Ледяной сфинкс

Chapter XXVI. A Little Remnant

           

           AtlastwewereintheSouthPacificwaters,butourboathadsufferedseverelyingettingthrough,andithadsprungmorethanoneleak.Wewerekeptbusyinbalingoutthewater,whichalsocameinfromabove.

           Thebreezewasgentle,theseamorecalmthanwecouldhavehoped,andtherealdangerdidnotlieintherisksofnavigation.No,itarosefromthefactthatnotashipwasvisibleinthesewaters,notawhalerwastobeseenonthefishing-grounds.AtthebeginningofApriltheseplacesareforsaken,andwearrivedsomeweekstoolate.

           Welearnedafterwardsthathadwearrivedalittlesooner,weshouldhavemetthevesselsoftheAmericanexpedition.

           Infact,onthe1stofFebruary,by95°50’longitudeand64°17’latitude,LieutenantWilkeswasstillexploringtheseseasinoneofhisships,theVincennes,afterhavingdiscoveredalongextentofcoaststretchingfromeasttowest.Ontheapproachofthebadseason,hereturnedtoHobartTown,inTasmania.Thesameyear,theexpeditionoftheFrenchcaptainDumontd’Urville,whichstartedin1838,discoveredAdélieLandin66°30’latitudeand38°21’eastlongitude,andClarieCoastin64°30’and129°54’.Theircampaignhavingendedwiththeseimportantdiscoveries,theAstrolabeandtheZéléelefttheAntarcticOceanandreturnedtoHobartTown.

           Noneoftheseships,then,wereinthosewaters;sothat,whenournutshellParacutawas“aloneonalone,lonesea”beyondtheice-barrier,wewereboundtobelievethatitwasnolongerpossiblewecouldbesaved.

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