Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter X. The Outset of the Enterprise
Onthe17thNovembertheschoonerreachedtheArchipelagotowhichCookgavethenameofSouthernThuleinthefirstinstance,asitwasthemostsouthernlandthathadbeendiscoveredatthatperiod.HeafterwardsbaptizeditSandwichIsles.
JamesWestrepairedtoThuleinthelargeboat,inordertoexploretheapproachablepoints,whileCaptainLenGuyandIdescendedontheBristolstrand.
Wefoundabsolutelydesolatecountry;theonlyinhabitantsweremelancholybirdsofAntarcticspecies.Mossesandlichenscoverthenakednessofanunproductivesoil.Behindthebeachafewfirsrisetoaconsiderableheightonthebarehill-sides,fromwhencegreatmassesoccasionallycomecrashingdownwithathunderingsound.Awfulsolitudereignseverywhere.Therewasnothingtoattestthepassageofanyhumanbeing,orthepresenceofanyshipwreckedpersonsonBristolIsland.
West’sexplorationatThuleproducedapreciselysimilarresult.Afewshotsfiredfromourschoonerhadnoeffectbuttodriveawaythecrowdofpetrelsanddivers,andtostartletherowsofstupidpenguinsonthebeach.
WhileCaptainLenGuyandIwerewalking,Isaidtohim,—
“Youknow,ofcourse,whatCook’sopiniononthesubjectoftheSandwichgroupwaswhenhediscoveredit.Atfirsthebelievedhehadsetfootuponacontinent.Accordingtohim,themountainsoficecarriedoutoftheAntarcticSeabythedriftweredetachedfromthatcontinent
