Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXV. “We Were the First“
Whatcouldbethemeaningofthis?
AloudcallfromWestbroughtustoalittlestripofbeachontherightofourstrandedboat.
Threecorpseslayuponthestonysoil,thatofHearne,thatofMartinHolt,andthatofoneoftheFalklandsmen.
Ofthethirteenwhohadgonewiththesealing-master,thereremainedonlythesethree,whohadevidentlybeendeadsomedays.
Whathadbecomeofthetenmissingmen?Hadtheirbodiesbeencarriedouttosea?
Wesearchedallalongthecoast,intothecreeks,andbetweentheoutlyingrocks,butinvain.Nothingwastobefound,notracesofacamp,noteventhevestigesofalanding.
“Theirboat,”saidWilliamGuy,“musthavebeenstruckbyadriftingiceberg.TherestofHearne’scompanionshavebeendrowned,andonlythesethreebodieshavecomeashore,lifeless.”
“But,”askedtheboatswain,“howisthestatetheboatisintobeexplained?”
“Andespecially,”addedWest,“thedisappearanceofalltheiron?”
“Indeed,”saidI,“itlooksasthougheverybithadbeenviolentlytornoff.”
LeavingtheParacutainthechargeoftwomen,weagaintookourwaytotheinterior,inordertoextendoursearchoverawiderexpanse.
Aswewereapproachingthehugemoundthemistclearedaway,andtheformstoodoutwithgreaterdistinctness.Itwas,asIhavesaid,almostthatofasphinx,adusky-huedsphinx,asthoughthematterwhichcomposedithadbeenoxidizedbytheinclemencyofthepolarclimate.
