letters from high latitudes-第36节
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d not have met our eyes。 The iceblink is a luminous appearance； reflected on the heavens from the fields of ice that still lie sunk beneath the horizon； it was； therefore on this occasion an unmistakable indication of the encumbered state of the sea in front of us。
I had turned in for a few hours of rest； and release from the monotonous sense of disappointment； and was already lost in a dream of deep bewildering bays of ice； and gulfs whose shifting shores offered to the eye every possible combination of uncomfortable scenery； without possible issue；when 〃a voice in my dreaming ear〃 shouted 〃LAND！〃 and I awoke to its reality。 I need not tell you in what double quick time I tumbled up the companion； or with what greediness I feasted my eyes on that longed…for view；the only sightas I then thoughtwe were ever destined to enjoy of the mountains of Spitzbergen！
The whole heaven was overcast with a dark mantle of tempestuous clouds； that stretched down in umbrella…like points towards the horizon； leaving a clear space between their edge and the sea； illuminated by the sinister brilliancy of the iceblink。 In an easterly direction； this belt of unclouded atmosphere was etherealized to an indescribable transparency； and up into it there gradually grewabove the dingy line of starboard icea forest of thin lilac peaks； so faint； so pale； that had it not been for the gem…like distinctness of their outline； one could have deemed them as unsubstantial as the spires of fairy…land。 The beautiful vision proved only too transient； in one short half hour mist and cloud had blotted it all out； while a fresh barrier of ice compelled us to turn our backs on the very land we were striving to reach。
Although we were certainly upwards of sixty miles distant from the land when the Spitzbergen hills were first observed； the intervening space seemed infinitely less； but in these high latitudes the eye is constantly liable to be deceived in the estimate it forms of distances。 Often； from some change suddenly taking place in the state of the atmosphere； the land you approach will appear even to RECEDE； and on one occasion； an honest skipperone of the most valiant and enterprising mariners of his dayactually turned back； because； after sailing for several hours with a fair wind towards the land； and finding himself no nearer to it than at first； he concluded that some loadstone rock beneath the sea must have attracted the keel of his ship； and kept her stationary。
The next five days were spent in a continual struggle with the ice。 On referring to our log； I see nothing but a repetition of the same monotonous observations。
〃July 31st。Wind W。 by S。Courses sundry to clear ice。〃
〃Ice very thick。〃
〃These twenty…four hours picking our way through ice。〃
〃August 1st。Wind W。courses variablefoggycontinually among ice these twenty…four hours。〃
And in Fitz's diary； the discouraging state of the weather is still more pithily expressed：
〃August 2nd。Head windsailing westwardlarge hummocks of ice ahead； and on port bow； i。e。 to the westwardhope we may be able to push through。 In evening； ice gets thicker； we still hold onfog comes onice getting thickerwind freshenswe can get no fartherice impass… able； no room to tackstruck the ice several times obliged to sail S。 and W。things look very shady。〃
Sometimes we were on the point of despairing altogether； then a plausible opening would show itself as if leading towards the land； and we would be tempted to run down it until we found the field become so closely packed； that it was with great difficulty we could get the vessel round；and only then at the expense of collisions； which made the little craft shiver from stem to stern。 Then a fog would come onso thick； you could almost cut it like a cheese； and thus render the sailing among the loose ice very critical indeed then it would fall dead calm； and leave us； hours together； muffled in mist； with no other employment than chess or hopscotch。 It was during one of those intervals of quiet that I executed the annexed work of art； which is intended to represent Sigurdr； in the act of meditating a complicated gambit for the Doctor's benefit。
About this period Wilson culminated。 Ever since leaving Bear Island he had been keeping a carnival of grief in the pantry； until the cook became almost half…witted by reason of his Jeremiads。 Yet I must not give you the impression that the poor fellow was the least wanting in PLUCKfar from it。 Surely it requires the highest order of courage to anticipate every species of disaster every moment of the day； and yet to meet the impending fate like a manas he did。 Was it his fault that fate was not equally ready to meet him？ HIS share of the business was always done： he was ever prepared for the worst； but the most critical circumstances never disturbed the gravity of his carriage； and the fact of our being destined to go to the bottom before tea…time would not have caused him to lay out the dinner…table a whit less symmetrically。 Still； I own； the style of his service was slightly depressing。 He laid out my clean shirt of a morning as if it had been a shroud； and cleaned my boots as though for a man ON HIS LAST LEGS。 The fact is； he was imaginative and atrabilious；contemplating life through a medium of the colour of his own complexion。
This was the cheerful kind of report he used invariably to bring me of a morning。 Coming to the side of my cot with the air of a man announcing the stroke of doomsday； he used to say； or rather； TOLL
〃Seven o'clock； my Lord！〃
〃Very well； how's the wind？〃
〃Dead ahead； my LordDEAD！〃
〃How many points is she off her course？〃
〃Four points； my Lordfull four points！〃 （Four points being as much as she could be。）
〃Is it pretty clear？ eh！ Wilson？〃
〃Can't see your hand； my Lord！can't see your hand！〃
〃Much ice in sight？〃
〃Ice all round； my Lordice a…all ro…ound！〃and so exit； sighing deeply over my trousers。
Yet it was immediately after one of these unpromising announcements； that for the first time matters began to look a little brighter。 The preceding four…and…twenty hours we had remained enveloped in a cold and dismal fog。 But on coming on deck； I found the sky had already begun to clear； and although there was ice as far as the eye could see on either side of us； in front a narrow passage showed itself across a patch of loose ice into what seemed a freer sea beyond。 The only consideration waswhether we could be certain of finding our way out again； should it turn out that the open water we saw was only a basin without any exit in any other direction。 The chance was too tempting to throw away； so the little schooner gallantly pushed her way through the intervening neck of ice where the floes seemed to be least huddled up together； and in half an hour afterwards found herself running up along the edge of the starboard ice； almost in a due northerly direction。 And here I must take occasion to say that； during the whole of this rather anxious time； my masterMr。 Wyseconducted himself in a most admirable manner。 Vigilant； cool； and attentive； he handled the vessel most skilfully； and never seemed to lose his presence of mind in any emergency。 It is true the silk tartan still coruscated on Sabbaths； but its brilliant hues were quite a relief to the colourless scenes which surrounded us； and the dangling chain now only served to remind me of what firm dependence I could place upon its wearer。
Soon after； the sun came out； the mist entirely disappeared； and again on the starboard hand shone a vision of the land； this time not in the sharp peaks and spires we had first seen； but in a chain of pale blue egg…shaped islands； floating in the air a long way above the horizon。 This peculiar appearance was the result of extreme refraction； for； later in the day； we had an opportunity of watching the oval cloud…like forms gradually harden into the same pink tapering spikes which originally caused the island to be called Spitzbergen： nay； so clear did it become； that even the shadows on the hills became quite distinct； and we could easily trace the outlines of the enormous glacierssometimes ten or fifteen miles broadthat fill up every valley along the shore。 Towards evening the line of coast again vanished into the distance； and our rising hopes received an almost intolerable disappointment by the appearance of a long line of ice right ahead； running to the westward； apparently； as far as the eye could reach。 To add to our disgust； the wind flew right round into the North； and increasing to a gale； brought down upon usnot one of the usual thick arctic mists to which we were accustomed； but a dark； yellowish brown fog； that rolled along the surface of the water in twisted columns； and irregular masses of vapour； as dense as coal smoke。 We had now almost reached the eightieth parallel of north latitude； and still an impenetrable sheet of ice； extending fifty or sixty miles westward from the shore； rendered all hopes of reaching the land out of the question。 Our expectation of finding the north…west extremity of the island disengaged from ice by the action of the currents wasat all events for this seasonevidently doomed to disappointment。 We were already almost in the latitude of Amster
