letters from high latitudes-第37节
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for this seasonevidently doomed to disappointment。 We were already almost in the latitude of Amsterdam Islandwhich is actually its north…west pointand the coast seemed more encumbered than ever。 No whaler had ever succeeded in getting more than about 120 miles further north than we ourselves had already come； and to entangle ourselves any further in the iceunless it were with the certainty of reaching landwould be sheer folly。 The only thing to be done was to turn back。 Accordingly； to this course I determined at last to resign myself； if； after standing on for twelve hours longer； nothing should turn up to improve the present aspect of affairs。 It was now eleven o'clock； P。 M。 Fitz and Sigurdr went to bed； while I remained on deck to see what the night might bring forth。 It blew great guns； and the cold was perfectly intolerable； billow upon billow of black fog came sweeping down between the sea and sky； as if it were going to swallow up the whole universe； while the midnight sunnow completely blotted outnow faintly struggling through the ragged breaches of the mistthrew down from time to time an unearthly red…brown glare on the waste of roaring waters。
For the whole of that night did we continue beating up along the edge of the ice； in the teeth of a whole gale of wind； at last； about nine o'clock in the morning；but two short hours before the moment at which it had been agreed we should bear up； and abandon the attempt；we came up with a long low point of ice； that had stretched further to the Westward than any we had yet doubled； and there； beyond； lay an open sea！open not only to the Northward and Westward； but also to the Eastward！ You can imagine my excitement。〃 Turn the hands up； Mr。 Wyse！〃 〃'Bout ship！〃 〃Down with the helm！〃 〃Helm a…lee！〃 Up comes the schooner's head to the wind； the sails flapping with the noise of thunderblocks rattling against the deck； as if they wanted to knock their brains outropes dancing about in galvanised coils； like mad serpentsand everything to an inexperienced eye in inextricable confusion； till gradually she pays off on the other tackthe sails stiffen into deal…boardsthe staysail sheet is let goand heeling over on the opposite side。 Again she darts forward over the sea like an arrow from the bow。 〃Stand by to make sail！〃 〃Out all reefs！〃 I could have carried sail to sink a man…of…war！and away the little ship went； playing leapfrog over the heavy seas； and staggering under her canvas； as if giddy with the same joyful excitement which made my own heart thump so loudly。
In another hour the sun came out； the fog cleared away； and about noonup again； above the horizon； grow the pale lilac peaks； warming into a rosier tint as we approach。 Ice still stretches toward the land on the starboard side； but we don't care for it nowthe schooner's head is pointing E。 and by S。 At one o'clock we sight Amsterdam Island； about thirty miles on the port bow； then came the 〃seven ice…hills〃as seven enormous glaciers are calledthat roll into the sea between lofty ridges of gneiss and mica slate； a little to the northward of Prince Charles's Foreland。 Clearer and more defined grows the outline of the mountains； some coming forward while others recede； their rosy tints appear less even； fading here and there into pale yellows and greys； veins of shadow score the steep sides of the hills； the articulations of the rocks become visible； and now； at last； we glide under the limestone peaks of Mitre Cape； past the marble arches of King's Bay on the one side； and the pinnacle of the Vogel Hook on the other； into the quiet channel that separates the Foreland from the main。
＇Figure： fig…p170。gif＇
It was at one o'clock in the morning of the 6th of August； 1856； that after having been eleven days at sea； we came to an anchor in the silent haven of English Bay； Spitzbergen。
And now； how shall I give you an idea of the wonderful panorama in the midst of which we found ourselves？ I think； perhaps； its most striking feature was the stillness； and deadness； and impassibility of this new world： ice； and rock； and water surrounded us； not a sound of any kind interrupted the silence； the sea did not break upon the shore； no bird or any living thing was visible； the midnight sun； by this time muffled in a transparent mist； shed an awful； mysterious lustre on glacier and mountain； no atom of vegetation gave token of the earth's vitality： an universal numbness and dumbness seemed to pervade the solitude。 I suppose in scarcely any other part of the world is this appearance of deadness so strikingly exhibited。 On the stillest summer day in England； there is always perceptible an under…tone of life thrilling through the atmosphere； and though no breeze should stir a single leaf； yetin default of motionthere is always a sense of growth； but here not so much as a blade of grass was to be seen on the sides of the bald excoriated hills。 Primeval rocks and eternal ice constitute the landscape。
The anchorage where we had brought up is the best to be found； with the exception perhaps of Magdalena Bay； along the whole west coast of Spitzbergen； indeed it is almost the only one where you are not liable to have the ice set in upon you at a moment's notice。 Ice Sound； Bell Sound； Horn Soundthe other harbours along the west coastare all liable to be beset by drift…ice during the course of a single night； even though no vestige of it may have been in sight four…and…twenty hours before； and many a good ship has been inextricably imprisoned in the very harbour to which she had fled for refuge。 This bay is completely landlocked； being protected on its open side by Prince Charles's Foreland； a long island lying parallel with the mainland。 Down towards either horn run two ranges of schistose rocks； about 1；500 feet high； their sides almost precipitous； and the topmost ridge as sharp as a knife； and jagged as a saw； the intervening space is entirely filled up by an enormous glacier； which；descending with one continuous incline from the head of a valley on the right； and sweeping like a torrent round the roots of an isolated clump of hills in the centrerolls at last into the sea。 The length of the glacial river from the spot where it apparently first originated； could not have been less than thirty； or thirty…five miles； or its greatest breadth less than nine or ten； but so completely did it fill up the higher end of the valley； that it was as much as you could do to distinguish the further mountains peeping up above its surface。 The height of the precipice where it fell into the sea； I should judge to have been about 120 feet。
On the left a still more extraordinary sight presented itself。 A kind of baby glacier actually hung suspended half way on the hill side； like a tear in the act of rolling down the furrowed cheek of the mountain。
I have tried to convey to you a notion of the falling impetus impressed on the surface of the Jan Mayen ice rivers； but in this case so unaccountable did it seem that the over…hanging mass of ice should not continue to thunder down upon its course； that one's natural impulse was to shrink from crossing the path along which a breatha soundmight precipitate the suspended avalanche into the valley。 Though； perhaps； pretty exact in outline and general effect； the sketch I have made of this wonderful scene； will never convey to you a correct notion of the enormous scale of the distances； and size of its various features。 These glaciers are the principal characteristic of the scenery in Spitzbergen； the bottom of every valley in every part of the island； is occupied and generally completely filled by them； enabling one in some measure to realize the look of England during her glacial period； when Snowdon was still being slowly lifted towards the clouds； and every valley in Wales was brimful of ice。 But the glaciers in English Bay are by no means the largest in the island。 We ourselves got a viewthough a very distant oneof ice rivers which must have been more extensive； and Dr。 Scoresby mentions several which actually measured forty or fifty miles in length； and nine or ten in breadth； while the precipice formed by their fall into the sea； was sometimes upwards of 400 or 500 feet high。 Nothing is more dangerous than to approach these cliffs of ice。 Every now and then huge masses detach themselves from the face of the crystal steep； and topple over into the water； and woe be to the unfortunate ship which might happen to be passing below。 Scoresby himself actually witnessed a mass of ice； the size of a cathedral； thunder down into the sea from a height of 400 feet； frequently during our stay at Spitzbergen we ourselves observed specimens of these ice avalanches； and scarcely an hour passed without the solemn silence of the bay being disturbed by the thunderous boom resulting from similar catastrophes occurring in adjacent valleys。
As soon as we had thoroughly taken in the strange features of the scene around us； we all turned in for a night's rest。 I was dog tired； as much with anxiety as want of sleep； for in continuing to push on to the northward in spite of the ice； I naturally could not help feeling that if any accident occurred； the responsibility would rest with me； and although I do not believe that we we
