For a few seconds they seemed stupefied, and then a cry of “Hatteras!” broke from every lip.
On all sides, nothing was visible but the tempestuous1 ocean. Duk barked desperately2, and Bell could hardly keep him from leaping into the waves.
“Take the helm, Altamont,” said the Doctor, “and let us try our utmost to find our poor captain.”
Johnson and Bell seized the oars4, and rowed about for more than an hour; but their search was vain — Hatteras was lost!
Lost! and so near the Pole, just as he had caught sight of the goal!
The Doctor called, and shouted, and fired signals, and Duk made piteous lamentations; but there was no response. Clawbonny could bear up no longer; he buried his head in his hands, and fairly wept aloud.
At such a distance from the coast, it was impossible Hatteras could reach it alive, without an oar3 or even so much as a spar to help him; if ever he touched the haven5 of his desire, it would be as a swollen6, mutilated corpse7!
Longer search was useless, and nothing remained but to resume the route north. The tempest was dying out, and about five in the morning on the 11th of July, the wind fell, and the sea gradually became calm. The sky recovered its polar clearness, and less than three miles away the land appeared in all its grandeur8.
The new continent was only an island, or rather a volcano, fixed9 like a lighthouse on the North Pole of the world.
The mountain was in full activity, pouring out a mass of burning stones and glowing rock. At every fresh eruption10 there was a convulsive heaving within, as if some mighty11 giant were respiring, and the masses ejected were thrown up high into the air amidst jets of bright flame, streams of lava12 rolling down the sides in impetuous torrents13. In one part, serpents of fire seemed writhing14 and wriggling15 amongst smoking rocks, and in another the glowing liquid fell in cascades16, in the midst of purple vapour, into a river of fire below, formed of a thousand igneous17 streams, which emptied itself into the sea, the waters hissing18 and seething19 like a boiling cauldron.
Apparently20 there was only one crater21 to the volcano, out of which the columns of fire issued, streaked22 with forked lightning. Electricity seemed to have something to do with this magnificent panorama23.
Above the panting flames waved an immense plume-shaped cloud of smoke, red at its base and black at its summit. It rose with incomparable majesty24, and unrolled in thick volumes.
The sky was ash-colour to a great height, and it was evident that the darkness that had prevailed while the tempest lasted, which had seemed quite inexplicable25 to the Doctor, was owing to the columns of cinders26 overspreading the sun like a thick curtain. He remembered a similar phenomenon which occurred in the Barbadoes, where the whole island was plunged27 in profound obscurity by the mass of cinders ejected from the crater of Isle28 St. Vincent.
This enormous ignivomous rock in the middle of the sea was six thousand feet high, just about the altitude of Hecla.
It seemed to rise gradually out of the water as the boat got nearer. There was no trace of vegetation, indeed there was no shore; the rock ran straight down to the sea.
“Can we land?” said the Doctor.
“The wind is carrying us right to it,” said Altamont. “But I don’t see an inch of land to set our foot upon.”
“It seems so at this distance,” said Johnson; “but we shall be sure to find some place to run in our boat at, and that is all we want.”
“Let us go on, then,” said Clawbonny, dejectedly.
He had no heart now for anything. The North Pole was indeed before his eyes, but not the man who had discovered it.
As they got nearer the island, which was not more than eight or ten miles in circumference29, the navigators noticed a tiny fiord, just large enough to harbour their boat, and made towards it immediately. They feared their captain’s dead body would meet their eyes on the coast, and yet it seemed difficult for a corpse to lie on it, for there was no shore, and the sea broke on steep rocks, which were covered with cinders above watermark.
At last the little sloop30 glided31 gently into the narrow opening between two sandbanks just visible above the water, where she would be safe from the violence of the breakers; but before she could be moored32, Duk began howling and barking again in the most piteous manner, as if calling on the cruel sea and stony33 rocks to yield up his lost master. The Doctor tried to calm him by caresses34, but in vain. The faithful beast, as if he would represent the captain, sprang on shore with a tremendous bound, sending a cloud of cinders after him.
“Duk! Duk!” called Clawbonny.
But Duk had already disappeared.
After the sloop was made fast, they all got out and went after him. Altamont was just going to climb to the top of a pile of stones, when the Doctor exclaimed, “Listen!”
Duk was barking vehemently35 some distance off, but his bark seemed full of grief rather than fury.
“Has he come on the track of some animal, do you think? “ asked Johnson.
“No, no!” said Clawbonny, shuddering36. “His bark is too sorrowful; it is the dog’s tear. He has found the body of Hatteras.”
They all four rushed forward, in spite of the blinding cinder-dust, and came to the far-end of a fiord, where they discovered the dog barking round a corpse wrapped in the British flag!
“Hatteras! Hatteras!” cried the Doctor, throwing himself on the body of his friend. But next minute he started up with an indescribable cry, and shouted, “Alive! alive!”
“Yes!” said a feeble voice; “yes, alive at the North Pole, on Queen’s Island.”
“Hurrah37 for England!” shouted all with one accord.
“And for America!” added Clawbonny, holding out one hand to Hatteras and the other to Altamont.
Duk was not behind with his hurrah, which was worth quite as much as the others.
For a few minutes the joy of recovery of their captain filled all their hearts, and the poor fellows could not restrain their tears.
The Doctor found, on examination, that he was not seriously hurt. The wind threw him on the coast where landing was perilous38 work, but, after being driven back more than once into the sea, the hardy39 sailor had managed to scramble40 on to a rock, and gradually to hoist41 himself above the waves.
Then he must have become insensible, for he remembered nothing more except rolling himself in his flag. He only awoke to consciousness with the loud barking and caresses of his faithful Duk.
After a little, Hatteras was able to stand up supported by the Doctor, and tried to get back to the sloop.
He kept exclaiming, “The Pole! the North Pole!”
“You are happy now?” said his friend.
“Yes, happy! And are not you? Isn’t it joy to find yourself here! The ground we tread is round the Pole! The air we breathe is the air that blows round the Pole! The sea we have crossed is the sea which washes the Pole! Oh! the North Pole! the North Pole!”
He had become quite delirious42 with excitement, and fever burned in his veins43. His eyes shone with unnatural44 brilliancy, and his brain seemed on fire. Perfect rest was what he most needed, for the Doctor found it impossible to quiet him.
A place of encampment must therefore be fixed upon immediately.
Altamont speedily discovered a grotto45 composed of rocks, which had so fallen as to form a sort of cave. Johnson and Bell carried in provisions, and gave the dogs their liberty.
About eleven o’clock, breakfast, or rather dinner, was ready, consisting of pemmican, salt meat, and smoking-hot tea and coffee.
But Hatteras would do nothing till the exact position of the island was ascertained46; so the Doctor and Altamont set to work with their instruments, and found that the exact latitude47 of the grotto was 89° 59’ 15”. The longitude48 was of little importance, for all the meridians49 blended a few hundred feet higher.
The 90° of lat. was then only about three quarters of a mile off, or just about the summit of the volcano.
When the result was communicated to Hatteras, he desired that a formal document might be drawn50 up to attest51 the fact, and two copies made, one of which should be deposited on a cairn on the island.
Clawbonny was the scribe, and indited52 the following document, a copy of which is now among the archives of the Royal Geographical53 Society of London:—
“On this 11th day of July, 1861, in North latitude 89° 59’ 15” was discovered Queen’s Island at the North Pole, by Captain Hatteras, Commander of the brig Forward of Liverpool, who signs this, as also all his companions.
“Whoever may find this document is requested to forward it to the Admiralty.
“(Signed) JOHN HATTERAS, Commander
of the Forward
“DR. CLAWBONNY
“ALTAMONT, Commander of the Porpoise54
“JOHNSON, Boatswain
“BELL, Carpenter.”
“And now, friends, come to table,” said the Doctor, merrily.
Coming to table was just squatting55 on the ground.
“But who,” said Clawbonny, “would not give all the tables and dining-rooms in the world to dine at 89” 59’ and 15” N. lat.?”
It was an exciting occasion this first meal at the Pole! What neither ancients nor moderns, neither Europeans, nor Americans, nor Asiatics had been able to accomplish was now achieved, and all past sufferings and perils56 were forgotten in the glow of success.
“But, after all,” said Johnson, after toasts to Hatteras and the North Pole had been enthusiastically drunk, “what is there so very special about the North Pole? Will you tell me, Mr. Clawbonny?”
“Just this, my good Johnson. It is the only point of the globe that is motionless; all the other points are revolving57 with extreme rapidity.”
“But I don’t see that we are any more motionless here than at Liverpool.”
“Because in both cases you are a party concerned, both in the motion and the rest; but the fact is certain.”
Clawbonny then went on to describe the diurnal58 and annual motions of the earth — the one round its own axis59, the extremities60 of which are the poles, which is accomplished61 in twenty-four hours, and the other round the sun, which takes a whole year.
Bell and Johnson listened half incredulously, and couldn’t see why the earth could not have been allowed to keep still, till Altamont informed them that they would then have had neither day nor night, nor spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
“Ay, and worse still,” said Clawbonny, “if the motion chanced to be interrupted, we should fall right into the sun in sixty-four and a half days.”
“What! take sixty-four and a half days, to fall?” exclaimed Johnson.
“Yes, we are ninety-five millions of miles off. But when I say the Pole is motionless, it is not strictly62 true; it is only so in comparison with the rest of the globe, for it has a certain movement of its own, and completes a circle in about twenty-six thousand years. This comes from the precession of the equinoxes.”
A long and learned talk was started on this subject between Altamont and the Doctor, simplified, however, as much as possible for the benefit of Bell and Johnson.
Hatteras took no part in it, and even when they went on to speculate about the earth’s centre, and discussed several of the theories that had been advanced respecting it, he seemed not to hear; it was evident his thoughts were far away.
Among other opinions put forth63 was one in our own days, which greatly excited Altamont’s surprise. It was held that there was an immense opening at the poles which led into the heart of the earth, and that it was out of the opening that the light of the Aurora64 Borealis streamed. This was gravely stated, and Captain Synness, a countryman of our own, actually proposed that Sir Humphrey Davy, Humboldt, and Arago should undertake an expedition through it, but they refused.”
“And quite right too,” said Altamont.
“So say I; but you see, my friends, what absurdities65 imagination has conjured66 up about these regions, and how, sooner or later, the simple reality comes to light.”
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1
tempestuous
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| adj.狂暴的 | |
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desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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eruption
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| n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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lava
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| n.熔岩，火山岩 | |
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torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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wriggling
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| v.扭动，蠕动，蜿蜒行进( wriggle的现在分词 )；（使身体某一部位）扭动；耍滑不做，逃避（应做的事等）；蠕蠕 | |
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cascades
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| 倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西 | |
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igneous
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| adj.火的，火绒的 | |
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hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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cinders
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| n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 )；炭渣；煤渣路；煤渣跑道 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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isle
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| n.小岛，岛 | |
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circumference
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| n.圆周，周长，圆周线 | |
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sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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moored
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| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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hardy
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| adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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grotto
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| n.洞穴 | |
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ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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meridians
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| n.子午圈( meridian的名词复数 )；子午线；顶点；（权力，成就等的）全盛时期 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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attest
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| vt.证明，证实；表明 | |
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indited
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| v.写（文章，信等）创作，赋诗，创作( indite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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porpoise
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| n.鼠海豚 | |
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squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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revolving
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| adj.旋转的，轮转式的；循环的v.（使）旋转( revolve的现在分词 )；细想 | |
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diurnal
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| adj.白天的，每日的 | |
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axis
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| n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线 | |
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extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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strictly
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| adv.严厉地，严格地；严密地 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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absurdities
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| n.极端无理性( absurdity的名词复数 )；荒谬；谬论；荒谬的行为 | |
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conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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