Крижаний сфінкс

           Too-Witacceptedthisproposalwillingly,andmadeabargainbywhichthenativesweretogivetheirlabourinthegathering-inofthepreciousmollusk.

           Attheendofamonth,theshedsbeingfinished,threemenweretoldofftoremainatTsalal.Thenativeshadnotgiventhestrangerscausetoentertaintheslightestsuspicionofthem.Beforeleavingtheplace,CaptainWilliamGuywishedtoreturnoncemoretothevillageofKlock-Klock,having,fromprudentmotives,leftsixmenonboard,thegunscharged,thebulwarknettingsintheirplace,theanchorhangingattheforepeak—inaword,allinreadinesstoopposeanapproachofthenatives.Too-Wit,escortedbyahundredwarriors,cameouttomeetthevisitors.CaptainWilliamGuyandhismen,althoughtheplacewaspropitioustoanambuscade,walkedincloseorder,eachpressingupontheother.Ontheright,alittleinadvance,wereArthurPym,DirkPeters,andasailornamedAllen.Havingreachedaspotwhereafissuretraversedthehillside,ArthurPymturnedintoitinordertogathersomehazelnutswhichhunginclustersuponstuntedbushes.Havingdonethis,hewasreturningtothepath,whenheperceivedthatAllenandthehalf-breedhadaccompaniedhim.Theywereallthreeapproachingthemouthofthefissure,whentheywerethrowndownbyasuddenandviolentshock.Atthesamemomentthecrumblingmassesofthehillsliddownuponthemandtheyinstantlyconcludedthattheyweredoomedtobeburiedalive.