descending for a few minutes to the saloon.
As day commenced to dawn he had the satisfaction of perceiving that the
waves visibly receded, and if they continued to do so the "Alaska" would
be left almost on dry rocks. This gave him hope of being able speedily
to determine the extent of the damage which the vessel had received,
and, in fact, toward seven o'clock they were able to proceed with this
examination.
They found that three points of the rocks had pierced the "Alaska," and
held her firmly on her rocky bed. The direction in which she lay,
slightly inclined to the north, which was contrary to her course, showed
that the commands given by Erik to back the vessel had saved her, and
also rendered the shock, when she struck, less severe. The engine had
been reversed some seconds before she touched, and she had been carried
on the reef by the remainder of her previous speed, and by the force of
the current. Doubtless but for this she would have gone to pieces.
Besides, the waves having continued to break against her all night in
the same direction, had helped to keep her in her place instead of
fixing her more firmly on the rocks, which would have happened if the
wind had changed. So, after all, there was a favorable view to take of
the disaster. The question now was how to get the vessel off before the
wind should change, and reverse these favorable conditions.
Erik resolved not to lose a moment. Immediately after breakfast he set
all his men to work. He hoped that when the tow-boat should arrive,
which he had sent for from L'Orient, it might be possible at high tide
to disengage the "Alaska."
We can therefore imagine that the young captain waited impatiently for
the first trace of smoke upon the horizon.
All turned out as he desired. The water remained calm and peaceful.
Toward noon the boat arrived.
Erik, with his staff, received the mariners with due honors.
"But explain to me," said the captain of the tow-boat, "how you came to
cast your vessel on these rocks after leaving Brest?"
"This chart will explain it," said Erik. "It does not point out any such
danger."
The French officer examined the chart with curiosity at first, and then
he looked stupefied.
"In fact the Basse-Froide is not marked down, nor the point of Sein," he
cried. "What unparalleled negligence. Why, even the position of the
light-house is not correctly marked. I am more and more surprised. This
is a chart of the British Admiralty. I should say that some one has
taken pleasure in making it as deceitful and perfidious as possible.
Navigators of olden times frequently played such tricks upon their
rivals. I should never have believed such traditions would be imitated
in England."
"Are you sure that this is an English chart?" asked Mr. Bredejord. "For
myself I suspect that the chart is the work of a rascal, and has been
placed with criminal intentions among the charts of the 'Alaska.'"
"By Tudor Brown!" cried Erik, impetuously. "That evening when we dined
with the authorities at Brest he entered the captain's room upon the
pretense of examining the charts. Oh, the infamous wretch! This then is
the reason that he did not come on board again!"
"It appears to be only too evident that he is the culprit," said Dr.
Schwaryencrona. "But such a dastardly action betrays such an abyss of
iniquity. What motive could he have for committing such a crime?"
"What was his motive in coming to Stockholm, expressly to tell you that
Patrick O'Donoghan was dead?" answered Mr. Bredejord. "For what purpose
did he subscribe twenty thousand kroners for the voyage of the 'Alaska,'
when it was doubtful if she would ever make the journey? Why did he
embark with us to leave us at Brest? I think we must be blind indeed if
we do not see in these facts a chain of evidence as logical as it is
frightful. What interest has Tudor Brown in all this? I do not know. But
this interest must be very strong, very powerful, to induce him to have
recourse to such means to prevent our journey; for I am convinced now
that it was he who caused the accident which detained us at Brest, and
it was he who led us upon these rocks, where he expected we would all
lose our lives."
"It seems difficult, however, to believe that he could have foreseen the
route that Captain Marsilas would choose!" objected Mr. Malarias. "Why
did he not indicate this route by altering the chart? After delaying us
for three days, he felt certain that the captain would take the shortest
way. The latter, believing that the waters were safe around Sein, was
thrown upon the rocks."
"It is true," said Erik; "but the proof that the result of his maneuvers
was uncertain lies in the fact that I insisted, before Captain Marsilas,
that we ought still to keep to the west."
"But who knows whether he has not prepared other charts to lead us
astray, in case this one failed to do so?" said Mr. Bredejord.
"That is easily determined," answered Erik, who went and brought all the
charts and maps that were in the case.
The first one which they opened was that of Corunna, and at a glance the
French officer pointed out two or three grave errors. The second was
that of Cape Vincent. It was the same.
The third was that of Gibraltar. Here the errors were apparent to every
eye. A more thorough examination would have been superfluous, as it was
impossible to doubt any longer. If the "Alaska" had not been shipwrecked
on the Island of Sein, this fate would surely have awaited her before
she could have reached Malta.
A careful examination of the charts revealed the means which had been
employed to effect these changes. They were undoubtedly English charts,
but they had been partly effaced by some chemical process, and then
retouched so as to indicate false routes among the true ones. They had
been recolored so skillfully that only a very slight difference in the
tints could be perceived after the most careful scrutiny.
But there was one circumstance which betrayed the criminal intentions
with which they had been placed on board the "Alaska." All the charts
belonging to the vessel bore the seal of the secretary of the Swedish
navy. The forger had foreseen that they would not be examined too
minutely, and had hoped that by following them they would all come to a
watery grave.
These successive discoveries had produced consternation in the breasts
of all who were present.
Erik was the first to break the silence which had succeeded the
conversation.
"Poor Captain Marsilas!" he said, in a trembling voice, "he has suffered
for us all. But since we have escaped almost by a miracle the fate which
was prepared for us, let us run no more risks. The tide is rising, and
it may be possible to draw the 'Alaska' off the rocks. If you are
willing, gentlemen, we will go and commence operations without delay."
He spoke with simple authority and a modest dignity, with which the
feeling of responsibility had already inspired him.
To see a young man of his age invested with the command of a ship under
such circumstances, and for such a hazardous expedition, was certainly
an unforeseen occurrence. But he felt that he was equal to the
performance of all his duties. He knew that he could rely upon himself
and upon his crew, and these thoughts transfigured him. The youth of
yesterday was a man to-day. The spirit of a hero burned in his eyes. He
rose superior to the calamity which had befallen them. His ability
impressed all who approached him. Even the doctor and Mr. Bredejord
submitted to him like the others.
The operation of preparing for their morning's work proved easier than
they had hoped.
Lifted by the rising waters, the vessel only required a slight force to
take her off the rocks. A few hours of hard work were sufficient to
accomplish this, and the "Alaska" was once more afloat, strained indeed,
and weighed down by the water which made its way into some of her
compartments, and with her engine silent, but manageable.
All the crew, who were assembled on the deck, watched anxiously the
result of these efforts, and a loud hurrah greeted the deliverance of
the "Alaska."
The Frenchmen replied to this joyful cry with similar acclamations. It
was now three o'clock in the afternoon. Above the horizon the beautiful
February sun inundated the calm sparkling sea with floods of sunshine,
which fell also on the rocks of the Basse-Froide, as if to efface all
remembrance of the drama which had been enacted there the previous
night.
That same evening the "Alaska" had been safely towed into the harbor of
L'Orient.
The next day the French maritime authorities, with the utmost courtesy,
authorized the necessary repairs to be made without delay. The damage
which the vessel had sustained was not serious, but that of the
machinery was more complicated, although not irremediable. Necessarily
it would take some time to render her seaworthy, but nowhere in the
world, as Erik had foreseen, could this be accomplished so speedily as
at this port, which possessed such immense resources for naval
construction. The house of Gainard, Norris & Co., undertook to make the
repairs in three weeks. It was now the 23d of February; on the 16th of
March they would be able to resume their voyage, and this time with good
charts.
That would leave three months and a half for them to reach Behring's
Strait by the end of June. It was not impossible to do this, although
the time was very limited. Erik would not hear of abandoning the
enterprise. He feared only one thing, and that was being compelled to do
so. Therefore he refused to send to Stockholm a report of the shipwreck,
and he would not make a formal complaint against the presumed author of
the attempt to shipwreck them for fear of being delayed by legal
proceedings, yet he had his fears that this might encourage Tudor Brown
to throw some new obstacle in the way of the "Alaska." This is what Dr.
Schwaryencrona and Mr. Bredejord asked each other as they were playing
at whist with Mr. Malarius, in the little sitting-room of the hotel to
which they had gone after arriving at L'Orient.
As for Mr. Bredejord, he had no doubts about the matter.
A rascal like Tudor Brown, if he knew of the failure of his scheme--and
how could any one doubt that he was acquainted with this fact?--would
not hesitate to renew the attempt.
To believe that they would ever succeed in reaching Behring's Strait was
therefore more than self-delusion--it was foolishness. Mr. Bredejord did
not know what steps Tudor Brown would take to prevent this, but he felt
certain that he would find some means of doing so. Dr. Schwaryencrona
was inclined to the same opinion, and even Mr. Malarius could not think
of anything very reassuring to say. The games of whist were therefore
not very lively, and the long strolls that the three friends took were
not very gay.
Their principal occupation was to watch the erection of the mausoleum
which they were building for poor Captain Marsilas, whose funeral
obsequies had been attended by the entire population of L'Orient.
The sight of this funeral monument was not calculated to raise the
spirits of the survivors of the "Alaska."
But when they joined Erik again their hopes revived. His resolution was
unshakable, his activity untiring, he was so bent upon overcoming all
obstacles, so certain of success, that it was impossible for them to
express, or even to preserve, less heroic sentiments.
They had a new proof of the malignity of Tudor Brown, and that he still
was pursuing them.
On the 14th of March, Erik saw that the work upon the machinery was
almost finished. They only had to adjust the pumps, and that was to be
done the next day.
But in the night, between the 14th and 15th, the body of the pump
disappeared from the workshop of the Messrs. Gainard, Norris & Co.
It was impossible to find it.
How had it been taken away--who had done it?
After investigation they were unable to discover.
However, it would take ten days more to replace it, and that would make
it the 25th of March before the "Alaska" could leave L'Orient.
It was a singular fact, but this incident affected Erik's spirits more
than the shipwreck had done. He saw in it a sure sign of a persistent
desire to prevent the voyage of the "Alaska."
But these efforts only redoubled his ardor, and he determined that
nothing should be wanting on his part to bring the expedition to a
successful termination.
These ten days of delay were almost exclusively occupied by him in
considering the question in all its aspects. The more he studied, the
more he became convinced that he could not reach Behring's Straits in
three months, for they had suffered a detention of forty days since they
had left Stockholm, and to persist would only be to court failure and
perhaps some irremediable disaster.
This conclusion did not stop him, but it only led him to think that some
modification of their original plans was indispensable.
He took care, however, to say nothing, rightly judging that secrecy was
the first condition of victory. He contented himself with watching more
closely than ever the work of repairing the vessel.
But his companions thought that they perceived that he was less eager to
set out.
They therefore concluded that he saw that the enterprise was
impracticable, which they had also believed for some time.
But they were mistaken.
On the 25th of March, at midday, the repairs of the "Alaska" were
completed, and she was once more afloat in the harbor of L'Orient.
CHAPTER XV.
THE SHORTEST ROUTE.
Night was closing in when Erik summoned his three friends and counselors
to hold a serious consultation.
"I have reflected a great deal," he said to them, "upon the
circumstances which have made our voyage memorable since we left
Stockholm. I have been forced to arrive at one conclusion, which is that
we must expect to meet with obstacles or accidents during our voyage.
Perhaps they may befall us at Gibraltar or at Malta. If we are not
destroyed, it appears to me certain that we shall be delayed. In that
case we can not reach Behring's Straits during the summer, which is the
only season when it is practicable to navigate the polar sea!"
"That is also the conclusion which I formed some time ago," declared Mr.
Bredejord: "but I kept it to myself, as I did not wish to dampen your
hopes, my dear boy. But I am sure that we must give up the idea of
reaching Behring's Strait in three months!"
"That is also my opinion," said the doctor.
Mr. Malarius on his part indicated by a motion of his head that he
agreed with them all.
"Well!" said Erik, "having settled that point, what line of conduct now
remains for us to adopt?"
"There is one right course which it is our duty to take," answered Mr.
Bredejord, "it is to renounce an enterprise which we see clearly is
impracticable and return to Stockholm. You understand this fact, my
child, and I congratulate you upon being able to look the situation
calmly in the face!"
"You pay me a compliment which I can not accept," said Erik smiling,
"for I do not merit it. No--I have no thoughts of abandoning the
expedition, for I am far from regarding it as impracticable. I only
think that it is best for us all to baffle the machinations of that
scoundrel who is lying in wait for us, and the first thing to do is to
change our route."
"Such a change would only complicate our difficulties," replied the
doctor, "since we have adopted the shortest one. If it would be
difficult to reach Behring's Straits by the Mediterranean and the Suez
Canal, it would be impossible by the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Horn,
for either of these routes would necessarily take five or six months."
"There is another way which would shorten our voyage, instead of
lengthening it, and where we would be sure not to meet Tudor Brown,"
said Erik.
"Another way?" answered Dr. Schwaryencrona; "upon my word I do not know
of any unless you are thinking of the way of Panama. But it is not yet
practicable for vessels, and it will not be yet for several years."
"I am not thinking of Panama, nor of Cape Horn, nor of the Cape of Good
Hope," answered the young captain of the "Alaska." "The route I propose
is the only one by which we can reach Behring's Strait in three months:
it is to go by way of the Arctic Ocean, the north-west passage."
Then seeing that his friends were stupefied by this unexpected
announcement, Erik proceeded to develop his plans.
"The north-west passage now is no longer what it was formerly, frightful
to navigators--it is intermittent, since it is only open for eight or
ten weeks every year, but it is now well known, marked out upon
excellent charts, and frequented by hundreds of whaling-vessels. It is
rarely taken by any vessel going from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
I must admit. Most of them who enter it from either side only traverse
it partially. It might even happen, if circumstances were not favorable,
that we might find the passage closed, or that it might not be open at
the precise time when we desired to enter it. It is a risk that one must
take. But I think there are many reasons to make us hopeful of success
if we take this route, whilst as far as I can see there is none, if we
take any of the others. This being the state of affairs, I think it is
our duty--a duty which we owe to those who have fitted out the
expedition--to take the shortest way of reaching Behring's Strait. An
ordinary vessel equipped for navigating tropical waters might hesitate
before deciding upon such a course, but with a vessel like the 'Alaska'
fitted out especially for polar navigation, we need not hesitate. For my
part I declare that I will not return to Stockholm before having
attempted to find Nordenskiold."
Erik's reasoning was so sound that nobody tried to contradict it.
What objections could the doctor, Mr. Bredejord, and Mr. Malarius raise?
They saw the difficulties which beset the new plan. But it was possible
that these difficulties might not prove insurmountable, whilst, if they
pursued any other course, they must abandon all hopes of success.
Besides, they did not hesitate to agree with Erik that it would be more
glorious, in any case, to make the attempt, than to return to Stockholm
and acknowledge themselves conquered.
"I see but one serious objection, for my part," said Dr. Schwaryencrona,
after he had remained for a few moments lost in reflection. "It is the
difficulty of procuring coal in the arctic regions. For without coal,
adieu to the possibility of making the north-west passage, and of
profiting by the time, often very short, during which it is
practicable."
"I have foreseen this difficulty, which is in fact the only one,"
answered Erik, "and I do not think it is insurmountable. In place of
going to Malta or Gibraltar, where we might doubtless expect new
machinations on the part of Tudor Brown, I propose that we go to London;
from there I can send, by transatlantic cable, a dispatch to a house in
Montreal, to send without delay a boat loaded with coal to wait for us
in Baffin's Bay, and to a house in San Francisco to send to Behring's
Strait. We have the necessary funds at our disposal, and, besides, we
will not require as much as we would have done if we had gone by the way
of Asia, for our new route is a much shorter one. It is useless for us
to reach Baffin's Bay before the end of May, and we can not hope to
reach Behring's Strait before the end of June. Our correspondents in
Montreal and San Francisco will therefore have plenty of time to execute
our orders, which will be covered by funds deposited with bankers in
London. This accomplished, we shall only have to find out whether the
north-west passage is practicable, and that evidently depends upon
ourselves. But, if we find the passage closed, at least we shall have
the consolation of knowing that we have neglected nothing that could
have insured our success."
"It is evident!" said Mr. Malarius, "that your arguments are
unanswerable!"
"Gently, gently," said Mr. Bredejord. "Do not let us go too fast. I have
another objection. Do you think, my dear Erik, that the 'Alaska' can
pass unnoticed through these waters? No, it is not possible. The
newspapers would mention our arrival. The telegraph companies would make
it known. Tudor Brown would know it. He would know that we had changed
our plans. What would prevent him from altering his? Do you think, for
example, that it would be very difficult to prevent our boat with coals
from reaching us?--and without it we could do nothing!"
"That is true," answered Erik, "and it proves that we must think of
everything. We must not go to London. We must put into Lisbon as if we
were -en route- to Gibraltar and Suez. Then one of us must go
-incognito- to Madrid, and without explaining why, or for whom it is
intended, must open telegraphic communications with Montreal and San
Francisco, to order the supply of coal. The crews of these boats must
not know for whom the coal is destined, but remain at designated points
at the disposition of a captain who will carry an order to them
previously agreed upon!"
"A perfect arrangement. It will be almost impossible for Tudor Brown to
track us."
"You mean to track me, for I hope that you do not think of accompanying
me to these arctic regions," said Erik.
"Indeed that is my intention!" answered the doctor. "It shall not be
said that that rascal, Tudor Brown, made me turn back!"
"Nor me either," cried Mr. Bredejord and Mr. Malarius together.
The young captain tried to combat this resolution, and explained to his
friends the dangers and monotony of the voyage which they proposed to
take with him. But he could not alter their decision. The perils which
they had already encountered, made them feel it a duty to keep together;
for the only way of rendering such a voyage acceptable to them all was
not to separate. Every precaution had been taken to protect the persons
on board the "Alaska" from suffering unduly from cold; and neither
Swedes nor Norwegians fear frost.
Erik was obliged to yield to their wishes, only stipulating that their
change of route should not be made known to the crew of the vessel.
The first part of their voyage was quickly accomplished.
On the 2d of April the "Alaska" reached Lisbon. Before the newspapers
had given notice of their arrival, Mr. Bredejord had gone to Madrid, and
by means of a banking-house opened communications with two large firms,
one in Montreal and one in San Francisco.
He had arranged to have two boat-loads of coal sent to two designated
points, and had given the sign by which Erik was to make himself known.
This sign was the words found upon him when he was discovered floating,
tied to the buoy of the "Cynthia," "Semper idem."
Finally these arrangements having all been happily concluded, on the 9th
of April Mr. Bredejord returned to Lisbon, and the "Alaska" resumed her
voyage.
On the twenty-fifth of the same month, having crossed the Atlantic and
reached Montreal, where they took in coal, and Erik was assured that his
orders had been punctually fulfilled, they left the waters of the St.
Lawrence and Straits of Belle Isle, which separate Labrador from
Newfoundland. On the 10th of May they reached the coast of Greenland and
found the vessel with their coal, it having arrived before them.
Erik knew very well that at this early date it would be useless to
attempt to force his way through the Arctic Ocean, which was still
firmly frozen over the largest part of his route. But he counted upon
obtaining on these shores, which were much frequented by
whaling-vessels, precise information as to the best charts, and he was
not mistaken. He was also able to buy, although at a high price, a dozen
dogs, who with Kaas could draw their sledges if necessary.
Among the Danish stations on the coast of Greenland, he found Godhaven,
which is only a poor village, and is used as a depot by dealers in oil
and the furs of the country. At this time of the year the cold is not
more severe than at Stockholm or Noroe. But Erik and his friends beheld
with surprise the great difference between the two countries, both
situated at the same distance from the pole. Godhaven is in precisely
the same latitude as Bergen. But whilst the southern port of Norway is
in April covered with green forests and fruit trees, and even cultivated
vines trained upon trellises above green meadows, Greenland is still in
May covered with ice and snow, without a tree to enliven the monotony.
The shape of the Norwegian coast, deeply indented by fjords and
sheltered by chains of islands, which contribute almost as much as the
warmth of the Gulf Stream to raise the temperature of the country.
Greenland, on the contrary, has a low regular coast and receives the
full shock of the cold blasts from the pole, consequently she is
enveloped almost to the middle of the island by fields of ice several
feet in thickness.
They spent fifteen days in the harbor and then the "Alaska" mounted
Davis' Straits, and keeping along the coast of Greenland, gained the
polar sea.
On the 28th of May for the first time they encountered floating ice in
70 15' of north latitude, with a temperature two degrees below zero.
These first icebergs, it is true, were in a crumbling condition, rapidly
breaking up into small fragments. But soon they became more dense, and
frequently they had to break their way through them. Navigation,
although difficult, was not as yet dangerous. By a thousand signs they
perceived, however, that they were in a new world. All objects at a
little distance appeared to be colorless, and almost without form; the
eye could find no place to repose in this perpetually changing horizon,
which every minute assumed a new aspect.
"Who can describe," says an eye-witness, "these melancholy surroundings,
the roaring of the waves beating beneath the floating ice, the singular
noise made by the snow as it falls suddenly into the abyss of waters?
Who can imagine the beauty of the cascades which gush out on all sides,
the sea of foam produced by their fall, the fright of the sea-birds who,
having fallen asleep on a pyramid of ice, suddenly find their
resting-place overturned and themselves obliged to fly to some other
spot? And in the morning, when the sun bursts through the fog, at first
only a little of the blue sky is visible, but it gradually widens, until
the view is only limited by the horizon."
These spectacles, presented by the polar sea, Erik and his friends were
able to contemplate at their leisure as they left the coast of
Greenland, to which they had kept close until they had reached
Uppernavik. Then they sailed westward across Baffin's Bay. Here
navigation became more difficult, for this sea is the ordinary course of
the polar icebergs which are drawn in by the innumerable currents which
traverse it. Sometimes they found their course checked by insurmountable
barriers of ice, which it was impossible to break, and therefore they
were compelled to turn aside. The "Alaska" was obliged continually to
break her way through immense fields of ice. Sometimes a tempest of snow
assailed them which covered the deck and the masts with a thick coat.
Sometimes they were assailed by ice dashed over them by the wind, which
threatened to sink the vessel by its weight. Sometimes they found
themselves in a sort of lake, surrounded on all sides by fields of ice
apparently firm and impassable, and from which they had great difficulty
to extricate themselves and gain the open sea. Then they had to exercise
great vigilance to escape some enormous iceberg sailing down from the
north with incredible swiftness, a frightful mass, which could have
crushed the "Alaska" like a walnut. But a greater danger still was the
submarine ice, which could injure her and act like a battering-ram.
The "Alaska" lost her two large boats. One must experience the dangers
which polar navigation presents at every moment to have any just
appreciation of them.
After one or two weeks of such experience the most intrepid crew become
exhausted, and repose is necessary for them.
Sometimes, although surrounded by all these dangers, they made rapid
progress; at others they made scarcely any; but at length, on the 11th
of June, they came in sight of land again, and cast anchor at the
entrance to Lancaster Sound.
Erik had expected to be obliged to wait some days before being able to
enter the sound; but, to his surprise and joy, he found it open, at
least at the entrance. He entered resolutely, but only to find the next
day his passage impeded by ice, which held them prisoners for three
days; but, thanks to the violent currents which sweep through this
Arctic canal, he at last was able to free his vessel and continue his
route as the whalers of Godhaven had told him he would be able to do.
On the seventeenth he arrived at Barrow's Straits, and made all the
speed he could; but on the nineteenth, as he was about to enter Melville
Sound, he was again blocked in by the ice.
At first he patiently accepted the situation, waiting for it to break
up; but day succeeded to day and still this did not happen.
There were, however, many sources of amusement open to the voyagers.
They were near the coast and supplied with everything that could render
their life comfortable in that latitude. They could take sleigh-rides
and see in the distance the whales enjoying their diversions. The summer
solstice was approaching. Since the fifteenth the occupants of the
"Alaska" had beheld a new and astonishing spectacle, even for Norwegians
and the natives of southern Sweden; it was the sun at midnight touching
the horizon without disappearing and then mounting again in the sky. In
these high latitudes and desolate coasts the star of day describes in
twenty-four hours a complete circle in space. The light, it is true, is
pale and languishing, objects lose their perfect shape, and all nature
has a shadowy appearance. One realizes profoundly how far he is removed
from the world, and how near he is to the pole. The cold, however, was
not extreme. The temperature did not fall more than four or five degrees
below zero, and the air was sometimes so mild that they could hardly
believe that they were in the center of the arctic zone.
But those novel surrounding were not sufficient to satisfy Erik, or make
him lose sight of the supreme object which had brought them there. He
had not come to herbalize like Mr. Malarius, who returned every evening
more and more delighted with his explorations, both of the country and
of its unknown plants, which he added to his collection; nor to enjoy
with Dr. Schwaryencrona and Mr. Bredejord the novelty of the sights
which nature offered to them in these polar regions. He wanted to find
Nordenskiold and Patrick O'Donoghan--to fulfill a sacred duty while he
discovered, perhaps, the secret of his birth. This was why he sought
untiringly to break the circle of ice which hemmed them in. He made
excursions with his sleigh and on his snow-shoes, reconnoitered in every
direction for ten days, but it was all in vain. At the west, as well as
the north and east, the banks of ice remained firm.
It was the 20th of June, and they were still far from the Siberian Sea.
Must he confess himself vanquished? Erik could not make up his mind to
do this. Repeated soundings had revealed that under the ice there was a
swift current running toward Franklin's Strait, that is to say toward
the south; he told himself that some effort might suffice to break up
the ice, and he resolved to attempt it.
For the length of seven marine miles he had hollowed in the ice a series
of chambers, and in each of them was placed a kilogramme of dynamite.
These were connected by a copper wire inclosed in gutta percha.
On the 30th of June, at eight o'clock in the morning, Erik from the deck
of the "Alaska" pressed the button of the electrical machine, and a
formidable explosion took place. The field of ice shook and trembled,
and clouds of frightened sea-birds hovered around uttering discordant
cries. When silence was restored, a long black train cut into
innumerable fissures met their anxious gaze. The explosion of the
terrible agent had broken up the ice field. There was, so to speak, a
moment of hesitation, and then the ice acted as if it had only been
waiting for some signal to move. Cracking in all parts it yielded to the
action of the current, and they beheld here and there whole continents,
as it were, gradually moving away from them. Some portions, however,
were more slow to move; they seemed to be protesting against such
violence. The next day the passage was clear, and the "Alaska" rekindled
her fires.
Erik and his dynamite had done what it would probably have taken the
pale arctic sun a month longer to accomplish.
On the 2d of July, the expedition arrived at Banks' Straits; on the
fourth, she issued from the Arctic Sea properly speaking. From this time
the route was open notwithstanding icebergs, fogs, and snow-storms. On
the twelfth, the "Alaska" doubled Ice Cape; on the thirteenth, Cape
Lisburne, and on the fourteenth she entered the Gulf of Kotzebue to the
north of Behring's Straits and found there, according to instructions,
the boat loaded with coal which had been sent from San Francisco.
Thus in two months and sixteen days they had accomplished the programme
arranged by Erik before they left the coast of France.
The "Alaska" had hardly ceased to move, when Erik rushed into a small
boat and hurried off to accost the officer who had charge of the boat
loaded with coal.
"-Semper idem!-" said he, as he approached.
"Lisbon!" answered the Yankee.
"How long have you been waiting here for me?"
"Five weeks--we left San Francisco one month after the arrival of your
dispatch."
"Have you heard any news of Nordenskiold?"
"At San Francisco they had not received any reliable information about
him. But since I have been here I have spoken to several captains of
whaling-vessels, who said that they had heard from the natives of
Serdze-Kamen that an European vessel had been frozen in by the ice for
nine or ten months; they thought it was the 'Vega.'"
"Indeed!" said Erik, with a joy which we can easily understand. "And do
you believe that it has not yet succeeded in getting through the
straits?"
"I am sure of it--not a vessel has passed us for the last five weeks,
which I have not seen and spoken to."
"God be praised--our troubles will not be without recompense, if we
succeed in finding Nordenskiold."
"You will not be the first who has done so!" said the Yankee, with an
ironical smile--"an American yacht has preceded you. It passed here
three days ago, and like you was inquiring for Nordenskiold."
"An American yacht?" repeated Erik, half stupefied.
"Yes--the 'Albatross,' Captain Tudor Brown, from Vancouver's Island. I
told him what I had heard, and he immediately started for Cape
Serdze-Kamen."
CHAPTER XVI.
FROM SERDZE-KAMEN TO LJAKOW.
Tudor Brown had evidently heard of the change in the route of the
"Alaska." He had reached Behring's Straits before them. But by what
means? It seemed almost supernatural, but still the fact remained that
he had done so.
Erik was greatly depressed by this information, but he concealed his
feelings from his friends. He hurried on the work of transporting the
coal, and set out again without losing a moment.
Serdze-Kamen is a long Asiatic-promontory situated nearly a hundred
miles to the west of Behring's Straits, and whaling-vessels from the
Pacific visit it every year.
The "Alaska" reached there after a voyage of twenty-four hours, and soon
in the bay of Koljutschin behind a wall of ice, they discovered the
masts of the "Vega," which had been frozen in for nine months.
The barrier which held Nordenskiold captive was not more than ten
kilometers in size. After passing around it, the "Alaska" came to anchor
in a little creek, where she would be sheltered from the northerly
winds. Then Erik with his three friends made their way overland to the
establishment which the "Vega" had made upon the Siberian coast to pass
this long winter, and which a column of smoke pointed out to them.
This coast of the Bay of Koljutschin consists of a low and slightly
undulating plain. There are no trees, only some dwarf willows, marine
grasses and lichens. Summer had already brought forth some plants, which
Mr. Malarius recognized as a species which was very common in Norway.
The encampment of the "Vega" consisted of a large store-house for their
eatables, which had been made by the orders of Nordenskiold, in case the
pressure of the ice should destroy his ship, which so frequently happens
on these dangerous coasts. It was a touching fact that the poor
population, although always half starved, and to whom this depot
represented incalculable wealth in the shape of food, had respected it,
although it was but poorly guarded. The huts of skin of these
Tschoutskes were grouped here and there around the station. The most
imposing structure was the "Tintinjaranga," or ice-house, which they had
especially arranged to use for a magnetic observatory, and where all the
necessary apparatus had been placed. It had been built of blocks of ice
delicately tinted and cemented together with snow; the roof of planks
was covered with cloth.
The voyagers of the "Alaska" were cordially welcomed by the young
astronomer, whom they found at the time of their arrival holding a
consultation with the man in charge of the store-house. He offered
with hearty goodwill to take them on board the "Vega" by the path
which had been cut in the ice in order to keep open the means of
communication between the vessel and the land, and a rope attached to
stones served as a guide on dark nights. As they walked, he related to
them their adventures since they had been unable to send home any
dispatches.
After leaving the mouth of the Lena, Nordenskiold had directed his
course toward the islands of New Siberia, which he wished to explore,
but finding it almost impossible to approach them, on account of the
ice which surrounded them, and the shallowness of the water in that
vicinity, he abandoned the idea, and resumed his course toward the
east. The "Vega" encountered no great difficulties until the 10th of
September, but about that time a continuance of fogs, and freezing
nights, compelled her to slacken her speed, besides the darkness
necessitated frequented stoppages. It was therefore the 27th of
September before she reached Cape Serdze-Kamen. They cast her anchor
on a bank of ice, hoping to be able the next day to make the few miles
which separated her from Behring's Straits and the free waters of the
Pacific. But a north wind set in during the night, and heaped around
the vessel great masses of ice. The "Vega" found herself a prisoner
for the winter at the time when she had almost accomplished her work.
"It was a great disappointment to us, as you can imagine!" said the
young astronomer, "but we soon rallied our forces, and determined to
profit by the delay as much as possible, by making scientific
investigations. We made the acquaintance of the 'Tschoutskes' of the
neighborhood, whom no traveler has hitherto known well, and we have
made a vocabulary of their language, and also gathered together a
collection of their arms and utensils. The naturalists of the 'Vega'
have also been diligent, and added many new arctic plants to their
collection. Lastly, the end of the expedition has been accomplished,
since we have doubled Cape Tchelynskin, and traversed the distance
between it and the mouth of the Yenisei and of the Lena. Henceforth
the north-east passage must become a recognized fact. It would have
been more agreeable for us, if we could have effected it in two
months, as we so nearly succeeded in doing. But provided we are not
blocked in much longer, as the present indications lead us to hope, we
will not have much to complain of, and we shall be able to return with
the satisfaction of knowing that we have accomplished a useful work."
While listening to their guide with deep interest, the travelers were
pursuing their way. They were now near enough to the "Vega" to see
that her deck was covered over with a large canvas, and that her sides
were protected by lofty masses of snow, and that her smoke-stacks had
been carefully preserved from contact with the ice.
The immediate approach to the vessel was still more strange; she was
not, as one would have expected, completely incrusted in a bed of ice,
but she was suspended, as it were, in a labyrinth of lakes, islands,
and canals, between which they had been obliged to throw bridges
formed of planks.
"The explanation is very simple," said the young astronomer, in reply to
a question from Erik. "All vessels that pass some months surrounded by
ice form around them a bed of refuse, consisting principally of coal
ashes. This is heavier than snow, and when a thaw begins, the bed around
the vessel assumes the aspect which you behold."
The crew of the "Vega," in arctic clothing, with two or three officers,
had already seen the visitors whom the astronomer was bringing with him.
Their joy was great when they saluted them in Swedish, and when they
beheld among them the well-known and popular physiognomy of Dr.
Schwaryencrona.
Neither Nordenskiold nor Captain Palender were on board. They had gone
upon a geological excursion into the interior of the country, and
expected to be absent five or six days. This was a disappointment to the
travelers, who had naturally hoped when they found the "Vega" to present
their congratulations to the great explorer.
But this was not their only disappointment.[1]
[Footnote 1: They returned sooner, for on the 18th of July the ice broke
up, and after 264 days of captivity the "Vega" resumed her voyage. On
the 20th of July she issued from Behring's Straits and set out for
Yokohama.]
They had hardly entered the officer's room, when Erik and his friends
were informed that three days before the "Vega" had been visited by an
American yacht, or rather by its owner, Mr. Tudor Brown. This gentleman
had brought them news of the world beyond their settlement, which was
very acceptable, they being confined to the limited neighborhood of the
Bay of Koljutschin. He told them what had happened in Europe since their
departure--the anxiety that Sweden and indeed all civilized nations felt
about their fate, and that the "Alaska" had been sent to search for
them. Mr. Tudor Brown came from Vancouver's Island, in the Pacific, and
his yacht had been waiting there for him for three months.
"But," exclaimed a young doctor, attached to the expedition, "he told us
that he had at first embarked with you, and only left you at Brest,
because he doubted whether you would be able to bring the enterprise to
a successful termination!"
"He had excellent reasons for doubting it," replied Erik, coolly, but
not without a secret tremor.
"His yacht was at Valparaiso and he telegraphed for her to wait for him
at Victoria, on the coast of Vancouver," continued the doctor; "then he
took the steamer from Liverpool to New York, and the railroad to the
Pacific. This explains how he was able to reach here before you."
"Did he tell you why he came?" asked Mr. Bredejord.
"He came to help us, if we stood in need of assistance, and also to
inquire about a strange enough personage, whom I had incidentally
mentioned in my correspondence, and in whom Mr. Tudor Brown seemed to
take a great interest."
The four visitors exchanged glances.
"Patrick O'Donoghan--was not that the name?" asked Erik.
"Precisely--or at least it is the name which is tattooed on his body,
although he pretends it is not his own, but that of a friend. He calls
himself Johnny Bowles."
"May I ask if this man is still here?"
"He left us ten months ago. We had at first believed that he might
prove useful to us by acting as interpreter between us and the natives
of this coast, on account of his apparent knowledge of their language;
but we soon discovered that his acquaintance with it was very
superficial--confined, in fact, to a few words. Besides, until we came
here, we were unable to hold any communications with the natives. This
Johnny Bowles, or Patrick O'Donoghan, was lazy, drunken, and undisciplined.
His presence on board would only have occasioned trouble for us. We
therefore acceded without regret to his request to be landed on the
large Island of Ljakow, as we were following the southern coast."
"What! did he go there? But this island is uninhabited!" cried Erik.
"Entirely; but what attracted the man appeared to be the fact that its
shores are literally covered by bones, and consequently by fossil ivory.
He had conceived the plan of establishing himself there, and of
collecting, during the summer months, all the ivory that he could find;
then when, in winter, the arm of the sea which connects Ljakow with the
continent should be frozen over, to transport in a sleigh this treasure
to the Siberian coast, in order to sell it to the Russian traders, who
come every year in search of the products of the country."
"Did you tell these facts to Mr. Tudor Brown?" asked Erik.
"Assuredly, he came far enough to seek for them," replied the young
doctor, unaware of the deep personal interest that the commander of the
"Alaska" took in the answers to the questions which he addressed to him.
The conversation then became more general. They spoke of the comparative
facility with which Nordenskiold had carried out his programme. He had
not met with any serious difficulties, and consequently the discovery of
the new route would be an advantage to the commerce of the world. "Not,"
said the officer of the "Vega," "that this path was ever destined to be
much frequented, but the voyage of the 'Vega' would prove to the
maritime nations of the Atlantic and Pacific that it was possible to
hold direct communication with Siberia by water. And nowhere would these
nations, notwithstanding the vulgar opinions, find a field as vast and
rich."
"Is it not strange," observed Mr. Bredejord, "that they have failed
completely during the last three centuries in this attempt that you have
now accomplished without difficulty?"
"The singularity is only apparent," answered one of the officers. "We
have profited by the experience of our predecessors, an experience often
only acquired at the cost of their lives. Professor Nordenskiold has
been preparing himself for this supreme effort during the last twenty
years, in which he has made eight arctic expeditions. He has patiently
studied the problem in all its aspects, and finally succeeded in solving
it. Then we have had what our predecessors lacked, a steam vessel
especially equipped for this voyage. This has enabled us to accomplish
in two months a voyage that it would have taken a sailing vessel two
years to do. We have also constantly been able not only to choose, but
also to seek out, the most accessible route. We have fled from floating
ice and been able to profit by the winds and tides. And still we have
been overtaken by winter. How much more difficult it would have been for
a mariner who was compelled to wait for favorable winds, and see the
summer passing in the meantime."
In such conversation they passed the afternoon, and after accepting
their invitation and dining on board the "Vega," they carried back with
them to supper on board the "Alaska" all the officers who could be
spared from duty. They mutually gave each other all the information and
news in their power. Erik took care to inform himself exactly of the
route followed by the "Vega," in order to utilize it for his own profit.
After exchanging many good wishes and with the heartfelt desire that
they would all soon return in safety to their country, they separated.
The next day at dawn Erik had the "Alaska" steering for the island of
Ljakow. As for the "Vega" she had to wait until the breaking up of the
ice would permit her to reach the Pacific.
The first part of Erik's task was now accomplished. He had found
Nordenskiold. The second still remained to be fulfilled: to find Patrick
O'Donoghan, and see if he could persuade him to disclose his secret.
That this secret was an important one they were now all willing to
admit, or Tudor Brown would never have committed such a dastardly crime
to prevent them from becoming acquainted with it.
Would they be able to reach the Island of Ljakow before him?
It was hardly probable, for he was three days in advance of them: never
mind--he would make the attempt.
The "Albatross" might lose her way, or meet with some unforeseen
obstacles. As long as there was even a probability of success Erik
determined to take the chances.
The weather was now mild and agreeable. Light fogs indicated an open
sea, and a speedy breaking of the ice along the Siberian coast where the
"Vega" had been held prisoner so long. Summer was advancing, and the
"Alaska" could reasonably count upon at least ten weeks of favorable
weather. The experience which they had acquired amongst the American ice
had its value and would render this new enterprise comparatively easy.
Lastly the north-east passage was the most direct way to return to
Sweden, and besides the deep personal interest which induced Erik to
take it, he had a truly scientific desire to accomplish in a reverse
route the task which Nordenskiold had fulfilled. If he had succeeded,
why should he not be able to do so?--this would be proving practically
the experiment of the great navigator.
The wind favored the "Alaska." For ten days it blew almost constantly
from the south-east, and enabled them to make from nine to ten knots at
least without burning any coal. This was a precious advantage, and
besides the wind drove the floating ice toward the north and rendered
navigation much less difficult. During these ten days they met with very
little floating ice.
On the eleventh day, it is true they had a tempestuous snow storm
followed by dense fogs which sensibly retarded the progress of the
"Alaska." But on the 29th of July the sun appeared in all its
brilliancy, and on the morning of the 2d of August they came in sight of
the Island of Ljakow.
Erik gave orders immediately to sail around it in order to see if the
"Albatross" was not hidden in some of its creeks. Having done this they
cast anchor in a sandy bottom about three miles from the southern shore.
Then he embarked in his boat accompanied by his three friends and six of
his sailors. Half an hour later they had reached the island.
Erik had not chosen the southern coast of the island to anchor his
vessel without a reason. He had said to himself that Patrick O'Donoghan
might have told the truth when he had stated that his object was to
collect ivory; but if it was his intention to leave the island at the
first opportunity which afforded, he would be sure to establish himself
upon a spot where he would have a good view of the sea. He would
undoubtedly choose some elevated place, and one as near as possible to
the Siberian coast. Besides the necessity of sheltering himself against
the polar winds would lead him to establish himself upon the southern
coast of the island.
Erik did not pretend that his conclusions were necessarily
incontrovertible, but he thought that, in any case, they would suffer no
inconvenience from adopting them as the basis of a systematic
exploration of the place. The results fully justified his expectations.
The travelers had not walked along the shore for an hour, when they
perceived on a height, perfectly sheltered by a chain of hills, facing
the south, an object which could only be a human habitation. To their
extreme surprise this little cottage, which was of a cubical form, was
perfectly white, as if it had been covered with plaster. It only lacked
green shutters to perfectly resemble a country home near Marseilles, or
an American cottage.
After they had climbed the height and approached near to it, they
discovered a solution of the mystery. The cottage was not plastered, it
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