[Redactor's Note: The Field of Ice {Number V004 (Part II)} in the
T&M numerical listing of Verne's works is a translation of Part II
of Voyages et aventures du capitane Hatteras: II: LeDésert de glace
(1866) first published in England in this Routledge (London, 1874)
anonymous translation. Other translations are Osgood (Boston, 1874),
Ward, Lock, and Tyler (1876), Goubaud & Son (London, 1877), and
Hutchinson (London, 1890). This early work was never published by
Scribners or Sampson and Low and never found the wide popularity
obtained by the works published by those houses. Page numbers are
retained in this version to assist in the later collating the
numerous illustrations. A List of Illustrations has been provided.
(NMW)]
THE FIELD OF ICE
BY JULES VERNE,
AUTHOR OF "A JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE."
"THE CHILDREN OF CAPTAIN GRANT."
ETC
WITH 126 ILLUSTRATIONS BY RIOU
LONDON AND NEW YORK
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS
1875
[All rights reserved.]
LONDON
Printed by Simmons and Botten
Shoe Lane, E.C.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THE DOCTOR'S INVENTORY
1
CHAPTER II.
FIRST WORDS OF ALTAMONT
10
CHAPTER III.
A SEVENTEEN DAYS' MARCH
22
CHAPTER IV.
THE LAST CHARGE OF POWDER
32
CHAPTER V.
THE SEAL AND THE BEAR
44
CHAPTER VI.
THE "PORPOISE"
55
CHAPTER VII.
AN IMPORTANT DISCUSSION
66
CHAPTER VIII.
AN EXCURSION TO THE NORTH OF VICTORIA BAY
77
CHAPTER IX.
COLD AND HEAT
88
CHAPTER X.
WINTER PLEASURES
97
CHAPTER XI.
TRACKS OF BEARS
107
CHAPTER XII.
IMPRISIONED IN DOCTOR'S HOUSE
118
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MINE
130
CHAPTER XIV.
AN ARCTIC SPRING
143
CHAPTER XV.
THE NORTH WEST PASSAGE
154
CHAPTER XVI.
ARCTIC ARCADIA
163
CHAPTER XVII.
ALTAMONT'S REVENGE
173
CHAPTER XVIII.
FINAL PREPARATIONS
181
CHAPTER XIX.
MARCH TO THE NORTH
187
CHAPTER XX.
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW
199
CHAPTER XXI.
THE OPEN SEA
209
CHAPTER XXII.
GETTING NEAR THE POLE
216
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE ENGLISH FLAG
227
CHAPTER XXIV.
MOUNT HATTERAS
240
CHAPTER XXV.
RETURN SOUTH
253
CHAPTER XXVI.
CONCLUSION
264
LIST OF FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS
THE FIELD OF ICE
"Altamont had already swung his hatchet to strike, when he was
arrested by a well known voice"
132—frontispiece.
"The tired-out dogs were harnessed sorely against their will, and
before long bringing the few but precious treasures found among the
débris of the brig"
9
Johnson's Story
11
"The poor fellows felt like colonists safely arrived at their
destination."
57
"'I dispute the claim,' said the Englishman, restraining
himself by a powerful effort."
72
"Clambering up the steep, rocky wall he succeeded, though with
considerable difficulty, in reaching the top."
77
"Soon they were walking in a bright luminous track, leaving their
shadows behind them on the spotless snow."
87
"Hatteras could only manage to keep off his pursuers by flinging
down one article after another."
120
"The carpenter began his task immediately."
154
"The Doctor did not allow him to proceed, for he really feared the
two antagonists might come to blows."
162
"It was a strange and touching spectacle to see the pretty
creatures—they flew on Clawbonny's shoulders, etc."
169
"Dealt him such a blow on the head with his hatchet that the skull
was completely split open."
177
"The poor seal struggled desperately, but could not free himself
from the grasp of his enemy."
184
"On the 29th Bell killed a fox and Altamont a musk-ox."
192
"At Bell's suggestion, torches were contrived."
188
Three hours afterwards, they arrived at the coast and shouted
simultaneously "The sea, the sea!"
206
"And the doctor, leaning over the side of the vessel, could see
the whales and the dolphins and all the rest of the monsters of the
deep."
214
"It is a volcano, he explained."
217
"Mast and sail were torn off and went flying away through the
darkness like some large, white bird."
224
"Altamont speedily discovered a grotto composed of rocks."
234
"There he was, standing on a rock, gazing fixedly at the top of
the mountain."
242
"Hatteras did not even turn once to look back, but marched
straight on, carrying his country's flag attached to his staff."
249
"Dead, frozen——"
262
"Two hours later, after unheard-of exertions, the survivors of the
Forward were picked up by the Hans Christian."
266
[no caption]
267
THE FIELD OF ICE.
CHAPTER I.
THE DOCTOR'S INVENTORY.
It was a bold project of Hatteras to push his way to the North Pole,
and gain for his country the honour and glory of its discovery. But
he had done all that lay in human power now, and, after having
struggled for nine months against currents and tempests, shattering
icebergs and breaking through almost insurmountable barriers, amid
the cold of an unprecedented winter, after having outdistanced all
his predecessors and accomplished half his task, he suddenly saw all
his hopes blasted. The treachery, or rather the despondency, of his
worn-out crew, and the criminal folly of one or two leading spirits
among them had left him and his little band of men in a terrible
situation—helpless in an icy desert, two thousand five hundred
miles away from their native land, and without even a ship to
shelter them.
However, the courage of Hatteras was still undaunted. The three men
which were left him were the best on board his brig, and while they
remained he might venture to hope.
[Illustration]
After the cheerful, manly words of the captain, the Doctor felt the
best thing to be done was to look their prospects fairly in the
face, and know the exact state of things. Accordingly, leaving his
companions, he stole away alone down to the scene of the explosion.
Of the Forward, the brig that had been so carefully built and
had become so dear, not a vestige remained. Shapeless blackened
fragments, twisted bars of iron, cable ends still smouldering, and
here and there in the distance spiral wreaths of smoke, met his eye
on all sides. His cabin and all his precious treasures were gone,
his books, and instruments, and collections reduced to ashes. As he
stood thinking mournfully of his irreparable loss, he was joined by
Johnson, who grasped his offered hand in speechless sorrow.
[Illustration]
"What's to become of us?" asked the Doctor.
"Who can tell!" was the old sailor's reply.
"Anyhow," said Clawbonny, "do not let us despair! Let us be
men!"
"Yes, Mr. Clawbonny, you are right. Now is the time to show our
mettle. We are in a bad plight, and how to get out of it, that is
the question."
"Poor old brig!" exclaimed the Doctor. "I had grown so
attached to her. I loved her as one loves a house where he has spent
a life-time."
"Ay! it's strange what a hold those planks and beams get on a
fellow's heart."
"And the long-boat—is that burnt?" asked the Doctor.
"No, Mr. Clawbonny. Shandon and his gang have carried it off."
"And the pirogue?"
"Shivered into a thousand pieces? Stop. Do you see those bits of
sheet-iron? That is all that remains of it."
"Then we have nothing but the Halkett-boat?"
"Yes, we have that still, thanks to your idea of taking it with
you."
"That isn't much," said the Doctor.
"Oh, those base traitors!" exclaimed Johnson. "Heaven punish
them as they deserve!"
"Johnson," returned the Doctor, gently, "we must not forget
how sorely they have been tried. Only the best remain good in the
evil day; few can stand trouble. Let us pity our fellow-sufferers,
and not curse them."
For the next few minutes both were silent, and then Johnson asked
what had become of the sledge.
"We left it about a mile off," was the reply.
"In charge of Simpson?"
"No, Simpson is dead, poor fellow!"
"Simpson dead!"
"Yes, his strength gave way entirely, and he first sank."
"Poor Simpson! And yet who knows if he isn't rather to be
envied?"
"But, for the dead man we have left behind, we have brought back a
dying one."
"A dying man?"
"Yes, Captain Altamont."
And in a few words he informed Johnson of their discovery.
"An American!" said Johnson, as the recital was ended.
"Yes, everything goes to prove that. But I wonder what the
Porpoise was, and what brought her in these seas?"
"She rushed on to her ruin like the rest of foolhardy adventurers;
but, tell me, did you find the coal?"
The Doctor shook his head sadly.
"No coal! not a vestige! No, we did not even get as far as the
place mentioned by Sir Edward Belcher."
"Then we have no fuel whatever?" said the old sailor.
"No."
"And no provisions?"
"No."
"And no ship to make our way back to England?"
It required courage indeed to face these gloomy realities, but,
after a moment's silence, Johnson said again—
"Well, at any rate we know exactly how we stand. The first thing
to be done now is to make a hut, for we can't stay long exposed to
this temperature."
"Yes, we'll soon manage that with Bell's help," replied the
Doctor. "Then we must go and find the sledge, and bring back the
American, and have a consultation with Hatteras."
"Poor captain," said Johnson, always forgetting his own
troubles, "how he must feel it!"
Clawbonny and Bell found Hatteras standing motionless, his arms
folded in his usual fashion. He seemed gazing into space, but his
face had recovered its calm, self-possessed expression. His faithful
dog stood beside him, like his master, apparently insensible to the
biting cold, though the temperature was 32 degrees below zero.
Bell lay on the ice in an almost inanimate condition. Johnson had to
take vigorous measures to rouse him, but at last, by dint of shaking
and rubbing him with snow, he succeeded.
"Come, Bell," he cried, "don't give way like this. Exert
yourself, my man; we must have a talk about our situation, and we
need a place to put our heads in. Come and help me, Bell. You
haven't forgotten how to make a snow hut, have you? There is an
iceberg all ready to hand; we've only got to hollow it out.
Let's set to work; we shall find that is the best remedy for us."
Bell tried to shake off his torpor and help his comrade, while Mr.
Clawbonny undertook to go and fetch the sledge and the dogs.
"Will you go with him, captain?" asked Johnson.
"No, my friend," said Hatteras, in a gentle tone, "if the
Doctor will kindly undertake the task. Before the day ends I must
come to some resolution, and I need to be alone to think. Go. Do
meantime whatever you think best. I will deal with the future."
[Illustration]
Johnson went back to the Doctor, and said—
"It's very strange, but the captain seems quite to have got over
his anger. I never heard him speak so gently before."
"So much the better," said Clawbonny. "Believe me, Johnson,
that man can save us yet."
And drawing his hood as closely round his head as possible, the
Doctor seized his iron-tipped staff, and set out without further
delay.
Johnson and Bell commenced operations immediately. They had simply
to dig a hole in the heart of a great block of ice; but it was not
easy work, owing to the extreme hardness of the material. However,
this very hardness guaranteed the solidity of the dwelling, and the
further their labours advanced the more they became sheltered.
Hatteras alternately paced up and down, and stood motionless,
evidently shrinking from any approach to the scene of explosion.
In about an hour the Doctor returned, bringing with him Altamont
lying on the sledge, wrapped up in the folds of the tent. The poor
dogs were so exhausted from starvation that they could scarcely draw
it along, and they had begun to gnaw their harness. It was, indeed,
high time for feasts and men to take food and rest.
While the hut was being still further dug out, the Doctor went
foraging about, and had the good fortune to find a little stove,
almost undamaged by the explosion. He soon restored it to working
trim, and, by the time the hut was completed, had filled it with
wood and got it lighted. Before long it was roaring, and diffusing a
genial warmth on all sides. The American was brought in and laid on
blankets, and the four Englishmen seated themselves round the fire
to enjoy their scanty meal of biscuit and hot tea, the last remains
of the provisions on the sledge. Not a word was spoken by Hatteras,
and the others respected his silence.
When the meal was over, the Doctor rose and went out, making a sign
to Johnson to follow.
"Come, Johnson," he said, "we will take an inventory of all we
have left. We must know exactly how we are off, and our treasures
are scattered in all directions; so we had better begin, and pick
them up as fast as possible, for the snow may fall at any moment,
and then it would be quite useless to look for anything."
"Don't let us lose a minute, then," replied Johnson. "Fire
and food—those are our chief wants."
"Very well, you take one side and I'll take the other, and
we'll search from the centre to the circumference."
This task occupied two hours, and all they discovered was a little
salt meat, about 50 lbs. of pemmican, three sacks of biscuits, a
small stock of chocolate, five or six pints of brandy, and about 2
lbs. of coffee, picked up bean by bean off the ice.
Neither blankets, nor hammocks, nor clothing—all had been consumed
in the devouring flame.
This slender store of provisions would hardly last three weeks, and
they had wood enough to supply the stove for about the same time.
[Illustration: The tired-out dogs were harnessed sorely against
their will, and before long returned bringing the few but precious
treasures found among the débris of the brig.—P.9]
Now that the inventory was made, the next business was to fetch the
sledge. The tired-out dogs were harnessed sorely against their will,
and before long returned bringing the few but precious treasures
found among the débris of the brig. These were safely deposited in
the hut, and then Johnson and Clawbonny, half-frozen with their
work, resumed their places beside their companions in misfortune.