THE CAIRN
The frost-rime had lasted about three-quarters of an hour; quite long
enough for the bears and foxes to make away with a considerable
quantity of provisions which they attacked all the more greedily,
arriving, as they did, when the animals were perishing with hunger
from the long winter. They had torn open the covering of the sledge
with their enormous paws; the cases of pemmican were open, and
half-empty; the biscuit-bags pillaged, the provisions of tea spilt
over the snow, a barrel of spirits of wine broken up, and its precious
contents run out; the camping materials lying all about. The wild
animals had done their work.
"The devils have done for us!" said Bell.
"What shall we do now?" said Simpson.
"Let us first see how much we've lost," said the doctor; "we can talk
after."
Hatteras said nothing, but began picking up the scattered objects.
They picked up all the pemmican and biscuit that was still eatable.
The loss of so much spirits of wine was deplorable, as without it
it was impossible to get any hot drinks--no tea nor coffee.
The doctor made an inventory of the provisions that were left, and
found that the animals had eaten two hundred pounds of pemmican and
a hundred and fifty pounds of biscuit; if the travellers continued
their journey they would be obliged to put themselves on half-rations.
They deliberated about what was to be done under the circumstances.
Should they return to the brig and begin their expedition again? But
how could they resolve to lose the hundred and fifty miles already
cleared? and coming back without the fuel, how would they be received
by the crew? and which of them would begin the excursion again? It
was evident that the best thing to do was to go on, even at the price
of the worst privations. The doctor, Hatteras, and Bell were for going
on, but Simpson wanted to go back; his health had severely suffered
from the fatigues of the journey, and he grew visibly weaker; but
at last, seeing he was alone in his opinion, he took his place at
the head of the sledge, and the little caravan continued its route.
During the three following days, from the 15th to the 17th of January,
the monotonous incidents of the journey took place again. They went
on more slowly; the travellers were soon tired; their legs ached with
fatigue, and the dogs drew with difficulty. Their insufficient food
told upon them. The weather changed with its usual quickness, going
suddenly from intense cold to damp and penetrating fogs.
On the 18th of January the aspect of the ice-field changed all at
once. A great number of peaks, like pyramids, ending in a sharp point
at a great elevation, showed themselves on the horizon. The soil in
certain places was seen through the layer of snow; it seemed to consist
of schist and quartz, with some appearance of calcareous rock. At
last the travellers had reached _terra firma_, and, according to their
estimation, the continent must be New Cornwall. The doctor was
delighted to tread on solid ground once more; the travellers had only
a hundred more miles to go before reaching Belcher Cape; but the
trouble of walking increased on this rocky soil, full of inequalities,
crevices, and precipices; they were obliged to plunge into the
interior of the land and climb the high cliffs on the coast, across
narrow gorges, in which the snow was piled up to a height of thirty
or forty feet. The travellers soon had cause to regret the levels
they had left, on which the sledge rolled so easily. Now they were
obliged to drag it with all their strength. The dogs were worn out,
and had to be helped; the men harnessed themselves along with them,
and wore themselves out too. They were often obliged to unload the
provisions in order to get over a steep hill, whose frozen surface
gave no hold. Some passages ten feet long took hours to clear. During
the first day they only made about five miles on that land, so well
named Cornwall. The next day the sledge attained the upper part of
the cliffs; the travellers were too exhausted to construct their
snow-house, and were obliged to pass the night under the tent,
enveloped in their buffalo-skins, and drying their stockings by
placing them on their chests. The consequences of such a state of
things may be readily imagined; during the night the thermometer went
down to 44 degrees below zero, and the mercury froze.
The health of Simpson became alarming; an obstinate cold, violent
rheumatism, and intolerable pain forced him to lie down on the sledge,
which he could no longer guide. Bell took his place; he was not well,
but was obliged not to give in. The doctor also felt the influence
of his terrible winter excursion, but he did not utter a complaint;
he marched on in front, leaning on his stick; he lighted the way;
he helped in everything. Hatteras, impassive, impenetrable,
insensible, in as good health as the first day, with his iron
constitution, followed the sledge in silence. On the 20th of January
the weather was so bad that the least effort caused immediate
prostration; but the difficulties of the ground became so great that
Hatteras and Bell harnessed themselves along with the dogs; the front
of the sledge was broken by an unexpected shock, and they were forced
to stop and mend it. Such delays occurred several times a day. The
travellers were journeying along a deep ravine up to their waists
in snow, and perspiring, notwithstanding the violent cold. No one
spoke. All at once Bell looked at the doctor in alarm, picked up a
handful of snow, and began to rub his companion's face with all his
might.
"What the deuce, Bell?" said the doctor, struggling.
But Bell went on rubbing.
"Are you mad? You've filled my eyes, nose, and mouth with snow. What
is it?"
"Why," answered Bell, "if you've got a nose left, you owe it to me."
"A nose?" said the doctor, putting his hand to his face.
"Yes, Mr. Clawbonny, you were quite frostbitten; your nose was quite
white when I looked at you, and without my bit of rubbing you would
be minus nose."
"Thanks, Bell," said the doctor; "I'll do the same for you in case
of need."
"I hope you will, Mr. Clawbonny, and I only wish we had nothing worse
to look forward to!"
"You mean Simpson! Poor fellow, he is suffering dreadfully!"
"Do you fear for him?" asked Hatteras quickly.
"Yes, captain," answered the doctor.
"What do you fear?"
"A violent attack of scurvy. His legs swell already, and his gums
are attacked; the poor fellow is lying under his blankets on the sledge,
and every shock increases his pain. I pity him, but I can't do anything
for him!"
"Poor Simpson!" said Bell.
"Perhaps we had better stop a day or two," said the doctor.
"Stop!" cried Hatteras, "when the lives of eighteen men depend upon
our return! You know we have only enough provisions left for twenty
days."
Neither the doctor nor Bell could answer that, and the sledge went
on its way. In the evening they stopped at the foot of an ice-hill,
out of which Bell soon cut a cavern; the travellers took refuge in
it, and the doctor passed the night in nursing Simpson; he was a prey
to the scurvy, and constant groans issued from his terrified lips.
"Ah, Mr. Clawbonny, I shall never get over it. I wish I was dead
already."
"Take courage, my poor fellow!" answered the doctor, with pity in
his tone, and he answered Simpson's complaints by incessant attention.
Though half-dead with fatigue, he employed a part of the night in
making the sick man a soothing draught, and rubbed him with lime-juice.
Unfortunately it had little effect, and did not prevent the terrible
malady spreading. The next day they were obliged to lift the poor
fellow on to the sledge, although he begged and prayed them to leave
him to die in peace, and begin their painful march again.
The freezing mists wet the three men to the skin; the snow and sleet
beat in their faces; they did the work of beasts of burden, and had
not even sufficient food. Dick ran hither and thither, discovering
by instinct the best route to follow. During the morning of the 23rd
of January, when it was nearly dark, for the new moon had not yet
made her appearance, Dick ran on first; he was lost to sight for
several hours. Hatteras became anxious, as there were many bear-marks
on the ground; he was considering what had better be done, when a
loud barking was heard in front. The little procession moved on
quicker, and soon came upon the faithful animal in the depth of a
ravine. Dick was set as if he had been petrified in front of a sort
of cairn, made of limestone, and covered with a cement of ice.
"This time," said the doctor, disengaging himself from the traces,
"it's really a cairn; we can't be mistaken."
"What does it matter to us?" said Hatteras.
"Why, if it is a cairn, it may inclose something that would be useful
to us--some provisions perhaps."
"As if Europeans had ever been here!" said Hatteras, shrugging his
shoulders.
"But if not Europeans, it may be that the Esquimaux have hidden some
product of their hunting here. They are accustomed to doing it, I
think."
"Well, look if you like, Clawbonny, but I don't think it is worth
your while."
Clawbonny and Bell, armed with their pickaxes made for the cairn.
Dick kept on barking furiously. The cairn was soon demolished, and
the doctor took out a damp paper. Hatteras took the document and read:
"Altam..., _Porpoise_, Dec... 13th, 1860,
12.. degrees long... 8.. degrees 35 minutes lat..."
"The _Porpoise_!" said the doctor.
"I don't know any ship of that name frequenting these seas," said
Hatteras.
"It is evident," continued the doctor, "that some sailors, or perhaps
some shipwrecked fellows, have passed here within the last two
months."
"That's certain," said Bell.
"What shall we do?" asked the doctor.
"Continue our route," said Hatteras coldly. "I don't know anything
about the _Porpoise_, but I do know that the _Forward_ is waiting
for our return."