Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVI. Tsalal Island
”
“Ifwearenottobefound,afteryouhavedoneallinyourpower,youwilltakecommandoftheschooner,andbringherbacktotheFalklands.”
“Iwilldoso.”
Thelargeboatwasrapidlygotready.Eightmenembarkedinit,includingMartinHoltandHunt,allarmedwithrifles,pistols,andknives;thelatterweaponswereslungintheirbelts.Theyalsocarriedcartridge-pouches.Isteppedforwardandsaid,—
“Willyounotallowmetoaccompanyyou,captain?”
“Ifyouwishtodoso,Mr.Jeorling.”
Iwenttomycabin,tookmygun—arepeatingrifle—withballandpowder,andrejoinedCaptainLenGuy,whohadkeptaplaceinthesternoftheboatforme.OurobjectwastodiscoverthepassagethroughwhichArthurPymandDirkPetershadcrossedthereefonthe19thofJanuary,1828,intheJane’sboat.Fortwentyminuteswerowedalongthereef,andthenHuntdiscoveredthepass,whichwasthroughanarrowcutintherocks.Leavingtwomenintheboat,welanded,andhavinggonethroughthewindinggorgewhichgaveaccesstothecrestofthecoast,ourlittleforce,headedbyHunt,pushedontowardsthecentreoftheisland.CaptainLenGuyandmyselfexchangedobservations,aswewalked,onthesubjectofthiscountry,which,asArthurPymdeclared,differedessentiallyfromeveryotherlandhithertovisitedbyhumanbeings.WesoonfoundthatPym’sdescriptionwastrustworthy.Thegeneralcolouroftheplainswasblack,asthoughtheclayweremadeoflava-dust;nowherewasanythingwhitetobeseen.
