+the first to quit the camp; ours were the first human feet to tread
+this virgin and volcanic soil.
+
+We walked for twenty minutes on rough land, strewn with rocks of
+igneous origin, solidified lava, dusty slag, and grey ashes, but
+without enough clay to grow even the hardiest plants.
+
+With some risk and difficulty, Captain Len Guy, the boatswain, and I
+succeeded in climbing the hill; this exploit occupied a whole hour.
+Although evening had now come, it brought no darkness in its train.
+From the top of the hill we could see over an extent of from thirty
+to forty miles, and this was what we saw.
+
+Behind us lay the open sea, laden with floating masses; a great
+number of these had recently heaped themselves up against the beach
+and rendered it almost inaccessible.
+
+On the west was a strip of hilly land, which extended beyond our
+sight, and was washed on its east side by a boundless sea. It was
+evident that we had been carried by the drift through a strait.
+
+Ah! if we had only had our _Halbrane_! But our sole possession was a
+frail craft barely capable of containing a dozen men, and we were
+twenty-three!
+
+There was nothing for it but to go down to the shore again, to carry
+the tents to the beach, and take measures in view of a winter
+sojourn under the terrible conditions imposed upon us by
+circumstances.
+
+On our return to the coast the boatswain discovered several caverns
+in the granitic cliffs, sufficiently spacious to house us all and
+afford storage for the cargo of the _Halbrane_. Whatever might be our
+ultimate decision, we could not do better than place our material
+and instal ourselves in this opportune shelter.
+
+After we had reascended the slopes of the iceberg and reached our
+camp, Captain Len Guy had the men mustered. The only missing man was
+Dirk Peters, who had decidedly isolated himself from the crew. There
+was nothing to fear from him, however; he would be with the faithful
+against the mutinous, and under all circumstances we might count upon
+him. When the circle had been formed, Captain Len Guy spoke, without
+allowing any sign of discouragement to appear, and explained the
+position with the utmost frankness and lucidity, stating in the
+first place that it was absolutely necessary to lower the cargo to
+the coast and stow it away in one of the caverns. Concerning the
+vital question of food, he stated that the supply of flour,
+preserved meat, and dried vegetables would suffice for the winter,
+however prolonged, and on that of fuel he was satisfied that we
+should not want for coal, provided it was not wasted; and it would
+be possible to economize it, as the hibernating waifs might brave
+the cold of the polar zone under a covering of snow and a roof of
+ice.
+
+Was the captain's tone of security feigned? I did not think so,
+especially as West approved of what he said.
+
+A third question raised by Hearne remained, and was well calculated
+to arouse jealousy and anger among the crew. It was the question of
+the use to be made of the only craft remaining to us. Ought the boat
+to be kept for the needs of our hibernation, or used to enable us to
+return to the iceberg barrier?
+
+Captain Len Guy would not pronounce upon this; he desired to
+postpone the decision for twenty-four or forty-eight hours. The
+boat, carrying the provisions necessary for such a voyage, could not
+accommodate more than eleven or, at the outside, twelve men. If the
+departure of the boat were agreed to, then its passengers must be
+selected by lot. The captain proceeded to state that neither West,
+the boatswain, I, nor he would claim any privilege, but would submit
+to the fortune of the lot with all the others. Both Martin Holt and
+Hardy were perfectly capable of taking the boat to the fishing-grounds,
+where the whalers would still be found.
+
+Then, those to whom the lot should fall were not to forget their
+comrades, left to winter on the eighty-sixth parallel, and were to
+send a ship to take them off at the return of summer.
+
+All this was said in a tone as calm as it was firm. I must do
+Captain Len Guy the justice to say that he rose to the occasion.
+
+When he had concluded--without any interruption even from
+Hearne--no one made a remark. There was, indeed, none to be made,
+since, in the given case, lots were to be drawn under conditions of
+perfect equality.
+
+The hour of rest having arrived, each man entered the camp, partook
+of the supper prepared by Endicott, and went to sleep for the last
+time under the tents.
+
+Dirk Peters had not reappeared, and I sought for him in vain.
+
+On the following day, the 7th of February, everybody set to work
+early with a will. The boat was let down with all due precaution to
+the base of the iceberg, and drawn up by the men on a little sandy
+beach out of reach of the water. It was in perfectly good condition,
+and thoroughly serviceable.
+
+The boatswain then set to work on the former contents of the
+_Halbrane_, furniture, bedding, sails, clothing, instruments, and
+utensils. Stowed away in a cabin, these things would no longer be
+exposed to the knocking about and damage of the iceberg. The cases
+containing preserved food and the casks of spirits were rapidly
+carried ashore.
+
+I worked with the captain and West at this onerous task, and Dirk
+Peters also turned up and lent the valuable assistance of his great
+strength, but he did not utter a word to anyone.
+
+Our occupation continued on the 8th, 9th, and 10th February, and our
+task was finished in the afternoon of the 10th. The cargo was safely
+stowed in the interior of a large grotto, with access to it by a
+narrow opening. We were to inhabit the adjoining grotto, and
+Endicott set up his kitchen in the latter, on the advice of the
+boatswain. Thus we should profit by the heat of the stove, which was
+to cook our food and warm the cavern during the long days, or rather
+the long nights of the austral winter.
+
+During the process of housing and storing, I observed nothing to
+arouse suspicion in the bearing of Hearne and the Falklands men.
+Nevertheless, the half-breed was kept on guard at the boat, which
+might easily have been seized upon the beach.
+
+Hurliguerly, who observed his comrades closely, appeared less
+anxious.
+
+On that same evening Captain Len Guy, having reassembled his people,
+stated that the question should be discussed on the morrow, adding
+that, if it were decided in the affirmative, lots should be drawn
+immediately. No reply was made.
+
+It was late, and half dark outside, for at this date the sun was on
+the edge of the horizon, and would very soon disappear below it.
+
+I had been asleep for some hours when I was awakened by a great
+shouting at a short distance. I sprang up instantly and darted out
+of the cavern, simultaneously with the captain and West, who had
+also been suddenly aroused from sleep.
+
+"The boat! the boat!" cried West.
+
+The boat was no longer in its place--that place so jealously
+guarded by Dirk Peters.
+
+After they had pushed the boat into the sea, three men had got into
+it with bales and casks, while ten others strove to control the
+half-breed.
+
+Hearne was there, and Martin Holt also; the latter, it seemed to me,
+was not interfering.
+
+These wretches, then, intended to depart before the lots were drawn;
+they meant to forsake us. They had succeeded in surprising Dirk
+Peters, and they would have killed him, had he not fought hard for
+life.
+
+In the face of this mutiny, knowing our inferiority of numbers, and
+not knowing whether he might count on all the old crew, Captain Len
+Guy re-entered the cavern with West in order to procure arms. Hearne
+and his accomplices were armed.
+
+I was about to follow them when the following words arrested my
+steps.
+
+The half-breed, overpowered by numbers, had been knocked down, and
+at this moment Martin Holt, in gratitude to the man who saved his
+life, was rushing to his aid, but Hearne called out to him,--
+
+"Leave the fellow alone, and come with us!"
+
+Martin Holt hesitated.
+
+"Yes, leave him alone, I say; leave Dirk Peters, the assassin of
+your brother, alone."
+
+"The assassin of my brother!"
+
+"Your brother, killed on board the _Grampus_--"
+
+"Killed! by Dirk Peters?"
+
+"Yes! Killed and eaten--eaten--eaten!" repeated Hearne, who
+pronounced the hateful words with a kind of howl.
+
+And then, at a sign from Hearne, two of his comrades seized Martin
+Holt and dragged him into the boat. Hearne was instantly followed by
+all those whom he had induced to join in this criminal deed.
+
+At that moment Dirk Peters rose from the ground, and sprang upon one
+of the Falklands men as he was in the act of stepping on the
+platform of the boat, lifted him up bodily, hurled him round his
+head and dashed his brains out against a rock.
+
+In an instant the half-breed fell, shot in the shoulder by a bullet
+from Hearne's pistol, and the boat was pushed off.
+
+Then Captain Len Guy and West came out of the cavern--the whole
+scene had passed in less than a minute--and ran down to the point,
+which they reached together with the boatswain, Hardy, Francis, and
+Stern.
+
+The boat, which was drawn by the current, was already some distance
+off, and the tide was falling rapidly.
+
+West shouldered his gun and fired; a sailor dropped into the bottom
+of the boat. A second shot, fired by Captain Len Guy, grazed
+Hearne's breast, and the ball was lost among the ice-blocks at the
+moment when the boat disappeared behind the iceberg.
+
+The only thing for us to do was to cross to the other side of the
+point. The current would carry the wretches thither, no doubt,
+before it bore them northward. If they passed within range, and if
+a second shot should hit Hearne, either killing or wounding him, his
+companions might perhaps decide on coming back to us.
+
+A quarter of an hour elapsed. When the boat appeared at the other
+side of the point, it was so far off that our bullets could not
+reach it. Hearne had already had the sail set, and the boat,
+impelled by wind and current jointly, was soon no more than a white
+speck on the face of the waters, and speedily disappeared.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII.
+FOUND AT LAST.
+
+
+The question of our wintering on the land whereon we had been thrown
+was settled for us. But, after all, the situation was not changed
+for those among the nine (now only remaining of the twenty-three)
+who should not have drawn the lot of departure. Who could speculate
+upon the chances of the whole nine? Might not all of them have drawn
+the lot of "stay"? And, when every chance was fully weighed, was
+that of those who had left us the best? To this question there could
+be no answer.
+
+When the boat had disappeared, Captain Len Guy and his companions
+retraced their steps towards the cavern in which we must live for
+all the time during which we could not go out, in the dread darkness
+of the antarctic winter. My first thought was of Dirk Peters, who,
+being wounded, could not follow us when we hurried to the other side
+of the point.
+
+On reaching the cavern I failed to find the half-breed. Was he
+severely wounded? Should we have to mourn the death of this man who
+was as faithful to us as to his "poor Pym"?
+
+"Let us search for him, Mr. Jeorling!" cried the boatswain.
+
+"We will go together," said the captain. "Dirk Peters would never
+have forsaken us, and we will not forsake him."
+
+"Would he come back," said I, "now that what he thought was
+known to him and me only has come out?"
+
+I informed my companions of the reason why the name of Ned Holt had
+been changed to that of Parker in Arthur Pym's narrative, and of
+the circumstances under which the half-breed had apprised me of the
+fact. At the same time I urged every consideration that might
+exculpate him, dwelling in particular upon the point that if the lot
+had fallen to Dirk Peters, he would have been the victim of the
+others' hunger.
+
+"Dirk Peters confided this secret to you only?" inquired Captain
+Len Guy.
+
+"To me only, captain."
+
+"And you have kept it?"
+
+"Absolutely."
+
+"Then I cannot understand how it came to the knowledge of
+Hearne."
+
+"At first," I replied, "I thought Hearne might have talked in
+his sleep, and that it was by chance Martin Holt learned the secret.
+After reflection, however, I recalled to mind that when the
+half-breed related the scene on the _Grampus_ to me, he was in my
+cabin, and the side sash was raised. I have reason to think that the
+man at the wheel overheard our conversation. Now that man was
+Hearne, who, in order to hear it more clearly, let go the wheel, so
+that the _Halbrane_ lurched--"
+
+"I remember," said West. "I questioned the fellow sharply, and
+sent him down into the hold."
+
+"Well, then, captain," I resumed, "it was from that day that
+Hearne made up to Martin Holt. Hurliguerly called my attention to
+the fact."
+
+"Of course he did," said the boatswain, "for Hearne, not being
+capable of managing the boat which he intended to seize, required a
+master-hand like Holt."
+
+"And so," I said, "he kept on urging Holt to question the
+half-breed concerning his brother's fate, and you know how Holt
+came at last to learn the fearful truth. Martin Holt seemed to be
+stupefied by the revelation. The others dragged him away, and now he
+is with them!" We were all agreed that things had happened as I
+supposed, and now the question was, did Dirk Peters, in his present
+state of mind, mean to absent himself? Would he consent to resume
+his place among us?
+
+We all left the cavern, and after an hour's search we came in
+sight of Dirk Peters, whose first impulse was to escape from us. At
+length, however, Hurliguerly and Francis came up with him. He stood
+still and made no resistance. I advanced and spoke to him, the
+others did the same. Captain Len Guy offered him his hand, which he
+took after a moment's hesitation. Then, without uttering a single
+word, he returned towards the beach.
+
+From that day no allusion was ever made to the tragic story of the
+_Grampus_. Dirk Peters' wound proved to be slight; he merely wrapped
+a piece of sailcloth round the injured arm, and went off to his work
+with entire unconcern.
+
+We made all the preparation in our power for a prolonged
+hibernation. Winter was threatening us. For some days past the sun
+hardly showed at all through the mists. The temperature fell to 36
+degrees and would rise no more, while the solar rays, casting
+shadows of endless length upon the soil, gave hardly any heat. The
+captain made us put on warm woollen clothes without waiting for the
+cold to become more severe.
+
+Icebergs, packs, streams, and drifts came in greater numbers from
+the south. Some of these struck and stayed upon the coast, which was
+already heaped up with ice, but the greater number disappeared in
+the direction of the north-east.
+
+"All these pieces," said the boatswain, "will go to the
+closing up of the iceberg wall. If Hearne and his lot of scoundrels
+are not ahead of them, I imagine they will find the door shut, and
+as they have no key to open it with--"
+
+"I suppose you think, boatswain, that our case is less desperate
+than theirs?"
+
+"I do think so, Mr. Jeorling, and I have always thought so. If
+everything had been done as it was settled, and the lot had fallen
+to me to go with the boat, I would have given up my turn to one of
+the others. After all, there is something in feeling dry ground
+under your feet. I don't wish the death of anybody, but if Hearne
+and his friends do not succeed in clearing the iceberg barrier--if
+they are doomed to pass the winter on the ice, reduced for food to a
+supply that will only last a few weeks, you know the fate that
+awaits them!"
+
+"Yes, a fate worse than ours!"
+
+"And besides," said the boatswain, "even supposing they do
+reach the Antarctic Circle. If the whalers have already left the
+fishing-grounds, it is not a laden and overladen craft that will
+keep the sea until the Australian coasts are in sight."
+
+This was my own opinion, and also that of the captain and West.
+
+During the following four days, we completed the storage of the
+whole of our belongings, and made some excursions into the interior
+of the country, finding "all barren," and not a trace that any
+landing had ever been made there.
+
+One day, Captain Len Guy proposed that we should give a geographical
+name to the region whither the iceberg had carried us. It was named
+Halbrane Land, in memory of our schooner, and we called the strait
+that separated the two parts of the polar continent the Jane Sound.
+
+Then we took to shooting the penguins which swarmed upon the rocks,
+and to capturing some of the amphibious animals which frequented the
+beach. We began to feel the want of fresh meat, and Endicott's
+cooking rendered seal and walrus flesh quite palatable. Besides, the
+fat of these creatures would serve, at need, to warm the cavern and
+feed the cooking-stove. Our most formidable enemy would be the cold,
+and we must fight it by every means within our power. It remained
+to be seen whether the amphibia would not forsake Halbrane Land at
+the approach of winter, and seek a less rigorous climate in lower
+latitudes. Fortunately there were hundreds of other animals to
+secure our little company from hunger, and even from thirst, at
+need. The beach was the home of numbers of galapagos--a kind of
+turtle so called from an archipelago in the equinoctial sea, where
+also they abound, and mentioned by Arthur Pym as supplying food to
+the islanders. It will be remembered that Pym and Peters found three
+of these galapagos in the native boat which carried them away from
+Tsalal Island.
+
+The movement of these huge creatures is slow, heavy, and waddling;
+they have thin necks two feet long, triangular snake-like heads, and
+can go without food for very long periods.
+
+Arthur Pym has compared the antarctic turtles to dromedaries,
+because, like those ruminants, they have a pouch just where the neck
+begins, which contains from two to three gallons of cold fresh
+water. He relates, before the scene of the lot-drawing, that but for
+one of these turtles the shipwrecked crew of the _Grampus_ must have
+died of hunger and thirst. If Pym is to be believed, some of the
+great turtles weigh from twelve to fifteen hundred pounds. Those of
+Halbrane Land did not go beyond seven or eight hundred pounds, but
+their flesh was none the less savoury.
+
+On the 19th of February an incident occurred--an incident which
+those who acknowledge the intervention of Providence in human
+affairs will recognize as providential.
+
+It was eight o'clock in the morning; the weather was calm; the sky
+was tolerably clear; the thermometer stood at thirty-two degrees
+Fahrenheit.
+
+We were assembled in the cavern, with the exception of the
+boatswain, waiting for our breakfast, which Endicott was preparing,
+and were about to take our places at table, when we heard a call
+from outside.
+
+The voice was Hurliguerly's, and we hurried out. On seeing us, he
+cried,--
+
+"Come--come quickly!"
+
+He was standing on a rock at the foot of the hillock above the beach
+in which Halbrane Land ended beyond the point, and his right hand
+was stretched out towards the sea.
+
+"What is it?" asked Captain Len Guy.
+
+"A boat."
+
+"Is it the _Halbrane's_ boat coming back?"
+
+"No, captain--it is not."
+
+Then we perceived a boat, not to be mistaken for that of our
+schooner in form or dimensions, drifting without oars or paddle,
+seemingly abandoned to the current.
+
+We had but one idea in common--to seize at any cost upon this
+derelict craft, which would, perhaps, prove our salvation. But how
+were we to reach it? how were we to get it in to the point of
+Halbrane Land?
+
+While we were looking distractedly at the boat and at each other,
+there came a sudden splash at the end of the hillock, as though a
+body had fallen into the sea.
+
+It was Dirk Peters, who, having flung off his clothes, had sprung
+from the top of a rock, and was swimming rapidly towards the boat
+before we made him out.
+
+We cheered him heartily. I never beheld anything like that swimming.
+He bounded through the waves like a porpoise, and indeed he
+possessed the strength and swiftness of one. What might not be
+expected of such a man!
+
+In a few minutes the half-breed had swum several cables' lengths
+towards the boat in an oblique direction. We could only see his head
+like a black speck on the surface of the rolling waves. A period of
+suspense, of intense watching of the brave swimmer succeeded.
+Surely, surely he would reach the boat; but must he not be carried
+away with it? Was it to be believed that even his great strength
+would enable him, swimming, to tow it to the beach?
+
+"After all, why should there not be oars in the boat?" said the
+boatswain.
+
+[Illustration: William Guy.]
+
+"He has it! He has it! Hurrah, Dirk, hurrah!" shouted
+Hurliguerly, and Endicott echoed his exultant cheer.
+
+The half-breed had, in fact, reached the boat and raised himself
+alongside half out of the water. His big, strong hand grasped the
+side, and at the risk of causing the boat to capsize, he hoisted
+himself up to the side, stepped over it, and sat down to draw his
+breath.
+
+Almost instantly a shout reached our ears. It was uttered by Dirk
+Peters. What had he found? Paddles! It must be so, for we saw him
+seat himself in the front of the boat, and paddle with all his
+strength in striving to get out of the current.
+
+"Come along!" said the captain, and, turning the base of the
+hillock, we all ran along the edge of the beach between the blackish
+stones that bestrewed it.
+
+After some time, West stopped us. The boat had reached the shelter
+of a small projection at that place, and it was evident that it
+would be run ashore there.
+
+When it was within five or six cables' lengths, and the eddy was
+helping it on, Dirk Peters let go the paddles, stooped towards the
+after-part of the boat, and then raised himself, holding up an inert
+body.
+
+An agonized cry from Captain Len Guy rent the air!
+
+"My brother--my brother!"
+
+"He is living! He is living!" shouted Dirk Peters.
+
+A moment later, the boat had touched the beach, and Captain Len Guy
+held his brother in his arms.
+
+Three of William Guy's companions lay apparently lifeless in the
+bottom of the boat.
+
+And these four men were all that remained of the crew of the _Jane_.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV.
+ELEVEN YEARS IN A FEW PAGES.
+
+
+The heading of the following chapter indicates that the adventures
+of William Guy and his companions after the destruction of the English
+schooner, and the details of their history subsequent to the
+departure of Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters, are about to be narrated
+with all possible brevity.
+
+We carried our treasure-trove to the cavern, and had the happiness of
+restoring all four men to life. In reality, it was hunger, nothing
+but hunger, which had reduced the poor fellows to the semblance of
+death.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+On the 8th of February, 1828, the crew of the _Jane_, having no reason
+to doubt the good faith of the population of Tsalal Island, or that
+of their chief, Too-Wit, disembarked, in order to visit the village
+of Klock-Klock, having previously put the schooner into a state of
+defence, leaving six men on board.
+
+The crew, counting William Guy, the captain, Arthur Pym, and Dirk
+Peters, formed a body of thirty-two men, armed with guns, pistols,
+and knives. The dog Tiger accompanied them.
+
+On reaching the narrow gorge leading to the village, preceded and
+followed by the numerous warriors of Too-Wit, the little company
+divided, Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters, and Allen (the sailor) entering a
+cleft in the hill-side with the intention of crossing it to the
+other side. From that moment their companions were never to see them
+more.
+
+After a short interval a shock was felt. The opposite hill fell down
+in a vast heap, burying William Guy and his twenty-eight companions.
+
+Twenty-two of these unfortunate men were crushed to death on the
+instant, and their bodies would never be found under that mass of
+earth.
+
+Seven, miraculously sheltered in the depth of a great cleft of the
+hill, had survived the catastrophe. These were William Guy,
+Patterson, Roberts, Covin, Trinkle, also Forbes and Sexton, since
+dead. As for Tiger, they knew not whether he had perished in the
+landslip, or whether he had escaped. There existed in the right side
+of the hill, as well as in the left, on either side of the fissure,
+certain winding passages, and it was by crawling along these in the
+darkness that William Guy, Patterson, and the others reached a
+cavity which let in light and air in abundance. From this shelter
+they beheld the attack on the _Jane_ by sixty pirogues, the defence
+made by the six men on board, the invasion of the ship by the
+savages, and finally the explosion which caused the death of a vast
+number of natives as well as the complete destruction of the ship.
+
+Too-Wit and the Tsalal islanders were at first terrified by the
+effects of this explosion, but probably still more disappointed.
+Their instincts of pillage could not be gratified, because some
+valueless wreckage was all that remained of the ship and her cargo,
+and they had no reason to suppose that any of the crew had survived
+the cleverly-contrived collapse of the hill. Hence it came about
+that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters on the one side, and William Guy and
+his companions on the other, were enabled to remain undisturbed in
+the labyrinths of Klock-Klock, where they fed on the flesh of
+bitterns--these they could catch with their hands--and the fruit
+of the nut-trees which grow on the hill-sides. They procured fire by
+rubbing pieces of soft against pieces of hard wood; there was a
+quantity of both within their reach.
+
+After a whole week of this confinement, Arthur Pym and the
+half-breed had succeeded, as we know, in leaving their hiding-place,
+securing a boat, and abandoning Tsalal Island, but William Guy and
+his companions had not yet found an opportunity to escape.
+
+After they had been shut up in the labyrinth for twenty-one days, the
+birds on which they lived began to fail them, and they recognized
+that their only means of escaping hunger--(they had not to fear
+thirst, for there was a spring of fresh water in the interior of the
+hill)--was to go down again to the coast, lay hands upon a native
+boat, and get out to sea. Where were the fugitives to go, and what
+was to become of them without provisions?--these were questions
+that had to be asked, and which nobody could answer. Nevertheless,
+they would not have hesitated to attempt the adventure if they could
+have a few hours of darkness; but, at that time of year, the sun did
+not as yet go down behind the horizon of the eighty-fourth parallel.
+
+Death would probably have put an end to their misery had not the
+situation been changed by the following events.
+
+On the 22nd of February, in the morning, William Guy and Patterson
+were talking together, in terrible perplexity of mind, at the
+orifice of the cavity that opened upon the country. They no longer
+knew how to provide for the wants of seven persons, who were then
+reduced to eating nuts only, and were suffering in consequence from
+severe pain in the head and stomach. They could see big turtles
+crawling on the beach, but how could they venture to go thither,
+with hundreds of natives coming and going about their several
+occupations, with their constant cry of _tékéli-li_?
+
+Suddenly, this crowd of people became violently agitated. Men,
+women, and children ran wildly about on every side. Some of the
+savages even took to their boats as though a great danger were at
+hand.
+
+What was happening?
+
+William Guy and his companions were very soon informed. The cause of
+the tumult was the appearance of an unknown animal, a terrible
+quadruped, which dashed into the midst of the islanders, snapping at
+and biting them indiscriminately, as it sprang at their throats with
+a hoarse growling.
+
+And yet the infuriated animal was alone, and might easily have been
+killed by stones or arrows. Why then did a crowd of savages manifest
+such abject terror? Why did they take to flight? Why did they appear
+incapable of defending themselves against this one beast?
+
+The animal was white, and the sight of it had produced the
+phenomenon previously observed, that inexplicable terror of
+whiteness common to all the natives of Tsalal.
+
+To their extreme surprise, William Guy and his companions recognized
+the strange animal as the dog Tiger.
+
+Yes! Tiger had escaped from the crumbling mass of the hill and
+betaken himself to the interior of the island, whence he had
+returned to Klock-Klock, to spread terror among the natives. But
+Tiger was no mere phantom foe; he was the most dangerous and deadly
+of enemies, for the poor animal was mad, and his fangs were fatal!
+
+This was the reason why the greater part of the Tsalal islanders
+took to flight, headed by their chief, Too-Wit, and the Wampos, who
+are the leading personages of Klock-Klock. It was under these
+extraordinary circumstances that they abandoned their island,
+whither they were destined never to return.
+
+Although the boats carried off the bulk of the population, a
+considerable number still remained on Tsalal, having no means of
+escape, and their fate accomplished itself quickly. Several natives
+who were bitten by Tiger developed hydrophobia rapidly, and attacked
+the others. Fearful scenes ensued, and are briefly to be summed up
+in one dismal statement. The bones we had seen in or near Klock-Klock
+were those of the poor savages, which had lain there bleaching for
+eleven years!
+
+The poor dog had died, after he had done his fell work, in a corner
+on the beach, where Dirk Peters found his skeleton and the collar
+bearing the name of Arthur Pym.
+
+Then, after those natives who could not escape from the island had
+all perished in the manner described, William Guy, Patterson,
+Trinkle, Covin, Forbes, and Sexton ventured to come out of the
+labyrinth, where they were on the verge of death by starvation.
+
+What sort of existence was that of the seven survivors of the
+expedition during the eleven ensuing years?
+
+On the whole, it was more endurable than might have been supposed.
+The natural products of an extremely fertile soil and the presence
+of a certain number of domestic animals secured them against want of
+food; they had only to make out the best shelter for themselves they
+could contrive, and wait for an opportunity of getting away from the
+island with as much patience as might be granted to them. And from
+whence could such an opportunity come? Only from one of the chances
+within the resources of Providence.
+
+Captain William Guy, Patterson, and their five companions descended
+the ravine, which was half filled with the fallen masses of the
+hill-face, amid heaps of scoria and blocks of black granite. Before
+they left this gorge, it occurred to William Guy to explore the
+fissure on the right into which Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters, and Allen
+had turned, but he found it blocked up; it was impossible for him to
+get into the pass. Thus he remained in ignorance of the existence of
+the natural or artificial labyrinth which corresponded with the one
+he had just left, and probably communicated with it under the dry
+bed of the torrent. The little company, having passed the chaotic
+barrier that intercepted the northern route, proceeded rapidly
+towards the north-west. There, on the coast, at about three miles
+from Klock-Klock, they established themselves in a grotto very like
+that in our own occupation on the coast of Halbrane Land.
+
+And it was in this place that, during long, hopeless years, the
+seven survivors of the _Jane_ lived, as we were about to do ourselves,
+but under better conditions, for the fertility of the soil of Tsalal
+furnished them with resources unknown in Halbrane Land. In reality,
+we were condemned to perish when our provisions should be exhausted,
+but they could have waited indefinitely--and they did wait.
+
+They had never entertained any doubt that Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters,
+and Allen had perished, and this was only too true in Allen's
+case. How, indeed, could they ever have imagined that Pym and the
+half-breed had got hold of a boat and made their escape from Tsalal
+Island?
+
+So, then, as William Guy told us, not an incident occurred to break
+the monotony of that existence of eleven years--not even the
+reappearance of the islanders, who were kept away from Tsalal by
+superstitious terror. No danger had threatened them during all that
+time; but, of course, as it became more and more prolonged, they
+lost the hope of ever being rescued. At first, with the return of
+the fine season, when the sea was once more open, they had thought
+it possible that a ship would be sent in search of the _Jane_. But
+after four or five years they relinquished all hope.
+
+There is no need for dwelling on this period, which extends from the
+year 1828 to the year 1839. The winters were hard. The summer did
+indeed extend its beneficent influence to the islands of the Tsalal
+group, but the cold season, with its attendant snows, rains, and
+tempests, spared them none of its severity.
+
+During seven months Captain William Guy had not lost one of those
+who had come with him safe and sound out of the trap set for them at
+Klock-Klock, and this was due, no doubt, to their robust
+constitutions, remarkable power of endurance, and great strength of
+character. Alas! misfortune was making ready to fall on them.
+
+The month of May had come--it corresponds in those regions to the
+month of November in northern lands--and the ice-packs which the
+current carried towards the north were beginning to drift past
+Tsalal. One day, one of the seven men failed to return to the
+cavern. They called, they waited, they searched for him. All was in
+vain. He did not reappear; no doubt he had been drowned. He was
+never more seen by his fellow-exiles.
+
+This man was Patterson, the faithful companion of William Guy.
+
+Now, what William Guy did not know, but we told him, was that
+Patterson--under what circumstances none would ever learn--had
+been carried away on the surface of an ice-block, where he died of
+hunger. And on that ice-block, which had travelled so far as Prince
+Edward Island, the boatswain had discovered the corpse of the
+unfortunate man almost decomposed by the action of the warmer waters.
+
+When Captain Len Guy told his brother of the finding of the body of
+Patterson, and how it was owing to the notes in his pocket-book that
+the _Halbrane_ had been enabled to proceed towards the antarctic seas,
+William Guy hid his face in his hands and wept.
+
+Other misfortunes followed upon this one.
+
+Five months after the disappearance of Patterson, in the middle of
+October, Tsalal Island was laid waste from coast to coast by an
+earthquake, which destroyed the south-western group almost entirely.
+William Guy and his companions must soon have perished on the barren
+land, which no longer could give them food, had not the means of
+leaving its coast, now merely an expanse of tumbled rocks, been
+afforded them in an almost miraculous manner. Two days after the
+earthquake, the current carried ashore within a few hundred yards of
+their cavern a boat which had drifted from the island group on the
+south-west.
+
+Without the delay of even one day, the boat was laden with as much
+of the remaining provisions as it could contain, and the six men
+embarked in it, bidding adieu for ever to the now uninhabitable
+island.
+
+Unfortunately a very strong breeze was blowing; it was impossible to
+resist it, and the boat was driven southwards by that very same
+current which had caused our iceberg to drift to the coast of
+Halbrane Land.
+
+For two months and a half these poor fellows were borne across the
+open sea, with no control over their course. It was not until the
+2nd of January in the present year (1840) that they sighted
+land--east of the _Jane_ Sound.
+
+Now, we already knew this land was not more than fifty miles from
+Halbrane Land. Yes! so small, relatively, was the distance that
+separated us from those whom we had sought for in the antarctic
+regions far and wide, and concerning whom we had lost hope.
+
+Their boat had gone ashore far to the south-east of us. But on how
+different a coast from that of Tsalal Island, or, rather, on one how
+like that of Halbrane Land! Nothing was to be seen but sand and
+stones; neither trees, shrubs, nor plants of any kind. Their
+provisions were almost exhausted; William Guy and his companions
+were soon reduced to extreme want, and two of the little company,
+Forbes and Sexton, died.
+
+The remaining four resolved not to remain a single day longer in the
+place where they were doomed to die of hunger. They embarked in the
+boat with the small supply of food still remaining, and once more
+abandoned themselves to the current, without having been able to
+verify their position, for want of instruments.
+
+Thus had they been borne upon the unknown deep for twenty-five days,
+their resources were completely exhausted, and they had not eaten
+for forty-eight hours, when the boat, with its occupants lying
+inanimate at the bottom of it, was sighted from Halbrane Land. The
+rest is already known to the reader of this strange eventful history.
+
+And now the two brothers were at length reunited in that remote
+corner of the big world which we had dubbed Halbrane Land.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV.
+"WE WERE THE FIRST."
+
+
+Two days later not one of the survivors from the two schooners, the
+_Jane_ and the _Halbrane_, remained upon any coast of the Antarctic
+region.
+
+On the 21st of February, at six o'clock in the morning, the boat,
+with us all (we numbered thirteen) in it, left the little creek and
+doubled the point of Halbrane Land. On the previous day we had fully
+and finally debated the question of our departure, with the
+understanding that if it were settled in the affirmative, we should
+start without delay.
+
+The captain of the _Jane_ was for an immediate departure, and Captain
+Len Guy was not opposed to it. I willingly sided with them, and West
+was of a similar opinion. The boatswain was inclined to oppose us.
+He considered it imprudent to give up a certainty for the uncertain,
+and he was backed by Endicott, who would in any case say "ditto"
+to his "Mr. Burke." However, when the time came, Hurliguerly
+conformed to the  view of the majority with a good grace, and
+declared himself quite ready to set out, since we were all of that
+way of thinking.
+
+Our boat was one of those in use in the Tsalal Archipelago for
+plying between the islands. We knew, from the narrative of Arthur
+Pym, that these boats are of two kinds, one resembling rafts or flat
+boats, the other strongly-built pirogues. Our boat was of the former
+kind, forty feet long, six feet in width, and worked by several
+paddles.
+
+We called our little craft the _Paracuta_, after a fish which abounds
+in these waters. A rough image of that denizen of the southern deep
+was cut upon the gunwale.
+
+Needless to say that the greater part of the cargo of the _Halbrane_
+was left in our cavern, fully protected from the weather, at the
+disposal of any shipwrecked people who might chance to be thrown on
+the coast of Halbrane Land. The boatswain had planted a spar on the
+top of this slope to attract attention. But, our two schooners
+notwithstanding, what vessel would ever venture into such latitudes?
+
+_Nota Bene_.--We were just thirteen--the fatal number. Perfectly
+good relations subsisted among us. We had no longer to dread the
+rebellion of a Hearne. (How often we speculated upon the fate of
+those whom he had beguiled!)
+
+At seven o'clock, the extreme point of Halbrane Land lay five
+miles behind us, and in the evening we gradually lost sight of the
+heights that variated that part of the coast.
+
+I desire to lay special stress on the fact that not a single scrap
+of iron entered into the construction of this boat, not so much as a
+nail or a bolt, for that metal was entirely unknown to the Tsalal
+islanders. The planks were bound together by a sort of liana, or
+creeping-plant, and caulked with moss steeped in pitch, which was
+turned by contact with the sea-water to a substance as hard as metal.
+
+I have nothing special to record during the week that succeeded our
+departure. The breeze blew steadily from the south, and we did not
+meet with any unfavourable current between the banks of the Jane
+Sound.
+
+During those first eight days, the _Paracuta_, by paddling when the
+wind fell, had kept up the speed that was indispensable for our
+reaching the Pacific Ocean within a short time.
+
+The desolate aspect of the land remained the same, while the strait
+was already visited by floating drifts, packs of one to two hundred
+feet in length, some oblong, others circular, and also by icebergs
+which our boat passed easily. We were made anxious, however, by the
+fact that these masses were proceeding towards the iceberg barrier,
+for would they not close the passages, which ought to be still open
+at this time?
+
+I shall mention here that in proportion as Dirk Peters was carried
+farther and farther from the places wherein no trace of his poor Pym
+had been found, he was more silent than ever, and no longer even
+answered me when I addressed him.
+
+It must not be forgotten that since our iceberg had passed beyond
+the south pole, we were in the zone of eastern longitudes counted
+from the zero of Greenwich to the hundred and eightieth degree. All
+hope must therefore be abandoned of our either touching at the
+Falklands, or finding whaling-ships in the waters of the Sandwich
+Islands, the South Orkneys, or South Georgia.
+
+Our voyage proceeded under unaltered conditions for ten days. Our
+little craft was perfectly sea-worthy. The two captains and West
+fully appreciated its soundness, although, as I have previously
+said, not a scrap of iron had a place in its construction. It had
+not once been necessary to repair its seams, so staunch were they.
+To be sure, the sea was smooth, its long, rolling waves were hardly
+ruffled on their surface.
+
+On the 10th of March, with the same longitude the observation gave
+7° 13' for latitude. The speed of the _Paracuta_ had then been
+thirty miles in each twenty-four hours. If this rate of progress
+could be maintained for three weeks, there was every chance of our
+finding the passes open, and being able to get round the iceberg
+barrier; also that the whaling-ships would not yet have left the
+fishing-grounds.
+
+The sun was on the verge of the horizon, and the time was
+approaching when the Antarctic region would be shrouded in polar
+night. Fortunately, in re-ascending towards the north we were
+getting into waters from whence light was not yet banished. Then did
+we witness a phenomenon as extraordinary as any of those described
+by Arthur Pym. For three or four hours, sparks, accompanied by a
+sharp noise, shot out of our fingers' ends, our hair, and our
+beards. There was an electric snowstorm, with great flakes falling
+loosely, and the contact produced this strange luminosity. The sea
+rose so suddenly and tumbled about so wildly that the _Paracuta_ was
+several times in danger of being swallowed up by the waves, but we
+got through the mystic-seeming tempest all safe and sound.
+
+Nevertheless, space was thenceforth but imperfectly lighted.
+Frequent mists came up and bounded our outlook to a few
+cable-lengths. Extreme watchfulness and caution were necessary to
+avoid collision with the floating masses of ice, which were
+travelling more slowly than the _Paracuta_.
+
+It is also to be noted that, on the southern side, the sky was
+frequently lighted up by the broad and brilliant rays of the polar
+aurora.
+
+The temperature fell very perceptibly, and no longer rose above
+twenty-three degrees.
+
+Forty-eight hours later Captain Len Guy and his brother succeeded
+with great difficulty in taking an approximate observation, with the
+following results of their calculations:
+
+  Latitude: 75° 17' south.
+  Latitude: 118° 3' east.
+
+At this date, therefore (12th March), the _Paracuta_ was distant from
+the waters of the Antarctic Circle only four hundred miles.
+
+During the night a thick fog came on, with a subsidence of the
+breeze. This was to be regretted, for it increased the risk of
+collision with the floating ice. Of course fog could not be a
+surprise to us, being where we were, but what did surprise us was
+the gradually increasing speed of our boat, although the falling of
+the wind ought to have lessened it.
+
+This increase of speed could not be due to the current for we were
+going more quickly than it.
+
+This state of things lasted until morning, without our being able to
+account for what was happening, when at about ten o'clock the mist
+began to disperse in the low zones. The coast on the west
+reappeared--a rocky coast, without a mountainous background; the
+_Paracuta_ was following its line.
+
+And then, no more than a quarter of a mile away, we beheld a huge
+mound, reared above the plain to a height of three hundred feet,
+with a circumference of from two to three hundred feet. In its
+strange form this great mound resembled an enormous sphinx; the body
+upright, the paws stretched out, crouching in the attitude of the
+winged monster which Grecian Mythology has placed upon the way to
+Thebes.
+
+Was this a living animal, a gigantic monster, a mastodon a thousand
+times the size of those enormous elephants of the polar seas whose
+remains are still found in the ice? In our frame of mind we might
+have believed that it was such a creature, and believed also that
+the mastodon was about to hurl itself on our little craft and crush
+it to atoms.
+
+After a few moments of unreasoning and unreasonable fright, we
+recognized that the strange object was only a great mound,
+singularly shaped, and that the mist had just rolled off its head,
+leaving it to stand out and confront us.
+
+Ah! that sphinx! I remembered, at sight of it, that on the night
+when the iceberg was overturned and the _Halbrane_ was carried away, I
+had dreamed of a fabulous animal of this kind, seated at the pole of
+the world, and from whom Edgar Poe could only wrest its secrets.
+
+But our attention was to be attracted, our surprise, even our alarm,
+was evoked soon by phenomena still more strange than the mysterious
+earth form upon which the mist-curtain had been raised so suddenly.
+
+I have said that the speed of the _Paracuta_ was gradually increasing;
+now it was excessive, that of the current remaining inferior to it.
+Now, of a sudden, the grapnel that had belonged to the _Halbrane_, and
+was in the bow of the boat, flew out of its socket as though drawn
+by an irresistible power, and the rope that held it was strained to
+breaking point. It seemed to tow us, as it grazed the surface of the
+water towards the shore.
+
+"What's the matter?" cried William Guy. "Cut away, boatswain, cut
+away!" shouted West, "or we shall be dragged against the rocks."
+
+Hurliguerly hurried to the bow of the _Paracuta_ to cut away the rope.
+Of a sudden the knife he held was snatched out of his hand, the rope
+broke, and the grapnel, like a projectile, shot off in the direction
+of the sphinx.
+
+At the same moment, all the articles on board the boat that were
+made of iron or steel--cooking utensils, arms, Endicott's stove,
+our knives, which were torn from our pockets--took flight after a
+similar fashion in the same direction, while the boat, quickening
+its course, brought up against the beach.
+
+What was happening? In order to explain these inexplicable things,
+were we not obliged to acknowledge that we had come into the region
+of those wonders which I attributed to the hallucinations of Arthur
+Pym?
+
+No! These were physical facts which we had just witnessed, and not
+imaginary phenomena!
+
+We had, however, no time for reflection, and immediately upon our
+landing, our attention was turned in another direction by the sight
+of a boat lying wrecked upon the sand.
+
+"The _Halbrane's_ boat!" cried Hurliguerly. It was indeed the
+boat which Hearne had stolen, and it was simply smashed to pieces;
+in a word, only the formless wreckage of a craft which has been
+flung against rocks by the sea, remained.
+
+We observed immediately that all the ironwork of the boat had
+disappeared, down to the hinges of the rudder. Not one trace of the
+metal existed.
+
+What could be the meaning of this?
+
+A loud call from West brought us to a little strip of beach on the
+right of our stranded boat.
+
+Three corpses lay upon the stony soil, that of Hearne, that of
+Martin Holt, and that of one of the Falklands men.
+
+Of the thirteen who had gone with the sealing-master, there remained
+only these three, who had evidently been dead some days.
+
+What had become of the ten missing men? Had their bodies been
+carried out to sea?
+
+We searched all along the coast, into the creeks, and between the
+outlying rocks, but in vain. Nothing was to be found, no traces of a
+camp, not even the vestiges of a landing.
+
+"Their boat," said William Guy, "must have been struck by a
+drifting iceberg. The rest of Hearne's companions have been
+drowned, and only these three bodies have come ashore, lifeless."
+
+"But," asked the boatswain, "how is the state the boat is in
+to be explained?"
+
+"And especially," added West, "the disappearance of all the
+iron?"
+
+"Indeed," said I, "it looks as though every bit had been
+violently torn off."
+
+Leaving the _Paracuta_ in the charge of two men, we again took our way
+to the interior, in order to extend our search over a wider expanse.
+
+As we were approaching the huge mound the mist cleared away, and the
+form stood out with greater distinctness. It was, as I have said,
+almost that of a sphinx, a dusky-hued sphinx, as though the matter
+which composed it had been oxidized by the inclemency of the polar
+climate.
+
+And then a possibility flashed into my mind, an hypothesis which
+explained these astonishing phenomena.
+
+"Ah!" I exclaimed, "a loadstone! that is it! A magnet with
+prodigious power of attraction!"
+
+I was understood, and in an instant the final catastrophe, to which
+Hearne and his companions were victims, was explained with terrible
+clearness.
+
+The Antarctic Sphinx was simply a colossal magnet. Under the
+influence of that magnet the iron bands of the _Halbrane's_ boat had
+been torn out and projected as though by the action of a catapult.
+This was the occult force that had irresistibly attracted everything
+made of iron on the _Paracuta_. And the boat itself would have shared
+the fate of the _Halbrane's_ boat had a single bit of that metal
+been employed in its construction. Was it, then, the proximity of
+the magnetic pole that produced such effects?
+
+[Illustration: An antarctic mystery.]
+
+At first we entertained this idea, but on reflection we rejected it.
+
+At the place where the magnetic meridians cross, the only phenomenon
+produced is the vertical position of the magnetic needle in two
+similar points of the terrestrial globe. This phenomenon, already
+proved by observations made on the spot, must be identical in the
+Antarctic regions.
+
+Thus, then, there did exist a magnet of prodigious intensity in the
+zone of attraction which we had entered. Under our eyes one of those
+surprising effects which had hitherto been classed among fables was
+actually produced.
+
+The following appeared to me to be the true explanation.
+
+The Trade-winds bring a constant succession of clouds or mists in
+which immense quantities of electricity not completely exhausted by
+storms, are stored. Hence there exists a formidable accumulation of
+electric fluid at the poles, and it flows towards the land in a
+permanent stream.
+
+From this cause come the northern and southern auroras, whose
+luminous splendours shine above the horizon, especially during the
+long polar night, and are visible even in the temperate zones when
+they attain their maximum of culmination.
+
+These continuous currents at the poles, which bewilder our
+compasses, must possess an extraordinary influence. And it would
+suffice that a block of iron should be subjected to their action for
+it to be changed into a magnet of power proportioned to the
+intensity of the current, to the number of turns of the electric
+helix, and to the square root of the diameter of the block of
+magnetized iron. Thus, then, the bulk of the sphinx which upreared
+its mystic form upon this outer edge of the southern lands might be
+calculated by thousands of cubic yards.
+
+Now, in order that the current should circulate around it and make a
+magnet of it by induction, what was required? Nothing but a metallic
+lode, whose innumerable windings through the bowels of the soil
+should be connected subterraneously at the base of the block.
+
+It seemed to me also that the place of this block ought to be in the
+magnetic axis, as a sort of gigantic calamite, from whence the
+imponderable fluid whose currents made an inexhaustible accumulator
+set up at the confines of the world should issue. Our compass could
+not have enabled us to determine whether the marvel before our eyes
+really was at the magnetic pole of the southern regions. All I can
+say is, that its needle staggered about, helpless and useless. And
+in fact the exact location of the Antarctic Sphinx mattered little
+in respect of the constitution of that artificial loadstone, and the
+manner in which the clouds and metallic lode supplied its attractive
+power.
+
+In this very plausible fashion I was led to explain the phenomenon
+by instinct. It could not be doubted that we were in the vicinity of
+a magnet which produced these terrible but strictly natural effects
+by its attraction.
+
+I communicated my idea to my companions, and they regarded this
+explanation as conclusive, in presence of the physical facts of
+which we were the actual witnesses.
+
+"We shall incur no risk by going to the foot of the mound, I
+suppose," said Captain Len Guy.
+
+"None," I replied.
+
+"There--yes--there!"
+
+I could not describe the impression those three words made upon us.
+Edgar Poe would have said that they were three cries from the depths
+of the under world.
+
+It was Dirk Peters who had spoken, and his body was stretched out in
+the direction of the sphinx, as though it had been turned to iron
+and was attracted by the magnet.
+
+Then he sped swiftly towards the sphinx-like mound, and his
+companions followed him over rough ground strewn with volcanic
+remains of all sorts.
+
+The monster grew larger as we neared it, but lost none of its
+mythological shape. Alone on that vast plain it produced a sense of
+awe. And--but this could only have been a delusion--we seemed to
+be drawn towards it by the force of its magnetic attraction.
+
+On arriving at the base of the mound, we found there the various
+articles on which the magnet had exerted its power; arms, utensils,
+the grapnel of the _Paracuta_, all adhering to the sides of the
+monster. There also were the iron relics of the _Halbrane's_ boat,
+all her utensils, arms, and fittings, even to the nails and the iron
+portions of the rudder.
+
+There was no possibility of regaining possession of any of these
+things. Even had they not adhered to the loadstone rock at too great
+a height to be reached, they adhered to it too closely to be
+detached. Hurliguerly was infuriated by the impossibility of
+recovering his knife, which he recognized at fifty feet above his
+head, and cried as he shook his clenched fist at the imperturbable
+monster,--
+
+"Thief of a sphinx!"
+
+Of course the things which had belonged to the _Halbrane's_ boat
+and the _Paracuta's_ were the only articles that adorned the mighty
+sides of the lonely mystic form. Never had any ship reached such a
+latitude of the Antarctic Sea. Hearne and his accomplices, Captain
+Len Guy and his companions, were the first who had trodden this
+point of the southern continent. And any vessel that might have
+approached this colossal magnet must have incurred certain
+destruction. Our schooner must have perished, even as its boat had
+been dashed into a shapeless wreck.
+
+West now reminded us that it was imprudent to prolong our stay upon
+this Land of the Sphinx--a name to be retained. Time pressed, and a
+few days' delay would have entailed our wintering at the foot of
+the ice-barrier.
+
+The order to return to the beach had just been given, when the voice
+of the half-breed was again heard, as he cried out:
+
+"There! There! There!"
+
+We followed the sounds to the back of the monster's right paw, and
+we found Dirk Peters on his knees, with his hands stretched out
+before an almost naked corpse, which had been preserved intact by
+the cold of these regions, and was as rigid as iron. The head was
+bent, a white beard hung down to the waist, the nails of the feet
+and hands were like claws.
+
+How had this corpse been fixed to the side of the mound at six feet
+above the ground?
+
+Across the body, held in place by its cross-belt, we saw the twisted
+barrel of a musket, half-eaten by rust.
+
+"Pym--my poor Pym!" groaned Dirk Peters.
+
+He tried to rise, that he might approach and kiss the ossified
+corpse. But his knees bent under him, a strangled sob seemed to rend
+his throat, with a terrible spasm his faithful heart broke, and the
+half-breed fell back--dead!
+
+The story was easy to read. After their separation, the boat had
+carried Arthur Pym through these Antarctic regions! Like us, once he
+had passed beyond the south pole, he came into the zone of the
+monster! And there, while his boat was swept along on the northern
+current, he was seized by the magnetic fluid before he could get rid
+of the gun which was slung over his shoulder, and hurled against the
+fatal loadstone Sphinx of the Ice-realm.
+
+Now the faithful half-breed rests under the clay of the Land of the
+Antarctic Mystery, by the side of his "poor Pym," that hero
+whose strange adventures found a chronicler no less strange in the
+great American poet!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI.
+A LITTLE REMNANT.
+
+
+That same day, in the afternoon, the _Paracuta_ departed from the
+coast of the Land of the Sphinx, which had lain to the west of us
+since the 21st of February.
+
+By the death of Dirk Peters the number of the passengers was reduced
+to twelve. These were all who remained of the double crew of the two
+schooners, the first comprising thirty-eight men, the second,
+thirty-two; in all seventy souls. But let it not be forgotten that
+the voyage of the _Halbrane_ had been undertaken in fulfillment of a
+duty to humanity, and four of the survivors of the _Jane_ owed their
+rescue to it.
+
+And now there remains but little to tell, and that little must be
+related as succinctly as possible. It is unnecessary to dwell upon our
+return voyage, which was favoured by the constancy of the currents
+and the wind to their northern course. The last part of the voyage was
+indeed accomplished amid great fatigue, suffering, and danger, but it
+ended in our safe deliverance from all these.
+
+[Illustration: The _Paracuta_.]
+
+Firstly, a few days after our departure from the Land of the Sphinx,
+the sun set behind the western horizon to reappear no more for the
+whole winter. It was then in the midst of the semi-darkness of the
+austral night that the _Paracuta_ pursued her monotonous course. True,
+the southern polar lights were frequently visible; but they were not
+the sun, that single orb of day which had illumined our horizons
+during the months of the Antarctic summer, and their capricious
+splendour could not replace his unchanging light. That long darkness
+of the poles sheds a moral and physical influence on mortals which no
+one can elude, a gloomy and overwhelming impression almost impossible
+to resist.
+
+Of all the _Paracuta's_ passengers, the boatswain and Endicott only
+preserved their habitual good-humour; those two were equally
+insensible to the weariness and the peril of our voyage. I also
+except West, who was ever ready to face every eventuality, like a
+man who is always on the defensive. As for the two brothers Guy,
+their happiness in being restored to each other made them frequently
+oblivious of the anxieties and risks of the future.
+
+Of Hurliguerly I cannot speak too highly. He proved himself a
+thoroughly good fellow, and it raised our drooping spirits to hear
+him repeat in his jolly voice,--
+
+"We shall get to port all right, my friends, be sure of that. And,
+if you only reckon things up, you will see that we have had more
+good luck than bad. Oh, yes, I know, there was the loss of our
+schooner! Poor _Halbrane_, carried up into the air like a balloon,
+then flung into the deep like an avalanche! But, on the other hand,
+there was the iceberg which brought us to the coast, and the Tsalal
+boat which brought us and Captain William Guy and his three
+companions together. And don't forget the current and the breeze
+that have pushed us on up to now, and will keep pushing us on, I'm
+sure of that. With so many trumps in our hand we cannot possibly
+lose the game. The only thing to be regretted is that we shall have
+to get ashore again in Australia or New Zealand, instead of casting
+anchor at the Kerguelens, near the quay of Christmas Harbour, in
+front of the Green Cormorant."
+
+For a week we pursued our course without deviation to east or west,
+and it was not until the 21st of March that the _Paracuta_ lost
+sight of Halbrane Land, being carried towards the north by the
+current, while the coast-line of the continent, for such we are
+convinced it is, trended in a round curve to the north-east.
+
+Although the waters of this portion of sea were still open, they
+carried a flotilla of icebergs or ice-fields. Hence arose serious
+difficulties and also dangers to navigation in the midst of the
+gloomy mists, when we had to manoeuvre between these moving masses,
+either to find passage or to prevent our little craft from being
+crushed like grain between the millstones.
+
+Besides, Captain Len Guy could no longer ascertain his position
+either in latitude or longitude. The sun being absent, calculations
+by the position of the stars was too complicated, it was impossible
+to take altitudes, and the _Paracuta_ abandoned herself to the action
+of the current, which invariably bore us northward, as the compass
+indicated. By keeping the reckoning of its medium speed, however, we
+concluded that on the 27th of March our boat was between the
+sixty-ninth and the sixty-eighth parallels, that is to say, some
+seventy miles only from the Antarctic Circle.
+
+Ah! if no obstacle to the course of our perilous navigation had
+existed, if passage between this inner sea of the southern zone and
+the waters of the Pacific Ocean had been certain, the _Paracuta_ might
+have reached the extreme limit of the austral seas in a few days.
+But a few hundred miles more to sail, and the iceberg-barrier would
+confront us with its immovable rampart, and unless a passage could
+be found, we should be obliged to go round it either by the east or
+by the west.
+
+Once cleared indeed--
+
+Ah! once cleared, we should be in a frail craft upon the terrible
+Pacific Ocean, at the period of the year when its tempests rage with
+redoubled fury and strong ships dread the might of its waves.
+
+We were determined not to think of this. Heaven would come to our
+aid. We should be picked up by some ship. This the boatswain
+asserted confidently, and we were bound to believe the boatswain.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+For six entire days, until the 2nd of April, the _Paracuta_ held her
+course among the ice-barrier, whose crest was profiled at an
+altitude of between seven and eight hundred feet above the level of
+the sea. The extremities were not visible either on the east or the
+west, and if our boat did not find an open passage, we could not
+clear it. By a most fortunate chance a passage was found on the
+above-mentioned date, and attempted, amid a thousand risks. Yes, we
+required all the zeal, skill, and courage of our men and their
+chiefs to accomplish such a task.
+
+At last we were in the South Pacific waters, but our boat had
+suffered severely in getting through, and it had sprung more than
+one leak. We were kept busy in baling out the water, which also came
+in from above.
+
+The breeze was gentle, the sea more calm than we could have hoped,
+and the real danger did not lie in the risks of navigation. No, it
+arose from the fact that not a ship was visible in these waters, not
+a whaler was to be seen on the fishing-grounds. At the beginning of
+April these places are forsaken, and we arrived some weeks too late.
+
+We learned afterwards that had we arrived a little sooner, we should
+have met the vessels of the American expedition.
+
+In fact, on the 1st of February, by 95° 50' longitude and 64°
+17' latitude, Lieutenant Wilkes was still exploring these seas in
+one of his ships, the _Vincennes_, after having discovered a long
+extent of coast stretching from east to west. On the approach of the
+bad season, he returned to Hobart Town, in Tasmania. The same year,
+the expedition of the French captain Dumont d'Urville, which
+started in 1838, discovered Adélie Land in 66° 30' latitude and
+38° 21' east longitude, and Clarie Coast in 64° 30' and 129°
+54'. Their campaign having ended with these important discoveries,
+the _Astrolabe_ and the _Zélée_ left the Antarctic Ocean and returned
+to Hobart Town.
+
+None of these ships, then, were in those waters; so that, when our
+nutshell _Paracuta_ was "alone on a lone, lone sea" beyond the
+ice-barrier, we were bound to believe that it was no longer possible
+we could be saved.
+
+We were fifteen hundred miles away from the nearest land, and winter
+was a month old!
+
+Hurliguerly himself was obliged to acknowledge the last fortunate
+chance upon which he had counted had failed us.
+
+On the 6th of April we were at the end of our resources; the sea
+began to threaten, the boat seemed likely to be swallowed up in the
+angry waves.
+
+"A ship!" cried the boatswain, and on the instant we made out a
+vessel about four miles to the north-east, beneath the mist which
+had suddenly risen.
+
+Signals were made, signals were perceived; the ship lowered her
+largest boat and sent it to our rescue.
+
+This ship was the _Tasman_, an American three-master, from
+Charlestown, where we were received with eager welcome and
+cordiality. The captain treated my companions as though they had
+been his own countrymen.
+
+The _Tasman_ had come from the Falkland Islands where the captain had
+learned that seven months previously the American schooner _Halbrane_
+had gone to the southern seas in search of the shipwrecked people of
+the _Jane_. But as the season advanced, the schooner not having
+reappeared, she was given up for lost in the Antarctic regions.
+
+Fifteen days after our rescue the _Tasman_ disembarked the survivors
+of the crew of the two schooners at Melbourne, and it was there that
+our men were paid the sums they had so hardly earned, and so well
+deserved.
+
+We then learned from maps that the _Paracuta_ had debouched into the
+Pacific from the land called Clarie by Dumont d'Urville, and the
+land called Fabricia, which was discovered in 1838 by Bellenny.
+
+Thus terminated this adventurous and extraordinary expedition, which
+cost, alas, too many victims. Our final word is that although the
+chances and the necessities of our voyage carried us farther towards
+the south pole than those who preceded us, although we actually did
+pass beyond the axial point of the terrestrial globe, discoveries of
+great value still remain to be made in those waters!
+
+Arthur Pym, the hero whom Edgar Poe has made so famous, has shown
+the way. It is for others to follow him, and to wrest the last
+Antarctic Mystery from the Sphinx of the Ice-realm.
+
+
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+End of the Voyage Extraordinaire
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10339 ***