Титаник
Chapter 5
“Ihavejustcomethroughbadfield-ice,”whispersoneship;“Apriliceveryfarsouth,”saysanother;andPhillipstapsouthis“O.K.,O.M.,”whichisakindofcockneyMarconifor“Allright,oldman.”Andmanyothermessagescomeandgo,ofmoneyandcargoes,andcropsandthemakingoflaws;butjustnowandthenapin-prickofreminderbetweenalltheseothertopicscomesthewordICE.
ApriliceandAprilweedaretwoofthemostlovelyproductsoftheNorthAtlantic,buttheyarestrangelyoppositeintheirbearingsonhumandestiny.ThelovelygoldenAprilweedthatisgatheredallroundthewestcoastofIreland,andisburntforindigo,keepsawholepeasantpopulationinfoodandclothingfortherestoftheyear;theAprilice,whichcomesdriftingdownontheArcticcurrentfromtheglacierslopesofLabradorortheplateauofNorthGreenland,keepstheseafaringpopulationoftheNorthAtlanticindoubtandanxietythroughoutthespringandsummer.LovelyindeedaresomeoftheseicebergsthatglitterinthesunlikefairyislandsorthepinnaclesofValhalla;anddreamyandgentleistheirdriftingmovementastheycomedownonthecurrentbyNewfoundlandandroundCapeRace,where,meetingtheeast-goingGulfStream,theyaregraduallymeltedandlostinthewatersoftheAtlantic.Northwardinthedriftareoftenfield-iceandvastfloes;thegreatdetachedbergssailfarthersouthintothesteamshiptracks,andarewhataremostcarefullylookedfor.ThisApriltherewasabundanceofevidencethatthefield-icehadcomefarthersouththanusual.
