CHAPTER XII.--WINTER LIFE IN AN ANTARCTIC PACK.
Changes in temperature take place soon and sudden in those far-offAntarctic regions, and on the very night succeeding the return of ourheroes from the dangers of that daring but terrible ascent of MountTerror, it came on to blow high and hard from the south.
It was a snow-laden wind too, with the lowest temperature that had yetbeen logged.
So dense was the snow-mist that it was impossible to see the jibboomwhen standing close by the bowsprit. The drift blew suffocatingly alongthe upper deck of the _Flora_, and it was covered with an ice-glazethat, owing to the motion of the vessel, made walking a business of thegreatest difficulty.
The vessel was driven northwards till she found herself close to animmense ice-floe, and to this they determined to make fast.
Anchors were at once got out, therefore, and landed and secured.
The motion was somewhat less after that.
What was most to be dreaded was a squeeze, for if any of those hugecrystalline bergs were to rush them alongside, poor indeed would betheir hopes of being saved. Indeed the vessel, strong as she was, wouldbe crushed, as one may crush an egg-shell.
All hands were now called to endeavour, if possible, to make her moresecure.
By and by the wind lulled somewhat, and the atmosphere cleared.
It would only be temporary, however, and well Captain Talbot knew it.
But they had now a chance of noting their position, and a dangerous oneit was. The open water was getting narrower and narrower, so it wasdetermined to seek for the safest ice. This was some pancake that layto the north of them, so, just sufficient sail was got up to enable theship to reach it.
This she did with safety so far, but the storm came on again with allits force, and with such fury, that it was found impossible to dock her.
To work in so choking and suffocating a cloud of ice-dust would havetaken the heart out of anyone, save a true-blue British sailor.Moreover, as mittened cats cannot easily catch mice, so was it difficultfor the men to work with heavy gloves on, and the order was, not on anyaccount to take them off.
One poor fellow who, in a moment of thoughtlessness, pulled off hismittens, had both hands so badly-frost-bitten that he was incapable ofduty for many many months.
They were now, however, in a comparatively safe position, for bay orpancake ice is a protection for a ship, if she has the misfortune to befrozen up in a pack like this.
In fate, or rather in Providence, they must put their trust; butwhenever the weather cleared for a spell many an anxious eye was turnedtowards two mountainous blocks of green ice that lay only about ahundred yards to the south of the ship's position. They must have beenabout ninety feet out of the water and eight times as much beneath.Should the wind act with sufficient force on their green glitteringsides it would go hard with the _Flora M'Vayne_.
This storm lasted not a day only, but over a week, and during all thistime the limit of their vision was bounded but by a few yards.
Well for all was it that the _Flora_ was strong, for on three separateoccasions the good ship was nipped. This was undoubtedly owing to thepressure of the big bergs on the pancake ice.
But the pancake alongside was piled up by this pressure against the_Flora's_ sides, like a pack of cards. The noise at such times wasindescribable. It was a medley of roaring, shrieking, and caterwauling,with now and then a loud report, and now and then a dull and startlingthud.
Moreover, the ice had got under the vessel's bows, and had heaved her upso high forward, that walking as far as the fo'c's'le was like climbinga slippery hill.
Viking, I verily believe, went now and then as far as the bowsprit, justthat he might have the pleasure of sliding down again. But the greatpenguin and the monkey, who seemed to have sworn eternal friendship,preferred remaining below. Moreover, they seemed to think that a seatin front of the saloon fire was far more comfortable than the galley;and there they were, a most comical couple indeed, for as old Pen stoodthere on his tail, warming first one foot and then another at the stove,the kind-hearted ape sat close beside him with one arm placed lovinglyaround the great bird's shoulder.
One morning Conal and Frank went on deck as usual.
The sunrise clouds were still radiantly beautiful in orange, mauve, andcrimson, but the wind was gone, and the storm fled to the back of thenorth pole or elsewhere.
They could see around them, therefore.
"Why, Frank," cried Conal, scratching his head in astonishment, "whereon earth have they shifted Mount Terror to?"
Sure enough, the great volcanic mountain on which the young fellow hadso nearly lost his life was a very long way astern indeed, and seemedendeavouring to hide its diminished head in a cloud of gray-blue mist.
"The explanation is simple enough, I think," replied Frank."They--whoever 'they' may mean--haven't shifted the mountain, but we'vebeen driven far to the nor'ard with the force of the gale."
"Oh!" said Conal, laughing, "I know better than that. We've nevermoved, Frank. There is the same ice about us still, and our bigneighbours, the icebergs, are yonder also."
"Well," answered Frank, "we've been like the Irishman on the steamboat,we've been standing stock-still, yet all the while we've been moving."
"That's it," said Captain Talbot, who happened to come up at thismoment. "That's it, Conal; Frank's right, and all this vast plain ofsnow-clad ice has been in motion northwards, and it has taken us withit."
"Wonders will never cease!" said Conal.
"Not in this world, nor the next either. But breakfast will soon beready--earlier this morning, because we're going to work."
"Oh, by the way, sir, are you going on a balloon voyage now?"
"Alas!" said Talbot, almost sadly, "that, I fear, will have to beabandoned for the present cruise. My intentions were excellent, but
"'The best laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft a-gley, An' lea'e us nought but grief and pain, For promised joy'.
Another day and another voyage will be needed for the balloonadventures.
"Well," he added, more cheerily, "our cruise has not been in vain, youknow. I have taken many meteorological observations. We have scaledthe heights of mighty Mount Terror, and we have proved that Right whalesdo abound in these seas; so that we have really re-opened a long-lostindustry."
"We sailed in search of fortune," said Frank; "we have got some, haven'twe, sir?"
"If we manage to get clear of this somewhat dangerous pack and to reachKerguelen Island, I think we'll lay in enough sea-elephant skins andblubber to make up a rich and splendid cargo.
"But," he added, looking towards the monster icebergs, "I do wish thesefellows were farther off."
"I suppose we couldn't blow them up, could we?" said innocent Conal.
Talbot laughed.
"My dear boy," he answered, "if we could blow these blocks up, we mighttry our skill on the rock of Gibraltar next."
Although the autumn was already far advanced and dreary winter on ahead,still Talbot did not despair of getting clear before it came on.
This forenoon all hands were set at work to clear the ice from under thebows.
Hard work indeed, but it was finished eventually with the aid of goodgunpowder. Small cases of this were placed under the packs of pancakeby means of a long pole, and fired with waterproof fuses. Thesmashed-up pieces were thrust in under the main pack, and so in time the_Flora M'Vayne_ found herself on an even keel.
The officers and crew could breathe more freely now, and sat down todinner with that hearty appetite which hard work, if interesting, neverfails to call up.
A whole month passed away.
There was no change, and seldom even a breath of wind, but the nightswere now very long indeed, and soon, very soon, it would be all night.
Another month went slowly by.
It was now far on in May, and June in these latitudes means the deaddepth of winter.
"There isn't the ghost of a chanc
e, Morgan," said Talbot one morningwhile breakfasting by lamp-light; "there isn't the slightest chance ofour getting clear away from here, till spring winds break up the ice andcarry us north and away."
Morgan did not answer directly.
He was thinking.
"How about provisions, sir?" he asked at last.
"Well, we ought to have enough of every sort to last for a year, and bythat time, please Heaven, we shall be safe in Cape Town harbour.
"But," he added, "I was going to talk to you on this very subject."
"Well, sir."
"Well, mate, I think it would be as well to take an inventory. Have athorough overhaul, you know, and see what condition everything is in."
The motion was carried.
But it took them three days--if we can call them days--to complete thesurvey and restore everything, in a ship-shape condition, to its placeagain.
The stores were all not only abundant but excellent, with the exceptionof some casks of greens that they put much store on. They would nowhave to depend upon a daily supply of lime-juice to prevent handsgetting down with the scourge of these seas, namely, scurvy.
On the very night the survey was ended came another half-gale of windfrom the south. There were the same terrible noises all around them,and as far as they could make out, the sea of ice was a perfect chaos.
No one could shout loud enough for his nearest companion to hear him,and the crew lived in constant terror of the ship being crushed.
When at long last the storm ceased, they discovered by the starlight,and very much to their delight, that the terrible neighbours, thosemonster bergs, had shifted their site during the gale.
They had, in fact, driven past the vessel's bows--what a mercy they camenot near!--and were now fully seventy yards down to leeward.
The wind had fallen quite, and all had become still again.
"We have reason to be thankful to God for our marvellous escape," saidTalbot.
"But may not the bergs drift back, or be blown down upon us?" saidFrank, who was of a very inquiring turn of mind.
"Wherever they drift, Frank, we too shall drift, but the send of thecurrent or sea beneath us is, I believe, northward now; and if the windblows in winter as it must in spring, it will bear us towards thenorth-west. So one danger is removed or minimized."
"Hurrah!" cried Frank, who was nothing if not impulsive, "hurrah!"
"No chance, I suppose, sir," he said, "of getting any letters fromhome?"
"Not for a day or two, Frank," said Talbot, smiling.
"Well, but it is a good thing we have books to read, isn't it, Conal?"
"And pens and ink?"
"Yes, pens and ink, and my fiddle."
"And my bagpipes," said Duncan emphatically.
"Oh, Duncan, we hadn't forgotten that or these."
"When I get them over my shoulder," said Duncan, "and put my drones inorder, I don't think there will be much chance of your forgetting them."
Now wild winter had come in earnest,
"To rule the varied year".
It did not seem, however, that there was going to be a great deal ofvariety about it.
The wind was gone entirely for the time being, and the strange stars andSouthern Cross shone down on the snowy and radiant plain, with abrilliancy that is quite unknown in more northern climes.
Great care was taken to keep the correct time, and to take observationsthree times a day.
A big ice-hole was made a few yards to the port side of the ship, andalthough the frost was now very severe indeed, they made a point ofkeeping this clear. This hole was about six feet in width, and, lateron, it sufficed not only to draw water from for various purposes, but toafford some sport, as we shall presently see.
It had another and more scientific use. For the temperature of thewater could here be taken, not only on the surface but many measuredfathoms below it, and it told also the trend of the currents and theirstrength as well.
The self-same hours for breakfast, dinner, and supper were adhered to,but the men now had an additional allowance of tea served out to them,which, on the whole, they preferred to grog.
Grog, they knew from experience, did not keep up the animal heat, thoughit seemed to for a brief spell. Then shivering succeeded.
As the spectioneer told Duncan, in a climate like this one doesn't quiteappreciate buckets of cold water running down his back.
Tea time was a happy hour in the saloon. The duties of the day werepractically over, and light though these may have been, each had itscorrect time, and nothing was neglected.
But now the talk was chiefly about home; all thoughts of making fortuneswere banished as not in keeping with the calmness of the hour.
Cowper's cosy lines come to my memory as I write, and they are in somemeasure applicable to the tea-time hour and situation--
"Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast; Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round, And while the bubbling and loudly hissing urn Throws up a steamy column, and the cups That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each, Let us welcome peaceful evening in".
Johnnie Shingles it was who assisted the steward in serving out the tea,and Johnnie looked out for his own share in the pantry when all the restwere done.