Крижаний сфінкс

           Hereandthereafewshrubsgrew,inplaceoftheflourishingfirsoftheNorwegianmountains,andthesurfaceofaspongysoilwhichsinksandrisesunderthefootiscarpetedwithmosses,fungi,andlichens.No!thiswasnottheenticingcountrywheretheechoesofthesagasresound,thiswasnotthepoeticrealmofWodinandtheValkyries.

           OnthedeepwatersoftheFalklandStrait,whichseparatesthetwoprincipalisles,greatmassesofextraordinaryaquaticvegetationfloated,andthebaysoftheArchipelago,wherewhaleswerealreadybecomingscarce,werefrequentedbyothermarinemammalsofenormoussize—seals,twenty-fivefeetlongbytwentyincircumference,andgreatnumbersofseaelephants,wolves,andlions,ofproportionsnolessgigantic.Theuproarmadebytheseanimals,bythefemalesandtheiryoungespecially,surpassesdescription.Onewouldthinkthatherdsofcattlewerebellowingonthebeach.Neitherdifficultynordangerattendsthecapture,oratleasttheslaughterofthemarinebeasts.Thesealerskillthemwithablowofaclubwhentheyarelyinginthesandsonthestrand.ThesearethespecialfeaturesthatdifferentiateScandinaviafromtheFalklands,nottospeakoftheinfinitenumberofbirdswhichroseonmyapproach,grebe,cormorants,black-headedswans,andaboveall,tribesofpenguins,ofwhichhundredsofthousandsaremassacredeveryyear.