Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XVI. Tsalal Island
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Tiger!—thenameofthedogwhichhadsavedArthurPym’slifeintheholdoftheGrampus,and,duringtherevoltofthecrew,hadsprungatthethroatofJones,thesailor,whowasimmediately“finished”byDirkPeters.
So,then,thatfaithfulanimalhadnotperishedintheshipwreckoftheGrampus.HehadbeentakenonboardtheJaneatthesametimeasArthurPymandthehalf-breed.Andyetthenarrativedidnotalludetothis,andafterthemeetingwiththeschoonertherewasnolongeranymentionofthedog.Allthesecontradictionsoccurredtome.Icouldnotreconcilethefacts.Nevertheless,therecouldbenodoubtthatTigerhadbeensavedfromtheshipwrecklikeArthurPym,hadescapedthelandslipoftheKlock-Klockhill,andhadcometohisdeathatlastinthecatastrophewhichhaddestroyedaportionofthepopulationofTsalal.
But,again,WilliamGuyandhisfivesailorscouldnotbeamongthoseskeletonswhichwerestrewnupontheearth,sincetheywerelivingatthetimeofPatterson’sdeparture,sevenmonthsago,andthecatastrophealreadydatedseveralyearsback!
ThreehourslaterwehadreturnedonboardtheHalbrane,withouthavingmadeanyotherdiscovery.CaptainLenGuywentdirecttohiscabin,shuthimselfupthere,anddidnotreappearevenatdinnerhour.
Thefollowingday,asIwishedtoreturntotheislandinordertoresumeitsexplorationfromonecoasttotheother,IrequestedWesttohavemerowedashore.
Heconsented,afterhehadbeenauthorizedbyCaptainLenGuy,whodidnotcomewithus.
