Ледяной сфинкс

Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“

           

           Whatcouldbethemeaningofthis?

           AloudcallfromWestbroughtustoalittlestripofbeachontherightofourstrandedboat.

           Threecorpseslayuponthestonysoil,thatofHearne,thatofMartinHolt,andthatofoneoftheFalklandsmen.

           Ofthethirteenwhohadgonewiththesealing-master,thereremainedonlythesethree,whohadevidentlybeendeadsomedays.

           Whathadbecomeofthetenmissingmen?Hadtheirbodiesbeencarriedouttosea?

           Wesearchedallalongthecoast,intothecreeks,andbetweentheoutlyingrocks,butinvain.Nothingwastobefound,notracesofacamp,noteventhevestigesofalanding.

           “Theirboat,”saidWilliamGuy,“musthavebeenstruckbyadriftingiceberg.TherestofHearne’scompanionshavebeendrowned,andonlythesethreebodieshavecomeashore,lifeless.”

           “But,”askedtheboatswain,“howisthestatetheboatisintobeexplained?”

           “Andespecially,”addedWest,“thedisappearanceofalltheiron?”

           “Indeed,”saidI,“itlooksasthougheverybithadbeenviolentlytornoff.”

           LeavingtheParacutainthechargeoftwomen,weagaintookourwaytotheinterior,inordertoextendoursearchoverawiderexpanse.

           Aswewereapproachingthehugemoundthemistclearedaway,andtheformstoodoutwithgreaterdistinctness.Itwas,asIhavesaid,almostthatofasphinx,adusky-huedsphinx,asthoughthematterwhichcomposedithadbeenoxidizedbytheinclemencyofthepolarclimate.

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