Part 9 (2/2)
”Yes, yes,” repeated Captain Len Guy, ”it , nodded his big head in assent
”But,” I remarked, ”this plank must have been cast upon Bennet Islet from a wreck! The cross-currents must have found it in the open sea, and--”
”If that were so--” cried the captain
The saht had occurred to both of us What was our surprise, indeed our aht letters cut in the plank, not painted, but hollow and distinctly traceable with the finger
It was only too easy to recognize the letters of two naed in two lines, thus: AN LIEPOL
The Jane of Liverpool! The schooner commanded by Captain William Guy! What did it matter that time had blurred the other letters ? Did not those suffice to tell the naed to? The Jane of Liverpool!
Captain Len Guy had taken the plank in his hands, and now he pressed his lips to it, while tears fell froment of the Jane! I did not utter a word until the captain's ehtning glance from his brilliant hawk-like eyes as he now cast towards the southern horizon
Captain Len Guy rose
Hunt, without a word, placed the plank upon his shoulder, and we continued our route
When we had made the tour of the island, we halted at the place where the boat had been left under the charge of two sailors, and about half-past two in the afternoon ere again on board
Early on theof the 23rd of December the Halbrane put off fro testimony to the catastrophe which Tsalal Island had witnessed
During that day, I observed the sea water very attentively, and it seemed to me less deeply blue than Arthur Pyle specimen of his , six inches high, with fourshort legs, long coral claws, a silky body, a rat's tail, a cat's head, the hanging ears, bloodred lips and white teeth of a dog The truth is that I regarded several of these details as ”suspect,” and entirely due toan over-iinative tear Poe's book with sedulous attention, but I was not unaware of the fact that Hunt, whenever his duties furnished him with an opportunity, observed
And, in fact, I was re-perusing the end of Chapter XVII, in which Arthur Pyic events which were the results of his advice It was, in fact, he who over-persuaded Captain Willia an opportunity of solving the great proble to the Antarctic Continent” And, besides, while accepting that responsibility, did he not congratulate hireat discovery, and having aided in soree to reveal to science one of the most marvellous secrets which had ever claimed its attention?
At six o'clock the sun disappeared behind a thick curtain of ht the breeze freshened, and the Halbrane's progress ood shi+p was less than the third of a degree, that is to say less than twenty miles, from Tsalal Island
Unfortunately, just after mid-day, the wind fell Nevertheless, thanks to the current, the Island of Tsalal was signalled at forty-five
The anchor was cast, a watch was set, with loaded firear-nets ready The Halbrane ran no risk of being surprised Too eyes atching on board--especially those of Hunt, whose gaze never quitted the horizon of that southern zone for an instant
Chapter XVI
Tsalal Island
The night passed without alarm No boat had put off from the island, nor had a native shown himself upon the beach The Halbrane, then, had not been observed on her arrival; this was all the better
We had cast anchor in ten fathoms, at three miles from the coast
When the Jane appeared in these waters, the people of Tsalal beheld a shi+p for the first ti its ht to be better informed on this subject, and if they did not atten such conduct?
Captain Len Guy gave orders for the lowering of the shi+p's largest boat, in a voice which betrayed his impatience
The order was executed, and the captain, addressing West, said-- ”Send eight men doith Martin Holt; send Hunt to the hels, and keep a look-out landwards as well as to sea”
”Aye, aye, sir; don't be uneasy”
”We are going ashore, and we shall try to gain the village of Klock-Klock If any difficulty should arise on sea, give us warning by firing three shots”
”All right,” replied West--”at a minute's interval”
”If we should not return before evening, send the second boat with ten armed men under the boatswain's orders, and let theth of the shore, so as to escort us back You understand?”
”Perfectly, captain”
”If we are not to be found, after you have done all in your power, you will take co her back to the Falklands”
”I will do so”
The large boat was rapidly got ready EightMartin Holt and Hunt, all armed with rifles, pistols, and knives; the latter weapons were slung in their belts They also carried cartridge-pouches I stepped forward and said,-- ”Will you not allow me to acco”
I went torifle-with ball and powder, and rejoined Captain Len Guy, who had kept a place in the stern of the boat for h which Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters had crossed the reef on the 19th of January, 1828, in the Jane's boat For twentythe reef, and then Hunt discovered the pass, which was through a narrow cut in the rocks Leaving two h the winding gorge which gave access to the crest of the coast, our little force, headed by Hunt, pushed on towards the centre of the island Captain Len Guy and ed observations, as alked, on the subject of this country, which, as Arthur Pym declared, differed essentially fros We soon found that Pyeneral colour of the plains was black, as though the clay werewhite to be seen At a hundred paces distance Hunt began to run towards an enorility, and looked out overa wide extent of space like a nize the place he is in, but does not
”What is theHunt attentively
”I don't knohat is theabout this man is odd: his ways are inexplicable, and on certain sides of his whom Arthur Pym asserts that he found on this island One would even say that--”
”That--” repeated the captain
And then, without finishi+ng my sentence, I said,-- ”Captain, are you sure that you ood observation when you took the altitude yesterday?”
”Certainly”
”So that your point--”
”Gave 83A 20aE of latitude and 43A 5aE of longitude”