collections, of his precious instruments destroyed, his books torn,
burned to ashes. So much that was valuable gone! He gazed with tearful
eyes at this vast disaster, thinking not of the future, but of the
irreparable misfortune which dealt him so severe a blow. He was
immediately joined by Johnson; the old sailor's face bore signs of his
recent sufferings; he had been obliged to struggle against his
revolted companions, defending the ship which had been intrusted to
his care. The doctor sadly pressed the boatswain's hand.
[Illustration]
"Well, my friend, what is going to become of us?" asked the doctor.
"Who can say?" answered Johnson.
"At any rate," continued the doctor, "don't let us give way to
despair; let us be men!"
"Yes, Doctor," answered the old sailor, "you are right; it's when
matters look worst that we most need courage; we are in a bad way; we
must see how we can best get out of it."
"Poor ship!" said the doctor, sighing; "I had become attached to it; I
had got to look on it as on my own home, and there's not left a piece
that can be recognized!"
"Who would think, Doctor, that this mass of dust and ashes could be so
dear to our heart?"
"And the launch," continued the doctor, gazing around, "was it
destroyed too?"
"No, Doctor; Shandon and the others, who left, took it with them."
"And the gig?"
"Was broken into a thousand pieces. See, those sheets of tin are all
that's left of her."
"Then we have nothing but the Halkett-boat?"[1]
[Footnote 1: Made of india-rubber, and capable of being inflated at
pleasure.]
"That is all, and it is because you insisted on our taking it, that we
have that."
"It's not of much use," said the doctor.
"They were a pack of miserable, cowardly traitors who ran away!" said
Johnson. "May they be punished as they deserve!"
"Johnson," answered the doctor, mildly, "we must remember that their
suffering had worn upon them very much. Only exceptional natures
remain stanch in adversity, which completely overthrows the weak. Let
us rather pity than curse them!"
After these words the doctor remained silent for a few minutes, and
gazed around uneasily.
"What is become of the sledge?" asked Johnson.
"We left it a mile back."
"In care of Simpson?"
"No, my friend; poor Simpson sank under the toil of the trip."
"Dead!" cried the boatswain.
"Dead!" answered the doctor.
"Poor fellow!" said Johnson; "but who knows whether we may not soon be
reduced to envying his fate?"
"But we have brought back a dying man in place of the one we lost,"
answered the doctor.
"A dying man?"
"Yes, Captain Altamont."
The doctor gave the boatswain in a few words an account of their
finding him.
"An American!" said Johnson, thoughtfully.
"Yes; everything seems to point that way. But what was this -Porpoise-
which had evidently been shipwrecked, and what was he doing in these
waters?"
"He came in order to be lost," answered Johnson; "he brought his crew
to death, like all those whose foolhardiness leads them here. But,
Doctor, did the expedition accomplish what it set out for?"
"Finding the coal?"
"Yes," answered Johnson.
The doctor shook his head sadly.
"None at all?" asked the old sailor.
"None; our supplies gave out, fatigue nearly conquered us. We did not
even reach the spot mentioned by Edward Belcher."
"So," continued Johnson, "you have no fuel?"
"No."
"Nor food?"
"No."
"And no boat with which to reach England?"
They were both silent; they needed all their courage to meet this
terrible situation.
"Well," resumed the boatswain, "there can be no doubts about our
condition! We know what we have to expect! But the first thing to do,
when the weather is so cold, is to build a snow-house."
"Yes," answered the doctor, "with Bell's aid that will be easy; then
we'll go after the sledge, we'll bring the American here, and then
we'll take counsel with Hatteras."
"Poor captain!" said Johnson, forgetting his own griefs; "he must
suffer terribly."
With these words they returned to their companions. Hatteras was
standing with folded arms, as usual, gazing silently into space. His
face wore its usual expression of firmness. Of what was this
remarkable man thinking? Of his desperate condition and shattered
hopes? Was he planning to return, since both men and the elements had
combined against his attempt?
No one could have read his thoughts, which his face in no way
expressed. His faithful Duke was with him, braving a temperature of
-32°.
Bell lay motionless on the ice; his insensibility might cost him his
life; he was in danger of being frozen to death. Johnson shook him
violently, rubbed him with snow, and with some difficulty aroused him
from his torpor.
"Come, Bell, take courage!" he said; "don't lose heart; get up; we
have to talk matters over, and we need a shelter. Have you forgotten
how to make a snow-house? Come, help me, Bell! There's an iceberg we
can cut into! Come, to work! That will give us what we need, courage!"
Bell, aroused by these words, obeyed the old sailor.
"Meanwhile," Johnson went on, "the doctor will be good enough to go to
the sledge and bring it back with the dogs."
"I am ready," answered the doctor; "in an hour I shall be back."
"Shall you go too, Captain?" added Johnson, turning to Hatteras.
Although he was deep in thought, the captain heard the boatswain's
question, for he answered gently,--
"No, my friend, if the doctor is willing to go alone. We must form
some plan of action, and I want to be alone to think matters over. Go.
Do what you think right for the present. I will be thinking of the
future."
Johnson turned to the doctor.
"It's singular," he said; "the captain seems to have forgotten his
anger; his voice never was so gentle before."
"Well!" answered the doctor; "he has recovered his presence of mind.
Mark my words, Johnson, that man will be able to save us!"
Thereupon the doctor wrapped himself up as well as he could, and,
staff in hand, walked away towards the sledge in the midst of a fog
which the moonlight made almost bright. Johnson and Bell set to work
immediately; the old sailor encouraged the carpenter, who wrought on
in silence; they did not need to build, but to dig into the solid ice;
to be sure it was frozen very hard, and so rendered the task
difficult, but it was thereby additionally secure; soon Johnson and
Bell could work comfortably in the orifice, throwing outside all that
they took from the solid mass.
[Illustration]
From time to time Hatteras would walk fitfully, stopping suddenly
every now and then; evidently he did not wish to reach the spot where
his brig had been. As he had promised, the doctor was soon back; he
brought with him Altamont, lying on the sledge beneath all the
coverings; the Greenland dogs, thin, tired, and half starved, could
hardly drag the sledge, and were gnawing at their harness; it was high
time that men and beasts should take some rest.
While they were digging the house, the doctor happened to stumble upon
a small stove which had not been injured by the explosion, and with a
piece of chimney that could be easily repaired: the doctor carried it
away in triumph. At the end of three hours the house was inhabitable;
the stove was set in and filled with pieces of wood; it was soon
roaring and giving out a comfortable warmth.
The American was brought in and covered up carefully; the four
Englishmen sat about the fire. The last supplies of the sledge, a
little biscuit and some hot tea, gave them some comfort. Hatteras did
not speak; every one respected his silence. When the meal was finished
the doctor made a sign for Johnson to follow him outside.
"Now," he said, "we are going to make an inventory of what is left. We
must know exactly what things we have; they are scattered all about;
we must pick them up; it may snow at any moment, and then it would be
impossible to find a scrap."
"Don't let us lose any time, then," answered Johnson; "food and wood
is what we need at once."
"Well, let us each take a side," answered the doctor, "so as to cover
the whole ground; let us begin at the centre and go out to the
circumference."
They went at once to the bed of ice where the -Forward- had lain; each
examined with care all the fragments of the ship beneath the dim light
of the moon. It was a genuine hunt; the doctor entered into this
occupation with all the zest, not to say the pleasure, of a sportsman,
and his heart beat high when he discovered a chest almost intact; but
most were empty, and their fragments were scattered everywhere.
The violence of the explosion had been considerable; many things were
but dust and ashes; the large pieces of the engine lay here and there,
twisted out of shape; the broken flanges of the screw were hurled
twenty fathoms from the ship and buried deeply in the hardened snow;
the bent cylinders had been torn from their pivots; the chimney, torn
nearly in two, and with chains still hanging to it, lay half hid under
a large cake of ice; the bolts, bars, the iron-work of the helm, the
sheathing, all the metal-work of the ship, lay about as if it had been
fired from a gun.
[Illustration: "The large pieces of the engine lay here and there,
twisted out of shape."]
But this iron, which would have made the fortune of a tribe of
Esquimaux, was of no use under the circumstances; before anything else
food had to be found, and the doctor did not discover a great deal.
"That's bad," he said to himself; "it is evident that the store-room,
which was near the magazine, was entirely destroyed by the explosion;
what wasn't burned was shattered to dust. It's serious; and if Johnson
is not luckier than I am, I don't see what's going to become of us."
Still, as he enlarged his circles, the doctor managed to collect a few
fragments of pemmican, about fifteen pounds, and four stone bottles,
which had been thrown out upon the snow and so had escaped
destruction; they held five or six pints of brandy.
Farther on he picked up two packets of grains of cochlearia, which
would well make up for the loss of their lime-juice, which is so
useful against the scurvy.
Two hours later the doctor and Johnson met. They told one another of
their discoveries; unfortunately they had found but little to eat:
some few pieces of salt pork, fifty pounds of pemmican, three sacks of
biscuit, a little chocolate, some brandy, and about two pounds of
coffee, picked up berry by berry on the ice.
No coverings, no hammocks, no clothing, were found; evidently the fire
had destroyed all. In short, the doctor and boatswain had found
supplies for three weeks at the outside, and with the strictest
economy; that was not much for them in their state of exhaustion. So,
in consequence of these disasters, Hatteras found himself not only
without any coal, but also short of provisions.
As to the fuel supplied by the fragments of the ship, the pieces of
the masts and the keel, they might hold out about three weeks; but
then the doctor, before using it to heat their new dwelling, asked
Johnson whether out of it they might not build a new ship, or at least
a launch.
"No, Doctor," answered the boatswain, "it's impossible; there's not a
piece of wood large enough; it's good for nothing except to keep us
warm for a few days and then--"
"Then?" asked the doctor.
"God alone knows," answered the sailor.
Having made out their list, the doctor and Johnson went after the
sledge; they harnessed the tired dogs, returned to the scene of the
explosion, packed up the few precious objects they had found, and
carried them to their new house; then, half frozen, they took their
place near their companions in misfortune.
[Illustration: "They harnessed the tired dogs."]
CHAPTER II.
ALTAMONT'S FIRST WORDS.
Towards eight o'clock in the evening the snow-clouds cleared away for
a few minutes; the constellations shone brilliantly in the clear air.
Hatteras made use of this change to get the altitude of some stars; he
went out without saying a word, carrying his instruments with him. He
wished to ascertain his position and see if the ice-field had not been
drifting again. After an absence of half an hour he came back, lay
down in a corner, and remained perfectly still, although not asleep.
The next day snow began to fall heavily; the doctor could not help
being glad that he had made his examination the day before, for a
white curtain soon covered the whole expanse, and every trace of the
explosion was hidden under three feet of snow.
On that day they could not set foot outside; fortunately their
quarters were comfortable, or at least seemed so to the exhausted
travellers. The little stove worked well, except occasionally when
violent gusts drove the smoke into the room; with its heat they could
make coffee and tea, which are both so serviceable beverages when the
temperature is low.
The castaways, for they deserve the name, found themselves more
comfortable than they had been for a long time; hence they only
thought of the present, of the agreeable warmth, of the brief rest,
forgetting, or even indifferent to the future, which threatened with
speedy death.
The American suffered less, and gradually returned to life; he opened
his eyes, but he did not say anything; his lips bore traces of the
scurvy, and could not utter a sound; he could hear, and was told where
he was and how he got there. He moved his head as a sign of gratitude;
he saw that he had been saved from burial beneath the snow; the doctor
forbore telling him how very short a time his death had been delayed,
for, in a fortnight or three weeks at the most, their supply of food
would be exhausted.
Towards midday Hatteras arose and went up to the doctor, Johnson, and
Bell.
"My friends," he said to them, "we are going to take a final
resolution as to the course we must follow. In the first place, I must
ask Johnson to tell me under what circumstances this act of treachery
came to pass."
"Why should we know?" said the doctor; "the fact is certain, we need
give it no more thought."
"I am thinking of it, all the same," answered Hatteras. "But after
I've heard what Johnson has to say, I shall not think of it again."
[Illustration: Johnson's Story.]
"This is the way it happened," went on the boatswain; "I did all I
could to prevent the crime--"
"I am sure of that, Johnson, and I will add that the leaders had been
plotting it for some time."
"So I thought," said the doctor.
"And I too," continued Johnson; "for very soon after your departure,
Captain, on the very next day, Shandon, who was angry with you and was
egged on by the others, took command of the ship; I tried to resist,
but in vain. After that, every one acted as he saw fit; Shandon did
not try to control them; he wanted to let the crew see that the time
of suffering and privation had gone by. Hence there was no economy; a
huge fire was lighted in the stove; they began to burn the brig. The
men had the provisions given them freely, and the spirits too, and you
can easily imagine the abuse they made of them after their long
abstinence. Things went on in this way from the 7th to the 15th of
January."
"So," said Hatteras, in a grave voice, "it was Shandon who incited the
men to revolt?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Say nothing more about him. Go on, Johnson."
"It was towards January 24th or 25th, that the plan of leaving the
ship was formed. They determined to reach the western coast of
Baffin's Bay; from there, in the launch, they could meet whalers, or,
perhaps, the settlements on the eastern side. Their supplies were
abundant; the sick grew better with the hope of reaching home. So they
made their plans for leaving; they built a sledge for the transport of
their food, fuel, and the launch; the men were to drag it themselves.
This occupied them until February 15th. I kept anxiously awaiting your
return, Captain, and yet I feared having you present; you would have
had no influence over the crew, who would rather have killed you than
have remained on board. They were wild with the hope of escape. I took
all my companions aside and spoke to them, I besought them to stay; I
pointed out all the dangers of such a journey, as well as the
cowardliness of abandoning you. I could get nothing, even from the
best. They chose February 22d for leaving. Shandon was impatient. They
heaped upon the sledge all the food and liquor it could hold; they
took a great deal of wood; the whole larboard side had been cut away
to the water-line. The last day they passed carousing; they ravaged
and stole everything, and it was during this drunkenness that Pen and
two or three others set fire to the ship. I resisted, and struggled
against them; they threw me down and struck me; at last, these
villains, with Shandon at their head, fled to the east, and
disappeared from my sight. I remained alone; what could I do against
this fire which was seizing the whole ship? The water-hole was frozen
over; I hadn't a drop of water. For two days the -Forward- was wrapped
in flames, and you know the rest."
Having finished this account, a long silence prevailed in this
ice-house; the gloomy tale of the burning of the ship, the loss of
their precious brig, appeared so vividly before the minds of the
castaways; they found themselves before an impossibility, and that was
a return to England. They did not dare to look at one another, for
fear of seeing on each other's faces blank despair. There was nothing
to be heard save the hasty breathing of the American.
At last Hatteras spoke.
"Johnson," said he, "I thank you; you have done all you could to save
my ship. But you could not do anything alone. Again I thank you, and
now don't let us speak again of this misfortune. Let us unite our
efforts for the common safety. There are four of us here, four
friends, and the life of one is of no more worth than the life of
another. Let each one give his opinion on what should be done."
"Ask us, Hatteras," answered the doctor; "we are all devoted to you,
our answers shall be sincere. And, in the first place, have you any
plan?"
"I can't have any alone," said Hatteras, sadly. "My opinion might seem
interested; I want to hear your opinion first."
"Captain," said Johnson, "before speaking on such weighty matters, I
have an important question to ask you."
"What is it?"
"You ascertained our position yesterday; well, has the ice-field
drifted any more, or are we in just the same place?"
"It has not stirred," answered Hatteras. "The latitude before we left
was 80° 15', and longitude 97° 35'."
"And," said Johnson, "how far are we from the nearest sea to the
west?"
"About six hundred miles," answered Hatteras.
"And this water is--"
"Smith's Sound."
"The same which we could not cross last April?"
"The same."
"Well, Captain, now we know where we are, and we can make up our minds
accordingly."
"Speak, then," said Hatteras, letting his head sink into his hands.
In that way he could hear his friends without looking at them.
"Well, Bell," said the doctor, "what do you think is the best course
to follow?"
"It isn't necessary to reflect a long time," answered the carpenter;
"we ought to return, without wasting a day or an hour, either to the
south or the west, and reach the nearest coast, even if it took us two
months!"
"We have supplies for only three weeks," answered Hatteras, without
raising his head.
"Well," continued Johnson, "we must make that distance in three weeks,
since it's our only chance of safety; if we have to crawl on our knees
at the end, we must leave, and arrive in twenty-five days."
"This part of the northern continent is not known," answered Hatteras.
"We may meet obstacles, such as mountains and glaciers, which will
completely bar our progress."
"I don't consider that," answered the doctor, "a sufficient reason for
not attempting the journey; evidently, we shall suffer a great deal;
we ought to reduce our daily supply to the minimum, unless luck in
hunting--"
"There's only half a pound of powder left," answered Hatteras.
"Come, Hatteras," resumed the doctor, "I know the weight of all your
objections, and I don't nourish any vain hopes. But I think I can read
your thoughts; have you any practicable plan?"
"No," answered the captain, after a few moments' hesitation.
"You do not doubt our courage," continued the doctor; "we are willing
to follow you to the last, you know very well; but should we not now
abandon all hope of reaching the Pole? Mutiny has overthrown your
plans; you fought successfully against natural obstacles, but not
against the weakness and perfidy of men; you have done all that was
humanly possible, and I am sure you would have succeeded; but, in the
present condition of affairs, are you not compelled to give up your
project, and in order to take it up again, should you not try to reach
England without delay?"
"Well, Captain?" asked Johnson, when Hatteras had remained a long time
silent.
At last the captain raised his head, and said in a constrained tone,--
"Do you think you are sure of reaching the shore of the sound, tired
as you are, and almost without food?"
"No," answered the doctor; "but it's sure the shore won't come to us;
we must go to it. Perhaps we shall find to the south tribes of
Esquimaux who may aid us."
"Besides," added Johnson, "may we not find in the sound some ship that
has been forced to winter there."
"And if need be," continued the doctor, "when we've reached the sound,
may we not cross it, and reach the west coast of Greenland, and then,
either by Prudhoe's Land, or Cape York, get to some Danish settlement?
Nothing of that sort is to be found on the ice-field. The way to
England is down there to the south, and not here to the north!"
"Yes," said Bell, "Dr. Clawbonny is right; we must go, and go at once.
Hitherto we have forgotten home too much, and those who are dear to
us."
"Do you agree, Johnson?" Hatteras asked again.
"Yes, Captain."
"And you, Doctor?"
"Yes, Hatteras."
Hatteras still remained silent; in spite of all he could do, his face
expressed his agitation. His whole life depended on the decision he
should take; if he should return, it was all over with his bold plans;
he could not hope to make the attempt a fourth time.
The doctor, seeing the captain was silent, again spoke.
"I ought to add, Hatteras," he said, "that we ought not to lose an
instant; we ought to load the sledge with all our provisions, and take
as much wood as possible. A journey of six hundred miles under such
circumstances is long, I confess, but not insuperable; we can, or
rather we ought, to make twenty miles a day, which would bring us to
the coast in a month, that is to say, towards March 26th."
"But," said Hatteras, "can't we wait a few days?"
"What do you hope for?" answered Johnson.
"I don't know. Who can foretell the future? Only a few days yet! It's
hardly enough to rest your wearied bodies. We couldn't go two stages
without dropping from weariness, without any snow-house to shelter
us!"
"But a terrible death certainly awaits us here!" cried Bell.
"My friends," continued Hatteras in a tone almost of entreaty, "you
are despairing too soon! I should propose to seek safety to the north,
were it not that you would refuse to follow me. And yet are there not
Esquimaux near the Pole, as well as at Smith's Sound? That open sea,
of which the existence is uncertain, ought to surround a continent.
Nature is logical in everything it does. Well, we ought to believe
that vegetation appears when the greatest cold ceases. Is there not a
promised land awaiting us at the north, and which you want to fly from
without hope of return?"
Hatteras warmed as he spoke; his heated imagination called up
enchanting visions of these countries, whose existence was still so
problematical.
"One more day," he repeated, "a single hour!"
Dr. Clawbonny, with his adventurous character and his glowing
imagination, felt himself gradually aroused; he was about to yield;
but Johnson, wiser and colder, recalled him to reason and duty.
"Come, Bell," he said, "to the sledge!"
"Come along!" answered Bell.
The two sailors turned towards the door of the snow-house.
"O Johnson! you! you!" shouted Hatteras. "Well, go! I shall stay!"
"Captain!" said Johnson, stopping in spite of himself.
"I shall stay, I say! Go! leave me like the rest! Go!--Come, Duke, we
two shall stay!"
The brave dog joined his master, barking. Johnson looked at the
doctor. He did not know what to do; the best plan was to calm
Hatteras, and to sacrifice a day to his fancies. The doctor was about
making up his mind to this effect, when he felt some one touch his
arm.
He turned round. The American had just left the place where he had
been lying; he was crawling on the floor; at last he rose to his
knees, and from his swollen lips a few inarticulate sounds issued.
The doctor, astonished, almost frightened, gazed at him silently.
Hatteras approached the American, and examined him closely. He tried
to make out the words which the poor fellow could not pronounce. At
last, after trying for five minutes, he managed to utter this word:--
"-Porpoise-."
"The -Porpoise-?" asked the captain.
The American bowed affirmatively.
"In these seas?" asked Hatteras with beating heart.
The same sign from the sick man.
"To the north?"
"Yes."
"And you know where it lies?"
"Yes."
"Exactly?"
There was a moment's silence. The bystanders were all excited.
"Now, listen carefully," said Hatteras to the sick man; "we must know
where this ship lies. I am going to count the degrees aloud; you will
stop me by a sign."
The American bowed his head to show that he understood.
"Come," said Hatteras, "we'll begin with the longitude. One hundred
and five? No.--Hundred and six? Hundred and seven? Hundred and eight?
Far to the west?"
"Yes," said the American.
"Let us go on. Hundred and nine? Ten? Eleven? Twelve? Fourteen?
Sixteen? Eighteen? Nineteen? Twenty?"
"Yes," answered Altamont.
"Longitude one hundred and twenty?" said Hatteras. "And how many
minutes? I shall count."
Hatteras began at number one. At fifteen Altamont made a sign for him
to stop.
"All right!" said Hatteras. "Now for the latitude. You understand?
Eighty? Eighty-one? Eighty-two? Eighty-three?"
The American stopped him with a gesture.
"Well! And the minutes? Five? Ten? Fifteen? Twenty? Twenty-five?
Thirty? Thirty-five?"
Another sign from Altamont, who smiled slightly.
"So," continued Hatteras, in a deep voice, "the -Porpoise- lies in
longitude 120° 15', and 83° 35' latitude?"
"Yes!" said the American, as he fell fainting into the doctor's arms.
This exertion had exhausted him.
[Illustration: "'Yes!' said the American."]
"My friends," cried Hatteras, "you see that safety lies to the north,
always to the north! We shall be saved!"
But after these first words of joy, Hatteras seemed suddenly struck by
a terrible thought. His expression changed, and he felt himself stung
by the serpent of jealousy.
Some one else, an American, had got three degrees nearer the Pole! And
for what purpose?
CHAPTER III.
SEVENTEEN DAYS OF LAND JOURNEY.
This new incident, these first words which Altamont uttered, had
completely altered the situation of the castaways; but just now they
had been far from any possible aid, without a reasonable chance of
reaching Baffin's Bay, threatened with starvation on a journey too
long for their wearied bodies, and now, within four hundred miles from
their snow-house, there was a ship which offered them bounteous
supplies, and perhaps the means of continuing their bold course to the
Pole. Hatteras, the doctor, Johnson, and Bell, all began to take heart
after having been so near despair; they were nearly wild with joy.
But Altamont's account was still incomplete, and, after a few moments'
repose, the doctor resumed his talk with him; he framed his questions
in such a way that a simple sign of the head or a motion of the eyes
would suffice for an answer.
Soon he made out that the -Porpoise- was an American bark from New
York, that it had been caught in the ice with a large supply of food
and fuel; and, although she lay on her beam-ends, she must have
withstood the ice, and it would be possible to save her cargo.
Two months before, Altamont and the crew had abandoned her, carrying
the launch upon a sledge; they wanted to get to Smith's Sound, find a
whaling-vessel, and be carried in her to America; but gradually
fatigue and disease had fallen upon them, and they fell aside on the
way. At last only the captain and two sailors were left of a crew of
thirty men, and Altamont's life was the result of what was really a
miracle.
Hatteras wanted to find out from the American what he was doing in
these high latitudes.
Altamont managed to make him understand that he had been caught in the
ice and carried by it without possibility of resisting it.
Hatteras asked him anxiously for what purpose he was sailing.
Altamont gave them to understand that he had been trying the Northwest
Passage.
Hatteras did not persist, and asked no other question of the sort.
The doctor then began to speak.
"Now," he said, "all our efforts should be directed to finding the
-Porpoise-; instead of struggling to Baffin's Bay, we may, by means of
a journey only two thirds as long, reach a ship which will offer us
all the resources necessary for wintering."
"There's nothing more to be done," said Bell.
"I should add," said the boatswain, "that we should not lose a moment;
we should calculate the length of our journey by the amount of our
supplies, instead of the other and usual way, and be off as soon as
possible."
"You are right, Johnson," said the doctor; "if we leave to-morrow,
Tuesday, February 26th, we ought to reach the -Porpoise- March 15th,
at the risk of starving to death. What do you think of that,
Hatteras?"
"Let us make our preparations at once," said the captain, "and be off.
Perhaps we shall find the way longer than we suppose."
"Why so?" asked the doctor. "This man seemed certain of the situation
of his ship."
"But," answered Hatteras, "supposing the -Porpoise- has been drifting
as the -Forward- did?"
"True," said the doctor, "that's not unlikely."
Johnson and Bell had nothing to urge against the possibility of a
drift of which they had themselves been victims.
But Altamont, who was listening to the conversation, gave the doctor
to understand that he wished to speak. After an effort of about a
quarter of an hour, Clawbonny made out that the -Porpoise- was lying
on a bed of rocks, and so could not have drifted away. This
information calmed the anxiety of the Englishmen; still it deprived
them of their hope of returning to Europe, unless Bell should be able
to build a small boat out of the timbers of the -Porpoise-. However
that might be, it was now of the utmost importance that they should
reach the wreck.
The doctor put one more question to the American, namely, whether he
had found an open sea at latitude 83°.
"No," answered Altamont.
There the conversation stopped. They began at once to prepare for
departure; Bell and Johnson first began to see about the sledge, which
needed complete repairing. Since they had plenty of wood, they made
the uprights stronger, availing themselves of the experience of their
southern trip. They had learned the dangers of this mode of transport,
and since they expected to find plenty of deep snow, the runners were
made higher.
On the inside Bell made a sort of bed, covered with the canvas of the
tent, for the American; the provisions, which were unfortunately
scanty, would not materially augment the weight of the sledge, but
still they made up for that by loading it with all the wood it could
carry.
The doctor, as he packed all the provisions, made out a very careful
list of their amount; he calculated that each man could have three
quarters of a ration for a journey of three weeks. A whole ration was
set aside for the four dogs which should draw it. If Duke aided them,
he was to have a whole ration.
[Illustration]
These preparations were interrupted by the need of sleep and rest,
which they felt at seven o'clock in the evening; but before going to
bed they gathered around the stove, which was well filled with fuel,
and these poor men luxuriated in more warmth than they had enjoyed for
a long time; some pemmican, a few biscuits, and several cups of coffee
soon put them in good-humor, especially when their hopes had been so
unexpectedly lighted up. At seven in the morning they resumed work,
and finished it at three in the afternoon. It was already growing
dark. Since January 31st the sun had appeared above the horizon, but
it gave only a pale and brief light; fortunately the moon would rise
at half past six, and with this clear sky it would make their path
plain. The temperature, which had been growing lower for several days,
fell at last to -33°.
The time for leaving came. Altamont received the order with joy,
although the jolting of the sledge would increase his sufferings; he
told the doctor that medicine against the scurvy would be found on
board of the -Porpoise-. He was carried to the sledge and placed there
as comfortably as possible; the dogs, including Duke, were harnessed
in; the travellers cast one last glance at the spot where the
-Forward- had lain. A glow of rage passed over Hatteras's face, but he
controlled it at once, and the little band set out with the air very
dry at first, although soon a mist came over them.
[Illustration]
Each one took his accustomed place, Bell ahead pointing out the way,
the doctor and Johnson by the sides of the sledge, watching and
lending their aid when it was necessary, and Hatteras behind,
correcting the line of march.
They went along tolerably quickly; now that the temperature was so
low, the ice was hard and smooth for travel; the five dogs easily drew
the sledge, which weighed hardly more than nine hundred pounds. Still,
men and beasts panted heavily, and often they had to stop to take
breath.
Towards seven o'clock in the evening, the moon peered through mist on
the horizon. Its rays threw out a light which was reflected from the
ice; towards the northwest the ice-field looked like a perfectly
smooth plain; not a hummock was to be seen. This part of the sea
seemed to have frozen smooth like a lake.
It was an immense, monotonous desert.
Such was the impression that this spectacle made on the doctor's mind,
and he spoke of it to his companion.
"You are right, Doctor," answered Johnson; "it is a desert, but we
need not fear dying of thirst."
"A decided advantage," continued the doctor; "still, this immensity
proves one thing to me, and that is that we are far distant from any
land; in general, the proximity of land is indicated by a number of
icebergs, and not one is to be seen near us."
"We can't see very far for the fog," said Johnson.
"Without doubt; but since we started we have crossed a smooth field of
which we cannot see the end."
"Do you know, Doctor, it's a dangerous walk we are taking! We get used
to it and don't think of it, but we are walking over fathomless
depths."
"You are right, my friend, but we need not fear being swallowed; with
such cold as this the ice is very strong. Besides, it has a constant
tendency to get thicker, for snow falls nine days out of ten, even in
April, May, and June, and I fancy it must be something like thirty or
forty feet thick."
"That is a comfort," said Johnson.
"In fact, we are very much better off than those who skate on the
Serpentine, and who are in constant dread of falling through; we have
no such fear."
"Has the resistance of ice been calculated?" asked the old sailor, who
was always seeking information from the doctor.
"Yes," the latter answered: "everything almost that can be measured is
now known, except human ambition! and is it not that which is carrying
us towards the North Pole? But to return to your question, my answer
is this. Ice two inches thick will bear a man; three and a half inches
thick, a horse and rider; five inches thick, an eight-pound cannon;
eight inches, a fully harnessed artillery-piece; and ten inches, an
army, any number of men! Where we are now, the Liverpool Custom House
or the Halls of Parliament in London could be built."
"One can hardly imagine such strength," said Johnson; "but just now,
Doctor, you spoke of snow falling nine days out of ten; that is true,
but where does all the snow come from? The sea is all frozen, and I
don't see how the vapor can rise to form the clouds."
"A very keen observation, Johnson; but, in my opinion, the greatest
part of the snow or rain which we receive in the polar regions is
formed from the water of the seas in the temperate zones. One flake
arose into the air under the form of vapor from some river in Europe,
it helped make a cloud, and finally came here to be condensed; it is
not impossible that we who drink it may be quenching our thirst at the
rivers of our own country."
"That is true," answered Johnson.
At that moment Hatteras's voice was heard directing their steps and
interrupting their conversation. The fog was growing thicker, and
making a straight line hard to follow.
Finally the little band halted at about eight o'clock in the evening,
after walking nearly fifteen miles; the weather was dry; the tent was
raised, the fire lighted, supper cooked, and all rested peacefully.
Hatteras and his companions were really favored by the weather. The
following days brought no new difficulties, although the cold became
extremely severe and the mercury remained frozen in the thermometer.
If the wind had risen, no one could have withstood the temperature.
The doctor was able to corroborate Parry's observations, which he made
during his journey to Melville Island; he said that a man comfortably
dressed could walk safely in the open air exposed to great cold, if
the air were only calm; but as soon as the slightest wind arose, a
sharp pain was felt in the face, and an extreme headache which is soon
followed by death. The doctor was very anxious, for a slight wind
would have frozen the marrow in their bones.
March 5th he observed a phenomenon peculiar to these latitudes: the
sky was clear and thick with stars, and thick snow began to fall
without any cloud being visible; the constellations shone through the
flakes which fell regularly on the ice-field. This went on for about
two hours, and stopped before the doctor had found a satisfactory
explanation of its fall.
The last quarter of the moon had then disappeared; total darkness
reigned for seventeen hours out of the twenty-four; the travellers had
to tie themselves together by a long cord, to avoid being separated;
it was almost impossible for them to go in a straight line.
Still, these bold men, although animated by an iron will, began to
grow weary; their halts were more frequent, and yet they ought not to
lose an hour, for their supplies were rapidly diminishing. Hatteras
would often ascertain their position by observation of the moon and
stars. As he saw the days pass by and the destination appear as remote
as before, he would ask himself sometimes if the -Porpoise- really
existed, whether the American's brain might not have been deranged by
his sufferings, or whether, through hate of the English, and seeing
himself without resources, he did not wish to drag them with him to
certain death.
He expressed his fears to the doctor, who discouraged them greatly,
but he readily understood the lamentable rivalry which existed between
the American and English captains.
"They are two men whom it will be hard to make agree," he said to
himself.
March 14th, after journeying for sixteen days, they had only reached
latitude 82°; their strength was exhausted, and they were still a
hundred miles from the ship; to add to their sufferings, they had to
bring the men down to a quarter-ration, in order to give the dogs
their full supply.
They could not depend on their shooting for food, for they had left
only seven charges of powder and six balls; they had in vain fired at
some white hares and foxes, which besides were very rare. None had
been hit.
Nevertheless, on the 18th, the doctor was fortunate enough to find a
seal lying on the ice; he wounded him with several balls; the animal,
not being able to escape through his hole in the ice, was soon slain.
He was of very good size. Johnson cut him up skilfully, but he was so
very thin that he was of but little use to the men, who could not make
up their minds to drink his oil, like the Esquimaux. Still the doctor
boldly tried to drink the slimy fluid, but he could not do it. He
preserved the skin of the animal, for no special reason, by a sort of
hunter's instinct, and placed it on the sledge.
[Illustration: "The doctor was fortunate enough to find a seal."]
The next day, the 16th, they saw a few icebergs on the horizon. Was it
a sign of a neighboring shore, or simply a disturbance of the ice? It
was hard to say.
When they had reached one of these hummocks, they dug in it with a
snow-knife a more comfortable retreat than that afforded by the tent,
and after three hours of exertion they were able to rest about their
glowing stove.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LAST CHARGE OF POWDER.
Johnson had admitted the tired dogs into the snow-house; when the snow
is falling heavily it serves as a covering to the animals, preserving
their natural heat. But in the open air, with a temperature of -40°,
they would soon have frozen to death.
Johnson, who made an excellent dog-driver, tried feeding the dogs with
the dark flesh of the seals which the travellers could not swallow,
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