Chapter 46 Chapter 23 On the Ice Floe

An ice floe!An irregular triangular ice floe, 100 feet wide at the base, and less than 150 feet on the longest side!But on this ice floe, there are 21 people, more than 100 fur animals, several dogs, and that big bear, squatting on the top of this triangular ice floe! yes!All the unfortunate victims are gathered there!Not one of them has yet fallen into the abyss.They were staying in the shed when the island broke.Fate doesn't let them die now, but it is very likely that they will die together if they want to die! What a night, a night in which no one can sleep!No one spoke, and no one tried to do anything.Maybe people's tiny movements!Even the slightest jolt would shatter the floe, wouldn't it? !

Mrs. Jolliff shared the jerky with everyone, but no one touched it. What's the point of eating now? Most of the victims spent the night in the open air. They would rather be swallowed by the sea so freely than die in a narrow wooden house! The next day was June 5th, and a fiery red sun rose again over the heads of the victims.They still rarely speak to each other.They try not to look at the other companions as much as possible.Only a few people glanced blankly at the distant horizon. The sea is vast, and nothing can be seen on the sea.Not a shadow of a sail, not a floating Iceland, not a small island.It seems that the ice floe they are on is the last ice floe in the Bering Sea!

Temperatures are rising.Not a breath of wind.There was an eerie silence all around.Only gentle waves are gently shaking the last remaining piece of ice and shattered soil on Victoria Island.It was gently lifted and lowered by the waves in place, like a drifting object, but it will not drift again! And a floating thing, the remnants of a ship's frame, a section of a mast, a few broken mast towers, a few planks, they can float on the sea, can withstand the wind and waves, and will not melt!And a piece of floating ice, a pile of water condensation, as long as the sun shines, it will disappear without a trace!

This shows that this floating ice used to be the thickest part of the island, so it has persisted until now.It is also covered with a layer of soil and green plants. It can be imagined that the ice shell here is quite thick.Over the past centuries, when Bathurst Point was the most prominent part of America, the long-term severe cold of the Arctic Ocean had "frozen through" here. At this moment, the average height of the ice pack above the water was 5 to 6 feet.It can be speculated that its bottom is still so thick.In the still water it does not break, but melts away slowly.At the edge of the ice floe, people can see that the waves are constantly devouring it, and they watch the soil layers connected with green plants collapse into the sea water.

About one o'clock that night there was another such collapse in the place occupied by the sheds just on the edge of the ice pack.Fortunately, there was no one in the shed, and people only had time to grab a few planks and two or three beams.Most of the astronomical instruments and appliances were lost!All the people gathered at the highest point of the ice floe, and there was nothing around them for shelter. There were a few tools left, the gas cartridges and tanks, which Lieutenant Hobson had used to catch gallons of rainwater for drinking when it rained.In fact, it was no longer possible to collect ice cubes from the ground for drinking water.Every piece of ice is vital to them.

At about four o'clock, the soldier, Cayley, who had become somewhat insane, found Mrs. Barnet, and said to her in a calm tone: "Ma'am, I want to throw myself into the sea." "Glory?" cried the traveler. "I tell you I'm going to throw myself into the sea," repeated Gloria. "I've thought it over. There's no way out for us. I'd rather take my own life." "Glory," said Mrs. Barnet, taking his hand and looking at him calmly, "you can't do that!" "No, madam, you have been so kind to us all that I cannot leave you without saying goodbye. Farewell, madam!"

Kelly walked towards the sea.Mrs Barnett, terrified, held him back desperately.Lieutenant Hobson and Sergeant Hobson heard the shout and came running.They help her to pull Kelley back and keep him from committing suicide.But the unfortunate man clings to the idea of ​​throwing himself into the sea, and just keeps shaking his head. Can this lost mind be brought back?cannot.Moreover, this lunatic's act of committing suicide by throwing himself into the sea will infect others.Who knew that Kelai's desperate partners would not follow him to seek death?Every effort must be made to prevent the suicide of this unfortunate man.

"Glory," whispered Mrs Barnett to him, almost smiling, "do you really have a friendly and sincere affection for me?" "Yes, ma'am," Gloria replied calmly. "Alright then! Gloria, if you're going to die, let's die together...but not today." "lady!……" "No, my brave Gloria, I haven't made up my mind yet... I just want to wait until tomorrow, how about you..." Gloria stared hard at the female traveler. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then cast a sharp glance at the sparkling sea, and then covered his eyes with his hands:

"Tomorrow!" he said. After saying these two words, he walked back to his companions with calm steps. "What a poor man!" murmured Mrs. Barnett. "I want him to wait until tomorrow, but between now and then, who will know that we won't sink to the bottom of the sea together! . . . " Jasper Hobson passed the night without moving on the sand.He wondered if there was some way to keep the ice pack from melting, to keep the status quo until he could see a piece of land. Both Mrs Barnet and March did not leave for a minute.Karuma was lying beside Mrs. Barnet, trying to warm her body. Mrs. Mac Knapp was drowsy, wrapped in the few remaining animal skins stored in Fort Hope, with the child in her arms.

Stars twinkle in the crystal clear night sky.The people who died lay there motionless, like dead bodies abandoned on the beach.Not a sound broke the terrible stillness of the repose.Only the waves are still eroding the ice floes, and some small collapse sounds can be heard from time to time. Sergeant Long stood up sometimes, and he looked around, listening for movement in the darkness.After a while, he was lying on the ground again.On the other side of the ice floe, the big bear stayed there like a big snowball. Another night passed without incident!The slightly yellowish mist in the morning is spreading to the east.The clouds gradually receded, and the sun quickly illuminated the sea.

The lieutenant's first act was to observe the condition of the ice floe with his eyes.The ice floe is still shrinking in circumference, and what's more, its average height above the sea has decreased significantly again.Some places have been swept by the gentle sea, only the top of the hill, the sea has not yet reached. Sergeant Long had also observed changes in the night, the melting was so obvious that he had given up hope now. Lady Paulina Barnett finds Lieutenant Hobson. "Maybe today is the last day?" she asked him. "Yes, ma'am," replied the Lieutenant, "you are fulfilling your promise to Gloria!" "Mr. Jasper," said the traveller, gravely, "have we done all that we should?" "Yes, ma'am." "Okay then, we have to obey God's arrangement!" On this day, however, one last desperate attempt was made.There was a strong north-west wind blowing over the sea, blowing violently to the southeast, and in that direction the Aleutian Islands lay.How far is the distance?No one could know, for since the loss of measuring instruments it has been impossible to determine the position of the pack ice.However, as there had been no wind, so long as the ice pack was not swept up by the waves, it would not deviate very much from its position. However, there is still a question, and that is, what if the ice floe was closer to land than the victims thought?What if people were unknowingly carried closer to the Aleutian Islands by a current?The wind was blowing in the direction of the archipelago, and if the wind could be harnessed, the ice would move quickly.The ice floes can float on the sea for a few more hours, and people may see land appear in a few hours, and even if they cannot see land, they may still encounter a ship or fishing boat sailing along the coast. An idea, at first a little vague, popped into Lieutenant Hobson's mind, and then quickly became clear.Why not hoist a sail on this floe as well as a raft?This is actually very easy to do. Jasper Hobson told the master carpenter his idea. "You're right," said Mike Knapp, "we've got all our sails up." The plan, however remote its chances of success, inspired the confidence of these unfortunate souls at once.Is there any other way besides this?Didn't they cling to any sliver of hope just now? Everyone immediately got into intense work, even Gloria, who hadn't had time to remind Mrs. Barnett of her promise. A beam that had formerly served as a roof in the soldiers' hut was buried deep in the sand of the knoll.People used ropes as static ropes and stays to fix it firmly.People used wooden poles as beams, and used the remaining blankets and bedding as sails, and hung them high on the mast.This sail, or it can be said to be a hodgepodge of sail tents, was swelled by the strong wind immediately after it was oriented, driving the ice floes to quickly move towards the southeast. It worked!In the hearts of these desperate people, the hope of life was rekindled.Everyone was glad that the ice floe was advancing instead of standing still, although not at a rapid pace.Carpenters are especially pleased with such a result.Moreover, everyone was a lookout at this time, and people stared ahead, searching the horizon, and they would never believe anyone who told them that land would not appear now! But the land did not appear. The ice floe advanced for three hours on the calm sea.It is not against the wind and the current, but is advancing smoothly.But what people see is still the semicircular horizon. In the pure and quiet sky, there is no shadow of land.But these unfortunate people still hold out hope. About three o'clock in the afternoon Lieutenant Hobson took Sergeant Long aside and said to him: "We're moving forward, but it all depends on how solid the floe is and how long it lasts." "Lieutenant, do you mean..." "I mean the ice pack melts fast as it skids over the water, because it keeps wearing and breaking, and it's been a third smaller again since we set sail." "Are you sure..." "Absolutely, Sergeant. The ice is growing longer and thinner. You see, the water is not ten feet from the hill." What Lieutenant Hobson said was true, the ice floe was advancing rapidly after setting sail, and melting rapidly at the same time. "Sergeant," Lieutenant Hobson asked again, "do you think the advance should be halted?" "I think," Sergeant Long replied after a moment's thought, "I think we should ask everyone's opinion. It's time for everyone to make a decision." The lieutenant agreed.The two returned to the hill again, and Lieutenant Hobson reported the situation to everyone. "The speed at which the ice floe is advancing now," he said, "is causing it to melt rapidly. This may bring the inevitable disaster forward by hours. Let us all decide, my friends. Are we going to keep going like this? ?” "keep going!" This is the unanimous answer of all unfortunate people. So the voyage continued, and the decision had unintended consequences for them. At six o'clock in the evening, Madge stood up, pointed to a black spot in the southeast, and called: "land!" Everyone suddenly stood up as if they had been electrocuted.Indeed, a piece of land emerged to the southeast, about twelve miles from the ice pack. "More slats, more slats!" cried Lieutenant Hobson. Everyone understands what he means.The area of ​​the tent has increased.People used clothes, animal skins, in short, everything that can make wind. The harder the wind blows, the faster it goes.And the various parts of the ice floe are constantly melting.People can already feel the vibration under their feet.The floe could break at any moment. People don't think about it anymore.Hope is at hand.The land is there, and if you land on it, you will be saved.People were calling, signaling, and being madly happy. At half past seven, the ice floe was quite close to the coast.But it melted faster, seeing it sinking, level with the sea level, and the waves came up from time to time, and were carrying away the terrified animals.Now, people are afraid all the time that the ice floe will fall into the abyss!Like a sinking ship, its burden should be lightened.Subsequently, people carefully spread the remaining sand on the ice floe on the edge of the ice floe to block the sunlight from directly shining on the ice surface.Everyone also spread animal skins on it, because animal skins are not easy to transfer heat.In short, people devised all means to delay the disaster as long as possible.However, all these measures are not enough.People have heard the sound of cracking inside the ice floe, and the cracks have spread to the surface of the ice floe.It looks like the block of ice will break completely soon. Night is falling, and these unfortunate people don't know what to do!What method can be used to speed up the progress?Several picked up the planks and started paddling.4 miles to the coast. Night has fallen.It was a gloomy night with no moon in the sky. "Come on! Signal, my friends!" shouted Lieutenant Hobson, encouraging everyone. "People on the shore may see us!" People gathered together all the remaining things that could be ignited, two boards and a beam, and lit a fire.Immediately, a pile of flames rose on the field... However, the floe is melting more and more, and it is sinking.Before long, only the mound was left floating on the water!Where did the terrified people move, and with them were the few remaining animals that hadn't been swallowed by the sea.The white bear let out several terrible roars. The water keeps rising.There was no sign anyone saw their signal.It is certain that they will sink to the bottom of the sea in less than a quarter of an hour... Is there no way to prolong the existence of this ice floe?As long as it can be extended for 3 hours, as long as 3 hours, it is possible to reach the land 3 miles away by the wind!But what can be done?what can we do about it? "Ah!" cried Jasper Hobson. "Is there no way to stop this ice from melting? If I could find such a way, I would give my life for it! Yes! My life!" At this time, someone responded simply: "There is a way!" It was Thomas Blake who spoke!It was this astronomer who had not spoken for so long that even among the condemned he was considered as dead as a dead man.And the first thing he said was: "Yes, there is a way to delay the melting of the ice! There is a way to save us!" Lieutenant Hobson immediately ran to Thomas Black.He and his companions watched the astronomer helplessly.They all thought they heard it wrong. "What way?" Lieutenant Hobson asked eagerly. "Use the air pump!" Thomas Blake said only three words. Is he crazy?Did he think the ice floe was a sinking ship with 10 feet of water in its bilge? However, the air pump and the air tank used to hold the drinking water are still there.How can this air pump work?How to use it to keep the ice cubes that are melting everywhere? "He's crazy!" said Sergeant Long. "Bring the pump!" the astronomer repeated. "Fill the tank with air!" "Do as he says!" cried Mrs Barnet. The air pump was connected to the gas tank, and the lid of the gas tank was opened and closed.The air pump delivers air to the air tank, which quickly reaches several atmospheres of pressure.Then Thomas Blake took a leather tube attached to the air tank and pointed it at the edge of the ice floe. As soon as he opened the tube, the compressed air rushed out. He walked along the ice floe, and wherever the compressed gas went The heat dissipated quickly. Everyone was taken aback, this method really works!The astronomers were so angry that the melting there stopped immediately, and the cracks closed again and filled with ice! "Ulla! Ulla!" shouted all those in distress. Compressing the air pump is tiring work, but there is labor!Everyone takes turns.The ice layer hardened again, as if it had encountered another severe cold. "You saved everyone, Mr. Black," said Jasper Hobson. "As it should!" the astronomer replied simply. In fact, this is nothing more than a natural thing, which is the result of physical effects. The ice hardened again for two reasons: first, the cold was produced when the water evaporated on the surface of the ice under the action of air pressure; The surface of the ice condensed again.Wherever there is a crack, the cold generated there will immediately recondense the edges of the crack as soon as the expanding compressed gas arrives.In this way, the floating ice gradually returned to its original state. And so on for several hours!Unhappy people are now full of hope of life again, and their work enthusiasm is incomparably high! Finally approaching land. When it was a quarter of a mile from the shore, the white bear jumped into the sea and swam towards the shore, and soon swam to the shore, and soon disappeared. After a while, the ice floe ran aground on the beach.The few remaining animals soon disappeared into the darkness as well.Then, the victims landed one after another, knelt on the shore, and thanked God for saving their lives.