Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter X. The Outset of the Enterprise
ItwasdiscoveredbytheFrenchman,Barbe,in1675,beforeCook;but,althoughhecameinsecond,thecelebratednavigatorgaveittheseriesofnameswhichitstillbears.
Theschoonertookthedirectionofthisisland,whosesnow-cladheights—formidablemassesofancientrock-risetoanimmensealtitudethroughtheyellowfogsofthesurroundingspace.
NewGeorgia,situatedwithinfivehundredleaguesofMagellanStraits,belongstotheadministrativedomainoftheFalklands.TheBritishadministrationisnotrepresentedtherebyanyone,theislandisnotinhabited,althoughitishabitable,atleastinthesummerseason.
Onthefollowingday,whilethemenweregoneinsearchofwater,Iwalkedaboutinthevicinityofthebay.Theplacewasanutterdesert,fortheperiodatwhichsealingispursuedtherehadnotarrived.NewGeorgia,beingexposedtothedirectactionoftheAntarcticpolarcurrent,isfreelyfrequentedbymarinemammals.Isawseveraldrovesofthesecreaturesontherocks,thestrand,andwithintherockgrottoesofthecoast.Whole“smalas”ofpenguins,standingmotionlessininterminablerows,brayedtheirprotestagainsttheinvasionofanintruder—Ialludetomyself.
Innumerablelarksflewoverthesurfaceofthewatersandthesands;theirsongawokemymemoryoflandsmorefavouredbynature.Itisfortunatethatthesebirdsdonotwantbranchestoperchon;fortheredoesnotexistatreeinNewGeorgia.
