Крижаний сфінкс

           ThefinaldifferencebetweenourpositionandtheJaneinaparallelease,wasthattheJanetookfifteendaystoaccomplishthedistanceoftendegrees,orsixhundredmiles,whichseparatedheronthe5thofJanuaryfromTsalalIsland,whileonthe19thofDecembertheHalbranewasonlyaboutsevendegrees,orfourhundredmiles,offtheisland.BennetIslet,whereCaptainGuyintendedtoputinfortwenty-fourhours,wasfiftymilesnearer.Ourvoyagewasprogressingunderprosperousconditions;wewerenolongervisitedbysuddenhailandsnowstorms,orthoserapidfallsoftemperaturewhichtriedthecrewoftheJanesosorely.Afewice-floesdriftedbyus,occasionallypeopled,astouriststhrongapleasureyacht,bypenguins,andalsobyduskyseals,lyingflatuponthewhitesurfaceslikeenormousleeches.Abovethisstrangeflotillawetracedtheincessantflightofpetrels,pigeons,blackpuffins,divers,grebe,sterns,cormorants,andthesooty-blackalbatrossofthehighlatitudes.Hugemedusas,exquisitelytinted,floatedonthewaterlikespreadparasols.Amongthedenizensofthedeep,capturedbythecrewoftheschoonerwithlineandnet,InotedmoreparticularlyasortofgiantJohnDory(1)(dorade)threefeetinlength,withfirmandsavouryflesh.

           Duringthenight,orratherwhatoughttohavebeenthenightofthe19th-20th,mysleepwasdisturbedbyastrangedream.Yes!therecouldbenodoubtbutthatitwasonlyadream!Nevertheless,Ithinkitwelltorecordithere,becauseitisanadditionaltestimonytothehauntinginfluenceunderwhichmybrainwasbeginningtolabour.