Крижаний сфінкс
Chapter I. The Kerguelen Islands.
Nevertheless,Ididnotfailtotakeintodueaccountthesharethatbelongstochanceinhumanaffairs,foritiswise,asEdgarPoehassaid,always“toreckonwiththeunforeseen,theunexpected,theinconceivable,whichhaveaverylargeshare(inthoseaffairs),andchanceoughtalwaystobeamatterofstrictcalculation.”
EachdayIwalkedabouttheportanditsneighbourhood.Thesunwasgrowingstrong.Therockswereemergingbydegreesfromtheirwinterclothingofsnow;mossofawine-likecolourwasspringinguponthebasaltcliffs,stripsofseaweedfiftyyardslongwerefloatingonthesea,andontheplainthelyella,whichisofAndeanorigin,waspushingupitslittlepoints,andtheonlyleguminousplantoftheregion,thatgiganticcabbagealreadymentioned,valuableforitsanti-scorbuticproperties,wasmakingitsappearance.
Ihadnotcomeacrossasinglelandmammal—seamammalsswarminthesewaters—notevenofthebatrachianorreptiliankinds.Afewinsectsonly—butterfliesorothers—andeventhesedidnotfly,forbeforetheycouldusetheirwings,theatmosphericcurrentscarriedthetinybodiesawaytothesurfaceoftherollingwaves.
“AndtheHalbrane”IusedtosaytoAtkinseachmorning.
“TheHalbrane,Mr.Jeorling,”hewouldreplywithcomplacentassurance,“willsurelycomeintoportto-day,or,ifnotto-day,to-morrow.”
Inmyramblesontheshore,Ifrequentlyroutedacrowdofamphibians,sendingthemplungingintothenewlyreleasedwaters
