Хребты безумия
I
Thelastlapofthevoyagewasvividandfancy-stirring. Greatbarrenpeaksofmysteryloomedupconstantlyagainstthewestasthelownorthernsunofnoonorthestilllowerhorizon-grazingsouthernsunofmidnightpoureditshazyreddishraysoverthewhitesnow,bluishiceandwaterlanes,andblackbitsofexposedgraniteslope. Throughthedesolatesummitssweptranging,intermittentgustsoftheterribleantarcticwind; whosecadencessometimesheldvaguesuggestionsofawildandhalf-sentientmusicalpiping,withnotesextendingoverawiderange,andwhichforsomesubconsciousmnemonicreasonseemedtomedisquietingandevendimlyterrible. SomethingaboutthesceneremindedmeofthestrangeanddisturbingAsianpaintingsofNicholasRoerich,andofthestillstrangerandmoredisturbingdescriptionsoftheevillyfabledplateauofLengwhichoccurinthedreadedNecronomiconofthemadArabAbdulAlhazred. Iwasrathersorry,lateron,thatIhadeverlookedintothatmonstrousbookatthecollegelibrary.
Onthe7thofNovember,sightofthewestwardrangehavingbeentemporarilylost,wepassedFranklinIsland; andthenextdaydescriedtheconesofMts.ErebusandTerroronRossIslandahead,withthelonglineoftheParryMountainsbeyond. Therenowstretchedofftotheeastthelow,whitelineofthegreaticebarrier,risingperpendicularlytoaheightoftwohundredfeetliketherockycliffsofQuebec,andmarkingtheendofsouthwardnavigation. IntheafternoonweenteredMcMurdoSoundandstoodoffthecoastintheleeofsmokingMt.Erebus. Thescoriacpeaktoweredupsometwelvethousand,sevenhundredfeetagainsttheeasternsky,likeaJapaneseprintofthesacredFujiyama, whilebeyonditrosethewhite,ghostlikeheightofMt.Terror,tenthousand,ninehundredfeetinaltitude,andnowextinctasavolcano.
