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Chapter 14. The South Pole

           somegiganticpetrels,andsomedamiers,akindofsmallduck,theunderpartofwhosebodyisblackandwhite;thentherewereawholeseriesofpetrels,somewhitish,withbrown-borderedwings,othersblue,peculiartotheAntarcticseas,andsooily,asItoldConseil,thattheinhabitantsoftheFerroeIslandshadnothingtodobeforelightingthembuttoputawickin.

           "Alittlemore,"saidConseil,"andtheywouldbeperfectlamps!Afterthat,wecannotexpectNaturetohavepreviouslyfurnishedthemwithwicks!"

           Abouthalfamilefartheronthesoilwasriddledwithruffs’nests,asortoflaying-ground,outofwhichmanybirdswereissuing.CaptainNemohadsomehundredshunted.Theyutteredacrylikethebrayingofanass,wereaboutthesizeofagoose,slate-colouronthebody,whitebeneath,withayellowlineroundtheirthroats;theyallowedthemselvestobekilledwithastone,nevertryingtoescape.Butthefogdidnotlift,andateleventhesunhadnotyetshownitself.Itsabsencemademeuneasy.Withoutitnoobservationswerepossible.How,then,couldwedecidewhetherwehadreachedthepole?WhenIrejoinedCaptainNemo,Ifoundhimleaningonapieceofrock,silentlywatchingthesky.Heseemedimpatientandvexed.Butwhatwastobedone?Thisrashandpowerfulmancouldnotcommandthesunashedidthesea.Noonarrivedwithouttheorbofdayshowingitselfforaninstant.Wecouldnoteventellitspositionbehindthecurtainoffog;andsoonthefogturnedtosnow.

           "Tillto-morrow,"saidtheCaptain,quietly,andwereturnedtotheNautilusamidtheseatmosphericdisturbances.

           Thetempestofsnowcontinuedtillthenextday.Itwasimpossibletoremainontheplatform.

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