Крижаний сфінкс

Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“

           ThespeedoftheParacutahadthenbeenthirtymilesineachtwenty-fourhours.Ifthisrateofprogresscouldbemaintainedforthreeweeks,therewaseverychanceofourfindingthepassesopen,andbeingabletogetroundtheicebergbarrier;alsothatthewhaling-shipswouldnotyethaveleftthefishing-grounds.

           Thesunwasonthevergeofthehorizon,andthetimewasapproachingwhentheAntarcticregionwouldbeshroudedinpolarnight.Fortunately,inre-ascendingtowardsthenorthweweregettingintowatersfromwhencelightwasnotyetbanished.ThendidwewitnessaphenomenonasextraordinaryasanyofthosedescribedbyArthurPym.Forthreeorfourhours,sparks,accompaniedbyasharpnoise,shotoutofourfingers’ends,ourhair,andourbeards.Therewasanelectricsnowstorm,withgreatflakesfallingloosely,andthecontactproducedthisstrangeluminosity.ThesearosesosuddenlyandtumbledaboutsowildlythattheParacutawasseveraltimesindangerofbeingswallowedupbythewaves,butwegotthroughthemystic-seemingtempestallsafeandsound.

           Nevertheless,spacewasthenceforthbutimperfectlylighted.Frequentmistscameupandboundedouroutlooktoafewcable-lengths.Extremewatchfulnessandcautionwerenecessarytoavoidcollisionwiththefloatingmassesofice,whichweretravellingmoreslowlythantheParacuta.

           Itisalsotobenotedthat,onthesouthernside,theskywasfrequentlylightedupbythebroadandbrilliantraysofthepolaraurora.

           Thetemperaturefellveryperceptibly,andnolongerroseabovetwenty-threedegrees.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 300 з 317