the works of edgar allan poe-3-第26章

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Alexander　of　Russia　for　the　purpose　of　circumnavigating　the　globe。　In
endeavouring　to　get　south；　they　made　no　farther　than　59　degrees　58'；
in　longitude　70　degrees　15'　W。　They　here　met　with　strong　currents
setting　eastwardly。　Whales　were　abundant；　but　they　saw　no　ice。　In
regard　to　this　voyage；　Mr。　Reynolds　observes　that；　if　Kreutzenstern
had　arrived　where　he　did　earlier　in　the　season；　he　must　have
encountered　ice…　it　was　March　when　he　reached　the　latitude　specified。
The　winds；　prevailing；　as　they　do；　from　the　southward　and　westward；
had　carried　the　floes；　aided　by　currents；　into　that　icy　region
bounded　on　the　north　by　Georgia；　east　by　Sandwich　Land　and　the　South
Orkneys；　and　west　by　the　South　Shetland　islands。

　　　　　In　1822；　Captain　James　Weddell；　of　the　British　navy；　with　two
very　small　vessels；　penetrated　farther　to　the　south　than　any　previous
navigator；　and　this；　too；　without　encountering　extraordinary
difficulties。　He　states　that　although　he　was　frequently　hemmed　in　by
ice　before　reaching　the　seventy…second　parallel；　yet；　upon　attaining
it；　not　a　particle　was　to　be　discovered；　and　that；　upon　arriving　at
the　latitude　of　74　degrees　15'；　no　fields；　and　only　three　islands　of
ice　were　visible。　It　is　somewhat　remarkable　that；　although　vast
flocks　of　birds　were　seen；　and　other　usual　indications　of　land；　and
although；　south　of　the　Shetlands；　unknown　coasts　were　observed　from
the　masthead　tending　southwardly；　Weddell　discourages　the　idea　of
land　existing　in　the　polar　regions　of　the　south。

　　　　　On　the　11th　of　January；　1823；　Captain　Benjamin　Morrell；　of　the
American　schooner　Wasp；　sailed　from　Kerguelen's　Land　with　a　view　of
penetrating　as　far　south　as　possible。　On　the　first　of　February　he
found　himself　in　latitude　64　degrees　52'　S。；　longitude　118　degrees
27'　E。　The　following　passage　is　extracted　from　his　journal　of　that
date。　〃The　wind　soon　freshened　to　an　eleven…knot　breeze；　and　we
embraced　this　opportunity　of　making　to　the　west；；　being　however
convinced　that　the　farther　we　went　south　beyond　latitude　sixty…four
degrees；　the　less　ice　was　to　be　apprehended；　we　steered　a　little　to
the　southward；　until　we　crossed　the　Antarctic　circle；　and　were　in
latitude　69　degrees　15'　E。　In　this　latitude　there　was　no　field　ice；
and　very　few　ice　islands　in　sight。

　　　　　Under　the　date　of　March　fourteenth　I　find　also　this　entry。　The
sea　was　now　entirely　free　of　field　ice；　and　there　were　not　more　than
a　dozen　ice　islands　in　sight。　At　the　same　time　the　temperature　of　the
air　and　water　was　at　least　thirteen　degrees　higher　（more　mild）　than
we　had　ever　found　it　between　the　parallels　of　sixty　and　sixty…two
south。　We　were　now　in　latitude　70　degrees　14'　S。；　and　the　temperature
of　the　air　was　forty…seven；　and　that　of　the　water　forty…four。　In　this
situation　I　found　the　variation　to　be　14　degrees　27'　easterly；　per
azimuth。。。。　I　have　several　times　passed　within　the　Antarctic　circle；
on　different　meridians；　and　have　uniformly　found　the　temperature；
both　of　the　air　and　the　water；　to　become　more　and　more　mild　the
farther　I　advanced　beyond　the　sixty…fifth　degree　of　south　latitude；
and　that　the　variation　decreases　in　the　same　proportion。　While　north
of　this　latitude；　say　between　sixty　and　sixty…five　south；　we
frequently　had　great　difficulty　in　finding　a　passage　for　the　vessel
between　the　immense　and　almost　innumerable　ice　islands；　some　of　which
were　from　one　to　two　miles　in　circumference；　and　more　than　five
hundred　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　water。〃

　　　　　Being　nearly　destitute　of　fuel　and　water；　and　without　proper
instruments；　it　being　also　late　in　the　season；　Captain　Morrell　was
now　obliged　to　put　back；　without　attempting　any　further　progress　to
the　westward；　although　an　entirely　open；　sea　lay　before　him。　He
expresses　the　opinion　that；　had　not　these　overruling　considerations
obliged　him　to　retreat；　he　could　have　penetrated；　if　not　to　the　pole
itself；　at　least　to　the　eighty…fifth　parallel。　I　have　given　his　ideas
respecting　these　matters　somewhat　at　length；　that　the　reader　may　have
an　opportunity　of　seeing　how　far　they　were　borne　out　by　my　own
subsequent　experience。

　　　　　In　1831；　Captain　Briscoe；　in　the　employ　of　the　Messieurs
Enderby；　whale…ship　owners　of　London；　sailed　in　the　brig　Lively　for
the　South　Seas；　accompanied　by　the　cutter　Tula。　On　the　twenty…eighth
of　February；　being　in　latitude　66　degrees　30'　S。；　longitude　47
degrees　31'　E。；　he　descried　land；　and　〃clearly　discovered　through　the
snow　the　black　peaks　of　a　range　of　mountains　running　E。　S。　E。〃　He
remained　in　this　neighbourhood　during　the　whole　of　the　following
month；　but　was　unable　to　approach　the　coast　nearer　than　within　ten
leagues；　owing　to　the　boisterous　state　of　the　weather。　Finding　it
impossible　to　make　further　discovery　during　this　season；　he　returned
northward　to　winter　in　Van　Diemen's　Land。

　　　　　In　the　beginning　of　1832　he　again　proceeded　southwardly；　and　on
the　fourth　of　February　was　seen　to　the　southeast　in　latitude　67
degrees　15'　longitude　69　degrees　29'　W。　This　was　soon　found　to　be　an
island　near　the　headland　of　the　country　he　had　first　discovered。　On
the　twenty…first　of　the　month　he　succeeded　in　landing　on　the　latter；
and　took　possession　of　it　in　the　name　of　William　IV；　calling　it
Adelaide's　Island；　in　honour　of　the　English　queen。　These　particulars
being　made　known　to　the　Royal　Geographical　Society　of　London；　the
conclusion　was　drawn　by　that　body　〃that　there　is　a　continuous　tract
of　land　extending　from　47　degrees　30'　E。　to　69　degrees　29'　W。
longitude；　running　the　parallel　of　from　sixty…six　to　sixty…seven
degrees　south　latitude。〃　In　respect　to　this　conclusion　Mr。　Reynolds
observes：　〃In　the　correctness　of　it　we　by　no　means　concur；　nor　do　the
discoveries　of　Briscoe　warrant　any　such　indifference。　It　was　within
these　limits　that　Weddel　proceeded　south　on　a　meridian　to　the　east　of
Georgia；　Sandwich　Land；　and　the　South　Orkney　and　Shetland　islands。〃
My　own　experience　will　be　found　to　testify　most　directly　to　the
falsity　of　the　conclusion　arrived　at　by　the　society。

　　　　　These　are　the　principal　attempts　which　have　been　made　at
penetrating　to　a　high　southern　latitude；　and　it　will　now　be　seen　that
there　remained；　previous　to　the　voyage　of　the　Jane；　nearly　three
hundred　degrees　of　longitude　in　which　the　Antarctic　circle　had　not
been　crossed　at　all。　Of　course　a　wide　field　lay　before　us　for
discovery；　and　it　was　with　feelings　of　most　intense　interest　that　I
heard　Captain　Guy　express　his　resolution　of　pushing　boldly　to　the
southward。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　16　~~~

CHAPTER　17



　　　　　　We　kept　our　course　southwardly　for　four　days　after　giving　up
the　search　for　Glass's　islands；　without　meeting　with　any　ice　at　all。
On　the　twenty…sixth；　at　noon；　we　were　in　latitude　63　degrees　23'　S。；
longitude　41　degrees　25'　W。　We　now　saw　several　large　ice　islands；　and
a　floe　of　field　ice；　not；　however；　of　any　great　extent。　The　winds
generally　blew　from　the　southeast；　or　the　northeast；　but　were　very
light。　Whenever　we　had　a　westerly　wind；　which　was　seldom；　it　was
invariably　attended　with　a　rain　squall。　Every　day　we　had　more　or　less
snow。　The　thermometer；　on　the　twenty…seventh　stood　at　thirty…five。

　　　　　January　1；　1828。…　This　day　we　found　ourselves　completely　hemmed
in　by　the　ice；　and　our　prospects　looked　cheerless　indeed。　A　strong
gale　blew；　during　the　whole　forenoon；　from　the　northeast；　and　drove
large　cakes　of　the　drift　against　the　rudder　and　counter　with　such
violence　that　we　all　trembled　for　the　consequences。　Toward　evening；
the　gale　still　blowing　with　fury；　a　large　field　in　front　separated；
and　we　were　enabled；　by　carrying　a　press　of　sail　to　force　a　passage
through　the　smaller　flakes　into　some　open　water　beyond。　As　we
approached　this　space　we　took　in　sail　by　degrees；　and　having　at
length　got　clear；　lay…to　under　a　single。　reefed　foresail。

　　　　　January　2。…　We　had　now　tolerably　pleasant　weather。　At　noon　we
found　ourselves　in　latitude　69　degrees　10'　S；　longitude　42　degrees
20'　W；　having　crossed　the　Antarctic　circle。　Very　little　ice　was　to　be
seen　to　the　southward；　although　large　fields　of　it　lay　behind　us。
This　day　we　rigged　some　sounding　gear；　using　a　large　iron　pot　capable
of　holding　twenty　gallons；　and　a　line　of　two　hundred　fathoms。　We
found　the　current　setting　to　the　north；　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　per
hour。　The　temperature　of　the　air　was　now　about　thirty…three。　Here　we
found　the　variation　to　be　14　degrees　28'　easterly；　per　azimuth。

　　　　　January　5。…　We　had　still　held　on　to　the　southward　without　any
very　great　impediments。　On　this　morning；　however；　being　in　latitude
73　degrees　15'　E。；　longitude　42　degrees　10'　W；　we　were　again　brought
to　a　stand　by　an　immense　expanse　of　firm　ice。　We　saw；　nevertheless；
much　open　water　to　the　southward；　and　felt　no　doubt　of　being　able　to
reach　it　eventually。　Standing　to　the　eastward　along　the　edge　of　the
floe；　we　at　length　came　to　a　passage　of　about　a　mile　in　width；
through　which　we　warped　our　way　by　sundown。　The　sea　in　which　we　now
were　was　thickly　covered　with　ice　islands；　but　had　no　field　ice；　and
we　pushed　on　boldly　as　before。　The　cold　did　not　seem　to　increase；
although　we　had　snow　very　frequently；　and　now　and　then　hail　squalls
of　great　violence。　Immense　flocks　of　the　albatross　flew　over　the
schooner　this　day；　going　from　southeast　to　northwest。

　　　　　January　7。…　The　sea　still　remained　pretty　well　open；　so　that　we
had　no　difficulty　in　holding　on　our　course。　To　the　westward　we　saw
some　icebergs　of　incredible　size；　and　in　the　afternoon　passed　very
near　one　whose　summit　could　not　have　been　less　than　four　hundred
fathoms　from　the　surface　of　the　ocean。　Its　girth　was　probably；　at　the
base；　three…quarters　of　a　league；　and　several　streams　of　water　were
running　from　crevices　in　its　sides。　We　remained　in　sight　of　this
island　two　days；　and　then　only　lost　it　in　a　fog。

　　　　　January　10。…　Early　this　morning　we　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　a
man　overboard。　He　was　an　American　named　Peter　Vredenburgh；　a　native
of　New　York；　and　was　one　of　the　most　valuable　hands　on　board　the
schooner。　In　going　over　the　bows　his　foot　slipped；　and　he　fell
between　two　cakes　of　ice；　never　rising　again。　At　noon　of　this　day　we
were　in　latitude　78　degrees　30'；　longitude　40　degrees　15'　W。　The　cold
was　now　excessive；　and　we　had　hail　squalls　continually　from　the
northward　and　eastward。　In　this　direction　also　we　saw　several　more
immense　icebergs；　and　the　whole　horizon　to　the　eastward　appeared　to
be　blocked　up　with　field　ice；　rising　in　tiers；　one　mass　above　the
other。　Some　driftwood　floated　by　during　the　evening；　and　a　great
quantity　of　birds　flew　over；　among　which　were　nellies；　peterels；
albatrosses；　and　a　large　bird　of　a　brilliant　blue　plumage。　The
variation　here；　per　azimuth；　was　less　than　it　had　been　previously　to
our　passing　the　Antarctic　circle。

　　　　January　12。…Our　passage　to　the　south　again　looked　doubtful；　as
nothing　was　to　be　seen　in　the　direction　of　the　pole　but　one
apparently　limitless　floe；　backed　by　absolute　mountains　of　ragged
ice；　one　precipice　of　which　arose　frowningly　above　the　other。　We
stood　to　the　westward　until　the　fourteenth；　in　the　hope　of　finding　an
entrance。

　　　　　January　14。…This　morning　we　reached　the　western　extremity　of　the
field　wh