Upon our voyage to the north I shall not dwell. I have neither the time nor the willingness to do so. The memory of those days is weird1 and depressing. I would cover with all speed the place they occupy in this history.
From Bottle Bay we followed the great salt current eastward2, as we did not believe it possible to work northward3 against it. For two days all went well, and we found happiness in our reunion and homeward progress. Then all the joyless misery4 of Antarctic lands and seas seemed to gather and shut us in.
For five weeks through this blinding fog, crashing ice, and imminent5, sleep-destroying peril6 we crept, and toiled7, and struggled, and battled our way toward open water. For days we did not remove our clothing to rest, but lay down ready for instant action, whether to save or desert the ship.
Depression seized upon us all. Edith Gale8 was ill much of the time and lost her appreciation9 of the beauties of nature. Even Gale himself found it 306hard to create cheer through this grim period. During moments of comparative calm he wandered about with his hands in his pockets, trying to whistle, but it was a dismal10 tune11.
As for myself, I despaired utterly12. More than ever I realized what I had done in bringing those who had trusted me into so dire13 a plight14. And for what? To prove a theory that was worth nothing to them or to me, after all was told. To seek out a practically inaccessible15 land, and what now seemed to me a paltry16, indolent race that added nothing to the world’s store of wealth or progress—to pay for it with our lives. I had promised a new world, perhaps wealth beyond our wildest dreams. I had found, instead, a land of dreams only, and of shadows. I had brought us all, at last, face to face with privation, suffering—death. Even should we eventually reach home, it seemed to me that I, still a penniless adventurer, could not presume to claim the hand of Edith Gale. Truly I was in the depths.
Whether we kept with the current, or what part it played in our struggles, we could not tell, but we reached at last the easier seas below Cape17 Horn, and here we were met by what seemed to us the King of All Storms, determined18 at last to destroy us for having penetrated19 the depths of his domain20.
We were off the South Shetlands again, somewhere near the spot where, twenty years before, my 307uncle’s vessel21 had been last seen battling with a mighty22 tempest, and was supposed to have gone down. I reflected vaguely23 that it must have been another just such as this, and that it was a curious fate that had brought me with those I loved to find a grave in the same unfriendly waters.
There were nights, now, and the black sea and sky made this one a memory that divides as with a sable24 curtain all that went before it from all that followed after.
Once there came a heavy jar as our keel struck and grated over some hidden reef. We had no means of knowing where we were, and even had we known, the knowledge would have availed us little in these uncharted seas.
Suddenly, in the electric glow of our searchlight, there rose straight before us a black wall that was not the penetrable26 night. A great wave just then lifted us and bore us forward. An instant later there came a jar that threw us from our feet, and then the stanch27 old Billowcrest no longer tossed and pitched and battled, but lay rocking helplessly, as though wounded to the life.
There came first a quick order to lower the boats. Then another to hold them in readiness, but not to launch until the vessel gave signs of breaking up. It was better to remain where we were, as long as we could—to wait for daylight, if possible. Examined 308below, the Billowcrest showed as yet no opening, and seemed to be lying easily.
Morning dawned at last on a gray, desolate28 shore, with a sea as gray and desolate, between. But the King of Storms, satisfied, perhaps, that he had stranded29 us on a desert island, had gone his way.
Chauncey Gale came on deck presently with Edith, still pale and ill, but more animated30 than she had been for days. With Captain Biffer I had come out early to view the shore.
“Well, Biff,” greeted Gale, “you seem to have got us anchored some place at last. Don’t look much like the last place we stopped, but I s’pose it’s all in a day’s work. What do you call it?”
“One of the South Shetlands, I should say. I don’t know which.”
“How’s the ship? Any holes in her yet?”
“No, and she ain’t grinding any that I can hear. But she’s aground good and hard. She seems to be on a flat surface—mebbe sand. The sea’s running down, too, and I shouldn’t wonder if we were left high and dry before long.”
“Oh, can’t we go ashore31?” asked Edith Gale, eagerly.
Poor girl, it was the first real land she had seen for more than a year, and even this cheerless coast seemed inviting32.
Captain Biffer nodded grimly.
309“We’ll have plenty of time to do that, ma’am,” he said, “before we get out of here, I’m thinking.”
“Oh, Nicholas, will you take me right away? I do so want to set foot on solid ground again.”
“We will go as soon as the Captain will let us,” I said, “and give us somebody to take us over.”
The sea continued to run down, and during the forenoon the Billowcrest listed, though far less than if she had been a deeper vessel. The weather cleared just before luncheon33, and soon afterwards Chauncey and Edith Gale, with Officer Larkins and myself, and a small crew, made ready to set out in the launch for investigation34. At the last moment, we heard somebody come puffing35 up the companion-way, and Zar, fully36 arrayed for the trip, stood before us.
“Look heah, I wan’ you take me in dat boat! I jes’ wan’ to set dis old foot on solidificated groun’ once more befo’ I die. I mighty tiahd dis ole ship dat toss, an’ tip, an’ spread-eagle, and doubleshuffle, an’ keep hit up foh six weeks at a stretch, an’ now tip ovah like a side-hill, so a’ old, fat ’ooman like me cain’t fin’ her balance, nohow. I wan’ go long, I tell you.”
So Zar accompanied us, and we landed presently at a shelving beach, where we were greeted by some noisy birds, and a few small hair-seals, who slipped into the water as we approached. Leaving the crew 310we made our way between barren hills to the country beyond.
The sun had come out, now, and being midsummer it seemed warm and genial37, especially to those who had seen no other land for so long.
“Not much like our violet reception in the Antarctics, eh, Nick?” said Gale.
“Oh, but it’s land! land!” breathed Edith “Warm, solid land! Aren’t we glad to see it, Zar?” and it seemed to me that she grew well as I watched her.
“Yes, ma’am! We is dat! Hit’s a mighty po’ country, I spec’, but hit seem to me right now as fine an’ proliferous as ole Vaginny!”
Even Mr. Larkins seemed to joy in the land feeling, and said that it reminded him of places in Newfoundland, where as a boy he had found the bake-apple. He believed we could find it here, if we looked about a little.
We pushed our way inland, and farther down the coast. There was a sparse38 moss39 vegetation here and there, and on one sunny bank we found a considerable bed of this growth. Edith Gale dropped down upon it luxuriously40, and the rest of us followed her example.
“Oh, how beautiful!” she cried, “and how I loathe41 the ship! It seems to me that I could stay here forever!”
311Zar grunted42 approvingly, but Gale said:
“I’d be glad enough to hurry back to the old Billowcrest if she was only afloat. We’ll get tired enough of this, I’m thinking, before that happens.”
I made no comment on this, but called attention to a ledge25 of rocks just beyond.
“Looks as if somebody had been hammering on it,” I said. “I suppose nobody lives on these islands.”
“Not a soul crreature,” declared Mr. Larkins. “Forthy year ago they used to come here for the furr-seals, but they got the last of ’em in a shmall bit of a time. No pay in comin’ for the little hair fellies. ’Tis said they’s gold here, too, but I’ve never met the man that saw the color of it.”
We rose and walked on. We had grown a bit chilly43, sitting, and would presently return to the vessel. All at once, Edith Gale stopped and held up her hand.
“Wait—listen!” she commanded.
Borne to us on a light breeze from the south, came the sound of a voice singing.
We looked at each other startled. There was something about it, most uncanny.
“My good lawd!” groaned44 Zar. “Dat’s a sho sperritt! Lemme get outen heah an’ back to dat boat.”
Mr. Larkins detained her.
312“Wait,” he said. “There’s a bit of an echo hereabout. The singin’ ’ll be comin’ from the ship, I think.”
There was a wave of relief. Then Gale dissented45.
“That’s not from the ship. The wind isn’t right. It’s from the land——”
We hurried to the top of a little rise, just ahead; here we halted and listened again. We could hear much more plainly now. Even the words came quite distinctly.
“I’m out of humanity’s reach—
I must finish my journey alone.
Afar from the music of speech—
I start at the sound of my own.”
“Selkirk’s hymn46,” I whispered. “I know it perfectly47. My grandmother sang it to her children, and my mother to me.”
“I am monarch48 of all I survey—
My right there is none to dispute—
From the center all round to the sea,
I am lord of the fowl49 and the brute50.”
“Yes! yes! and that, too!” I added, excitedly. “Some one is cast away in this place. Come, we must find him!”
“Oh, and quickly!” urged Edith; but the singing had begun again and we hesitated, to listen.
313“There is a calm for those who weep,
A rest for weary pilgrims found.
They softly lie and sweetly sleep,
Low in the ground.”
“The storm that wrecks51 the winter’s sky
No more disturbs their sweet repose52
Than summer evening’s latest sigh
That shuts the rose.
“I know that, too,” said Edith. “It is by James Montgomery. It is also a hymn.”
“And another of those I heard in childhood,” I answered eagerly. “The favorite of—of one who perished—Come on! everybody, I must see what this means!”
The singing had ceased now, but we hastily scrambled53 over the rocks in the direction from which it had come. Pushing out from behind a great bowlder we looked down a little slope upon what at first seemed to be a heap of bowlders. Then we saw that it was the construction of human hands—a habitation. We descended54 quickly, though almost in silence, only whispering caution to each other. A rolling stone, however, slipped from beneath my foot and went plunging55 to the side of the hut. A moment later there stepped out into view a curious fur-clad figure—tall, bearded, and with masses of grizzled hair upon his shoulders. An aged56 man he seemed, but bronzed, erect57, and with the movement of strength.
314A moment he looked at us as if doubting his vision. Then, flinging both arms in the air, he gave a great cry of welcome.
We rushed down and surrounded him. He seized our hands wildly.
“Who are you?” he cried. “Who are you? And why are you here?”
But I besought58 him with fierce eagerness.
“Tell us, first, who you are!” I commanded, “and why you are here!”
“Oh, it does not matter,” he answered, “I have been dead twenty years! But when I was in the world of men I was called Nicholas Lovejoy.”
“Then,” I shouted, “you are my uncle—for I am Nicholas Chase!”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
weird
|
|
| adj.古怪的，离奇的；怪诞的，神秘而可怕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
eastward
|
|
| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
northward
|
|
| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
misery
|
|
| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
imminent
|
|
| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
peril
|
|
| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
toiled
|
|
| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
gale
|
|
| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
appreciation
|
|
| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
dismal
|
|
| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
tune
|
|
| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
dire
|
|
| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
plight
|
|
| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
inaccessible
|
|
| adj.达不到的，难接近的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
paltry
|
|
| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
determined
|
|
| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
penetrated
|
|
| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
domain
|
|
| n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
vaguely
|
|
| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
sable
|
|
| n.黑貂；adj.黑色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
ledge
|
|
| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
penetrable
|
|
| adj.可穿透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
stanch
|
|
| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
desolate
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
stranded
|
|
| a.搁浅的，进退两难的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
animated
|
|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
inviting
|
|
| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
luncheon
|
|
| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
investigation
|
|
| n.调查，调查研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
puffing
|
|
| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
fully
|
|
| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
genial
|
|
| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
sparse
|
|
| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
moss
|
|
| n.苔，藓，地衣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
luxuriously
|
|
| adv.奢侈地，豪华地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
loathe
|
|
| v.厌恶，嫌恶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
grunted
|
|
| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
chilly
|
|
| adj.凉快的，寒冷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
dissented
|
|
| 不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
hymn
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
perfectly
|
|
| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
monarch
|
|
| n.帝王，君主，最高统治者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
fowl
|
|
| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
wrecks
|
|
| n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
repose
|
|
| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
descended
|
|
| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
plunging
|
|
| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
aged
|
|
| adj.年老的，陈年的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
erect
|
|
| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
besought
|
|
| v.恳求，乞求（某事物）( beseech的过去式和过去分词 )；(beseech的过去式与过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |