the works of edgar allan poe-3-第29部分

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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　which　had　impeded　us；　and；　weathering　it；　came　to　an　open　sea；
without　a　particle　of　ice。　Upon　sounding　with　two　hundred　fathoms；　we
here　found　a　current　setting　southwardly　at　the　rate　of　half　a　mile
per　hour。　The　temperature　of　the　air　was　forty…seven；　that　of　the
water　thirtyfour。　We　now　sailed　to　the　southward　without　meeting　any
interruption　of　moment　until　the　sixteenth；　when；　at　noon；　we　were　in
latitude　81　degrees　21'；　longitude　42　degrees　W。　We　here　again
sounded；　and　found　a　current　setting　still　southwardly；　and　at　the
rate　of　three　quarters　of　a　mile　per　hour。　The　variation　per　azimuth
had　diminished；　and　the　temperature　of　the　air　was　mild　and　pleasant；
the　thermometer　being　as　high　as　fifty…one。　At　this　period　not　a
particle　of　ice　was　to　be　discovered。　All　hands　on　board　now　felt
certain　of　attaining　the　pole。

　　　　　January　17。…　This　day　was　full　of　incident。　Innumerable　flights
of　birds　flew　over　us　from　the　southward；　and　several　were　shot　from
the　deck；　one　of　them；　a　species　of　pelican；　proved　to　be　excellent
eating。　About　midday　a　small　floe　of　ice　was　seen　from　the　masthead
off　the　larboard　bow；　and　upon　it　there　appeared　to　be　some　large
animal。　As　the　weather　was　good　and　nearly　calm；　Captain　Guy　ordered
out　two　of　the　boats　to　see　what　it　was。　Dirk　Peters　and　myself
accompanied　the　mate　in　the　larger　boat。　Upon　coming　up　with　the
floe；　we　perceived　that　it　was　in　the　possession　of　a　gigantic
creature　of　the　race　of　the　Arctic　bear；　but　far　exceeding　in　size
the　largest　of　these　animals。　Being　well　armed；　we　made　no　scruple　of
attacking　it　at　once。　Several　shots　were　fired　in　quick　succession；
the　most　of　which　took　effect；　apparently；　in　the　head　and　body。
Nothing　discouraged；　however；　the　monster　threw　himself　from　the　ice；
and　swam　with　open　jaws；　to　the　boat　in　which　were　Peters　and　myself。
Owing　to　the　confusion　which　ensued　among　us　at　this　unexpected　turn
of　the　adventure；　no　person　was　ready　immediately　with　a　second　shot；
and　the　bear　had　actually　succeeded　in　getting　half　his　vast　bulk
across　our　gunwale；　and　seizing　one　of　the　men　by　the　small　of　his
back；　before　any　efficient　means　were　taken　to　repel　him。　In　this
extremity　nothing　but　the　promptness　and　agility　of　Peters　saved　us
from　destruction。　Leaping　upon　the　back　of　the　huge　beast；　he　plunged
the　blade　of　a　knife　behind　the　neck；　reaching　the　spinal　marrow　at　a
blow。　The　brute　tumbled　into　the　sea　lifeless；　and　without　a
struggle；　rolling　over　Peters　as　he　fell。　The　latter　soon　recovered
himself；　and　a　rope　being　thrown　him；　returned　in　triumph　to　the
schooner；　towing　our　trophy　behind　us。　This　bear；　upon　admeasurement；
proved　to　be　full　fifteen　feet　in　his　greatest　length。　His　wool　was
perfectly　white；　and　very　coarse；　curling　tightly。　The　eyes　were　of　a
blood　red；　and　larger　than　those　of　the　Arctic　bear；　the　snout　also
more　rounded；　rather　resembling　the　snout　of　the　bulldog。　The　meat
was　tender；　but　excessively　rank　and　fishy；　although　the　men　devoured
it　with　avidity；　and　declared　it　excellent　eating。

　　　　　Scarcely　had　we　got　our　prize　alongside；　when　the　man　at　the
masthead　gave　the　joyful　shout　of　〃land　on　the　starboard　bow！〃　All
hands　were　now　upon　the　alert；　and；　a　breeze　springing　up　very
opportunely　from　the　northward　and　eastward；　we　were　soon　close　in
with　the　coast。　It　proved　to　be　a　low　rocky　islet；　of　about　a　league
in　circumference；　and　altogether　destitute　of　vegetation；　if　we
except　a　species　of　prickly　pear。　In　approaching　it　from　the
northward；　a　singular　ledge　of　rock　is　seen　projecting　into　the　sea；
and　bearing　a　strong　resemblance　to　corded　bales　of　cotton。　Around
this　ledge　to　the　westward　is　a　small　bay；　at　the　bottom　of　which　our
boats　effected　a　convenient　landing。

　　　　　It　did　not　take　us　long　to　explore　every　portion　of　the　island；
but；　with　one　exception；　we　found　nothing　worthy　of　our　observation。
In　the　southern　extremity；　we　picked　up　near　the　shore；　half　buried
in　a　pile　of　loose　stones；　a　piece　of　wood；　which　seemed　to　have
formed　the　prow　of　a　canoe。　There　had　been　evidently