The Cruise of the Snowbird: A Story of Arctic Adventure
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ice to be seenin the bay. Shouldn't I like to go on shore once more before we start,to cull a flower, or make a sketch."
"Well, Rory," said McBain, smiling at his enthusiasm, "that is a wish wecan easily gratify if you really think you are strong enough."
"Strong!" said Rory, "why, I'm strong enough to fell an ox. You've noidea how strong I feel; nor how happy at being strong again."
"Happy and thankful at the same time, I trust," said McBain.
"Ay," put in Allan, "and you've no idea, Rory, how delighted we all areto have you on deck again, and really with us, you know."
Rory smiled with pleasure. He felt the genuineness of the words spoken.
They spent that day on shore quietly, and very pleasurably. They soughtfor no wild adventures, they sought but to saunter about and enjoy thebeauties of the landscape; it would be the last ever they would spend inthat lovely land, and they meant to leave it in peace. They wouldneither draw a bead upon a bird, nor fire at a bear, nor lure a fishfrom the river.
It was not without a certain feeling of sadness they embarked at last,when the day was far spent; and the same feeling stole over them when,next day, they got the anchor up and slowly sailed away a-down the baywith the jibboom pointing east and by north. By mid-day they wereopposite the spot where they had anchored all the winter. The new hallwhich Ap had been so proud of constructing still stood there in all itspristine beauty and pride.
"It does seem a pity," said Ap, "to leave it to the Indians."
"Ah! but," said McBain, who had overheard him, "it would be a greaterpity to land and burn it, wouldn't it, Ap?"
"Yes, look, you see," was Ap's reply, his eyes still fondly resting onthe building, "I wouldn't think of that for a moment. Better theIndians than that. Yes, yes."
When the sun set that day the land was far away on the lee quarter; bymorning it had entirely disappeared, and all the adventures they hadenjoyed on shore seemed to our heroes like one long wild romantic dream.Ere the second day had come to a close every one on board had quitesettled down again to the old yachting roving life, at once so jolly andso free. Watches were kept as before, the dinner-hour was changed to anearlier one, as it usually is at sea and a regular lookout was kept atthe bows, as well as a man at the mast-head in the crow's-nest.
There was need for this, too, for the ice they soon found themselvesamong was both heavy and dangerous. On this account the _Snowbird's_head was changed a few points nearer to the west, and very soonafterwards the sea became more open and clear.
A goodly ten-knot breeze blew steadily for days from the east, andcarried them well over to the land that bounds the opposite shores ofthe Hudson Bay, and the course had once more to be changed for anortherly one, to seek for the straits, and the icebergs again toweredaround, mountains high, great gomerils of snow, that at times took thewind quite out of their sails. This passage through the straits was atonce exciting and dangerous, and for three whole days and nights McBainnever slept, and very seldom did he sit more than a few minutes attable.
But open water came at last, and they would probably see no more of theice until they rounded Cape Farewell, and neared the shores of Iceland.But something had to be done long before then. It must not be forgottenthat on the far northern coast of Labrador, in a wild and mountainouslonely land, was the home of honest but eccentric old trapper Seth.McBain had promised to take him back, and a sailor's promise is, orought to be at all events, a sacred thing. McBain's was.
"But, for all that," said McBain, addressing Seth, "we shall beunfeignedly sorry to part with you; we would far rather you came homewith us, and took up your abode at Arrandoon. We'd find you somethingto do, something to shoot at times, though nothing to compare with theglorious sport we've enjoyed in your society."
"And, thanking you a thousand times," replied Seth, "but I guess andcalculate that at his time of life, civilisation would kind o' goagainst the grain of old Seth."
"And yet," persisted McBain, "it does seem sad for you to go away backagain to that lone wilderness into voluntary exile. What will you dowhen you fall ill? We all must die, you know."
"Bless you, sir," said Seth, "we old trappers don't mind dying a bit.We're just like the deer of the forest. We seldom sicken for more thanabout an hour. We simply falls quietly asleep and wakes no more underthe moon."
So no more was said to Seth in order to dissuade him from his intentionof going home, as he called it. But when Seth's cape was sighted atlast, it was quite evident that our heroes had no intention ofpermitting him to go away empty-handed. They could not pay him for hisservices in coin. That would have been of little avail for a man in hisposition.
But a boat-load of stores of every kind was sent on shore with him, andSeth found himself richer by far than ever he had expected to be in hislife.
"Hurrah!" cried Seth, when he had reached his clearing and found his cotstill standing, "hurrah! the blueskins have been here, I can see theirtrails all about. What a blessing I buried my waliables. They hain'tbeen near the place."
The crew of the _Snowbird_ helped the old man to dig up "his waliables,"and he pronounced them all intact and untouched. They also did all theycould to reinstate him in comfort in his cottage.
Then, with three ringing cheers, and many a hearty good-bye andhand-shake, away they went to their yacht, and left poor Seth andPlunket to their loneliness.
CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
THE CONSULTATION--BEARING UP FOR HOME--THE WANDERERS' RETURN.
On the twentieth day of July, eighteen hundred and ever so much, butjust one month from the day they had landed the Yankee trapper in thewild country in which he was monarch of all he surveyed, the brave yacht_Snowbird_, after many never-to-be-forgotten dangers and trials, hadreached the latitude of 81 degrees north, and was far to the east ofSpitzbergen. It is a month since we have seen her, and how she islying-to in front of a tremendous bar of ice, through which she hastried, but tried in vain, to force a passage. All that men could do hasbeen done to penetrate farther towards the mysterious regions around thePole, and now a group of anxious men are assembled deep in consultationin the saloon. The centre figures of this group are McBain and weirdold Magnus. The former is standing, with arms folded and lowered brow,gazing calmly down on the table, where is spread out an old and tatteredchart,--an old and tattered chart, tapped fiercely by the thin skinnyfingers of Magnus, as leaning over the table he gazes up almost wildlyat the deep, thoughtful countenance of his commander.
Allan and Ralph are leaning over the backs of chairs, and Rory isleaning on the shoulder of Ralph, but every eye is fixed upon thecaptain.
Stevenson and the mate of the _Trefoil_ form a portion of the group;they are seated a little way from the others, but are none the lessearnest in looks and appearance.
"Behold what we have already borne!" Magnus was saying excitedly, infierce, fast words. "See what we have already come through in our goodyacht; storms have howled around us; tempests have raged; the sea hasbeen churned into foam, blown into whitest smoke, like the surf of thewild Atlantic when the storm spirit shrieks among the crags of Unst, buthas she not come bravely through it all? Mighty bergs have tried toclutch her, but she has eluded their slippery grasp, and now, though herplanks are scraped by their sides, till, fore and aft, she is as whiteas the _Snowbird_ you call her, is she not as strong and as dauntless asever? What is there to come through, that we have not already comethrough? What is it the yacht has to dare, that she has not alreadydared? You sent for old Magnus to ask his advice; he gives it. Here inthat spot lies the Isle of Alba in a sea of open water. And wealthuntold lies there! Eastward--I say eastward still--and eastward, foronly by going eastward as heretofore, can you get north. Magnus hasspoken."
"I will weigh all you have said, my good friend Magnus," was McBain'sreply. He spoke quietly and distinctly, with head a little on one side;"but, before coming to a conclusion of any kind, I should like to hearthe opinions of our shipmates. The mate of the unfortunate _Trefoi
l_there has had longer experience of these regions than any of us, baryourself, bold Magnus. What says he? Does he think there is a sea ofopen water around the Pole?"
"It is my humble belief there is," said the mate; "and, leaving asideall selfish reasons, I am with you, heart and soul, if you attempt toreach it this season."
"Spoken like a man," said McBain; "but do you think that, with icebefore us, like what you see, there is a possibility of reaching it in asailing-ship?"
"You ask me a straightforward question," said the mate, "and in the samefashion I answer you. I do not believe there is the slightest chance ofour doing so. Brave hearts can do a great deal in this world, but,unaided