Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“

           Twodayslaternotoneofthesurvivorsfromthetwoschooners,theJaneandtheHalbrane,remaineduponanycoastoftheAntarcticregion.

           Onthe21stofFebruary,atsixo’clockinthemorning,theboat,withusall(wenumberedthirteen)init,leftthelittlecreekanddoubledthepointofHalbraneLand.Onthepreviousdaywehadfullyandfinallydebatedthequestionofourdeparture,withtheunderstandingthatifitweresettledintheaffirmative,weshouldstartwithoutdelay.

           ThecaptainoftheJanewasforanimmediatedeparture,andCaptainLenGuywasnotopposedtoit.Iwillinglysidedwiththem,andWestwasofasimilaropinion.Theboatswainwasinclinedtoopposeus.Heconsidereditimprudenttogiveupacertaintyfortheuncertain,andhewasbackedbyEndicott,whowouldinanycasesay“ditto”tohis“Mr.Burke.”However,whenthetimecame,Hurliguerlyconformedtotheviewofthemajoritywithagoodgrace,anddeclaredhimselfquitereadytosetout,sincewewereallofthatwayofthinking.

           OurboatwasoneofthoseinuseintheTsalalArchipelagoforplyingbetweentheislands.Weknew,fromthenarrativeofArthurPym,thattheseboatsareoftwokinds,oneresemblingraftsorflatboats,theotherstrongly-builtpirogues.Ourboatwasoftheformerkind,fortyfeetlong,sixfeetinwidth,andworkedbyseveralpaddles.

           WecalledourlittlecrafttheParacuta,afterafishwhichaboundsinthesewaters.Aroughimageofthatdenizenofthesoutherndeepwascutuponthegunwale.