Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XIX. Land?
ButifeveranunluckyaccidentweretorevealtoMartinHoltthathisbrother’snamehadbeenchangedtoParker,thattheunfortunatemanhadnotperishedintheshipwreckoftheGrampus,buthadbeensacrificedtosavehiscompanionsfromperishingofhunger;thatDirkPeters,towhomMartinHolthimselfowedhislife,hadkilledhimwithhisownhand,whatmightnothappenthen?Thiswasthereasonwhythehalf-breedshrankfromanyexpressionofthanksfromMartinHolt—whyheavoidedMartinHolt,thevictim’sbrother.
Theboatswainhadjuststrucksixbells.Theschoonerwassailingwiththecautiondemandedbynavigationinunknownseas.Theremightbeshoalsorreefsbarelyhiddenunderthesurfaceonwhichshemightrunagroundorbewrecked.AsthingsstoodwiththeHalbrane,andevenadmittingthatshecouldbefloatedagain,anaccidentwouldhaverenderedherreturnimpossiblebeforethewintersetin.Wehadurgentneedthateverychanceshouldbeinourfavourandnotoneagainstus.
Westhadgivenorderstoshortensail.Whentheboatswainhadfurledthetop-gallant-sail,thetop-sailandroyal,theHalbraneremainedunderhermainsail,herfore-sailandherjib:sufficientcanvastocoverthedistancethatseparatedherfromlandinafewhours.CaptainLenGuyimmediatelyheavedthelead,whichshowedadepthoftwentyfathoms.Severalothersoundingsshowedthatthecoast,whichwasverysteep,wasprobablyprolongedlikeawallunderthewater.
