An Antarctic Mystery (25 page)

Under such circumstances, to attempt to persuade Captain Len Guy to
pursue the voyage would only be to court a certain refusal. It could
not even be proposed, now that necessity obliged us to return
northwards, and not to delay a single day in this portion of the
Antarctic regions. At any rate, though I resolved not again to speak
of the matter to the captain, I lost no opportunity of sounding the
boatswain. Often when he had finished his work, Hurliguerly would
come and join me; we would chat, and we would compare our
recollections of travel.

One day as we were seated on the summit of the iceberg, gazing
fixedly on the deceptive horizon, he exclaimed,—

"Who could ever have imagined, Mr. Jeorling, when the
Halbrane
left Kerguelen, that six and a half months afterwards she would be
stuck on the side of an icemountain?"

"A fact much more to be regretted," I replied, "because only
for that accident we should have attained our object, and we should
have begun our return journey."

"I don't mean to contradict," replied the boatswain, "but
you say we should have attained our object, Do you mean by that,
that we should have found our countrymen?"

"Perhaps."

"I can scarcely believe such would have been the case, Mr.
Jeorling, although this was the principal and perhaps even the only
object of our navigation in the polarseas."

"The only one—yes—at the start," I insinuated. "But since
the half-breed's revelations about Arthur Pym—"

"Ah! You are always harking back on that subject, like brave Dirk
Peters."

"Always, Hurliguerly; and only that a deplorable and unforeseen
accident made us run aground—"

"I leave you to your delusions, Mr. Jeorling, since you believe
you have run aground—"

"Why? Is not this the case?"

"In any case it is a wonderful running aground," replied the
boatswain. "Instead of a good solid bottom, we have run aground in
the air."

"Then I am right, Hurliguerly, in saying it is an unfortunate
adventure."

"Unfortunate, truly, but in my opinion we should take warning by
it."

"What warning?"

"That it is not permitted to us to venture so farin these
latitudes, and I believe that the Creator forbids His creatures to
climb to the summit of the poles."

"Notwithstanding that the summit of one pole is only sixty miles
away from us now."

"Granted, Mr. Jeorling, but tilese sixty miles are equal to
thousands when we have no means of making them! And if the launch of
the schooner is not successful, here are we condemned to winter
quarters which the polar bears themselves would hardly relish!"

I replied only by a shake of my head, which Hurliguerly could not
fail to understand.

"Do you know, Mr. Jeorling, of what I think oftenest?"

"What do you think of, boatswain?"

"Of the Kerguelens, whither we are certainly not travelling.
Truly, in a bad season it was cold enough there! There is not much
difference between this archipelago and the islands situated on the
edge of the Antarctic Sea! But there one is not far from the Cape,
and if we want to warm our shins, no iceberg bars the way. Whereas
here it is the devil to weigh anchor, and one never knows if one
shall find a clear course."

"I repeat it, boatswain. If this last accident had not occurred,
everything would have been over by this time, one way or another. We
should still have had more than six weeks to get out of these
southern seas. It is seldom that a ship is so roughly treated as
ours has been, and I consider it real bad luck, after our having
profited by such fortunate circumstances—"

"These circumstances are all over, Mr. Jeorling," exclaimed
Hurliguerly, "and I fear indeed—"

"What—you also, boatswain—you whom I believed to be so
confident!"

"Confidence, Mr. Jeorling, wears out like the ends of one's
trousers, What would you have me do? When I compare my lot to old
Atkins, installed in his cosy inn; when I think of the Green
Cormorant, of the big parlours downstairs with the little tables
round which friends sip whisky and gin, discussing the news of the
day, while the stove makes more noise than the weathercock on the
roof—oh, then the comparison is not in our favour, and in my
opinion Mr. Atkins enjoys life better than I do."

"You shall see them all again, boatswain—Atkins, the Green
Cormorant, and Kerguelen! For God's sake do not let yourself grow
downhearted! And if you, a sensible and courageous man, despair
already—"

"Oh, if I were the only one it would not be half so bad as it
is!"

"The whole crew does not despair, surely?"

"Yes—and no," replied Hurliguerly, "for I know some who are
not at all satisfied!"

"Has Hearne begun his mischief again? Is he exciting his
companion?"

"Not openly at least, Mr. Jeorling, and since I have kept him
under my eye I have neither seen nor heard anything. Besides, he
knows what awaits him if he budges. I believe I am not mistaken, the
sly dog has changed his tactics. But what does not astonish me in
him, astonishes me in Martin Holt."

"What do you mean, boatswain?"

"That they seem to be on good terms with each other. See how
Hearne seeks out Martin Holt, talks to him frequently, and Holt does
not treat his overtures unfavourably."

"Martin Holt is not one of those who would listen to Hearne's
advice, or follow it if he tried to provoke rebellion amongst the
crew."

"No doubt, Mr. Jeorling. However, I don't fancy seeing them so
much together. Hearne is a dangerous and unscrupulous individual,
and most likely Martin Holt does not distrust him sufficiently."

"He is wrong, boatswain."

"And—wait a moment—do you know what they were talking about
the other day when I overheard a few scraps of their conversation?"

"I could not possibly guess until you tell me, Hurliguerly.

"Well, while they were conversing on the bridge of the
Halbrane
, I
heard them talking about Dirk Peters, and Hearne was saying: 'You
must not owe a grudge to the half-breed, Master Holt, because he
refused to respond to your advances and accept your thanks! If he be
only a sort of brute, he possesses plenty of courage, and has showed
it in getting you out of a bad corner at the risk of his life. And
besides, do not forget that he formed part of the crew of the
Grampus
and your brother Ned, if I don't mistake—'"

"He said that, boatswain; he spoke of the
Grampus
!" I exclaimed.

"Yes—of the
Grampus
!

"And of Ned Holt?"

"Precisely, Mr. Jeorling!"

"And what answer did Martin Holt make?"

"He replied: 'I don't even know under what circumstances my
unfortunate brother perished. Was it during a revolt on board? Brave
man that he was, he would not betray his captain, and perhaps he was
massacred."

"Did Hearne dwell on this, boatswain?"

"Yes, but he added: 'It is very sad for you, Master Holt! The
captain of the
Grampus
, according to what I have been told, was
abandoned, being placed in a small boat with one or two of his
men—and who knows if your brother was not along with him?'"

"And what next?"

"Then, Mr. Jeorling, he added: 'Did it never occur to you to ask
Dirk Peters to enlighten you on the subject?' 'Yes, once,'
replied Martin Holt, 'I questioned the halfbreed about it, and
never did I see a man so overcome. He replied in so low a voice that
I could scarcely understand him, 'I know not—I know not—'
and he ran away with his face buried in his hands."

"Was that all you heard of the conversation, boatswain?"

"That was all, Mr. Jeorling, and I thought it so strange that I
wished to inform you of it."

"And what conclusion did you draw from it?"

"Nothing, except that I look upon the sealing-master as a
scoundrel of the deepest dye, perfectly capable of working in
secret for some evil purpose with which he would like to associate
Martin Holt!"

What did Hearne's new attitude mean? Why did he strive to gain
Martin Holt, one of the best of the crew, as an ally? Why did he
recall the scenes of the
Grampus
? Did Hearne know more of this
matter of Dirk Peters and Ned Holt than the others; this secret of
which the half-breed and I believed ourselves to be the sole
possessors?

The doubt caused me serious uneasiness. However, I took good care
not to say anything of it to Dirk Peters. If he had for a moment
suspected that Hearne spoke of what happened on board the
Grampus
,
if he had heard that the rascal (as Hurliguerly called him, and not
without reason) constantly talked to Martin Holt about his brother,
I really do not know what would have happened.

In short, whatever the intentions of Hearne might be, it was
dreadful to think that our sailing-master, on whose fidelity Captain
Len Guy ought to be able to count, was in conspiracy with him.

The sealing-master must have a strong motive for acting in this way.
What it was I could not imagine. Although the crew seemed to have
abandoned every thougilt of mutiny, a strict watch was kept,
especially on Hearne.

Besides, the situation must soon change, at least so far as the
schooner was concerned. Two days afterwards the work was finished.
The caulking operations were completed, and also the slide for
lowering the vessel to the base of our floating mountain.

Just now the upper portion of the ice had been slightly softened, so
that this last work did not entail much labour for pick-axe or
spade. The course ran obliquely round the west side of the berg, so
that the incline should not be too great at any point. With cables
properly fixed, the launch, it seemed, might be effected without any
mishap. I rather feared lest the melting of the ice should make the
gliding less smcoth at the lower part of the berg.

Needless to say, the cargo, masting, anchors, chains, &c., had not
been put on board. The hull was quite heavy enough, and not easily
moved, so it was necessary to lighten it as much as possible.

When the schooner was again in its element, the loading could be
effected in a few days.

On the afternoon of the 28th, the finishing touches were given. It
was necessary to put supports for the sides of the slide in some
places where the ice had melted quickly. Then everyone was allowed
to rest from 4 o'clock p.m. The captain had double rations served
out to all hands, and well they merited this extra supply of
spirits; they had indeed worked hard during the week. I repeat that
every sign of mutiny had disappeared. The crew thought of nothing
except this great operation of the launching. The
Halbrane
in the
sea would mean departure, it would also mean return! For Dirk Peters
and me it would be the definite abandonment of Arthur Pym.

That night the temperature was the highest we had so far
experienced. The thermometer registered 53° (11° 67' C. below
zero). So, although the sun was nearing the horizon, the ice was
melting, and thousands of small streams flowed in every direction.
The early birds awoke at four o'clock, and I was one of their
number. I had scarcely slept, and I fancy that Dirk Peters did not
sleep much, haunted as he was by the sad thought of having to turn
back!

The launch was to take place at ten o'clock. Taking every possible
difficulty into account, and allowing for the minutest precautions,
the captain hoped that it would be completed before the close of the
day. Everyone believed that by evening the schooner would be at the
foot of the berg.

Of course we had all to lend a hand to this difficult task. To each
man a special duty was assigned; some were employed to facilitate
the sliding with wooden rollers, if necessary; others to moderate
the speed of the hull, in case it became too great, by means of
hawsers and cables.

We breakfasted at nine o'clock in the tents. Our sailors were
perfectly confident, and could not refrain from drinking "success
to the event"; and although this was a little premature, we added
our hurrahs to theirs. Success seemed very nearly assured, as the
captain and the mate had worked out the matter so carefully and
skilfully. At last we were about to leave our encampment and take up
our stations (some of the sailors were there already), when cries of
amazement and fear were raised. What a frightful scene, and, short
as it may have been, what an impression of terror it left on our
minds!

One of the enormous blocks which formed the bank of the mud-bed
where the
Halbrane
lay, having become loose owing to the melting of
its base, had slipped and was bounding over the others down the
incline.

In another moment, the schooner, being no longer retained in
position, was swinging on this declivity.

On board, on deck, in front, there were two sailors, Rogers and
Gratian. In vain did the unfortunate men try to jump over the
bulwarks, they had not time, and they were dragged away in this
dreadful fall.

Yes! I saw it! I saw the schooner topple over, slide down first on
its left side, crush one of the men who delayed too long about
jumping to one side, then bound from block to block, and finally
fling itself into space.

In another moment the
Halbrane
, staved in, broken up, with gaping
planks and shattered ribs, had sunk, causing a tremendous jet of
water to spout up at the foot of the iceberg.

Horrified! yes, indeed, we were horrified when the schooner, carried
off as though by an avalanche, had disappeared in the abyss! Not a
particle of our
Halbrane
remained, not even a wreck!

A minute ago she was one hundred feet in the air, now she was five
hundred in the depths of the sea! Yes, we were so stupefied that we
were unable to think of the dangers to come—our amazement was that
of people who "cannot believe their eyes."