Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XIX. Land?
Atthisseasonthesundidnotsetsosoonunderthewesternhorizon,anditsraysbathedthevastAntarcticzoneinunabatedlight.
Fromthatdayforwardtheship’slogrecordedthatthetemperaturefellcontinuously.Thethermometerintheairandintheshadedidnotmarkmorethan32°(0°C.),andwhenplungedintowateritonlyindicated26°(3°33’C.below0°).Whatcouldbethecauseofthisfall,sincewewereattheheightofthesouthernsummer?Thecrewwereobligedtoresumetheirwoollenclothing,whichtheyhadleftoffamonthpreviously.Theschooner,however,wassailingbeforethewind,andthesefirstcoldblastswerelesskeenlyfelt.Yetwerecognizedthenecessityofreachingourgoalassoonaspossible.TolingerinthisregionortoexposeourselvestothedangerofwinteringoutwouldbetotemptProvidence!
CaptainLenGuytestedthedirectionofthecurrentbyheavyleadlines,anddiscoveredthatitwasbeginningtodeviatefromitsformercourse.
“Whetheritisacontinent,”saidhe,“thatliesbeforeus,orwhetheritisanisland,wehaveatpresentnomeansofdetermining.Ifitbeacontinent,wemustconcludethatthecurrenthasanissuetowardsthesouth-east.”
“Anditisquitepossible,”Ireplied,“thatthesolidpartoftheAntarcticregionmaybereducedtoamerepolarmound.Inanycase,itiswelltonoteanyofthoseobservationswhicharelikelytobeaccurate.”
“ThatisjustwhatIamdoing,Mr.
