Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XVI. Tsalal Island
AndthenthepopulationofTsalalIsland,thealmostnakedmen,armedwithclubsandlances,thetall,well-made,upstandingwomen,endowedwithgraceandfreedomofbearingnottobefoundinacivilizedsociety—thosearetheexpressionsofArthurPym—andthecrowdofchildrenaccompanyingthem,whathadbecomeofallthese?Wherewerethemultitudeofnatives,withblackskins,blackhair,blackteeth,whoregardedwhitecolourwithdeadlyterror?
Allofasuddenalightflasheduponme.“Anearthquake!”Iexclaimed.“Yes,twoorthreeofthoseterribleshocks,socommonintheseregionswheretheseapenetratesbyinfiltration,andadaycomeswhenthequantityofaccumulatedvapourmakesitswayoutanddestroyseverythingonthesurface.”
“CouldanearthquakehavechangedTsalalIslandtosuchanextent?”askedLenGuy,musingly.
“Yes,captain,anearthquakehasdonethisthing;ithasdestroyedeverytraceofallthatArthurPymsawhere.”
Hunt,whohaddrawnnightous,andwaslistening,noddedhisheadinapprovalofmywords.
“Arenotthesecountriesofthesouthernseasvolcanic?”Iresumed;“IftheHalbraneweretotransportustoVictoriaLand,wemightfindtheErebusandtheTerrorinthemidstofaneruption.”
“Andyet,”observedMartinHolt,“iftherehadbeenaneruptionhere,weshouldfindlavabeds.”
“Idonotsaythattherehasbeenaneruption,”Ireplied,“butIdosaythesoilhasbeenconvulsedbyanearthquake.
