Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter XXVI. A Little Remnant
AtlastwewereintheSouthPacificwaters,butourboathadsufferedseverelyingettingthrough,andithadsprungmorethanoneleak.Wewerekeptbusyinbalingoutthewater,whichalsocameinfromabove.
Thebreezewasgentle,theseamorecalmthanwecouldhavehoped,andtherealdangerdidnotlieintherisksofnavigation.No,itarosefromthefactthatnotashipwasvisibleinthesewaters,notawhalerwastobeseenonthefishing-grounds.AtthebeginningofApriltheseplacesareforsaken,andwearrivedsomeweekstoolate.
Welearnedafterwardsthathadwearrivedalittlesooner,weshouldhavemetthevesselsoftheAmericanexpedition.
Infact,onthe1stofFebruary,by95°50’longitudeand64°17’latitude,LieutenantWilkeswasstillexploringtheseseasinoneofhisships,theVincennes,afterhavingdiscoveredalongextentofcoaststretchingfromeasttowest.Ontheapproachofthebadseason,hereturnedtoHobartTown,inTasmania.Thesameyear,theexpeditionoftheFrenchcaptainDumontd’Urville,whichstartedin1838,discoveredAdélieLandin66°30’latitudeand38°21’eastlongitude,andClarieCoastin64°30’and129°54’.Theircampaignhavingendedwiththeseimportantdiscoveries,theAstrolabeandtheZéléelefttheAntarcticOceanandreturnedtoHobartTown.
Noneoftheseships,then,wereinthosewaters;sothat,whenournutshellParacutawas“aloneonalone,lonesea”beyondtheice-barrier,wewereboundtobelievethatitwasnolongerpossiblewecouldbesaved.
