Ледяной сфинкс

           Hisgrizzledhairresembledakindoffur.

           Aparticularandanythingbutprepossessingcharacterwasimpartedtothephysiognomyofthisindividualbytheextraordinarykeennessofhissmalleyes,hisalmostliplessmouth,whichstretchedfromeartoear,andhislongteeth,whichweredazzlinglywhite;theirenamelbeingintact,forhehadneverbeenattackedbyscurvy,thecommonscourgeofseameninhighlatitudes.

           HunthadbeenlivingintheFalklandsforthreeyears;helivedaloneonapension,nooneknewfromwhencethiswasderived.Hewassingularlyuncommunicative,andpassedhistimeinfishing,bywhichhemighthavelived,notonlyasamatterofsustenance,butasanarticleofcommerce.

           TheinformationgainedbyCaptainLenGuywasnecessarilyincomplete,asitwasconfinedtoHunt’sconductduringhisresidenceatPortEgmont.Themandidnotfight,hedidnotdrink,andhehadgivenmanyproofsofhisHerculeanstrength.Concerninghispastnothingwasknown,butundoubtedlyhehadbeenasailor.HehadsaidmoretoLenGuythanhehadeversaidtoanybody;buthekeptsilencerespectingthefamilytowhichhebelonged,andtheplaceofhisbirth.Thiswasofnoimportance;thatheshouldprovetobeagoodsailorwasallwehadtothinkabout.Huntobtainedafavourablereply,andcameonboardthatsameevening.

           Onthe27th,inthemorning,inthepresenceoftheauthoritiesoftheArchipelago,theHalbrane’sanchorwaslifted,thelastgoodwishesandthefinaladieuswereexchanged,andtheschoonertookthesea