the works of edgar allan poe-3-第30节

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miles　in　circumference；　and　so　elevated　that　it　can　be　seen　in　clear
weather　at　the　distance　of　eighty　or　ninety　miles。　A　part　of　the　land
toward　the　north　rises　more　than　a　thousand　feet　perpendicularly　from
the　sea。　A　tableland　at　this　height　extends　back　nearly　to　the　centre
of　the　island；　and　from　this　tableland　arises　a　lofty　cone　like　that
of　Teneriffe。　The　lower　half　of　this　cone　is　clothed　with　trees　of
good　size；　but　the　upper　region　is　barren　rock；　usually　hidden　among
the　clouds；　and　covered　with　snow　during　the　greater　part　of　the
year。　There　are　no　shoals　or　other　dangers　about　the　island；　the
shores　being　remarkably　bold　and　the　water　deep。　On　the　northwestern
coast　is　a　bay；　with　a　beach　of　black　sand　where　a　landing　with　boats
can　be　easily　effected；　provided　there　be　a　southerly　wind。　Plenty　of
excellent　water　may　here　be　readily　procured；　also　cod　and　other　fish
may　be　taken　with　hook　and　line。

　　　　The　next　island　in　point　of　size；　and　the　most　westwardly　of　the
group；　is　that　called　the　Inaccessible。　Its　precise　situation　is　37
degrees　17'　S。　latitude；　longitude　12　degrees　24'　W。　It　is　seven　or
eight　miles　in　circumference；　and　on　all　sides　presents　a　forbidding
and　precipitous　aspect。　Its　top　is　perfectly　flat；　and　the　whole
region　is　sterile；　nothing　growing　upon　it　except　a　few　stunted
shrubs。

　　　　Nightingale　Island；　the　smallest　and　most　southerly；　is　in
latitude　37　degrees　26'　S。；　longitude　12　degrees　12'　W。　Off　its
southern　extremity　is　a　high　ledge　of　rocky　islets；　a　few　also　of　a
similar　appearance　are　seen　to　the　northeast。　The　ground　is　irregular
and　sterile；　and　a　deep　valley　partially　separates　it。

　　　　The　shores　of　these　islands　abound；　in　the　proper　season；　with
sea　lions；　sea　elephants；　the　hair　and　fur　seal；　together　with　a
great　variety　of　oceanic　birds。　Whales　are　also　plenty　in　their
vicinity。　Owing　to　the　ease　with　which　these　various　animals　were
here　formerly　taken；　the　group　has　been　much　visited　since　its
discovery。　The　Dutch　and　French　frequented　it　at　a　very　early　period。
In　1790；　Captain　Patten；　of　the　ship　Industry；　of　Philadelphia；　made
Tristan　d'Acunha；　where　he　remained　seven　months　（from　August；　1790；
to　April；　1791）　for　the　purpose　of　collecting　sealskins。　In　this　time
he　gathered　no　less　than　five　thousand　six　hundred；　and　says　that　he
would　have　had　no　difficulty　in　loading　a　large　ship　with　oil　in
three　weeks。　Upon　his　arrival　he　found　no　quadrupeds；　with　the
exception　of　a　few　wild　goats；　the　island　now　abounds　with　all　our
most　valuable　domestic　animals；　which　have　been　introduced　by
subsequent　navigators。

　　　　I　believe　it　was　not　long　after　Captain　Patten's　visit　that
Captain　Colquhoun；　of　the　American　brig　Betsey；　touched　at　the
largest　of　the　islands　for　the　purpose　of　refreshment。　He　planted
onions；　potatoes；　cabbages；　and　a　great　many　other　vegetables；　an
abundance　of　all　which　is　now　to　be　met　with。

　　　　In　1811；　a　Captain　Haywood；　in　the　Nereus；　visited　Tristan。　He
found　there　three　Americans；　who　were　residing　upon　the　island　to
prepare　sealskins　and　oil。　One　of　these　men　was　named　Jonathan
Lambert；　and　he　called　himself　the　sovereign　of　the　country。　He　had
cleared　and　cultivated　about　sixty　acres　of　land；　and　turned　his
attention　to　raising　the　coffee…plant　and　sugar…cane；　with　which　he
had　been　furnished　by　the　American　Minister　at　Rio　Janeiro。　This
settlement；　however；　was　finally　abandoned；　and　in　1817　the　islands
were　taken　possession　of　by　the　British　Government；　who　sent　a
detachment　for　that　purpose　from　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。　They　did　not；
however；　retain　them　long；　but；　upon　the　evacuation　of　the　country　as
a　British　possession；　two　or　three　English　families　took　up　their
residence　there　independently　of　the　Government。　On　the　twenty…fifth
of　March；　1824；　the　Berwick；　Captain　Jeffrey；　from　London　to　Van
Diemen's　Land；　arrived　at　the　place；　where　they　found　an　Englishman
of　the　name　of　Glass；　formerly　a　corporal　in　the　British　artillery。
He　claimed　to　be　supreme　governor　of　the　islands；　and　had　under　his
control　twenty…one　men　and　three　women。　He　gave　a　very　favourable
account　of　the　salubrity　of　the　climate　and　of　the　productiveness　of
the　soil。　The　population　occupied　themselves　chiefly　in　collecting
sealskins　and　sea　elephant　oil；　with　which　they　traded　to　the　Cape　of
Good　Hope；　Glass　owning　a　small　schooner。　At　the　period　of　our
arrival　the　governor　was　still　a　resident；　but　his　little　community
had　multiplied；　there　being　fifty…six　persons　upon　Tristan；　besides　a
smaller　settlement　of　seven　on　Nightingale　Island。　We　had　no
difficulty　in　procuring　almost　every　kind　of　refreshment　which　we
required…　sheep；　hogs；　bullocks；　rabbits；　poultry；　goats；　fish　in
great　variety；　and　vegetables　were　abundant。　Having　come　to　anchor
close　in　with　the　large　island；　in　eighteen　fathoms；　we　took　all　we
wanted　on　board　very　conveniently。　Captain　Guy　also　purchased　of
Glass　five　hundred　sealskins　and　some　ivory。　We　remained　here　a　week；
during　which　the　prevailing　winds　were　from　the　northward　and
westward；　and　the　weather　somewhat　hazy。　On　the　fifth　of　November　we
made　sail　to　the　southward　and　westward；　with　the　intention　of　having
a　thorough　search　for　a　group　of　islands　called　the　Auroras；
respecting　whose　existence　a　great　diversity　of　opinion　has　existed。

　　　　These　islands　are　said　to　have　been　discovered　as　early　as　1762；
by　the　commander　of　the　ship　Aurora。　In　1790；　Captain　Manuel　de
Oyarvido；；　in　the　ship　Princess；　belonging　to　the　Royal　Philippine
Company；　sailed；　as　he　asserts；　directly　among　them。　In　1794；　the
Spanish　corvette　Atrevida　went　with　the　determination　of　ascertaining
their　precise　situation；　and；　in　a　paper　published　by　the　Royal
Hydrographical　Society　of　Madrid　in　the　year　1809；　the　following
language　is　used　respecting　this　expedition：　〃The　corvette　Atrevida
practised；　in　their　immediate　vicinity；　from　the　twenty…first　to　the
twenty…seventh　of　January；　all　the　necessary　observations；　and
measured　by　chronometers　the　difference　of　longitude　between　these
islands　and　the　port　of　Soledad　in　the　Manillas。　The　islands　are
three；　they　are　very　nearly　in　the　same　meridian；　the　centre　one　is
rather　low；　and　the　other　two　may　be　seen　at　nine　leagues'　distance。〃
The　observations　made　on　board　the　Atrevida　give　the　following
results　as　the　precise　situation　of　each　island。　The　most　northern　is
in　latitude　52　degrees　37'　24〃　S。；　longitude　47　degrees；　43'　15〃　W。；
the　middle　one　in　latitude　53　degrees　2'　40〃　S。；　longitude　47　degrees
55'　15〃　W。；　and　the　most　southern　in　latitude　53　degrees　15'　22〃　S。；
longitude　47　degrees　57'　15〃　W。

　　　　On　the　twenty…seventh　of　January；　1820；　Captain　James　Weddel；　of
the　British　navy；　sailed　from　Staten　Land　also　in　search　of　the
Auroras。　He　reports　that；　having　made　the　most　diligent　search　and
passed　not　only　immediately　over　the　spots　indicated　by　the　commander
of　the　Atrevida；　but　in　every　direction　throughout　the　vicinity　of
these　spots；　he　could　discover　no　indication　of　land。　These
conflicting　statements　have　induced　other　navigators　to　look　out　for
the　islands；　and；　strange　to　say；　while　some　have　sailed　through
every　inch　of　sea　where　they　are　supposed　to　lie　without　finding
them；　there　have　been　not　a　few　who　declare　positively　that　they　have
seen　them；　and　even　been　close　in　with　their　shores。　It　was　Captain
Guy's　intention　to　make　every　exertion　within　his　power　to　settle　the
question　so　oddly　in　dispute。　｛*3｝

　　　　We　kept　on　our　course；　between　the　south　and　west；　with　variable
weather；　until　the　twentieth　of　the　month；　when　we　found　ourselves　on
the　debated　ground；　being　in　latitude　53　degrees　15'　S。；　longitude　47
degrees　58'　W。…　that　is　to　say；　very　nearly　upon　the　spot　indicated
as　the　situation　of　the　most　southern　of　the　group。　Not　perceiving
any　sip　of　land；　we　continued　to　the　westward　of　the　parallel　of
fifty…three　degrees　south；　as　far　as　the　meridian　of　fifty　degrees
west。　We　then　stood　to　the　north　as　far　as　the　parallel　of　fifty…two
degrees　south；　when　we　turned　to　the　eastward；　and　kept　our　parallel
by　double　altitudes；　morning　and　evening；　and　meridian　altitudes　of
the　planets　and　moon。　Having　thus　gone　eastwardly　to　the　meridian　of
the　western　coast　of　Georgia；　we　kept　that　meridian　until　we　were　in
the　latitude　from　which　we　set　out。　We　then　took　diagonal　courses
throughout　the　entire　extent　of　sea　circumscribed；　keeping　a　lookout
constantly　at　the　masthead；　and　repeating　our　examination　with　the
greatest　care　for　a　period　of　three　weeks；　during　which　the　weather
was　remarkably　pleasant　and　fair；　with　no　haze　whatsoever。　Of　course
we　were　thoroughly　satisfied　that；　whatever　islands　might　have
existed　in　this　vicinity　at　any　former　period；　no　vestige　of　them
remained　at　the　present　day。　Since　my　return　home　I　find　that　the
same　ground　was　traced　over；　with　equal　care；　in　1822；　by　Captain
Johnson；　of　the　American　schooner　Henry；　and　by　Captain　Morrell　in
the　American　schooner　Wasp…　in　both　cases　with　the　same　result　as　in
our　own。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　15　~~~

CHAPTER　16



　　　　It　had　been　Captain　Guy's　original　intention；　after　satisfying
himsel