letters from high latitudes-第30章
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ded to represent Sigurdr； in the act of meditating a complicated gambit for the Doctor's benefit。
About this period Wilson culminated。 Ever since leaving Bear Island he had been keeping a carnival of grief in the pantry； until the cook became almost half…witted by reason of his Jeremiads。 Yet I must not give you the impression that the poor fellow was the least wanting in PLUCKfar from it。 Surely it requires the highest order of courage to anticipate every species of disaster every moment of the day； and yet to meet the impending fate like a manas he did。 Was it his fault that fate was not equally ready to meet him？ HIS share of the business was always done： he was ever prepared for the worst； but the most critical circumstances never disturbed the gravity of his carriage； and the fact of our being destined to go to the bottom before tea…time would not have caused him to lay out the dinner…table a whit less symmetrically。 Still； I own； the style of his service was slightly depressing。 He laid out my clean shirt of a morning as if it had been a shroud； and cleaned my boots as though for a man ON HIS LAST LEGS。 The fact is； he was imaginative and atrabilious；contemplating life through a medium of the colour of his own complexion。
This was the cheerful kind of report he used invariably to bring me of a morning。 Coming to the side of my cot with the air of a man announcing the stroke of doomsday； he used to say； or rather； TOLL
〃Seven o'clock； my Lord！〃
〃Very well； how's the wind？〃
〃Dead ahead； my LordDEAD！〃
〃How many points is she off her course？〃
〃Four points； my Lordfull four points！〃 （Four points being as much as she could be。）
〃Is it pretty clear？ eh！ Wilson？〃
〃Can't see your hand； my Lord！can't see your hand！〃
〃Much ice in sight？〃
〃Ice all round； my Lordice a…all ro…ound！〃and so exit； sighing deeply over my trousers。
Yet it was immediately after one of these unpromising announcements； that for the first time matters began to look a little brighter。 The preceding four…and…twenty hours we had remained enveloped in a cold and dismal fog。 But on coming on deck； I found the sky had already begun to clear； and although there was ice as far as the eye could see on either side of us； in front a narrow passage showed itself across a patch of loose ice into what seemed a freer sea beyond。 The only consideration waswhether we could be certain of finding our way out again； should it turn out that the open water we saw was only a basin without any exit in any other direction。 The chance was too tempting to throw away； so the little schooner gallantly pushed her way through the intervening neck of ice where the floes seemed to be least huddled up together； and in half an hour afterwards found herself running up along the edge of the starboard ice； almost in a due northerly direction。 And here I must take occasion to say that； during the whole of this rather anxious time； my masterMr。 Wyseconducted himself in a most admirable manner。 Vigilant； cool； and attentive； he handled the vessel most skilfully； and never seemed to lose his presence of mind in any emergency。 It is true the silk tartan still coruscated on Sabbaths； but its brilliant hues were quite a relief to the colourless scenes which surrounded us； and the dangling chain now only served to remind me of what firm dependence I could place upon its wearer。
Soon after； the sun came out； the mist entirely disappeared； and again on the starboard hand shone a vision of the land； this time not in the sharp peaks and spires we had first seen； but in a chain of pale blue egg…shaped islands； floating in the air a long way above the horizon。 This peculiar appearance was the result of extreme refraction； for； later in the day； we had an opportunity of watching the oval cloud…like forms gradually harden into the same pink tapering spikes which originally caused the island to be called Spitzbergen： nay； so clear did it become； that even the shadows on the hills became quite distinct； and we could easily trace the outlines of the enormous glacierssometimes ten or fifteen miles broadthat fill up every valley along the shore。 Towards evening the line of coast again vanished into the distance； and our rising hopes received an almost intolerable disappointment by the appearance of a long line of ice right ahead； running to the westward； apparently； as far as the eye could reach。 To add to our disgust； the wind flew right round into the North； and increasing to a gale； brought down upon usnot one of the usual thick arctic mists to which we were accustomed； but a dark； yellowish brown fog； that rolled along the surface of the water in twisted columns； and irregular masses of vapour； as dense as coal smoke。 We had now almost reached the eightieth parallel of north latitude； and still an impenetrable sheet of ice； extending fifty or sixty miles westward from the shore； rendered all hopes of reaching the land out of the question。 Our expectation of finding the north…west extremity of the island disengaged from ice by the action of the currents wasat all events for this seasonevidently doomed to disappointment。 We were already almost in the latitude of Amsterdam Islandwhich is actually its north…west pointand the coast seemed more encumbered than ever。 No whaler had ever succeeded in getting more than about 120 miles further north than we ourselves had already come； and to entangle ourselves any further in the iceunless it were with the certainty of reaching landwould be sheer folly。 The only thing to be done was to turn back。 Accordingly； to this course I determined at last to resign myself； if； after standing on for twelve hours longer； nothing should turn up to improve the present aspect of affairs。 It was now eleven o'clock； P。 M。 Fitz and Sigurdr went to bed； while I remained on deck to see what the night might bring forth。 It blew great guns； and the cold was perfectly intolerable； billow upon billow of black fog came sweeping down between the sea and sky； as if it were going to swallow up the whole universe； while the midnight sunnow completely blotted outnow faintly struggling through the ragged breaches of the mistthrew down from time to time an unearthly red…brown glare on the waste of roaring waters。
For the whole of that night did we continue beating up along the edge of the ice； in the teeth of a whole gale of wind； at last； about nine o'clock in the morning；but two short hours before the moment at which it had been agreed we should bear up； and abandon the attempt；we came up with a long low point of ice； that had stretched further to the Westward than any we had yet doubled； and there； beyond； lay an open sea！open not only to the Northward and Westward； but also to the Eastward！ You can imagine my excitement。〃 Turn the hands up； Mr。 Wyse！〃 〃'Bout ship！〃 〃Down with the helm！〃 〃Helm a…lee！〃 Up comes the schooner's head to the wind； the sails flapping with the noise of thunderblocks rattling against the deck； as if they wanted to knock their brains outropes dancing about in galvanised coils； like mad serpentsand everything to an inexperienced eye in inextricable confusion； till gradually she pays off on the other tackthe sails stiffen into deal…boardsthe staysail sheet is let goand heeling over on the opposite side。 Again she darts forward over the sea like an arrow from the bow。 〃Stand by to make sail！〃 〃Out all reefs！〃 I could have carried sail to sink a man…of…war！and away the little ship went； playing leapfrog over the heavy seas； and staggering under her canvas； as if giddy with the same joyful excitement which made my own heart thump so loudly。
In another hour the sun came out； the fog cleared away； and about noonup again； above the horizon； grow the pale lilac peaks； warming into a rosier tint as we approach。 Ice still stretches toward the land on the starboard side； but we don't care for it nowthe schooner's head is pointing E。 and by S。 At one o'clock we sight Amsterdam Island； about thirty miles on the port bow； then came the 〃seven ice…hills〃as seven enormous glaciers are calledthat roll into the sea between lofty ridges of gneiss and mica slate； a little to the northward of Prince Charles's Foreland。 Clearer and more defined grows the outline of the mountains； some coming forward while others recede； their rosy tints appear less even； fading here and there into pale yellows and greys； veins of shadow score the steep sides of the hills； the articulations of the rocks become visible； and now； at last； we glide under the limestone peaks of Mitre Cape； past the marble arches of King's Bay on the one side； and the pinnacle of the Vogel Hook on the other； into the quiet channel that separates the Foreland from the main。
＇Figure： fig…p170。gif＇
It was at one o'clock in the morning of the 6th of August； 1856； that after having been eleven days at sea； we came to an anchor in the silent haven of English Bay； Spitzbergen。
And now； how shall I give you an idea of the wonderful panorama in the midst of which we found ourselves？ I think； perhaps； its most striking feature was the stillness； and deadness； and impassibility of this new world： ice； and rock； and water surrounded us； not a sound of any kind interrupted the silence； the sea did not break upon the shore； no bird or any living thing was visible； the midnight sun； by this time muffled in a transparent mist； shed an awful； mysterious lustre on glacier and mountain； no atom of vegetation gave token of the earth's vitality： an universal numbness and dumbness seemed to pervade the solitude。 I suppose in scarcely any other part of the world is this appearance of deadness so strikingly exhibited。 On the stillest summer day in England； there is always perceptible an under…tone of life thrilling through the atmosphere； and though no breeze should stir a single leaf； yetin default of motionthere is always a sense of growth； but here not so much as a blade of grass was to be seen on the sides of the bald excoriated hills。 Primeval rocks and eternal ice constitute the landscape。
The anchorage where we had brought up is the best to be found； with the exception perhaps of Magdalena Bay； along the whole west coast of Spitzbergen； indeed it is almost the only one where you are not liable to have the ice set in upon you at a moment's notice。 Ice Sound； Bell Sound； Horn Soundthe other harbours along the west coastare all liable to be beset by drift…ice during the course of a single night； even though no vestige of it may have been in sight four…and…twenty hours before； and many a good ship has been inextricably imprisoned in the very harbour to which she had fled for refuge。 This bay is completely landlocked； being protected on its open side by Prince Charles's Foreland； a long island lying parallel with the mainland。 Down towards either horn run two ranges of schistose rocks； about 1；500 feet high； their sides almost precipitous； and the topmost ridge as sharp as a knife； and jagged as a saw； the intervening space is entirely filled up by an enormous glacier； which；descending with one continuous incline from the head of a valley on the right； and sweeping like a torrent round the roots of an isolated clump of hills in the centrerolls at last into the sea。 The length of the glacial river from the spot where it
