the works of edgar allan poe-3-第39部分

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We　were　thus　relieved　from　immediate　danger；　but　our　situation　was
still　sufficiently　gloomy。　We　knew　that　four　canoes　of　the　kind　we
had　were　at　one　time　in　the　possession　of　the　savages；　and　were　not
aware　of　the　fact　（afterward　ascertained　from　our　captive）　that　two
of　these　had　been　blown　to　pieces　in　the　explosion　of　the　_Jane　Guy。
_We　calculated；　therefore；　upon　being　yet　pursued；　as　soon　as　our
enemies　could　get　round　to　the　bay　（distant　about　three　miles）　where
the　boats　were　usually　laid　up。　Fearing　this；　we　made　every　exertion
to　leave　the　island　behind　us；　and　went　rapidly　through　the　water；
forcing　the　prisoner　to　take　a　paddle。　In　about　half　an　hour；　when　we
had　gained　probably　five　or　six　miles　to　the　southward；　a　large　fleet
of　the　flat…bottomed　canoes　or　rafts　were　seen　to　emerge　from　the　bay
evidently　with　the　design　of　pursuit。　Presently　they　put　back；
despairing　to　overtake　us。

~~~　End　of　Text　Chapter　24　~~~

CHAPTER　XXV

WE　now　found　ourselves　in　the　wide　and　deso　late　Antarctic　Ocean；　in
a　latitude　exceeding　eighty…four　degrees；　in　a　frail　canoe；　and　with
no　provision　but　the　three　turtles。　The　long　polar　winter；　too；　could
not　be　considered　as　far　distant；　and　it　became　necessary　that　we
should　deliberate　well　upon　the　course　to　be　pursued。　There　were　six
or　seven　islands　in　sight　belonging　to　the　same　group；　and　distant
from　each　other　about　five　or　six　leagues；　but　upon　neither　of　these
had　we　any　intention　to　venture。　In　coming　from　the　northward　in　the
_Jane　_Guy　we　bad　been　gradually　leaving　behind　us　the　severest
regions　of　ice…this；　however　little　it　maybe　in　accordance　with　the
generally　received　notions　respecting　the　Antarctic；　was　a　fact…
experience　would　not　permit　us　to　deny。　To　attempt；　therefore；
getting　back　would　be　folly　…　especially　at　so　late　a　period　of　the
season。　Only　one　course　seemed　to　be　left　open　for　hope。　We　resolved
to　steer　boldly　to　the　southward；　where　there　was　at　least　a
probability　of　discovering　other　lands；　and　more　than　a　probability
of　finding　a　still　milder　climate。

So　far　we　had　found　the　Antarctic；　like　the　Arctic　Ocean；　peculiarly
free　from　violent　storms　or　immoderately　rough　water；　but　our　…canoe
was；　at　best；　of　frail　structure；　although　large；　and　we　set　busily
to　work　with　a　view　of　rendering　her　as　safe　as　the　limited　means　in
our　possession　would　admit。　The　body　of　the　boat　was　of　no　better
material　than　bark　…the　bark　of　a　tree　unknown。　The　ribs　were　of　a
tough　osier；　well　adapted　to　the　purpose　for　which　it　was　used。　We
had　fifty　feet　room　from　stem　to　stern；　from　four　to　six　in　breadth；
and　in　depth　throughout　four　feet　and　a　half…the　boats　thus　differing
vastly　in　shape　from　those　of　any　other　inhabitants　of　the　Southern
Ocean　with　whom　civilized　nations　are　acquainted。　We　never　did
believe　them　the　workmanship　of　the　ignorant　islanders　who　owned
them；　and　some　days　after　this　period　discovered；　by　questioning　our
captive；　that　they　were　in　fact　made　by　the　natives　of　a　group　to　the
southwest　of　the　country　where　we　found　them；；　having　fallen
accidentally　into　the　hands　of　our　barbarians。　What　we　could　do　for
the　security　of　our　boat　was　very　little　indeed。　Several　wide　rents
were　discovered　near　both　ends；　and　these　we　contrived　to　patch　up
with　pieces　of　woollen　jacket。　With　the　help　of　the　superfluous
paddles；　of　which　there　were　a　great　many；　we　erected　a　kind　of
framework　about　the　bow；　so　as　to　break　the　force　of　any　seas　which
might　threaten　to　fill　us　in　that　quarter。　We　also　set　up　two
paddle…blades　for　masts；　placing　them　opposite　each　other；　one　by
each　gunwale；　thus　saving　the　necessity　of　a　yard。　To　these　masts　we
attached　a　sail　made　of　our　shirts…doing　this　with　some　difficulty；
as　here　we　could　get　no　assistance　from　our　prisoner　whatever；
although　he　bad　been　willing　enough　to　labor　in　all　the　other
operations。　The　sight　of　the　linen　seemed　to　affect　him　in　a　very
singular　manner。　He　could　not　be　prevailed　upon　to　touch　it　or　go
near　it；　shuddering　when　we　attempted　to　force　him；　and　shrieking
out；　_〃Tekeli…Ii！〃_

Having　completed　our　arrangements　in　regard　to　the　security　of　the
canoe；　we　now　set　sail　to　the　south…southeast　for　the　present；　with
the　view　of　weathering　the　most　southerly　of　the　group　in　sight。　This
being　done；　we　turned　the　bow　full　to　the　southward。　The　weather
could　by　no　means　be　considered　disagreeable。　We　had　a　prevailing
andvery　gentle　wind　from　the　northward；　a　smooth　sea；　and　continual
daylight。　No　ice　whatever　was　to　be　seen；　_nor　did　I　ever　see　one
particle　of　this　after　leaving　the　parallel　of　Bennet's　Islet。
_Indeed；　the　temperature　of　the　water　was　here　far　too　warm　for　its
existence　in　any　quantity。　Having　killed　the　largest　of　our
tortoises；　and　obtained　from　him　not　only　food　but　a　copious　supply
of　water；　we　continued　on　our　course；　without　any　incident　of　moment；
for　perhaps　seven　or　eight　days；　during　which　period　we　must　have
proceeded　a　vast　distance　to　the　southward；　as　the　wind　blew
constantly　with　us；　and　a　very　strong　current　set　continually　in　the
direction　we　were　pursuing。

_March　1st_。　｛*7｝…Many　unusual　phenomena　now　…indicated　that　we　were
entering　upon　a　region　of　novelty　and　wonder。　A　high　range　of　light
gray　vapor　appeared　constantly　in　the　southern　horizon；　flaring　up
occasionally　in　lofty　streaks；　now　darting　from　cast　to　west；　now
from　west　to　east；　and　again　presenting　a　level　and　uniform　summit…in
short；　having　all　the　wild　variations　of　the　Aurora　Borealis。　The
average　height　of　this　vapor；　as　apparent　from　our　station；　was　about
twenty…five　degrees。　The　temperature　of　the　sea　seemed　to　be
increasing　momentarily；　and　there　was　a　very　perceptible　alteration
in　its　color。

_March　2d。_…To…day　by　repeated　questioning　of　our　captive；　we　came　to
the　knowledge　of　many　particulars　in　regard　to　the　island　of　the
massacre；　its　inhabitants；　and　customs…but　with　these　how　can　I　now
detain　the　reader？　I　may　say；　however；　that　we　learned　there　were
eight　islands　in　the　group…that　they　were　governed　by　a　common　king；
named　_Tsalemon　_or　_Psalemoun；　_who　resided　in　one　of　the　smallest
of　the　islands；　that　the　black　skins　forming　the　dress　of　the
warriors　came　from　an　animal　of　huge　size　to　be　found　only　in　a
valley　near　the　court　of　the　king…that　the　inhabitants　of　the　group
fabricated　no　other　boats　than　the　flat…bottomed　rafts；　the　four
canoes　being　all　of　the　kind　in　their　possession；　and；　these　having
been　obtained；　by　mere　accident；　from　some　large　island　in'　the
southwest…that　his　own　name　was　Nu…Nu…that　he　had　no　knowledge　of
Bennet's　Islet…and　that　the　appellation　of　the　island　he　had　left　was
Tsalal。　The　commencement　of　the　words　_Tsalemon　_and　Tsalal　was　given
with　a　prolonged　hissing　sound；　which　'we　found　it　impossible　to
imitate；　even　after　repeated　endeavors；　and　which　was　precisely　the
same　with　the　note　of　the　black　bittern　we　had　eaten　up　on　the　summit
of　the　hill。

_March　3d。_…The　heat　of　the　water　was　now　truly　remarkable；　and　in
color　was　undergoing　a　rapid　change；　being　no　longer　transparent；　but
of　a　milky　consistency　and　hue。　In　our　immediate　vicinity　it　was
usually　smooth；　never　so　rough　as　to　endanger　the　canoe…but　we　were
frequently　surprised　at　perceiving；　to　our　right　and　left；　at
different　distances；　sudden　and　extensive　agitations　of　the　surface
these；　we　at　length　noticed；　were　always　preceded　by　wild　flickerings
in　the　region　of　vapor　to　the　southward。

_March　4th。_…To…day；　with　the　view　of　widening　our　sail；　the　breeze
from　the　northward　dying　away　perceptibly；　I　took　from　my　coat…pocket
a　white　handkerchief。　Nu…Nu　was　seated　at　my　elbow；　and　the　linen
accidentally　flaring　in　his　face；　he　became　violently　affected　with
convulsions。　These　were　succeeded　by　drowsiness　and　stupor；　and　low
murmurings　of　_〃'Tekeli…li！　Tekeli…Ii！〃_

_March　_5th。…The　wind　had　entirely　ceased；　but　it　was　evident　that　we
were　still　hurrying　on　to　the　southward；　under　the　influence　of　a
powerful　current。　And　now；　…indeed；　it　would　seem　reasonable　that　we
should　experience　some　alarm　at　the　turn　events　were　taking…but　we
felt　none。　The　countenance　of　Peters　indicated　nothing　of　this
nature；　although　it　wore　at　times　an　expression　I　could　not　fathom。
The　polar　winter　appeared　to　be　coming　on…but　coming　without　its
terrors。　I　felt　a　_numb_ness　of　body　and　mind…a　dreaminess　of
sensation　but　this　was　all。

_March　6th。_…The　gray　vapor　had　now　arisen　many　more　degrees　above
the　horizon；　and　was　gradually　losing　its　grayness　of　tint。　The　heat
of　the　water　was　extreme；　even　unpleasant　to　the　touch；　and　its　milky
hue　was　more　evident　than　ever。　Today　a　violent　agitation　of　the
water　occurred　very　close　to　the　canoe。　It　was　attended；　as　usual；
with　a　wild　flaring　up　of　the　vapor　at　its　summit；　and　a　momentary
division　at　its　base。　A　fine　white　powder；　resembling　ashes…but
certainly　not　such…fell　over　the　canoe　and　over　a　large　surface　of
the　water；　as　the　flickering　died　away　among　the　vapor　and　the
commotion　subsided　in　the　sea。　Nu…Nu　now　threw　himself　on　his　face　in
the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and　no　persuasions　could　induce　him　to　arise。

_March　7th。_…This　day　we　questioned　Nu…Nu　concerning　the　motives　of
his　countrymen　in　destroying　our　companions；　but　he　appeared　to　be
too　utterly　overcome　by　terror　to　afford　us　any　rational　reply。　He
still　obstinately　lay　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and；　upon
reiterating　the　questions　as　to　the　motive；　made　use　only　of　idiotic
gesticulations；　such　as　raising　with　his　forefinger　the　upper　lip；
and　displaying　the　teeth　which　lay　beneath　it。　These　were　black。　We
had　never　before　seen　the　teeth　of　an　inhabitant　of　Tsalal。　'

_March　8th。_…To…day　there　floated　by　us　one　of　the　white　animals
whose　appearance　upon　the　beach　at　Tsalal　had　occasioned　so　wild　a
commotion　among　the　savages。　I　would　have　picked　it　up；　but　there
came　over　me　a　sudden　listlessness；　and　I　forbore。　The　heat　of　the
water　still　increased；　and　the　hand　could　no　longer　be　endured　within
it。　Peters　spoke　little；　and　I　knew　not　what　to　think　of　his　apathy。
Nu…Nu　breathed；　and　no　more。

_March　9th。_…The　whole　ashy　material　fell　now　continually　aroun