Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXII. In Camp
Ourspeedisslackening,itseemstome,anditispossiblethataneddymaybringusbackobliquelytothecoast.”
“Thatismyopiniontoo,”saidtheboatswain,“andifourfloatingmachineisnotstationary,itisnearlyso.Itseemstobeturninground.”
WestandHurliguerlywerenotmistaken.Forsomereasonorothertheicebergwasgettingoutofthecoursewhichithadfollowedcontinuously.Agiratorymovementhadsucceededtothatofdrifting,owingtotheactionofaneddywhichsettowardsthecoast.
Besides,severalice-mountains,infrontofus,hadjustrunagroundontheedgeoftheshore.Itwas,then,uselesstodiscusswhetherweshouldtaketotheboatornot.Accordingasweapproached,thedesolationofthelandbecamemoreandmoreapparent,andtheprospectofenduringsixmonths’winteringtherewouldhaveappalledthestoutesthearts.
Atfiveintheafternoon,theicebergplungedintoadeepriftinthecoastendinginalongpointontheright,andtherestuckfast.
“Onshore!Onshore!”burstfromeveryman,likeasingleexclamation,andthemenwerealreadyhurryingdowntheslopeoftheiceberg,whenWestcommanded:
“Waitfororders!”
Somehesitationwasshown—especiallyonthepartofHearneandseveralofhiscomrades.Thentheinstinctofdisciplineprevailed,andfinallythewholecrewrangedthemselvesaroundCaptainLenGuy.Itwasnotnecessarytolowertheboat,theicebergbeingincontactwiththepoint.
