“Map 30, 1854.—It is a year ago to-day since we left New York. I am not as sanguine2 as I was then: time and experience have chastened me. There is everything about me to check enthusiasm and moderate hope. I am here in forced inaction, a broken-down man, oppressed by cares, with many dangers before me, and still under the shadow of a hard wearing winter, which has crushed two of my best associates. Here, on the spot, after two unavailing expeditions of search, I hold my opinions unchanged; and I record them as a matter of duty upon a manuscript which may speak the truth when I can do so no longer.
The Dogs
“June 1.—At ten o’clock this morning the wail3 of the dogs outside announced the return of Dr Hayes and William Godfrey. Both of them were completely snow-blind, and the doctor had to be led to my bedside to make his report. In fact, so exhausted4 was he, that in spite of my anxiety I forbore to question him until he had rested. I venture to say, that both he and his companion well remember their astonishing performance over stewed-apples and seal-meat.
“The dogs were not so foot-sore as might have been expected; but two of them, including poor little Jenny, were completely knocked up. All attention was bestowed5 on indispensable essentials of Arctic search, and soon they were more happy than their masters.”
Dr Hayes had made a due north line on leaving the ? 94 ? brig; but, encountering the “squeezed ices” of my own party in March, he wisely worked to the eastward6.
On the 22d he encountered a wall of hummocks7, exceeding twenty feet in height, and extending in a long line to the north-east.
After vain attempts to force them, becoming embarrassed in fragmentary ice,—worn, to use his own words, into “deep pits and valleys,”—he was obliged to camp, surrounded by masses of the wildest character, some of them thirty feet in height.
The next three days were spent in struggles through this broken plain; fogs sometimes embarrassed them, but at intervals8 land could be seen to the north-west. On the 27th they reached the north side of the bay, passing over but few miles of new and unbroken floe9.
Dr Hayes told me, that in many places they could not have advanced a step but for the dogs. Deep cavities filled with snow intervened between lines of ice-barricades, making their travel as slow and tedious as the same obstructions11 had done to the party of poor Brooks12 before their eventful rescue last March.
His journal entry, referring to the 23d, while tangled13 in the ice, says, “I was so snow-blind that I could not see; and as riding, owing to the jaded14 condition of the dogs, was seldom possible, we were obliged to lay-to.”
It was not until the 25th that their eyesight was sufficiently15 restored to enable them to push on. In these devious16 and untrodden ice-fields, even the instinct of the dogs would have been of little avail to direct their course. It was well for the party that during this compulsory18 halt the temperatures were mild and endurable.
On the 26th, disasters accumulated. William Godfrey, one of the sturdiest travellers, broke down; and the dogs, ? 95 ? the indispensable reliance of the party, were in bad working trim. The rude harness, always apt to become tangled and broken, had been mended so often, and with such imperfect means, as to be scarcely serviceable.
Sledge19 Trappings
This evil would seem the annoyance20 of an hour to the travellers in a stage-coach, but to a sledge-party on the ice-waste it is the gravest that can be conceived. The Esquimaux dog is driven by a single trace, a long thin thong21 of seal or walrus22 hide, which passes from his chest over his haunches to the sledge. The team is always driven abreast23, and the traces are of course tangling24 and twisting themselves up incessantly25, as the half-wild or terrified brutes26 bound right or left from their prescribed positions. The consequence is, that the seven or nine or fourteen lines have a marvellous aptitude27 at knotting themselves up beyond the reach of skill and patience. If the weather is warm enough to thaw28 the snow, they become utterly29 soft and flaccid, and the naked hand, if applied30 ingeniously, may dispense31 with a resort to the Gordian process; but in the severe cold, such as I experienced in my winter journeys of 1854, the knife is often the only appliance,—an unsafe one if invoked32 too often, for every new attachment33 shortens your harness, and you may end by drawing your dogs so close that they cannot pull. I have been obliged to halt and camp on the open flee, till I could renew enough of warmth and energy and patience to disentangle the knots of my harness.
It was only after appropriating an undue34 share of his kin10 breeches that the leader of the party succeeded in patching up his mutilated dog-lines. He was rewarded, however, for he shortly after found an old floe, over which his sledge passed happily to the north coast. It was the first time that any of our parties had succeeded in penetrating35 ? 96 ? the area to the north. The ice had baffled three organized foot-parties. It would certainly never have been traversed without the aid of dogs; but it is equally certain that the effort must again have failed, even with their aid, but for the energy and determination of Dr Hayes, and the endurance of his partner, William Godfrey.
The party spent the 28th in mending the sledge, which was completely broken, and feeding up their dogs for a renewal36 of the journey. But, their provisions being limited, Dr Hayes did not deem himself justified37 in continuing to the north. He determined38 to follow and survey the coast toward Cape39 Sabine.
His pemmican was reduced to eighteen pounds; there was apparently40 no hope of deriving41 resources from the hunt; and the coasts were even more covered with snow than those he had left on the southern side. His return was a thing of necessity.
Most providentially they found the passage home free from bergs; but their provisions were nearly gone, and their dogs were exhausted. They threw away their sleeping-bags, which were of reindeer42-skin and weighed about twelve pounds each, and abandoned, besides, clothing enough to make up a reduction in weight of nearly fifty pounds. With their load so lightened, they were enabled to make good the crossing of the bay. They landed at Peter Force Bay, and reached the brig on the 1st of June.
This journey connected the northern coast with the former surveys; but it disclosed no channel or any form of exit from this bay.
It convinced me, however, that such a channel must exist; for this great curve could be no cul-de-sac. Even were my observations since my first fall-journey of September 1853, not decisive on this head, the general movement ? 97 ? of the icebergs43, the character of the tides, and the equally sure analogies of physical geography, would point unmistakably to such a conclusion.
The North-east Party
To verify it, I at once commenced the organization of a double party. This, which is called in my Report the North-east Party, was to be assisted by dogs, but was to be subsisted44 as far as the Great Glacier45 by provisions carried by a foot-party in advance.
For the continuation of my plans I again refer to my journal.
“June 2.—There is still this hundred miles wanting to the north-west to complete our entire circuit of this frozen water. This is to be the field for our next party. I am at some loss how to organize it. For myself, I am down with scurvy46. Dr Hayes is just from the field, worn-out and snow-blind, and the health-roll of the crew makes a sorry parade.
“June 3.—M’Gary, Bonsall, Hickey, and Riley were detailed47 for the first section of the new parties; they will be accompanied by Morton, who has orders to keep himself as fresh as possible, so as to enter on his own line of search to the greatest possible advantage. I keep Hans a while to recruit the dogs, and do the hunting and locomotion48 generally for the rest of us; but I shall soon let him follow, unless things grow so much worse on board as to make it impossible.
“I am intensely anxious that this party should succeed; it is my last throw. They have all my views, and I believe they will carry them out unless overruled by a higher power.
“Their orders are, to carry the sledge forward as far as the base of the Great Glacier, and fill up their provisions from the cache of my own party of last May. Hans will ? 98 ? then join them with the dogs; and, while M’Gary and three men attempt to scale and survey the glacier, Morton and Hans will push to the north across the bay with the dog-sledge, and advance along the more distant coast. Both divisions are provided with clampers, to steady them and their sledges49 on the irregular ice-surfaces; but I am not without apprehensions50 that, with all their efforts, the glacier cannot be surmounted51.
“In this event, the main reliance must be on Mr Morton. He takes with him a sextant, artificial horizon, and pocket chronometer52, and has intelligence, courage, and the spirit of endurance in full measure. He is withal a long-tried and trustworthy follower53.
“June 5.—The last party are off; they left yesterday at 2 P.M. I can do nothing more but await the ice-changes that are to determine for us our liberation or continued imprisonment54.
“June 6.—We are a parcel of sick men, affecting to keep ship till our comrades get back. Except Mr Ohlsen and George Whipple, there is not a sound man among us. Thus wearily in our Castle of Indolence, for ‘labour dire17 it was, and weary woe,’ we have been watching the changing days, and noting bird, insect, and vegetable, as it tells us of the coming summer. One fly buzzed around William Godfrey’s head to-day,—he could not tell what the species was; and Mr Petersen brought in a cocoon55 from which the grub had eaten its way to liberty. Hans gives us a seal almost daily, and for a passing luxury we have ptarmigan and hare. The little snow-birds have crowded to Butler Island, and their songs penetrate56 the cracks of our rude housing. Another snipe, too, was mercilessly shot the very day of his arrival.
“June 10.—Hans was ordered yesterday to hunt in the ? 99 ? direction of the Esquimaux huts, in the hope of determining the position of the open water. He did not return last night; but Dr Hayes and Mr Ohlsen, who were sent after him this morning with the dog-sledge, found the hardy57 savage58 fast asleep not five miles from the brig. Alongside of him was a large ussuk or bearded seal, shot, as usual, in the head. He had dragged it for seven hours over the ice-foot. The dogs having now recruited, he started light to join Morton at the glacier.
Arctic Birds
“June 16.—Two long-tailed ducks visited us, evidently seeking their breeding-grounds. They are beautiful birds, either at rest or on the wing. We now have the snow-birds, the snipe, the burgomaster-gull, and the long-tailed duck, enlivening our solitude59; but the snow-birds are the only ones in numbers, crowding our rocky islands, and making our sunny night-time musical with home-remembered songs. Of each of the others we have but a solitary60 pair, who seem to have left their fellows for this far northern mating-ground in order to live unmolested. I long for specimens61; but they shall not be fired at.
“June 18.—Mr Ohlsen and Dr Hayes are off on an overland tramp. I sent them to inspect the open water to the southward. The immovable state of the ice-foot gives me anxiety. Last year, a large bay above us was closed all summer; and the land-ice, as we find it here, is as perennial63 as the glacier.
“June 21.—A snow, moist and flaky, melting upon our decks, and cleaning up the dingy64 surface of the great ice-plain with a new garment. We are at the summer solstice, the day of greatest solar light! Would that the traditionally-verified but meteorologically-disproved equinoctial storm could break upon us, to destroy the tenacious65 floes!
“June 22.—The ice changes slowly, but the progress of ? 100 ? vegetation is excessively rapid. The growth on the rocky group near our brig is surprising.
“June 23.—The eiders have come back: a pair were seen in the morning, soon followed by four ducks and drakes. The poor things seemed to be seeking breeding-grounds, but the ice must have scared them. They were flying southward.
“June 25.—Walked on shore and watched the changes: andromeda in flower, poppy and ranunculus the same: saw two snipe and some tern.
“Mr Ohlsen returned from a walk with Mr Petersen. They saw reindeer, and brought back a noble specimen62 of the king duck. It was a solitary male, resplendent with the orange, black, and green of his head and neck.
“Stephenson is better; and I think that a marked improvement, although a slow one, shows itself in all of us.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
advent
|
|
| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sanguine
|
|
| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
wail
|
|
| vt./vi.大声哀号，恸哭；呼啸，尖啸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
bestowed
|
|
| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
eastward
|
|
| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
hummocks
|
|
| n.小丘，岗( hummock的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
intervals
|
|
| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
floe
|
|
| n.大片浮冰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
kin
|
|
| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
obstructions
|
|
| n.障碍物( obstruction的名词复数 )；阻碍物；阻碍；阻挠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
brooks
|
|
| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
tangled
|
|
| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
jaded
|
|
| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
devious
|
|
| adj.不坦率的，狡猾的；迂回的，曲折的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
dire
|
|
| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
compulsory
|
|
| n.强制的，必修的；规定的，义务的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
sledge
|
|
| n.雪橇，大锤；v.用雪橇搬运，坐雪橇往 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
annoyance
|
|
| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
thong
|
|
| n.皮带；皮鞭；v.装皮带 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
walrus
|
|
| n.海象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
abreast
|
|
| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
tangling
|
|
| （使）缠结， （使）乱作一团( tangle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
incessantly
|
|
| ad.不停地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
brutes
|
|
| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
aptitude
|
|
| n.(学习方面的)才能，资质，天资 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
thaw
|
|
| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
dispense
|
|
| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
invoked
|
|
| v.援引( invoke的过去式和过去分词 )；行使（权利等）；祈求救助；恳求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
attachment
|
|
| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
undue
|
|
| adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
penetrating
|
|
| adj.（声音）响亮的，尖锐的adj.（气味）刺激的adj.（思想）敏锐的，有洞察力的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
renewal
|
|
| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
justified
|
|
| a.正当的，有理的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
deriving
|
|
| v.得到( derive的现在分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
reindeer
|
|
| n.驯鹿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
icebergs
|
|
| n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
subsisted
|
|
| v.（靠很少的钱或食物）维持生活，生存下去( subsist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
glacier
|
|
| n.冰川，冰河 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
scurvy
|
|
| adj.下流的，卑鄙的，无礼的；n.坏血病 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
detailed
|
|
| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
locomotion
|
|
| n.运动，移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
sledges
|
|
| n.雪橇，雪车( sledge的名词复数 )v.乘雪橇( sledge的第三人称单数 )；用雪橇运载 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
apprehensions
|
|
| 疑惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
surmounted
|
|
| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
chronometer
|
|
| n.精密的计时器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
follower
|
|
| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
cocoon
|
|
| n.茧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
penetrate
|
|
| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
hardy
|
|
| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
savage
|
|
| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
solitude
|
|
| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
specimens
|
|
| n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
specimen
|
|
| n.样本，标本 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
perennial
|
|
| adj.终年的；长久的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
dingy
|
|
| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
tenacious
|
|
| adj.顽强的，固执的，记忆力强的，粘的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |