THE CAIRN.
This phenomenon, which is peculiar to the polar regions, had lasted
three quarters of an hour; the bears and foxes had had plenty of time;
these provisions arrived opportunely for these animals, who were
nearly starved during the inclement weather; the canvas cover of the
sledge was torn by their strong claws, the casks of pemmican were
opened and emptied; the biscuit-sacks pillaged, the tea spilled over
the snow, a barrel of alcohol torn open and its contents lost, their
camping materials scattered and damaged, bore witness to the ferocity
of these wild beasts, and their greediness.
"This is a misfortune," said Bell, gazing at this scene of ruin.
"Which is probably irreparable," said Simpson.
"Let us first estimate the loss," interrupted the doctor, "and we'll
talk about it afterwards."
Hatteras, without saying a word, began to gather the scattered boxes
and sacks; they collected the pemmican and biscuits which could be
eaten; the loss of part of their alcohol was much to be regretted; for
if that was gone there would be nothing warm to drink; no tea, no
coffee. In making an inventory of the supplies left, the doctor found
two hundred pounds of pemmican gone, and a hundred and fifty pounds of
biscuit; if their journey continued they would have to subsist on
half-rations.
They then began to discuss what should be done, whether they should
return to the ship and start out again. But how could they make up
their minds to lose the hundred and fifty miles they had already made?
To return without fuel would have a depressing effect upon the spirits
of the crew. Could men be found again to resume their march across the
ice?
Evidently it was better to push on, even at the risk of severe
privations.
The doctor, Hatteras, and Bell were of this opinion; Simpson wanted to
go back; the fatigue of the journey had worn upon his health; he was
visibly weaker; but finding himself alone of this opinion, he resumed
his place at the head of the sledge, and the little caravan continued
its journey to the south.
During the three next days, from the 15th to the 17th of January, all
the monotonous incidents of the voyage were repeated; they advanced
more slowly, and with much fatigue; their legs grew tired; the dogs
dragged the sledge with difficulty; their diminished supply of food
could not comfort men or beasts. The weather was very variable,
changing from intense, dry cold to damp, penetrating mists.
January 18th the aspect of the ice-fields changed suddenly; a great
number of peaks, like sharp-pointed pyramids, and very high, appeared
at the horizon; the ground in certain places came through the snow; it
seemed formed of gneiss, schist, and quartz, with some appearance of
limestone. The travellers at last touched earth again, and this land
they judged to be that called North Cornwall.
The doctor could not help striking the earth with joy; they had now
only a hundred miles to go before reaching Cape Belcher, but their
fatigue increased strangely on this soil, covered with sharp rocks,
and interspersed with dangerous points, crevasses, and precipices;
they had to go down into the depths of these abysses, climb steep
ascents, and cross narrow gorges, in which the snow was drifted to the
depth of thirty or forty feet.
[Illustration]
The travellers soon regretted the almost easy journey over the
ice-fields, which so well suited the sledge; now it had to be dragged
by main force; the weary dogs were insufficient; the men, compelled to
take their place alongside of them, wore themselves out with hauling;
often they had to take off the whole load to get over some steep
hills; a place only ten feet wide often kept them busy for hours; so
in this first day they made only five miles in North Cornwall, which
is certainly well named, for it exhibits all the roughness, the sharp
points, the steep gorges, the confused rockiness, of the southwest
coast of England.
The next day the sledge reached the top of the hills near the shore;
the exhausted travellers, being unable to make a snow-hut, were
obliged to pass the night under the tent, wrapped up in buffalo-skins,
and drying their wet stockings by placing them about their bodies. The
inevitable consequences of such conduct are easily comprehended; that
night the thermometer fell below -44 degrees, and the mercury froze.
Simpson's health caused great anxiety; a persistent cough, violent
rheumatism, and intolerable pain obliged him to lie on the sledge
which he could no longer guide. Bell took his place; he too was
suffering, but not so much as to be incapacitated. The doctor also
felt the consequences of this trip in this terrible weather; but he
uttered no complaint; he walked on, resting on his staff; he made out
the way and helped every one. Hatteras, impassible, and as strong as
on the first day, followed the sledge in silence.
January 20th the weather was so severe that the slightest effort
produced complete prostration. Still, the difficulties of the way were
so great, that Hatteras, the doctor, and Bell harnessed themselves
with the dogs; sudden shocks had broken the front of the sledge, and
they had to stop to repair it. Such delays were frequent every day.
The travellers followed a deep ravine, up to their waists in snow, and
perspiring violently in spite of the intense cold. They did not say a
word. Suddenly Bell, who was near the doctor, looked at him with some
alarm; then, without uttering a word, he picked up a handful of snow
and began rubbing his companion's face violently.
[Illustration]
"Well, Bell!" said the doctor, resisting.
But Bell continued rubbing.
"Come, Bell," began the doctor again, his mouth, nose, and eyes full
of snow, "are you mad? What's the matter?"
"If you have a nose left," answered Bell, "you ought to be grateful to
me."
"A nose!" answered the doctor, quickly, clapping his hand to his face.
"Yes, Doctor, you were frost-bitten; your nose was white when I looked
at you, and if I had not done as I did, you would have lost that
ornament which is in the way on a journey, but agreeable to one's
existence."
In fact, the doctor's nose was almost frozen; the circulation of the
blood was restored in time, and, thanks to Bell, all danger was gone.
"Thanks, Bell!" said the doctor; "I'll be even with you yet."
"I hope so, Doctor," the carpenter answered; "and may Heaven protect
us from worse misfortunes!"
"Alas, Bell," continued the doctor, "you mean Simpson! The poor fellow
is suffering terribly."
"Do you fear for his life?" asked Hatteras, quickly.
"Yes, Captain," answered the doctor.
"And why?"
"He has a violent attack of scurvy; his legs have begun to swell, and
his gums too; the poor fellow lies half frozen on the sledge, and
every movement redoubles his suffering. I pity him, Hatteras, and I
can't do anything to relieve him."
"Poor Simpson!" murmured Bell.
"Perhaps we shall have to halt for a day or two," resumed the doctor.
"Halt!" shouted Hatteras, "when the lives of eighteen men are hanging
on our return!"
"Still--" said the doctor.
"Clawbonny, Bell, listen to me," said Hatteras; "we have food for only
twenty days! Judge for yourselves whether we can stop for a moment!"
Neither the doctor nor Bell made any reply, and the sledge resumed its
progress, which had been delayed for a moment. That evening they
stopped beneath a hillock of ice, in which Bell at once cut a cavern;
the travellers entered it; the doctor passed the night attending to
Simpson; the scurvy had already made fearful ravages, and his
sufferings caused perpetual laments to issue from his swollen lips.
"Ah, Dr. Clawbonny!"
"Courage, my dear fellow!" said the doctor.
"I shall never get well! I feel it! I'd rather die!"
The doctor answered these despairing words by incessant cares;
although worn out by the fatigue of the day, he spent the night in
composing a soothing potion for his patient; but the lime-juice was
ineffectual, and continual friction could not keep down the progress
of the scurvy.
[Illustration]
The next day he had to be placed again upon the sledge, although he
besought them to leave him behind to die in peace; then they resumed
their dreary and difficult march.
The frozen mists penetrated the three men to the bone; the snow and
sleet dashed against them; they were working like draught-horses, and
with a scanty supply of food.
Duke, like his master, kept coming and going, enduring every fatigue,
always alert, finding out by himself the best path; they had perfect
confidence in his wonderful instinct.
During the morning of January 23d, amid almost total darkness, for the
moon was new, Duke had run on ahead; for many hours he was not seen;
Hatteras became uneasy, especially because there were many traces of
bears to be seen; he was uncertain what to do, when suddenly a loud
barking was heard.
Hatteras urged on the sledge, and soon he found the faithful animal at
the bottom of a ravine. Duke stood as motionless as if turned to
stone, barking before a sort of cairn made of pieces of limestone,
covered with a cement of ice.
"This time," said the doctor, detaching his harness, "it's a cairn,
there's no doubt of that."
"What's that to us?" asked Hatteras.
"Hatteras, if it is a cairn, it may contain some document of value for
us; perhaps some provisions, and it would be worth while to see."
"What European could have come as far as this?" asked Hatteras,
shrugging his shoulders.
"But in lack of Europeans," answered the doctor, "cannot Esquimaux
have made it here to contain what they have fished or shot? It's their
habit, I think."
"Well, go and look at it," continued Hatteras; "but I'm afraid it will
be hardly worth your while."
Clawbonny and Bell walked to the cairn with picks in their hands. Duke
continued barking furiously. The limestones were firmly fastened
together by the ice; but a few blows scattered them on the ground.
"There's something there, evidently," said the doctor.
"I think so," answered Bell.
They rapidly destroyed the cairn. Soon they found a bundle and in it a
damp paper. The doctor took it with a beating heart. Hatteras ran
forward, seized the paper, and read:--
"Altam..., _Porpoise_, December 13, 1860, longitude 12.. degrees,
latitude 8.. degrees 35 minutes."
"The _Porpoise_?" said the doctor.
"The _Porpoise_!" replied Hatteras. "I never heard of a ship of this
name in these seas."
"It is clear," resumed the doctor, "that travellers, perhaps
shipwrecked sailors, have been here within two months."
"That is sure," said Bell.
"What are we going to do?" asked the doctor.
"Push on," answered Hatteras, coldly. "I don't know anything about any
ship called the _Porpoise_, but I know that the brig _Forward_ is
waiting for our return."