Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“
NeedlesstosaythatthegreaterpartofthecargooftheHalbranewasleftinourcavern,fullyprotectedfromtheweather,atthedisposalofanyshipwreckedpeoplewhomightchancetobethrownonthecoastofHalbraneLand.Theboatswainhadplantedasparonthetopofthisslopetoattractattention.But,ourtwoschoonersnotwithstanding,whatvesselwouldeverventureintosuchlatitudes?
NotaBene.—Wewerejustthirteen—thefatalnumber.Perfectlygoodrelationssubsistedamongus.WehadnolongertodreadtherebellionofaHearne.(Howoftenwespeculateduponthefateofthosewhomhehadbeguiled!)
Atseveno’clock,theextremepointofHalbraneLandlayfivemilesbehindus,andintheeveningwegraduallylostsightoftheheightsthatvariatedthatpartofthecoast.
Idesiretolayspecialstressonthefactthatnotasinglescrapofironenteredintotheconstructionofthisboat,notsomuchasanailorabolt,forthatmetalwasentirelyunknowntotheTsalalislanders.Theplankswereboundtogetherbyasortofliana,orcreeping-plant,andcaulkedwithmosssteepedinpitch,whichwasturnedbycontactwiththesea-watertoasubstanceashardasmetal.
Ihavenothingspecialtorecordduringtheweekthatsucceededourdeparture.Thebreezeblewsteadilyfromthesouth,andwedidnotmeetwithanyunfavourablecurrentbetweenthebanksoftheJaneSound.
Duringthosefirsteightdays,theParacuta,bypaddlingwhenthewindfell,hadkeptupthespeedthatwasindispensableforourreachingthePacificOceanwithinashorttime.
