and to his great surprise they made a rich feast out of it; the old
sailor in his delight told the doctor. He, however, was not in the
least surprised; he knew that in the north of America the horses make
fish their main article of food, and what a herbivorous horse could
content himself with would certainly satisfy an omnivorous dog.
Before going to rest, although sleep became an imperious necessity for
men who had walked fifteen miles on the ice, the doctor wished to have
a few serious words with his companions about the dangers of their
situation.
"We are only at latitude 82°," he said, "and our supplies are already
running short."
"A reason for losing no time," answered Hatteras; "we must push on;
the strong can draw the feeble."
"Shall we find a ship when we get there?" asked Bell, who was much
depressed by the fatigue of the journey.
"Why doubt it?" said Johnson; "the American's safety depends on ours."
To make sure, the doctor was anxious to question Altamont again. He
could speak easily, although his voice was weak; he confirmed all the
statements he had already made; he repeated that the ship was aground
on some granite rocks, where it could not stir, and that it lay in
longitude 120° 15', and latitude 83° 35'.
"We can't doubt this statement," resumed the doctor; "the difficulty
is not whether the -Porpoise- is there, but the way of getting to
her."
"How much food have we left?" asked Hatteras.
"Enough for three days at the outside," answered the doctor.
"Well, we must get to her in three days," said the captain, firmly.
"We must indeed," continued the doctor, "and if we succeed we shall
have no need to complain, for we shall have been favored by faultless
weather; the snow has given us a fortnight's respite, and the sledge
has glided easily on the hardened ice! Ah, if it only carried two
hundred pounds of food! Our dogs could have managed it easily enough.
But still we can't help it!"
"With luck and skill," said Johnson, "we might put to some use the few
charges of powder which are left us. If we should kill a bear we
should be supplied for all the rest of the journey."
"Without doubt," answered the doctor, "but these animals are rare and
shy; and then, when one thinks of the importance of a shot, his hand
will shake and his aim be lost."
"But you are a good shot," answered Bell.
"Yes, when four men's dinners do not depend on my hitting; still, I
will do my best if I get a chance. Meanwhile let us try to satisfy
ourselves with this thin soup of scraps of pemmican, then go to sleep,
and to-morrow early we'll start forth again."
A few moments later excessive fatigue outweighed every other feeling,
and they all sank into a heavy sleep. Early on Saturday Johnson awoke
his companions; the dogs were harnessed to the sledge, and they took
up again their journey northward.
The heavens were magnificent, the air was very clear, the temperature
very low; when the sun appeared above the horizon it appeared like an
elongated ellipse; its horizontal diameter appeared, in consequence of
refraction, to be double its vertical diameter. It sent forth its
clear, cold rays over the vast icy plain. This return to light, if not
to heat, rejoiced them all.
[Illustration]
The doctor, gun in hand, walked off for a mile or two, braving the
cold and solitude; before going he measured the supply carefully; only
four charges of powder were left, and three balls; that was a small
supply when one remembers that a strong animal like the polar bear
often falls only after receiving ten or twelve shots. Hence the doctor
did not go in search of so fierce game; a few hares or two or three
foxes would have satisfied him and given him plenty of provisions. But
during that day, if he saw one, or could not approach one, or if he
were deceived by refraction, he would lose his shot; and this day, as
it was, cost him a charge of powder and a ball. His companions, who
trembled with hope at the report of his gun, saw him returning with
downcast looks; they did not say anything; that evening they went to
sleep as usual, after putting aside two quarter-rations reserved for
the two following days. The next day their journey seemed more
laborious; they hardly walked, they rather dragged along; the dogs had
eaten even the entrails of the seal, and they were beginning to gnaw
their harness.
A few foxes passed at some distance from the sledge, and the doctor,
having missed another shot as he chased them, did not dare to risk his
last ball and his last charge save one of powder.
That evening they halted early, unable to set one foot before the
other, and, although their way was lighted by a brilliant aurora, they
could not go on. This last meal, eaten Sunday evening under their icy
tent, was very melancholy. If Heaven did not come to their aid, they
were lost. Hatteras did not speak, Bell did not even think, Johnson
reflected in silence, but the doctor did not yet despair.
Johnson thought of setting some traps that night; but since he had no
bait, he had very little hope of success, and in the morning he found,
as he expected, that, although a great many foxes had left their marks
around, yet not one had been caught. He was returning much
disappointed, when he saw an enormous bear sniffing the air at about
thirty yards from the sledge. The old sailor thought Providence had
sent this animal to him to be slain; without awakening his companions
he seized the doctor's gun and made his way towards the bear.
Having got quite near he took aim, but just as he was about to pull
the trigger he felt his arm trembling; his large fur gloves were in
his way; he took them off quickly, and seized his gun with a firmer
hand. Suddenly, a cry of pain escaped him; the skin of his fingers,
burned by the cold of the gun-barrel, remained clinging to it, while
the gun fell to the ground, and went off from the shock, sending the
last ball off into space. At the sound of the report the doctor ran;
he understood everything at a glance; he saw the animal trot quickly
away; Johnson was in despair, and thought no more of the pain.
[Illustration]
"I'm as tender as a baby," he cried, "not to be able to endure that
pain! And an old man like me!"
"Come back, Johnson," the doctor said to him, "you'll get frozen; see,
your hands are white already; come back, come!"
"I don't deserve your attentions, Doctor," answered the boatswain;
"leave me!"
"Come along, you obstinate fellow! Come along! It will soon be too
late!"
And the doctor, dragging the old sailor under the tent, made him
plunge his hands into a bowl of water, which the heat of the stove had
kept liquid, although it was not much above the freezing-point; but
Johnson's hands had no sooner touched it than it froze at once.
"You see," said the doctor, "it was time to come back, otherwise I
should have had to amputate your hands."
Thanks to his cares, all danger was gone in an hour; but it was no
easy task, and constant friction was necessary to recall the
circulation into the old sailor's fingers. The doctor urged him to
keep his hands away from the stove, the heat of which might produce
serious results.
That morning they had to go without breakfast; of the pemmican and the
salt meat nothing was left. There was not a crumb of biscuit, and only
half a pound of coffee. They had to content themselves with drinking
this hot, and then they set out.
"There's nothing more!" said Bell to Johnson, in a despairing accent.
"Let us trust in God," said the old sailor; "he is able to preserve
us!"
"This Captain Hatteras!" continued Bell; "he was able to return from
his first expeditions, but he'll never get back from this one, and we
shall never see home again!"
"Courage, Bell! I confess that the captain is almost foolhardy, but
there is with him a very ingenious man."
"Dr. Clawbonny?" said Bell.
"Yes," answered Johnson.
"What can he do in such circumstances?" retorted Bell, shrugging his
shoulders. "Can he change these pieces of ice into pieces of meat? Is
he a god, who can work by miracles?"
"Who can say?" the boatswain answered his companion's doubts; "I trust
in him."
Bell shook his head, and fell into a silent apathy, in which he even
ceased to think.
That day they made hardly three miles; at evening they had nothing to
eat; the dogs threatened to devour one another; the men suffered
extremely from hunger. Not a single animal was to be seen. If there
had been one, of what use would it have been? They could not go
hunting with a knife. Only Johnson thought he recognized a mile to
leeward the large bear, who was following the ill-fated little party.
"It is spying us!" he said to himself; "it sees a certain prey in us!"
But Johnson said no word to his companions; that evening they made
their accustomed halt, and their supper consisted only of coffee. They
felt their eyes growing haggard, their brain growing confused, and,
tortured by hunger, they could not get an hour's sleep; strange and
painful dreams took possession of their minds.
At a latitude in which the body imperiously demands refreshment, these
poor men had not eaten solid food for thirty-six hours, when Tuesday
morning came. Nevertheless, inspired by superhuman energy, they
resumed their journey, pushing on the sledge which the dogs were
unable to draw. At the end of two hours they fell, exhausted. Hatteras
wanted to push on. He, still strong, besought his companions to rise,
but they were absolutely unable. Then, with Johnson's assistance, he
built a resting-place in an iceberg. It seemed as if they were digging
their own graves.
[Illustration: "At the end of two hours they fell, exhausted."]
"I am willing to die of hunger," said Hatteras, "but not of cold."
After much weariness the house was ready, and they all entered it.
[Illustration]
So that day passed. In that evening, while his companions lay inert,
Johnson had a sort of hallucination; he dreamed of an immense bear.
That word, which he kept repeating, attracted the doctor's attention,
so that he shook himself free from his stupor, and asked the old
sailor why he kept talking about a bear, and what bear he meant.
"The bear which is following us," answered Johnson.
"The bear which is following us?" repeated the doctor.
"Yes, the last two days."
"The last two days! Have you seen him?"
"Yes, he's a mile to leeward."
"And you didn't tell us, Johnson?"
"What was the use?"
"True," said the doctor; "we have no ball to fire at him."
"Not a slug, a bit of iron, nor a bolt!" said the old sailor.
The doctor was silent, and began to think intently. Soon he said to
the boatswain,--
"You are sure the bear is following us?"
"Yes, Doctor, he's lying in wait to eat us. He knows we can't escape
him!"
"Johnson!" said the doctor, touched by the despairing accent of his
companion.
"His food is sure," continued the poor man, who was beginning to be
delirious; "he must be half famished, and I don't see why we need keep
him waiting any longer!"
"Be quiet, Johnson!"
"No, Doctor; if we've got to come to it, why should we prolong the
animal's sufferings? He's hungry as we are; he has no seal to eat!
Heaven sends him us men; well, so much the better for him!"
Thereupon Johnson went out of his mind; he wanted to leave the
snow-house. The doctor had hard work to prevent him, and he only
succeeded by saying, as if he meant it,--
"To-morrow I shall kill that bear!"
"To-morrow!" said Johnson, as if he had awakened from a bad dream.
"Yes, to-morrow."
"You have no ball!"
"I shall make one."
"You have no lead!"
"No, but I have some quicksilver."
Thereupon the doctor took the thermometer; it marked +50°. He went
outside, placed the instrument on the ice, and soon returned. The
outside temperature was -50°. Then he said to the old sailor,--
"Now go to sleep, and wait till to-morrow."
That night they endured the horrors of hunger; only the doctor and the
boatswain were able to temper them with a little hope. The next
morning, at dawn, the doctor rushed out, followed by Johnson, and ran
to the thermometer; all the mercury had sunk into the bulb, in the
form of a compact cylinder. The doctor broke the instrument, and
seized in his gloved fingers a piece of very hard metal. It was a real
bullet.
"Ah, Doctor," shouted the old sailor, "that's a real miracle! You are
a wonderful man!"
"No, my friend," answered the doctor, "I am only a man with a good
memory, who has read a good deal."
"Why, what do you mean?"
"I happened to remember something Captain Ross related in the account
of his voyage: he said he shot through an inch plank with a bullet of
frozen mercury; if I had any oil it would amount to nearly the same
thing, for he speaks of a ball of sweet almond, which was fired
against a post and fell back to the ground unbroken."
"That is hardly credible!"
"But it is true, Johnson; this piece of metal may save our lives; let
us leave it here in the air before we take it, and go and see whether
the bear is still following us."
At that moment Hatteras came out of the hut; the doctor showed him the
bullet, and told him what he thought of doing; the captain pressed his
hand, and the three went off to inspect. The air was very clear.
Hatteras, who was ahead of his companions, discovered the bear about a
half-mile off. The animal, seated on his hind quarters, was busily
moving his head about, sniffing towards these new arrivals.
"There he is!" shouted the captain.
"Silence!" said the doctor.
But the huge beast did not stir when he saw the hunters. He gazed at
them without fear or anger. Still, it would be found hard to approach
him.
[Illustration]
"My friends," said Hatteras, "we have not come out for sport, but to
save our lives. Let us act cautiously."
"Yes," answered the doctor; "we can only have one shot, and we must
not miss; if he were to run away, he would be lost, for he can run
faster than a hare."
"Well, we must go straight for him," said Johnson; "it is dangerous,
but what does it matter? I am willing to risk my life."
"No, let me go!" cried the doctor.
"No, I shall go," answered Hatteras, quietly.
"But," said Johnson, "are not you of more use to the others than I
should be?"
"No, Johnson," answered the captain, "let me go; I shall run no
needless risk; perhaps, too, I shall call on you to help me."
"Hatteras," asked the doctor, "are you going to walk straight towards
the bear?"
"If I were sure of hitting him, I would do so, even at the risk of
having my head torn open, but he would flee at my approach. He is very
crafty; we must try to be even craftier."
"What do you intend to do?"
"To get within ten feet of him without his suspecting it."
"How are you going to do it?"
"By a simple but dangerous method. You kept, did you not, the skin of
the seal you shot?"
"Yes, it is on the sledge."
"Well, let us go back to the snow-house, while Johnson stays here on
watch."
The boatswain crept behind a hummock which hid him entirely from the
sight of the bear, who stayed in the same place, continually sniffing
the air.
CHAPTER V.
THE SEAL AND THE BEAR.
Hatteras and the doctor went back to the house.
"You know," said the captain, "that the polar bears chase seals, which
are their principal food. They watch for days at their
breathing-holes, and seize them the moment they come upon the ice. So
a bear will not be afraid of a seal; far from it."
"I understand your plan," said the doctor, "but it's dangerous."
"But there is a chance of success," answered the captain, "and we must
try it. I am going to put on the sealskin and crawl over the ice. Let
us lose no time. Load the gun and give it to me."
The doctor had nothing to say; he would himself have done what his
companion was about to try; he left the house, carrying two axes, one
for Johnson, the other for himself; then, accompanied by Hatteras, he
went to the sledge.
There Hatteras put on the sealskin, which very nearly covered him.
Meanwhile, Hatteras loaded the gun with the last charge of powder, and
dropped in it the quicksilver bullet, which was as hard as steel and
as heavy as lead. Then he handed Hatteras the gun, which he hid
beneath the sealskin. Then he said to the doctor,--
"You go and join Johnson; I shall wait a few moments to puzzle the
enemy."
"Courage, Hatteras!" said the doctor.
"Don't be uneasy, and above all don't show yourselves before you hear
my gun."
The doctor soon reached the hummock which concealed Johnson.
"Well?" the latter asked.
"Well, we must wait. Hatteras is doing all this to save us."
The doctor was agitated; he looked at the bear, which had grown
excited, as if he had become conscious of the danger which threatened
him. A quarter of an hour later the seal was crawling over the ice; he
made a circuit of a quarter of a mile to baffle the bear; then he
found himself within three hundred feet of him. The bear then saw him,
and settled down as if he were trying to hide. Hatteras imitated
skilfully the movements of a seal, and if he had not known, the doctor
would certainly have taken him for one.
"That's true!" whispered Johnson.
The seal, as he approached the bear, did not appear to see him; he
seemed to be seeking some hole through which to reach the water. The
bear advanced towards him over the ice with the utmost caution; his
eager eyes betrayed his excitement; for one or perhaps two months he
had been fasting, and fortune was now throwing a sure prey before him.
The seal had come within ten feet of his enemy; the bear hastened
towards him, made a long leap, and stood stupefied three paces from
Hatteras, who, casting aside the sealskin, with one knee resting on
the ground, was aiming at the bear's heart.
The report was sounded, and the bear rolled over on the ice.
"Forward!" shouted the doctor. And, followed by Johnson, he hastened
to the scene of combat. The huge beast rose, and beat the air with one
paw while with the other he tore up a handful of snow to stanch the
wound. Hatteras did not stir, but waited, knife in hand. But his aim
had been accurate, and his bullet had hit its mark; before the arrival
of his friends he had plunged his knife into the beast's throat, and
it fell, never to rise.
[Illustration: "He plunged his knife into the beast's throat."]
"Victory!" shouted Johnson.
"Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" cried the doctor.
Hatteras, with folded arms, was gazing calmly at the corpse of his
foe.
"It's now my turn," said Johnson; "it's very well to have killed it,
but there is no need of waiting till it's frozen as hard as a stone,
when teeth and knife will be useless for attacking it."
Johnson began by skinning the bear, which was nearly as large as an
ox; it was nine feet long and six feet in circumference; two huge
tusks, three inches long, issued from his mouth. On opening him,
nothing was found in his stomach but water; the bear had evidently
eaten nothing for a long time; nevertheless, he was very fat, and he
weighed more than fifteen hundred pounds; he was divided into four
quarters, each one of which gave two hundred pounds of meat, and the
hunters carried this flesh back to the snow-house, without forgetting
the animal's heart, which went on beating for three hours.
The others wanted to eat the meat raw, but the doctor bade them wait
until it should be roasted. On entering the house he was struck by the
great cold within it; he went up to the stove and found the fire out;
the occupations as well as the excitement of the morning had made
Johnson forget his customary duty. The doctor tried to rekindle the
fire, but there was not even a spark lingering amid the cold ashes.
"Well, we must have patience!" he said to himself. He then went to the
sledge to get some tinder, and asked Johnson for his steel, telling
him that the fire had gone out. Johnson answered that it was his
fault, and he put his hand in his pocket, where he usually kept it; he
was surprised not to find it there. He felt in his other pockets with
the same success; he went into the snow-house and examined carefully
the covering under which he had slept in the previous night, but he
could not find it.
"Well?" shouted the doctor.
Johnson came back, and stared at his companions.
"And haven't you got the steel, Dr. Clawbonny?" he asked.
"No, Johnson."
"Nor you, Captain?"
"No," answered Hatteras.
"You have always carried it," said the doctor.
"Well, I haven't got it now--" murmured the old sailor, growing pale.
"Not got it!" shouted the doctor, who could not help trembling. There
was no other steel, and the loss of this might bring with it terrible
consequences.
"Hunt again!" said the doctor.
Johnson ran to the piece of ice behind which he had watched the bear,
then to the place of combat, where he had cut him up; but he could not
find anything. He returned in despair. Hatteras looked at him without
a word of reproach.
"This is serious," he said to the doctor.
"Yes," the latter answered.
"We have not even an instrument, a glass from which we might take the
lens to get fire by means of it!"
"I know it," answered the doctor; "and that is a great pity, because
the rays of the sun are strong enough to kindle tinder."
"Well," answered Hatteras, "we must satisfy our hunger with this raw
meat; then we shall resume our march and we shall try to reach the
ship."
"Yes," said the doctor, buried in reflection; "yes, we could do that
if we had to. Why not? We might try--"
"What are you thinking of?" asked Hatteras.
"An idea which has just occurred to me--"
"An idea," said Johnson; "one of your ideas! Then we are saved!"
"It's a question," answered the doctor, "whether it will succeed."
"What is your plan?" said Hatteras.
"We have no lens; well, we will make one."
"How?" asked Johnson.
"With a piece of ice which we shall cut out."
"Why, do you think--"
"Why not? We want to make the sun's rays converge to a common focus,
and ice will do as much good as crystal."
"Is it possible?" asked Johnson.
"Yes, only I should prefer fresh to salt water; it is more
transparent, and harder."
"But, if I am not mistaken," said Johnson, pointing to a hummock a
hundred paces distant, "that dark green block shows--"
"You are right; come, my friends; bring your hatchet, Johnson."
The three men went towards the block which, as they supposed, was
formed of fresh water.
The doctor had a piece, a foot in diameter, cut through, and he began
to smooth it with the hatchet; then he equalized the surface still
further with his knife; then he polished it with his hand, and he
obtained soon a lens as transparent as if it had been made of the most
magnificent crystal. Then he returned to the snow-house, where he took
a piece of tinder and began his experiment. The sun was shining
brightly; the doctor held the lens so that the rays should be focused
on the tinder, which took fire in a few seconds.
[Illustration]
"Hurrah! hurrah!" cried Johnson, who could hardly trust his eyes. "O
Doctor, Doctor!"
The old sailor could not restrain his joy; he was coming and going
like a madman. The doctor had returned to the house; a few minutes
later the stove was roaring, and soon a delicious odor of cooking
aroused Bell from his torpor. It may be easily imagined how the feast
was enjoyed; still the doctor advised his friends to partake in
moderation; he set an example, and while eating he again began to
talk.
"To-day is a lucky day," he said; "we have food enough for our
journey. But we mustn't fall asleep in the delights of Capua, and we'd
better start out again."
"We can't be more than forty-eight hours from the -Porpoise-," said
Altamont, who could now begin to speak once more.
"I hope," said the doctor, smiling, "that we shall find material for a
fire there."
"Yes," said the American.
"For, if my ice lens is good," continued the doctor, "there would
still be something desired on cloudy days, and there are many of them
less than four degrees from the Pole."
"True!" said Altamont with a sigh, "less than four degrees! My ship
has gone nearer than any yet has been!"
"Forward!" said Hatteras, quickly.
"Forward!" repeated the doctor, gazing uneasily at the two captains.
The strength of the travellers soon returned; the dogs had eaten
freely of the bear's flesh, and they continued their journey
northward. During their walk the doctor tried to draw from Altamont
the object of his expedition, but the American gave only evasive
answers.
"There are two men to be watched," he whispered to the boatswain.
"Yes," answered Johnson.
"Hatteras never says a word to the American, and the American seems to
show very little gratitude. Fortunately I am here."
"Dr. Clawbonny," answered Johnson, "since this Yankee has returned to
life, I don't like his face much."
"Either I'm mistaken," answered the doctor, "or he suspects Hatteras's
plans."
"Do you think that the stranger has the same plans?"
"Who can tell? The Americans are bold; an American may well try what
an Englishman tries!"
"You think that Altamont--"
"I don't think anything about it," answered the doctor; "but the
situation of this ship on the way to the Pole gives one material for
thought."
"But Altamont said he had drifted there."
"He said so! Yes, but he was smiling in a very strange way."
"The devil, Dr. Clawbonny; it would be unfortunate if there should be
any rivalry between two such men."
"Heaven grant that I may be mistaken, Johnson, for this misfortune
might produce serious complications, if not some catastrophe."
"I hope Altamont will not forget that we saved his life."
"But isn't he going to save us? I confess that without us he would not
be alive; but what would become of us without him, without his ship,
without its resources?"
"Well, Doctor, you are here, and I hope with your aid all will go
well."
"I hope so, Johnson."
The voyage went on without incident; there was no lack of bear's
flesh, and they made copious meals of it; there was a certain
good-humor in the little band, thanks to the jests of the doctor and
his pleasant philosophy; this worthy man always had some scrap of
information to give to his companions. His health continued good; he
had not grown very thin, in spite of his fatigues and privations; his
friends at Liverpool would have recognized him without difficulty;
especially would they have recognized his unaltered good-humor.
[Illustration]
During the morning of Saturday the appearance of the plain of ice
changed materially; the perturbed fragments, the frequent packs, the
hummocks, showed that the ice-field was enduring some severe pressure;
evidently some unknown continent, some new island, might have caused
this by narrowing the passes. Blocks of fresh water, more frequent and
larger, indicated the coast to be near. Hence, there was near them a
new land, and the doctor yearned with a desire to add to the charts of
the northern regions. Great is the pleasure of ascertaining the line
of these unknown coasts, and of tracing it with a pencil; that was the
doctor's aim, while that of Hatteras was merely to place his foot upon
the Pole, and he took pleasure in advance in thinking of the names he
was going to give to the seas, straits, bays, and slightest
promontories in these new continents; certainly he would not forget
the names of his companions, his friends, nor her Gracious Majesty,
nor the royal family; and he foresaw a certain "Cape Clawbonny" with
great satisfaction.
These thoughts kept him busy all day; that evening they encamped as
usual, and each one took his turn at watching near these unknown
lands. The next day, Sunday, after a heavy breakfast of bear's paws,
which were very good, the travellers pushed on to the north, inclining
a little to the west; the road grew difficult, but yet they advanced
rapidly. Altamont, from the top of the sledge, scanned the horizon
with feverish attention; his companions were the victims of
involuntary uneasiness. The last solar observations gave them latitude
83° 35', and longitude 120° 15'; that was the place where the American
ship was said to be lying; the question of life and death was to be
solved that day. At last, at about half past two in the afternoon,
Altamont stood straight, stopped the little band by a loud cry, and,
pointing with his hand to a white mass, which all the rest had taken
for an iceberg, he cried with a loud voice,--
"The -Porpoise-!"
CHAPTER VI.
THE PORPOISE.
March 24th was Palm Sunday,--that day when the streets of the towns
and villages of Europe are filled with flowers and leaves; bells are
ringing, and the air is filled with rich perfumes. But here, in this
desolate country, what sadness and silence! The wind was keen and
bitter; not a leaf of foliage was to be seen! But still, this Sunday
was a day of rejoicing for our travellers, for at last they were about
to find supplies which would save them from certain death. They
hastened their steps; the dogs drew the sledge briskly, Duke barked
joyously, and they all soon reached the American ship. The -Porpoise-
was wholly buried beneath the snow; there was no sign of mast, yard,
or rigging; all had been lost at the time of the shipwreck; the ship
lay on a bed of rocks now completely hidden. The -Porpoise- was
careened to one side by the violence of the shock, her bottom was torn
open, so that the ship seemed uninhabitable. This was soon seen by the
captain, the doctor, and Johnson, after they had entered the vessel;
they had to cut away fifteen feet of ice to get to the hatchway; but
to their great joy they saw that the animals, many traces of which
were to be seen, had spared the supplies.
"If we have here," said Johnson, "plenty of food and fuel, this hull
does not seem inhabitable."
"Well, we must build a snow-house," answered Hatteras, "and make
ourselves as comfortable as possible on the mainland."
"Without doubt," continued the doctor; "but don't let us hurry; let us
do things carefully; if need be we can fit out some quarters in the
ship; meanwhile we can build a strong house, capable of protecting us
against the cold and wild beasts. I am willing to be the architect,
and you'll see what I can do."
"I don't doubt your skill, Doctor," answered Johnson; "we'll make
ourselves as comfortable as possible here, and we'll make an inventory
of all that the ship contains; unfortunately, I don't see any launch,
or boat, and these ruins are in too bad a state to permit of our
making a small boat."
"Who can say?" answered the doctor. "With time and thought a great
deal can be done; now we have not to trouble ourselves about
navigation, but about a house to live in; I propose not to form any
other plans, and to let everything have its turn."
"That is wise," answered Hatteras; "let us begin with the beginning."
The three companions left the ship, returned to the sledge, and
announced their determination to Bell and the American; Bell said he
was ready to work; the American shook his head, on learning that
nothing could be done with his ship; but since all discussion would
have been idle, they determined at first to take refuge in the
-Porpoise-, and to build a large building on the shore.
At four o'clock in the afternoon the five travellers were installed as
comfortably as possible between decks; by means of spars and fragments
of masts, Bell had made a nearly level floor; there they placed
coverings stiffened by the frost, which the heat of the stove soon
brought back to their natural state; Altamont, leaning on the doctor,
was able to make his way to the corner which had been set aside for
him; on setting foot on his ship, he had sighed with a feeling of
relief, which did not encourage the boatswain.
"He feels at home," the old sailor thought, "and one would say that he
had invited us here."
The rest of the day was devoted to repose; the weather threatened to
change under the influence of the westerly winds; the thermometer
outside stood at -26°. In fact, the -Porpoise- lay beyond the pole of
cold, at a latitude relatively less severe, though farther to the
north. On that day they finished the bear, with some biscuits they
found on the ship, and a few cups of tea; then fatigue overcame them,
and each one sank into a sound sleep.
The next morning they all awoke rather late; they soon recalled the
difference in their situation; they were no longer perplexed with
uncertainty about the morrow; they only thought of establishing
themselves comfortably. These castaways looked at themselves as
colonists who had reached their destination, and, forgetting the
sufferings of their long march, they had no other thought than that of
securing a comfortable future.
[Illustration: "These castaways looked at themselves as colonists who
had reached their destination."]
"Well," said the doctor, stretching his arms, "it's something not to
have to wonder where one will sleep to-night and what one will have to
eat to-morrow."
"Let us first make an inventory of the ship," answered Johnson.
The -Porpoise- had been carefully equipped for a long voyage.
The inventory, when complete, indicated the following supplies:--
6,150 lbs. of flour, fat and raisins for puddings;
2,000 "" beef and salt pork;
1,500 "" pemmican;
700 "" sugar;
700 "" chocolate;
500 "" rice;
1½ chests of tea, weighing 87 lbs;
many barrels of canned fruits and vegetables, lime-juice in abundance,
cochlearia, sorrel and water-cresses, and three hundred gallons of rum
and brandy; in the hold there was a large supply of ammunition; there
was plenty of coal and wood. The doctor collected carefully the
nautical instruments, and he also found a Bunsen's Pile, which had
been carried for electrical tests and experiments. In short, they had
supplies enough to keep five men on whole rations for two years; all
fear of starving or freezing to death was hence wholly removed.
"Our means of living are certain," said the doctor to the captain,
"and there is nothing to prevent our reaching the Pole."
"The Pole!" answered Hatteras, trembling with excitement.
"Certainly," continued the doctor; "what's to prevent our pushing on
during the summer across the land?"
"Across the land! true! But how about the sea?"
"Can't we build a small boat out of the timber of the -Porpoise-?"
"An American boat, you mean," answered Hatteras, scornfully, "and
commanded by this American!"
The doctor understood the captain's repugnance, and judged it best to
change the conversation.
"Now that we know what our supplies are," he went on, "we must build
some safe place for them, and a house for ourselves. We have plenty of
material, and we can settle ourselves very comfortably. I hope, Bell,"
he added, turning to the carpenter, "that you are going to distinguish
yourself; I may be able to help you too, I trust."
"I'm ready, Doctor," answered Bell; "if it were necessary I could
easily build a whole city with houses and streets out of these blocks
of ice--"
"We sha'n't need as much as that; let us follow the example of the
agents of the Hudson's Bay Company; they build forts which protect
them from the wild beasts and the Indians; that is all we need; let us
make it no larger than necessary; on one side the dwelling, on the
other the stores, with a sort of curtain, and two bastions. I'll try
to rub up what I know about fortification."
"Upon my word, Doctor," said Johnson, "I don't doubt that we shall
make something very fine under your direction."
"Well, my friends, we must first choose a site; a good engineer should
first study the lay of the land. Will you come with me, Hatteras?"
"I shall trust to you, Doctor," answered the captain. "You see about
that, while I explore the coast."
Altamont, who was still too feeble to get to work, was left on board
of his ship, and the two Englishmen set foot on the mainland. The
weather was thick and stormy; at noon the thermometer stood at -11°,
but, there being no wind, that temperature was comfortable. Judging
from the outline of the shore, a large sea, at that time wholly
frozen, stretched out farther than eye could reach in the west; on the
east it was limited by a rounded coast, cut into by numerous
estuaries, and rising suddenly about two hundred yards from the shore;
it formed a large bay, full of dangerous rocks, on which the
-Porpoise- had been wrecked; far off on the land rose a mountain,
which the doctor conjectured to be about three thousand feet high.
Towards the north a promontory ran into the sea, after hiding a part
of the bay. An island of moderate size rose from the field of ice,
three miles from the mainland, so that it offered a safe anchorage to
any ship that could enter the bay. In a hollow cut of the shore was a
little inlet, easily reached by ships, if this part of the arctic seas
was ever open. Yet, according to the accounts of Beecher and Penny,
this whole sea was open in the summer months.
In the middle of the coast the doctor noticed a sort of plateau about
two hundred feet in diameter; on three sides it was open to the bay;
the fourth was enclosed by an elevation about a hundred and twenty
feet high; this could be ascended only by steps cut in the ice. This
seemed a proper place for a solid building, and it could be easily
fortified; nature had adapted it for the purpose; it was only
necessary to make use of the place. The doctor, Bell, and Johnson
reached this place by means of steps cut in the ice. As soon as the
doctor saw the excellence of the place, he determined to dig away the
ten feet of hardened snow which covered it; the buildings had to be
built on a solid foundation.
During Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, work went on without
relaxation; at last the ground appeared; it consisted of a hard, dense
granite, with the angles as sharp as glass; it contained, moreover,
garnets and large crystals of feldspar, against which the pickaxe
struck fire.
[Illustration]
The doctor then gave them the dimensions and plan of the snow-house;
it was to be forty feet long, twenty broad, and ten deep; it was
divided into three rooms, a sitting-room, a bedroom, and a kitchen;
more was not needed. To the left was the kitchen, to the right the
bedroom, in the middle the sitting-room. For five days they worked
busily. There was no lack of material; the ice walls were thick enough
to resist thawing, for they could not risk being wholly without
protection, even in summer. In proportion as the house rose, it became
agreeable to see; there were four front windows, two in the
sitting-room, one in the kitchen, another in the bedroom; for panes of
glass they substituted large sheets of ice, in the Esquimaux fashion,
which served as well as unpolished glass for the passage of light. In
front of the sitting-room, between two windows, there ran a long entry
like a tunnel, which gave admission to the house; a solid door,
brought from the -Porpoise-, closed it hermetically. When the house
was finished, the doctor was delighted with his handiwork; it would
have been impossible to say to what school of architecture the
building belonged, although the architect would have avowed his
preferences for the Saxon Gothic, so common in England; but the main
point was, that it should be solid; therefore the doctor placed on the
front short uprights; on top a sloping roof rested against the granite
wall. This served to support the stove-pipes, which carried the smoke
away. When the task was completed, they began to arrange the interior.
They carried into the bedroom the sleeping-accommodations from the
-Porpoise-; they were arranged in a circle about a large stove.
Benches, chairs, sofas, tables, wardrobes, were arranged in the
sitting-room, which was also used as a dining-room; the kitchen
received the cooking-stoves of the ship, and the various utensils.
Sails, stretched on the floor, formed the carpet, and also served as
hangings to the inner doors, which had no other way of closing. The
walls of the house averaged five feet in thickness, and the recesses
for the windows looked like embrasures in a fort. It was all built
with great solidity; what more was to be desired? Ah, if they had
listened to the doctor, there is no knowing what they would not have
made of this ice and snow, which can be so easily manipulated! He all
day long would ponder over plans which he never hoped to bring about,
but he thereby lightened the dull work of all by the ingenuity of his
suggestions. Besides, he had come across, in his wide reading, a
rather rare book by one Kraft, entitled "Detailed Description of the
Snow-Palace built at St. Petersburg, in January, 1740, and of all the
Objects it contained." The recollection of this book impressed him.
One evening he gave his companions a full account of the wonders of
that snow-palace.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
"Why couldn't we do here," he asked, "what they did at St. Petersburg?
What do we need? Nothing, not even imagination!"
"So it was very handsome?" said Johnson.
"It was fairy-like, my friend. The house, built by order of the
Empress Anna, and in which she had celebrated the marriage of one of
her buffoons in 1740, was nearly as large as ours; but in front stood
six cannons of ice; they were often fired without bursting; there were
also mortars to hold sixty-pound shells; so we could have some
formidable artillery; the bronze is handy, and falls even from heaven.
But the triumph of taste and art was on the front of the palace, which
was adorned with handsome statues; the steps were garnished with vases
of flowers of the same material; on the right stood an enormous
elephant, who played water through his trunk by day, and burning
naphtha by night. What a menagerie we might have if we only wanted
to!"
"As for animals," answered Johnson, "we sha'n't lack them, I fancy,
and they won't be any the less interesting for not being made of ice."
"Well," said the doctor, "we shall be able to defend ourselves against
their attacks; but to return to the palace, I should add that inside
there were mirrors, candelabra, beds, mattresses, pillows, curtains,
clocks, chairs, playing-cards, wardrobes well furnished, and all cut
out of ice; in fact, nothing was lacking."
"It was then a true palace?" said Bell.
"A splendid palace, worthy of a sovereign! Ice! It was kind of
Providence to invent it, since it lends itself to so many miracles and
accommodates so readily to the needs of castaways!"
It took them until March 31st to get the house ready; this was Easter
Sunday, and the day was set aside for rest; the whole day was spent in
the sitting-room, where divine service was read, and each was able to
judge of the excellent arrangements of the snow-house.
The next morning they set about building stores and a magazine; this
took them about a week, including the time employed for emptying the
-Porpoise-, which was not done without difficulty, for the low
temperature did not permit them to work very long. At last, April 8th,
provisions, food, and supplies were safely sheltered on land; the
stores were placed to the north, and the powder-house to the south,
about sixty feet from the end of the house; a sort of dog-kennel was
built near the stores; it was destined for the Greenland dogs, and the
doctor honored it with the title of "Dog-Palace." Duke partook of the
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000