fr:Les Aventures du capitaine Hatteras - Seconde partie - 6
March 24th was Palm Sunday,---that day when the streets of the towns and villages of Europe are filled with flowers and leaves; bells are ringing, and the air is filled with rich perfumes. But here, in this desolate country, what sadness and silence! The wind was keen and bitter; not a leaf of foliage was to be seen! But still, this Sunday was a day of rejoicing for our travellers, for at last they were about to find the supplies which would save them from certain death. They hastened their steps; the dogs drew the sledge briskly, Duke barked joyously, and they all soon reached the American ship. The Porpoise was wholly buried beneath the snow; there was no sign of mast, yard, or rigging; all had been lost at the time of the shipwreck; the ship lay on a bed of rocks now completely hidden. The Porpoise was careened to one side by the violence of the shock, her bottom was torn open, so that the ship seemed uninhabitable. This was soon seen by the captain, the doctor, and Johnson, after they had entered the vessel; they had to cut away fifteen feet of ice to get to the hatchway; but to their great joy they saw that the animals, many traces of which were to be seen, had spared the supplies.
“If we have here,” said Johnson, “plenty of food and fuel, this hull does not seem inhabitable.”
“Well, we must build a snow-house,” answered Hatteras, “and
make ourselves as comfortable as possible on the mainland.”
“Without doubt,” continued the doctor; “but don't let us
hurry; let us do things carefully; if need be we can fit out some
quarters in the ship; meanwhile we can build a strong house, capable of protecting us against the cold and wild beasts. I am willing to be the architect, and you'll see what I can do.”
“I don't doubt your skill, Doctor,” answered Johnson; “we'll
make ourselves as comfortable as possible here, and we'll make
an inventory of all that the ship contains; unfortunately, I don't
see any launch, or boat, and these ruins are in too bad a state to
permit of our making a small boat.”
“Who can say?” answered the doctor. “With time and thought
a great deal can be done; now we have not to trouble ourselves
about navigation, but about a house to live in; I propose not to
form any other plans, and to let everything have its turn.”
“That is wise,” answered Hatteras; “let us begin with the
beginning.”
The three companions left the ship, returned to the sledge, and
announced their determination to Bell and the American; Bell
said he was ready to work; the American shook his head, on
learning that nothing could be done with his ship; but since all
discussion would have been idle, they determined at first to take
refuge in the Porpoise, and to build a large building on the
shore.
At four o'clock in the afternoon the five travellers were installed
as comfortably as possible between decks; by means of
spars and fragments of masts, Bell had made a nearly level floor; there they placed coverings stiffened by the frost, which the heat of the stove soon brought back to their natural state; Altamont, leaning on the doctor, was able to make his way to the corner which had been set aside for him; on setting foot on his ship, he had sighed with a feeling of relief, which did not encourage the boatswain.
“He feels at home,” the old sailor thought, “and one would
say that he had invited us here.”
The rest of the day was devoted to repose; the weather threatened
to change under the influence of the westerly winds; the
thermometer outside stood at -26°. In fact, the Porpoise lay
beyond the pole of cold, at a latitude relatively less severe, though farther to the north. On that day they finished the bear, with some biscuits they found on the ship, and a few cups of tea, then fatigue overcame them, and each one sank into a sound sleep.
The next morning they all awoke rather late; they soon recalled
the difference in their situation; they were no longer perplexed
with uncertainty about the morrow; they only thought
of establishing themselves comfortably. These castaways looked
at themselves as colonists who had reached their destination, and, forgetting the sufferings of their long march, they had no other thought than that of securing a comfortable future.
“Well,” said the doctor, stretching his arms, “it's something
not to have to wonder where one will sleep to-night and what one
will have to eat to-morrow.”