Ледяной сфинкс

Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“

           Oursailing-masterdidnotmissachanceofgettingnearDirkPeters,whoalwaystriedhisbesttoescapefromhim,forreasonswellknowntome.AndwheneverIthoughtofthesecretofthefateoftheso-calledParker,MartinHolt’sbrother,whichhadbeenentrustedtome,thatdreadfulsceneoftheGrampusfilledmewithhorror.Iwascertainthatifthissecretweremadeknownthehalf-breedwouldbecomeanobjectofterror.Hewouldnolongerbelookeduponastherescuerofthesailing-master;andthelatter,learningthathisbrother—Luckily,DirkPetersandmyselfweretheonlytwoacquaintedwiththefact.

           WhiletheHalbranewasbeingunloaded,CaptainLenGuyandthematewereconsideringhowthevesselmightbelaunched.Theyhadtoallowforadropofonehundredfeetbetweenthecavityinwhichtheshiplayandthesea;thistobeeffectedbymeansofaninclinedbedhollowedinanobliquelinealongthewestsideoftheiceberg,andtomeasuretwoorthreehundredperchesinlength.So,whilethefirstlotofmen,commandedbytheboatswain,wasunloadingtheschooner,asecondbatchunderWest’sordersbegantocutthetrenchbetweentheblockswhichcoveredthesideofthefloatingmountain.

           Floating?IknownotwhyIusethisexpression,fortheicebergnolongerfloated,butremainedasmotionlessasanisland.Therewasnothingtoindicatethatitwouldevermoveagain.Othericebergsdriftedalongandpassedus,goingsouth-east,whilstours,touseDirkPeters’expression,was“lyingto.

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