the works of edgar allan poe-3-第28部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　15　~~~

CHAPTER　16



　　　　It　had　been　Captain　Guy's　original　intention；　after　satisfying
himself　about　the　Auroras；　to　proceed　through　the　Strait　of　Magellan；
and　up　along　the　western　coast　of　Patagonia；　but　information　received
at　Tristan　d'Acunha　induced　him　to　steer　to　the　southward；　in　the
hope　of　falling　in　with　some　small　islands　said　to　lie　about　the
parallel　of　60　degrees　S。；　longitude　41　degrees　20'　W。　In　the　event
of　his　not　discovering　these　lands；　he　designed；　should　the　season
prove　favourable；　to　push　on　toward　the　pole。　Accordingly；　on　the
twelfth　of　December；　we　made　sail　in　that　direction。　On　the
eighteenth　we　found　ourselves　about　the　station　indicated　by　Glass；
and　cruised　for　three　days　in　that　neighborhood　without　finding　any
traces　of　the　islands　he　had　mentioned。　On　the　twenty…first；　the
weather　being　unusually　pleasant；　we　again　made　sail　to　the
southward；　with　the　resolution　of　penetrating　in　that　course　as　far
as　possible。　Before　entering　upon　this　portion　of　my　narrative；　it
may　be　as　well；　for　the　information　of　those　readers　who　have　paid
little　attention　to　the　progress　of　discovery　in　these　regions；　to
give　some　brief　account　of　the　very　few　attempts　at　reaching　the
southern　pole　which　have　hitherto　been　made。

　　　　　That　of　Captain　Cook　was　the　first　of　which　we　have　any　distinct
account。　In　1772　he　sailed　to　the　south　in　the　Resolution；
accompanied　by　Lieutenant　Furneaux　in　the　Adventure。　In　December　he
found　himself　as　far　as　the　fifty…eighth　parallel　of　south　latitude；
and　in　longitude　26　degrees　57'　E。　Here　he　met　with　narrow　fields　of
ice；　about　eight　or　ten　inches　thick；　and　running　northwest　and
southeast。　This　ice　was　in　large　cakes；　and　usually　it　was　packed　so
closely　that　the　vessel　had　great　difficulty　in　forcing　a　passage。　At
this　period　Captain　Cook　supposed；　from　the　vast　number　of　birds　to
be　seen；　and　from　other　indications；　that　he　was　in　the　near　vicinity
of　land。　He　kept　on　to　the　southward；　the　weather　being　exceedingly
cold；　until　he　reached　the　sixty…fourth　parallel；　in　longitude　38
degrees　14'　W。。　Here　he　had　mild　weather；　with　gentle　breezes；　for
five　days；　the　thermometer　being　at　thirty…six。　In　January；　1773；　the
vessels　crossed　the　Antarctic　circle；　but　did　not　succeed　in
penetrating　much　farther；　for　upon　reaching　latitude　67　degrees　15'
they　found　all　farther　progress　impeded　by　an　immense　body　of　ice；
extending　all　along　the　southern　horizon　as　far　as　the　eye　could
reach。　This　ice　was　of　every　variety…　and　some　large　floes　of　it；
miles　in　extent；　formed　a　compact　mass；　rising　eighteen　or　twenty
feet　above　the　water。　It　being　late　in　the　season；　and　no　hope
entertained　of　rounding　these　obstructions；　Captain　Cook　now
reluctantly　turned　to　the　northward。

　　　　　In　the　November　following　he　renewed　his　search　in　the
Antarctic。　In　latitude　59　degrees　40'　he　met　with　a　strong　current
setting　to　the　southward。　In　December；　when　the　vessels　were　in
latitude　67　degrees　31'；　longitude　142　degrees　54'　W。；　the　cold　was
excessive；　with　heavy　gales　and　fog。　Here　also　birds　were　abundant；
the　albatross；　the　penguin；　and　the　peterel　especially。　In　latitude
70　degrees　23'　some　large　islands　of　ice　were　encountered；　and
shortly　afterward　the　clouds　to　the　southward　were　observed　to　be　of
a　snowy　whiteness；　indicating　the　vicinity　of　field　ice。　In　latitude
71　degrees　10'；　longitude　106　degrees　54'　W。；　the　navigators　were
stopped；　as　before；　by　an　immense　frozen　expanse；　which　filled　the
whole　area　of　the　southern　horizon。　The　northern　edge　of　this　expanse
was　ragged　and　broken；　so　firmly　wedged　together　as　to　be　utterly
impassible；　and　extending　about　a　mile　to　the　southward。　Behind　it
the　frozen　surface　was　comparatively　smooth　for　some　distance；　until
terminated　in　the　extreme　background　by　gigantic　ranges　of　ice
mountains；　the　one　towering　above　the　other。　Captain　Cook　concluded
that　this　vast　field　reached　the　southern　pole　or　was　joined　to　a
continent。　Mr。　J。　N。　Reynolds；　whose　great　exertions　and　perseverance
have　at　length　succeeded　in　getting　set　on　foot　a　national
expedition；　partly　for　the　purpose　of　exploring　these　regions；　thus
speaks　of　the　attempt　of　the　Resolution。　〃We　are　not　surprised　that
Captain　Cook　was　unable　to　go　beyond　71　degrees　10'；　but　we　are
astonished　that　he　did　attain　that　point　on　the　meridian　of　106
degrees　54'　west　longitude。　Palmer's　Land　lies　south　of　the　Shetland；
latitude　sixty…four　degrees；　and　tends　to　the　southward　and　westward
farther　than　any　navigator　has　yet　penetrated。　Cook　was　standing　for
this　land　when　his　progress　was　arrested　by　the　ice；　which；　we
apprehend；　must　always　be　the　case　in　that　point；　and　so　early　in　the
season　as　the　sixth　of　January…　and　we　should　not　be　surprised　if　a
portion　of　the　icy　mountains　described　was　attached　to　the　main　body
of　Palmer's　Land；　or　to　some　other　portions　of　land　lying　farther　to
the　southward　and　westward。〃

　　　　　In　1803；　Captains　Kreutzenstern　and　Lisiausky　were　dispatched　by
Alexander　of　Russia　for　the　purpose　of　circumnavigating　the　globe。　In
endeavouring　to　get　south；　they　made　no　farther　than　59　degrees　58'；
in　longitude　70　degrees　15'　W。　They　here　met　with　strong　currents
setting　eastwardly。　Whales　were　abundant；　but　they　saw　no　ice。　In
regard　to　this　voyage；　Mr。　Reynolds　observes　that；　if　Kreutzenstern
had　arrived　where　he　did　earlier　in　the　season；　he　must　have
encountered　ice…　it　was　March　when　he　reached　the　latitude　specified。
The　winds；　prevailing；　as　they　do；　from　the　southward　and　westward；
had　carried　the　floes；　aided　by　currents；　into　that　icy　region
bounded　on　the　north　by　Georgia；　east　by　Sandwich　Land　and　the　South
Orkneys；　and　west　by　the　South　Shetland　islands。

　　　　　In　1822；　Captain　James　Weddell；　of　the　British　navy；　with　two
very　small　vessels；　penetrated　farther　to　the　south　than　any　previous
navigator；　and　this；　too；　without　encountering　extraordinary
difficulties。　He　states　that　although　he　was　frequently　hemmed　in　by
ice　before　reaching　the　seventy…second　parallel；　yet；　upon　attaining
it；　not　a　particle　was　to　be　discovered；　and　that；　upon　arriving　at
the　latitude　of　74　degrees　15'；　no　fields；　and　only　three　islands　of
ice　were　visible。　It　is　somewhat　remarkable　that；　although　vast
flocks　of　birds　were　seen；　and　other　usual　indications　of　land；　and
although；　south　of　the　Shetlands；　unknown　coasts　were　observed　from
the　masthead　tending　southwardly；　Weddell　discourages　the　idea　of
land　existing　in　the　polar　regions　of　the　south。

　　　　　On　the　11th　of　January；　1823；　Captain　Benjamin　Morrell；　of　the
American　schooner　Wasp；　sailed　from　Kerguelen's　Land　with　a　view　of
penetrating　as　far　south　as　possible。　On　the　first　of　February　he
found　himself　in　latitude　64　degrees　52'　S。；　longitude　118　degrees
27'　E。　The　following　passage　is　extracted　from　his　journal　of　that
date。　〃The　wind　soon　freshened　to　an　eleven…knot　breeze；　and　we
embraced　this　opportunity　of　making　to　the　west；；　being　however
convinced　that　the　farther　we　went　south　beyond　latitude　sixty…four
degrees；　the　less　ice　was　to　be　apprehended；　we　steered　a　little　to
the　southward；　until　we　crossed　the　Antarctic　circle；　and　were　in
latitude　69　degrees　15'　E。　In　this　latitude　there　was　no　field　ice；
and　very　few　ice　islands　in　sight。

　　　　　Under　the　date　of　March　fourteenth　I　find　also　this　entry。　The
sea　was　now　entirely　free　of　field　ice；　and　there　were　not　more　than
a　dozen　ice　islands　in　sight。　At　the　same　time　the　temperature　of　the
air　and　water　was　at　least　thirteen　degrees　higher　（more　mild）　than
we　had　ever　found　it　between　the　parallels　of　sixty　and　sixty…two
south。　We　were　now　in　latitude　70　degrees　14'　S。；　and　the　temperature
of　the　air　was　forty…seven；　and　that　of　the　water　forty…four。　In　this
situation　I　found　the　variation　to　be　14　degrees　27'　easterly；　per
azimuth。。。。　I　have　several　times　passed　within　the　Antarctic　circle；
on　different　meridians；　and　have　uniformly　found　the　temperature；
both　of　the　air　and　the　water；　to　become　more　and　more　mild　the
farther　I　advanced　beyond　the　sixty…fifth　degree　of　south　latitude；
and　that　the　variation　decreases　in　the　same　proportion。　While　north
of　this　latitude；　say　between　sixty　and　sixty…five　south；　we
frequently　had　great　difficulty　in　finding　a　passage　for　the　vessel
between　the　immense　and　almost　innumerable　ice　islands；　some　of　which
were　from　one　to　two　miles　in　circumference；　and　more　than　five
hundred　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　water。〃

　　　　　Being　nearly　destitute　of　fuel　and　water；　and　without　proper
instruments；　it　being　also　late　in　the　season；　Captain　Morrell　was
now　obliged　to　put　back；　without　attempting　any　further　progress　to
the　westward；　although　an　entirely　open；　sea　lay　before　him。　He
expresses　the　opinion　that；　had　not　these　overruling　considerations
obliged　him　to　retreat；　he　could　have　penetrated；　if　not　to　the　pole
itself；　at　least　to　the　eighty…fifth　parallel。　I　have　given　his　ideas
respecting　these　matters　somewhat　at　length；　that　the　reader　may　have
an　opportunity　of　seeing　how　far　they　were　borne　out　by　my　own
subsequent　experience。

　　　　　In　1831；　Captain　Briscoe；　in　the　employ　of　the　Messieurs
Enderby；　whale…ship　owners　of　London；　sailed　in　the　brig　Lively　for
the　South　Seas；　accompanied　by　the　cutter　Tula。　On　the　twenty…eighth
of　February；　being　in　latitude　66　degrees　30'　S。；　longitude　47
degrees　31'　E。；　he　descried　land；　and　〃clearly　discovered　through　the
snow　the　black　peaks　of　a　range　of　mountains　running　E。　S。　E。〃　He
remained　in　this　neighbourhood　during　the　whole　of　the　following
month；　but　was　unable　to　approach　the　coast　nearer　than　within　ten
leagues；　owing　to　the　boisterous　state　of　the　weather。　Finding　it
impossible　to　make　further　discovery　during　this　season；　he　returned
northward　to　winter　in　Van　Diemen's　Land。

　　　　　In　the　beginning　of　1832　he　again　proceeded　southwardly；　and　on
the　fourth　of　February　was　seen　to　the　southeast　in　latitude　67
degrees　15'　longitude　69　degrees　29'　W。　This　was　soon　found　to　be　an
island　near　the　headland　of　the　country　he　had　first　discovered。　On
the　twenty…first　of　the　month　he　succeeded　in　landing　on　the