Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XX. “Unmerciful Disaster“
Moreovertherewouldbedangerinsendingoutouronlyboatonavoyageofdiscovery,asthecurrentmightcarryittoofar,oritmightnotfindusagaininthesameplace.And,indeed,iftheiceberghappenedtogetlooseatthebottom,andtoresumeitsinterrupteddrift,whatwouldbecomeofthemenintheboat?
Thedrawbackwasthattheboatwastoosmalltocarryusall,withthenecessaryprovisions.Now,oftheseniors,thereremainedtenmen,countingDirkPeters;ofthenewmentherewerethirteen;twenty-threeinall.Thelargestnumberourboatcouldholdwasfromeleventotwelvepersons.Thenelevenofus,indicatedbylot,wouldhavetoremainonthisislandofice.Andwhatwouldbecomeofthem?
WithregardtothisHurliguerlymadeasoundobservation.
“Afterall,”hesaid,“Idon’tknowthatthosewhowouldembarkwouldbebetteroffthanthosewhoremained!Iamsodoubtfuloftheresult,thatIwouldwillinglygiveupmyplacetoanyonewhowantedit.”
Perhapstheboatswainwasright.Butinmyownmind,whenIaskedthattheboatmightbeutilized,itwasonlyforthepurposeofreconnoitringtheiceberg.
Wefinallydecidedtoarrangeeverythingwithaviewtowinteringout,evenwereourice-mountainagaintodrift.
“Wemaybesurethatwillbeagreedtobyourmen,”declaredHurliguerly.
“Whatisnecessarymustbedone,”repliedthemate,“andto-daywemustsettowork.”
Thatwasasaddayonwhichwebeganourpreparations.
