Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XIX. Land?
Wereweevencertainthatthelatterhadregaineditspositiononthesurfaceofthesea?Washerstabilitysecure?Shouldwenotbeonthelook-outforafreshupheaval?Andiftheschoonerweretofallintotheabyss,whichofuscouldextricatehimselfsafeandsoundfromsuchafall,andthenfromthefinalplungeintothedepthsoftheocean?
InafewminutesthecrewhadabandonedtheHalbrane.Eachmansoughtforrefugeontheice-slopes,awaitingthetimewhentheicebergshouldbefreedfrommist.Theobliqueraysfromthesundidnotsucceedinpiercingit,andthereddiskcouldhardlybeperceivedthroughtheopaquemass.
However,wecoulddistinguisheachotheratabouttwelvefeetapart.AsfortheHalbrane,shelookedlikeaconfusedblackishmassstandingoutsharplyagainstthewhitenessoftheice.
Wehadnowtoascertainwhetheranyofthosewhowereonthedeckatthetimeofthecatastrophehadbeenthrownoverthebulwarksandprecipitated,intothesea?
ByCaptainLenGuy’sordersallthesailorsthenpresentjoinedthegroupinwhichIstoodwiththemate,theboatswain,HardyandMartinHolt.
Sofar,thiscatastrophehadcostusfivemen—thesewerethefirstsinceourdeparturefromKerguelen,butweretheytobethelast?
Therewasnodoubtthattheseunfortunatefellowshadperished,becausewecalledtheminvain,andinvainwesoughtforthem,whenthefogabated,alongthesidesoftheiceberg,ateveryplacewheretheymighthavebeenabletocatchontoaprojection.
