Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter XXIV. Eleven Years in a Few Pages
HenceitcameaboutthatArthurPymandDirkPetersontheoneside,andWilliamGuyandhiscompanionsontheother,wereenabledtoremainundisturbedinthelabyrinthsofKlock-Klock,wheretheyfedonthefleshofbitterns—thesetheycouldcatchwiththeirhands—andthefruitofthenut-treeswhichgrowonthehill-sides.Theyprocuredfirebyrubbingpiecesofsoftagainstpiecesofhardwood;therewasaquantityofbothwithintheirreach.
Afterawholeweekofthisconfinement,ArthurPymandthehalf-breedhadsucceeded,asweknow,inleavingtheirhiding-place,securingaboat,andabandoningTsalalIsland,butWilliamGuyandhiscompanionshadnotyetfoundanopportunitytoescape.
Aftertheyhadbeenshutupinthelabyrinthfortwenty-onedays,thebirdsonwhichtheylivedbegantofailthem,andtheyrecognizedthattheironlymeansofescapinghunger—(theyhadnottofearthirst,fortherewasaspringoffreshwaterintheinteriorofthehill)—wastogodownagaintothecoast,layhandsuponanativeboat,andgetouttosea.Wherewerethefugitivestogo,andwhatwastobecomeofthemwithoutprovisions?—thesewerequestionsthathadtobeasked,andwhichnobodycouldanswer.Nevertheless,theywouldnothavehesitatedtoattempttheadventureiftheycouldhaveafewhoursofdarkness;but,atthattimeofyear,thesundidnotasyetgodownbehindthehorizonoftheeighty-fourthparallel.
Deathwouldprobablyhaveputanendtotheirmiseryhadnotthesituationbeenchangedbythefollowingevents.
