Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“
”Woulditsbasebesufficientlyunderminedtoallowittodetachitself?Perhapssomeheavymassoficemightstrikeitandsetitfreebytheshock.Noonecouldpredictsuchanevent,andwehadonlytheHalbranetorelyuponforgettingusoutoftheseregions.
Wewereengagedinthesevarioustasksuntilthe24thofJanuary.Theatmospherewasclear,thetemperaturewaseven,andthethermometerhadindeedgoneuptotwoorthreedegreesabovefreezing-point.Thenumberoficebergscomingfromthenor’-westwasthereforeincreasing;therewerenowahundredofthem,andacollisionwithanyofthesemighthaveamostdisastrousresult.Hardy,thecaulker,hastenedfirstofalltomendthehull;pegshadtobechanged,bitsofplankingtobereplaced,seamstobecaulked.Wehadeverythingthatwasnecessaryforthiswork,andwemightrestassuredthatitwouldbeperformedinthebestpossiblemanner.Inthemidstofthesilenceofthesesolitudes,thenoiseofthehammersstrikingnailsintotheside,andthesoundofthemalletstuffingtowintotheseams,hadastartlingeffect.Sea-gulls,wildduck,albatross,andpetrelsflewinacircleroundthetopofthebergwithashrillscreaming,andmadeaterribleuproar.
WhenIfoundmyselfwithWestandthecaptain,ourconversationnaturallyturnedonoursituationandhowtogetoutofit,anduponourchancesofpullingthrough.Thematehadgoodhopesthatifnoaccidentoccurredthelaunchingwouldbesuccessfullyaccomplished.
