Chapter 27 Chapter 4 Night Camping

So Jasper Hobson was right about the breaking point.It was the isthmus that failed to withstand the tremors of the earthquake.There was no trace of the beautiful continent, the cliffs were gone, and the volcano on the west side of the island was gone.A vast expanse of sea. In the southwestern part of the island, the broken corner formed by the loose ice is now in the shape of a sharp point, but the erosion of warm currents and various impacts will obviously make it die inevitably in the future. The explorers then moved forward along the broken coastline, which was almost straight and ran east-west.The fracture is obvious, as if it was cut by a sharp knife.In some places, the soil structure can be seen.The half-ice, half-earth and sand coast rises more than 10 feet above the water.It is extremely steep with no slopes, and several new cuts testify to recent ice avalanches.Sergeant Long even pointed out that two or three small pieces of ice had broken off the shore and melted in the sea.It was supposed that the warm currents would have been more likely to melt this new breach when the surf hit the shore, since it was half covered with a mortar of snow and sand year after year, like the rest of the coast.So this situation is difficult to reassure.

Lady Polina Barnett, Hobson and Sergeant Long wanted to survey the southern ridge of the island before resting.The sun, which moves in a long arc, doesn't set until 11pm, so it doesn't get dark.The brilliant sun was slowly moving on the western horizon, and the slanting sunlight cast long figures of these explorers.Sometimes they talked passionately, and then for a long time they were silent again, questioning the sea and thinking about the future. Jasper Hobson meant to camp at Wapenn Bay.The distance to this place was about eighteen miles, which is to say, if it is rightly assumed, half the distance they traveled around the island.Then after a few hours of rest, when her female companion was resting from her fatigue, he wanted to go back to Fort Hope from the West Coast.

The survey of the new coast, from Walrus Bay to Washipen Bay, did not present any surprises.At seven o'clock in the evening, Jasper Hobson reached his chosen bivouac.The same changes have been made here.All that remains of this side of Washpenn Bay is the long curve formed by the edge of the island, which was formerly bounded on the north by the coast.This bay extends without change to Cape Mitchell for about seven miles.This part of the island appears to have been unscathed by the isthmus break.The pine and birch coppices are thick, and at this time of year they are full of foliage and shade, and a considerable number of fur animals can be seen hopping across the plain.

Lady Polina Barnet stopped at this place with her two traveling companions.If they couldn't see to the north, at least they could look around the southern horizon.The sun drew a flattened arc, and the hills to the west blocked the sun's rays from reaching Washpen Bay.But it was not night yet, not even dusk, for the sun had not yet disappeared. "Lieutenant," Sergeant Long said solemnly, "if the bell is ringing unexpectedly now, what do you think it is?" "The supper bell, Sergeant," answered Jasper Hobson. "I suppose you will agree with us, ma'am?"

"Totally agree," replied the traveler, "since we sit down to eat, please sit down. Here is a moss rug--a bit worn, it should be said--as if it had been laid down for us. " The food package was opened.Dried meat, Madame Jolliff's mince of hare, some biscuits, and that's supper. A quarter of an hour after supper, Jasper Hobson returned to the south-east corner of the island, Lady Polina Barnet sat resting under a fir tree, and Sergeant Long made preparations for the night's bivouac. Lieutenant Hobson wanted to examine the structure of the island and, if possible, how it was formed.The steep bank formed by the collapse of the ice brought him to the river's edge, and from here he could observe the sheer wall of the whole coastline.

In this place, the earth is only 3 feet above the water.Its upper part is a fairly thin layer of earth and sand mixed with shell fragments.Its lower part is made of dense ice, so hard that it seems to be made of metal, and thus it bears the humus of the island. This layer of solid ice only rises 1 foot above the water.At this new break, the principles of ice distribution can be clearly seen.Its cross-section seems to show that the years of constant freezing occurred in relatively calm water. It is known that freezing begins above the water, and then, if the severe cold persists, the thickness of the solid ice increases from top to bottom.At least, that's the case in still water.Conversely, with running water, it is known that the freezing begins at the bottom and slowly rises to the surface.

But as for the ice at the bottom of Victoria Island, there is no doubt that the ice along the coast of the beautiful mainland was formed in still water.Obviously, its ice layer started from above, so the melting must start from below.When ice cubes encounter warm water, they melt and their thickness decreases.Thus, the level of the island is likewise lowered compared to the level of the sea. This is the greatest danger. As we have just said, Jasper Hobson noticed the solidified layers of the island, that is, the ice was only about a foot above the surface of the sea.However, it is known that up to four-fifths of an ice floe can be submerged in water.An ice field and an iceberg, if there is a foot above the water, there are four feet under the water.However, it should be pointed out that the density, or specific gravity, of floating ice varies according to its composition and origin.Ice cubes frozen from seawater are porous, opaque, and blue or green in sunlight, and they are lighter than ice cubes frozen from fresh water.The surface of the ice cube is slightly higher than the sea.The bottom of Doria Island must have been made of frozen sea water.So, after taking all this into account, and noting the weight of the mineral and vegetable layers on the ice, Jasper Hobson came to the conclusion that its submerged thickness should be four or five feet Left and right, as for the various topographical undulations on the island, they only have a significant effect on the surface composed of mud and sand. It is believed that, generally speaking, the underwater part of a floating island will not exceed five feet.

This observation made Jasper Hobson extremely worried.Only five feet!Even without the melting of the ice sheet, wouldn't a small impact fracture its surface?Sea waves caused by violent storms can also cause ice sheets to collapse.Shattered into ice cubes and soon all dissolved?what!In winter, the ice and the mercury column of the thermometer freeze, which is exactly what Lieutenant Hobson hopes for!Only the severe winter in the Arctic can make the bottom of the island firm and thick, and at the same time establish a channel between the island and the mainland. Lieutenant Hobson returned to his resting place.Sergeant Long was making lodgings because he didn't want to spend the night in the open, but the traveler said he could.He told Jasper Hobson that he wanted to build a snow house big enough for three people, which would protect them from the nighttime cold.

"In the country of the Eskimos," he said, "it is wisest to do what the Eskimos do." Jasper Hobson agreed, but cautioned the sergeant not to dig too deep in the frozen ground, which was only five feet thick. Sergeant Lang started to work. With the ax and snow knife he borrowed, he quickly cleared away the soil layer and dug a gentle slope passage directly to the ice cellar.Then he chiseled hard at the brittle mass of ice, which had been buried for centuries by sand and mud. It took less than an hour to dig this subterranean shelter, or cavern in the ice wall, which was well suited for keeping warm, and thus sufficient for several hours of nighttime dwelling.

While Sergeant Long was working like an ant, Lieutenant Hobson came to his lady companion.Informed her of his observations of the natural formations of Victoria Island.He did not hide the anxiety and uneasiness caused by his investigation. He felt that the ice block was not thick enough, which might soon lead to cracks on the surface, and subsequently, unpredictable and therefore unavoidable fractures.The floating island may sink slowly due to the change of specific gravity every moment, or split into many small islands, and its life span will be short.He concluded that, as much as possible, the people of Fort Hope stayed in one place and shared the same opportunities.

Just as Jasper Hobson was saying this, there was a shout. Mrs. Polina Barnett and he were on their feet at once, and they looked about them, at the bushes, at the plain, at the sea. Not a single person. However, the shouting grew louder. "It's Sarge! Sarge!" said Jasper Hobson. Lady Polina Barnett followed him, running to the bivouac. As soon as he reached the opening of the igloo, he found Sergeant Long, who was holding the knife that had been cut into the ice wall with both hands, shouting loudly, but calmly.Only the sergeant's head and arms are visible.While the sergeant was digging the hole, the frozen ground beneath him suddenly gave way, and he fell into the water up to his waist. Jasper Hobson simply said: "persist in!" So he only touched the edge of the hole at the notch, and then he gave the sergeant his hand, and the sergeant grabbed the support point and finally climbed out of the hole. "My God, Sergeant Long!" cried Mrs. Paulina Barnett, "what's happened to you!" "This happened to me, ma'am," said Sergeant Long, shaking like a soaked poodle, "and the permafrost collapsed under me, and I had to take a shower." "But," asked Jasper Hobson, "didn't you heed my warning not to dig too deep in the permafrost!" "Excuse me, Lieutenant, as you can see, I've just dug fifteen inches into the frozen ground, only there seems to be an ice bubble, a hole, and the ice isn't pressing on the water, and I'm falling, as if stepping on it. Broke the ceiling. If I hadn't caught my knife, I'd have plummeted under the island, and that would be real trouble, wouldn't it, ma'am?" "It will be very troublesome, brave sergeant?" replied the traveler, extending her hand to the venerable man. Sergeant Long's explanation was correct.For some reason, probably due to the accumulation of air, the ice in this place formed an arch over the water. It just broke. This kind of layout probably exists in many places on the ice sheet, which makes people uneasy.Where can I be sure that it is a strong place to step on?Wouldn't the land step on the ground as soon as it was pressed?And when people think that under this thin layer of soil and ice is the abyss of the ocean, no matter how strong they are, they will feel palpitations! However, Sergeant Long didn't care much that he had just been flooded, and he wanted to find another place to resume his work as a miner.But this time, Lady Polina Barnet disagreed.She felt that it didn't matter if she spent the night in the open air. The nearby bushes were enough for her and her companions to rest. She firmly opposed Sergeant Long's continued digging.The sergeant had to obey. So the camp was moved to a place more than a hundred feet from the shoreline, where a few pine and birch trees grew here and there, not really a bush.They lit a bonfire out of dry branches around 10:00 p.m. as the sun dipped across the horizon and was about to set for a few hours of rest. Sergeant Long took the opportunity to roast his leg.Jasper Hobson chatted with him well into the evening, and Lady Paulina Barnett joined in now and then, and tried to relieve the lieutenant of melancholy thoughts.It's a starry night in the arctic night, and it's calming.The wind is blowing gently in the fir forest, and the sea seems to be asleep.A long row of waves rose gently on the surface of the sea and disappeared soundlessly around the edge of the island.There is no song of birds in the air, no sound of beasts in the plain.The roaring cedar campfire crackled, and sometimes whispers wafted through the air, magically breaking the silence of the night. "Who can believe it?" said Mrs. Polina Barnett, "that we are adrift on the sea! Indeed, Mr. Hobson, I can hardly believe it, for the sea makes us feel so The tranquility of the world, but it leads us far away irresistibly!" "Yes, ma'am," answered Jasper Hobson, "I must admit that if our transports had a strong floor, if the hull and fuselage were not going to disappear someday, if the hull wouldn't crack someday Open a gap, and, if I know where it's taking us, I'll find a certain amount of fun drifting on the ocean!" "Indeed, Mr. Hobson," continued the traveller, "is there anything more pleasant than our means of transport? We do not feel that we are moving. Our islands move at the same speed as the current. This Isn't it the same phenomenon as a balloon floating in the air? Again, how charming, to travel with your own house, garden, park, land! A floating island, but I think a real island, with a solid and not Sunken pedestals, this is really the most comfortable and amazing vehicle imaginable. People have built hanging gardens, right? Why not someday build floating parks that take us around the world? These parks will be very large, so that people will never feel the waves and have no fear of storms. Maybe when the wind is favorable, they can sail far away? Besides, when people transition from temperate to tropical regions, various tropical plants will bring passengers What a surprise! I even imagine that with those skilful sailors who can control the currents, people will travel to those latitudes they choose, and enjoy the seasons!" Jasper Hobson just smiled and listened to Pauline Barnett's passionate fantasies.This brave woman is so dashing, she herself is like this brave Victoria Island!Yes, since the matter has come to this point, people don't have to complain about this peculiar way of sailing, but there is one condition, that is, the floating island must not be in danger of melting and sinking. The night passed.People slept for a few hours, woke up, had breakfast, and everyone thought it was a good meal.The campfire revived my legs, which were a little stiff from the night's wind chill. At six o'clock in the morning, Mrs Pauline Barnett, Jasper Hobson and Sergeant Long were on the road again. From Cape Mitchell to past Barnet Harbour, the coastline runs from south to north almost in a straight line, some eleven miles long.It didn't appear in the slightest abnormality: nothing seemed to have changed since the isthmus broke.This place is generally low, with no ups and downs.Sergeant Long, following the lieutenant's orders, had erected some markers in the coastal area, which could be used later to see what had changed. Lieutenant Hobson hoped to return to Fort Hope that evening.Mrs Pauline Barnet was also anxious to see her companions and friends again, and the conditions in which they found themselves should not prolong the absence of the station leader. So they took a shortcut and hurried back.By noon the little headland which had once sheltered Barnet Harbor from the easterly wind was passed. It's only eight miles from here to Fort Hope.By four o'clock in the afternoon they had covered the eight miles and returned to the fort.The explorer's return was greeted with cheers by Corporal Jollif.