The Field of Ice
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW.
On the fourth of July there was such an exceedingly dense fog, thatit was very difficult to keep the straight course for the north. Nomisadventure, however, befel the party during the darkness, exceptthe loss of Bell's snow-shoes. At Bell's suggestion, which firedthe Doctor's inventive genius, torches were contrived, made of towsteeped in spirits-of-wine and fastened on the end of a stick, andthese served somewhat to help them on, though they made but smallprogress; for, on the sixth, after the fog had cleared off, theDoctor took their bearings, and found that they had only beenmarching at the rate of eight miles a day.
Determined to make up for lost time, they rose next morning veryearly and started off, Bell and Altamont as usual going ahead of therest and acting as scouts. Johnson and the others kept beside thesledge, and were soon nearly two miles behind the guides; but theweather was so dry and clear that all their movements could bedistinctly observed.
"What now?" said Clawbonny, as he saw them make a sudden halt,and stoop down as if examining the ground.
"I was just wondering what they are about, myself," replied oldJohnson.
"Perhaps they have come on the tracks of animals," suggestedHatteras.
"No," said Clawbonny, "it can't be that."
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"Why not?"
"Because Duk would bark."
"Well, it is quite evident they are examining some sort ofmarks."
"Let's get on, then," said Hatteras; and, urging forward thedogs, they rejoined their companions in about twenty minutes, andshared their surprise at finding unmistakable fresh footprints ofhuman beings in the snow, as plain as if only made the preceding day.
"They are Esquimaux footprints," said Hatteras.
"Do you think so?" asked Altamont.
"There is no doubt of it."
"But what do you make of this, then?" returned Altamont,pointing to another footmark repeated in
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several places. "Do you believe for a minute that was made by anEsquimaux?"
It was incontestably the print of a European boot--nails, sole, andheel clearly stamped in the snow. There was no room for doubt, andHatteras exclaimed in amazement--
"Europeans here!"
"Evidently," said Johnson.
"And yet it is so improbable that we must take a second lookbefore pronouncing an opinion," said Clawbonny.
But the longer he looked, the more apparent became the fact.Hatteras was chagrined beyond measure. A European here, so near thePole!
The footprints extended for about a quarter of a mile, and thendiverged to the west. Should the travellers follow them further?
"No," said Hatteras, "let us go on."
He was interrupted by an exclamation from the Doctor, who had justpicked up an object that gave still more convincing proof ofEuropean origin. It was part of a pocket spy-glass!
"Well, if we still had any doubts about the footmarks, thissettles the case at once, at any rate," said Clawbonny.
"Forward!" exclaimed Hatteras so energetically, thatinstinctively each one obeyed, and the march was resumed forthwith.
The day wore away, but no further sign of the presence of suspectedrivals was discovered, and they prepared to encamp for the night.
The tent was pitched in a ravine for shelter, as the sky was darkand threatening, and a violent north wind was blowing.
"I'm afraid we'll have a bad night," said Johnson.
"A pretty noisy one, I expect," replied the Doctor, "but notcold. We had better take every precaution, and fasten down our tentwith good big stones."
"You are right, Mr. Clawbonny. If the hurricane swept away ourtent, I don't know where we should find it again."
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The tent held fast, but sleep was impossible, for the tempest waslet loose and raged with tremendous violence.
"It seems to me," said the Doctor, during a brief lull in thedeafening roar," as if I could hear the sound of collisionsbetween icebergs and ice-fields. If we were near the sea, I couldreally believe there was a general break-up in the ice."
"I can't explain the noises any other way," said Johnson.
"Can we have reached the coast, I wonder?" asked Hatteras.
"It is not impossible," replied Clawbonny. "Listen! Do youhear that crash? That is certainly the sound of icebergs falling. Wecannot be very far from the ocean."
"Well, if it turn out to be so, I shall push right on over theice-fields."
"Oh, they'll be all broken up after such a storm as this. Weshall see what to-morrow, brings; but all I can say is, if any poorfellows are wandering about in a night like this, I pity them.
The storm lasted for ten hours, and the weary travellers anxiouslywatched for the morning. About daybreak its fury seemed to havespent itself, and Hatteras, accompanied by Bell and Altamont,ventured to leave the tent. They climbed a hill about three hundredfeet high, which commanded a wide view. But what a metamorphosedregion met their gaze! All the ice had completely vanished, thestorm had chased away the winter, and stripped the soil everywhereof its snow covering.
Three hours afterwards they arrived at the coast, andshouted simultaneously, "The sea! the sea!"--P.206]
But Hatteras scarcely bestowed a glance on surrounding objects; hiseager gaze was bent on the northern horizon, which appeared shroudedin black mist.
"That may very likely be caused by the ocean," suggestedClawbonny.
"You are right. The sea must be there," was the reply.
"That tint is what we call the blink of open water," saidJohnson.
"Come on, then, to the sledge at once, and let us get to thisunknown ocean," exclaimed Hatteras.
Their few preparations were soon made, and the march resumed. Threehours afterwards they arrived at the coast, and shoutedsimultaneously, "The sea! the sea!"
"Ay, and open sea!" added Hatteras.
And so it was. The storm had opened wide the Polar Basin, and theloosened packs were drifting in all directions. The icebergs hadweighed anchor, and were sailing out into the open sea.
This new ocean stretched far away out of sight, and not a singleisland or continent was visible.
On the east and west the coast formed two capes or headlands, whichsloped gently down to the sea. In the centre, a projecting rockformed a small natural bay, sheltered on three sides, into which awide river fell, bearing in its bosom the melted snows of winter.
After a careful survey of the coast, Hatteras determined to launchthe sloop that very day, and to unpack the sledge, and geteverything on board. The tent was soon put up, and a comfortablerepast prepared. This important business despatched, work commenced;and all hands were so expeditious and willing, that by five
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o'clock nothing more remained to be done. The sloop lay rockinggracefully in the little bay, and all the cargo was on board exceptthe tent, and what was required for the night's encampment.
The sight of the sloop suggested to Clawbonny the propriety ofgiving Altamont's name to the little bay. His proposition to thateffect met with unanimous approval, and the port was forthwithdignified by the title of Altamont Harbour.
According to the Doctor's calculations the travellers were nowonly 9 deg. distant from the Pole. They had gone over two hundred milesfrom Victoria Bay to Altamont Harbour, and were in latitude 87 deg.5' and longitude 118 deg. 35'.
CHAPTER XXI.