Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Sailing to the Falkland Islands

On the evening of September 8th, I bid farewell to His Excellency the Governor of the Islands, Tristan da Cunha - the official title that the righteous Glass, a former British artillery corporal, self-appointed.The next day, before the sun rose, the "Halbrena" raised its sails. It is needless to say that I had permission from Captain Lan Guy to sail as far as the Falkland Islands.The voyage was two thousand nautical miles, and half a month would suffice as long as the wind went as smoothly as we did from the Kerguelen Islands to the Tristan da Cunha Islands.Captain Lan Guy showed not even a hint of surprise at my request, as if he was waiting for my request.For my part, I was expecting him to bring up the Arthur Pym topic again.Poor Patterson, on the subject of Edgar Allan Poe's writings, confirmed that the captain was right and I was not.Since then, he has been pretending that he has no intention of repeating the old conversation with me.

Although this has not been done until today, it is estimated that he will wait until the appropriate time and place.This does not affect his future plans at all. He has already made up his mind to lead the "Halle Brena" to the remote sea area where the "Jenny" crashed. The ship rounded Herrold Head, and the huts of Ansidron disappeared in the depths of Falmouth Bay.The ship was heading southwest, and a strong easterly wind kept her sailing at full sail. In one morning, we sailed successively through Elephant Bay, Hardy-Lock, West Point, Cotton Bay and Dudley Point.But at least a full day of sailing is considered to be out of sight of the volcano of Tristan da Cunha.The mountain was eight thousand feet high, and the shadows of dusk finally covered its snow-capped summit.

During the week, the sailing was extremely smooth.If this continues, we could see the first tall mountains in the Falkland Islands before the end of September.This voyage will again take us considerably southerly, with the brig going south from latitude thirty-eight to fifty-five degrees south. Now that Captain Lan Guy is about to go into the depths of the Pole, I think it useful and necessary to give a brief account of the previous conquests of the South Pole, or of the vast continent centered thereon.Captain Lan Guy has provided me with books in which the subject is described at great length.And Edgar Allan Poe's complete "Amazing Stories."Under the influence of these recent strange events, I am rereading these works with a real fever.Therefore, I can easily outline the history of the expedition.

Arthur Pym himself thought it necessary to speak of the principal discoveries of the early navigators, but he could only relate to those before 1828.I wrote this work twelve years after him, so it is incumbent upon me to speak of what the other successors did up to the present time, 1839-1840, on the Hallebrena. sailing. From a geographical point of view, this area can be summarized by the general name of "Antarctica", and its area is about 60 degrees south of latitude. In 1772, Captain Cook's "Resolution" and Captain Ferno's "Adventure" encountered an ice floe at 58 degrees south latitude, stretching from northwest to southeast.The two ships, at great risk, traveled through the labyrinth of large ice floes, and in mid-December arrived at 64 degrees south latitude; in January they crossed the polar circle at 67 degrees 15 minutes south latitude, Encountering a large ice pack eight to twenty feet thick made it impossible to proceed further. —Just a few minutes past the polar circle.

In November of the following year, Captain Cook tried again.This time, taking advantage of strong currents, braving fog, high winds, and still biting cold, he passed about 70.5 degrees south latitude and found that the passage was completely blocked by impassable ice packs.The ice cubes were two hundred and fifty to three hundred feet high, and the edges met each other.At 71° 10' south latitude and 106° 54' west longitude, huge icebergs cover the sky. The intrepid British captain failed to make further progress in the Antarctic seas. Thirty years later, in 1803, the Russian expedition led by Captain Kruzinster and Captain Ligiansky marched south along the line 70 degrees 15 minutes west longitude.Although it was March and no ice block blocked the passage, it was not possible to advance beyond 59° 52' S due to a headwind southerly.

In 1818, William Smith first and Barnsfield later discovered the South Shetland Islands; Bothwell discovered the South Orkney Islands in 1820; Palmer He and other seal hunters vaguely discerned Trinity Land, but did not venture further afield. In 1819, the Russian Navy "Orient" and "Peace", under the leadership of Captain Bellingshausen and first mate Lazarev, saw George Island, and after bypassing Sandwich, Continue southward for six hundred nautical miles to 70 degrees south latitude.After that, they tried again at 160 degrees east longitude, but failed to approach the South Pole.However, they discovered the Peter I Islands and Alexander I Islands, which presumably coincided with the landmass pointed out by the American Palmer.

In 1822, Captain James Weddle of the British Navy—if his account is not exaggerating in the slightest—reached an ice-free sea at latitude 74° 15' south—which led him to deny the existence of a Antarctic continent.I also draw your attention to the fact that this navigator traveled the same course as Arthur Pym's "Jenny" followed six years later. In 1823, American Benjamin Morrell drove the two-masted sailing ship "Surf" and made his first expedition in March.He made his way in free-flowing seas where the temperature was 47 degrees Fahrenheit (8.33 degrees Celsius) and the water was 44 degrees (6.67 degrees Celsius). ——His observation results are completely consistent with the observation results obtained by the "Jenny" in the waters of Zalar Island.He first reached latitude 69° 15' south, and later at latitude 70° 14' south.Captain Morrell was quite certain that, had it not been for want of provisions, he would have reached, if not the South Pole, at least the eighty-fifth latitude.In 1829 and 1830, he led the "Antarctic" for the second expedition. From 116 degrees west longitude, without encountering any obstacles, he went straight to 70 degrees 30 minutes south latitude, and discovered South Greenland. .

At the same time that Arthur Pym and William Guy were going further than their predecessors, the Englishmen Foster and Kendall, charged with the task of the British Naval Command, were to determine by the swing of the pendulum at various points Antarctic landscape.They did not go beyond latitude 64° 45' south. In 1830, John Biscoe set out with the "Bass Trumpet" and "London Free Citizens", the owners of which were the Enderberg brothers.They are responsible for polar expeditions and hunt whales and seals.In January 1831, he crossed the 60th parallel of south latitude and reached 68 degrees 51' south latitude on the 10th parallel of east longitude. He encountered an impassable iceberg and stopped.He discovered a large piece of land at 65 degrees 57' south latitude and 45 degrees east longitude, and named it after Enderbe.He did not land.In 1832, on his second expedition, after exceeding 66 degrees, he could not move forward after only 27 minutes.But he found an island, which he named Adelaide Island, a little further on than the continuous highland Graham Land he found.From this expedition the Royal Geographical Society of London concluded that a continent stretched between 47° and 69° east longitude and between 66° and 67° south latitude.Arthur Pym thought this conclusion absolutely unreasonable.He has a point.As Weddell had sailed through these so-called lands, the "Jenny" also proceeded in this direction, far beyond the 74th parallel.

In 1835, Captain Kemp of the British Navy left the Kerguelen Islands and proceeded along the 70th longitude east.He refuted the statement that that area was the surface, and when he reached 66 degrees south latitude, he discovered a coast.It is likely that this coast is interconnected with the Enderberlands.He failed to advance farther south. Finally, so far, at the beginning of 1839, Captain Balleny, under the command of the "Elizabeth and Scott," crossed latitude 67° 7' South on longitude 104° 25' West, on February 7th, A series of islands were discovered, linked together, and named after him.Later, in March, he discovered a land at 65° 10' south latitude and 116° 10' west longitude, which he named Sabrina Land.The seaman, being no more than an ordinary whaler--I learned this afterwards--thus added the exact material which gave a presentiment of the existence of a polar continent, at least in this part of the Antarctic sea.

Finally, as I already pointed out at the beginning of this story, it was at the moment when the Halle Brena was contemplating an expedition that more than any navigator in the period from 1772 to 1839 When they were all going further, Captain Charles Wilkes of the United States Navy led an expedition of four warships, including the "Vincens", "Peacock", "Dolphin", "Flying Fish" and several A companion ship is trying to open a path to the South Pole along the 102nd longitude east longitude.All told, there were nearly five million square nautical miles of Antarctica still to be discovered at that time.

The previous expeditions of the Antarctic seas, conducted by the brig Hallebrena under the command of Captain Lan Guy, preceded the expedition.In general, the most intrepid of the above-mentioned discoverers, or the most patronized by heaven, Kemp surpassed 66 degrees south latitude, Balleny 67 degrees, Biscoe 68 degrees, Bellingshausen and Mo Lehr is 70 degrees, Cook is 71 degrees, Weddell is 74 degrees... and to rescue the survivors of the "Jenny", you have to go beyond 83 degrees south latitude, that is, to go to a place beyond 550 nautical miles! ... I should admit that since encountering the ice floe that contained Patterson's body, I, too, have felt inexplicably overexcited, despite being a practical and naturally unimaginative creature.The abnormal excitement kept me restless day and night.The images of Arthur Pym and his companions abandoned in the wilds of Antarctica haunt me all the time.The desire to take part in the expedition that Captain Lan Guy planned was born in my heart.I've been thinking about this question constantly, and all in all, there's nothing that calls for my immediate return to America.It doesn't matter if I stay out of the US for another six months or a year.The remaining problem is to get permission from the commander of the "Halbrena", which is true.Anyway, why did he refuse to take me as a passenger? ...Prove to me with real evidence that he is the truth and I am a fallacy, take me to the stage of tragedy that I thought was pure fiction, show me the wreck of the "Jenny" on the island of Zalal, let me Was it not a reasonable and satisfying thing to land on an island whose existence I had denied, to have me stand before his brother William, and to face the indisputable fact? I shall wait for an opportunity to confer with Captain Lan Guy before making a final decision. There is no need to worry too much.Ten days had been ideal weather since we set sail from Tristan da Cunha.Then came a twenty-four hours of calm and no wind.Then the wind turned south. The "Halle Brenane" was sailing against the wind, and because of the strong wind, she had to reduce her sails.It turned out that the average distance between sunrise of one day and sunrise of the next day was an average of 100 nautical miles, and it was no longer possible to count on it.The time spent on this voyage must be at least doubled.This estimate does not include storms.Sometimes a storm hits, and ships have to sail with the least amount of sail and sail against or with the wind. Happily—I have testified with my own eyes—the brig withstood the waves without a problem.The shrouds are strong, so you don't have to worry about sailing in full wind.Although the first mate was brave and fearless, and his operating skills were first-class, he still ordered the sail to be drawn down whenever the sea was very windy and might endanger the safety of the ship.There was no need to be afraid of something careless and incompetent about Jem West. From September 22 to October 3, during the twelve days, it was obvious that there was not much walking.The yaw to the coast of America was so severe that we might well have seen Patagonian land had it not been for the current below which held the brig in check and enabled the vessel to withstand some of the wind. During this period of inclement weather I tried in vain to find an opportunity of speaking to Captain Lan Guy alone.Except for meals, he shut himself up in his cabin.As usual, he left command of the ship to his first mate.He himself only came out on deck to measure the sun's height when the weather was clear and the sun was shining.I should add that Jim West was well assisted by the whole crew, headed by the boatswain.It may be very difficult to meet more than a dozen people who are more dexterous, braver and more decisive than them! On the morning of October 4, the conditions of the sky and water changed quite noticeably.The wind calmed down, and the high waves gradually subsided.On the second day, the sea breeze showed a tendency to stabilize in the northwest. We were overjoyed by the changes that people wished this day.Although the wind speed began to increase, the reef belt was untied, and the high sail, second sail, third sail and topmast were hoisted.If the wind held, the watchman at the top of the masthead would report seeing the tallest mountain in the Falklands in less than ten days. From October 5th to October 10th, the sea breeze blows, steady and regular, like a trade wind.There is no need to tension or loosen either lower rear corner cable.Although the wind was gradually decreasing, the direction of the wind was always tailwind. On the afternoon of the 11th, I had been looking for an opportunity to test Captain Lan Guy for a long time, and finally came.He questioned me, offered me the opportunity himself, and it went like this: I was sitting on the leeward side of the longitudinal passage in the deckhouse when Captain Lan Guy came out of his cabin, glanced aft, and sat down beside me.Obviously, he wanted to talk to me.talk about what?Of course it's about what he thinks about day and night.He began the conversation a little higher than his usual whispering voice: "Mr. Geolin, I have not had the honor of speaking with you since we set sail from Tristan da Cunha..." "I deeply regret it, Captain," I replied, with a cautious approach designed to bring him a step closer. "Forgive me," he interjected, "how much trouble has tormented me! . . . to plan an expedition . . . without omissions, inconsiderations . . . Please don't blame me!  … ..." "I don't blame you at all, please believe..." "That's very good, Mr. Geolin. I know you today. I admire you very much, and I'm glad to have you as our passenger as far as the Falkland Islands." "Captain, I am very grateful for everything you have done for me. This has given me courage again to..." I felt that the time had come, and was about to make my request when Captain Lan Guy interrupted me. "Well then, Mr. Georin," he asked me, "are you sure now of the authenticity of the 'Jenny' expedition? You have always regarded the writings of Edgar Allan Poe as pure Is it a fiction?" "No, Captain." "You no longer doubt that Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters really existed, nor that my brother William Guy and his five companions are alive?" "If I still have doubts, then I am the most suspicious person in the world. I only have one wish now, and that is that the heavens will help you and ensure that the people in distress on the 'Jenny' can survive!" "I will do my best, Mr. Geolyn. With God Almighty, I will succeed!" "I hope so, Captain...I'm even sure it must be. If you agree..." "Didn't you have a chance to talk about this with a man named Glass? Ex-Corporal of the British Artillery who claimed to be the Governor of Tristan da Cunha..." Before I could finish, Ran Guy the captain asked again. "Indeed," I replied, "what this man said to me did a great deal to convert me from doubt to belief." "Huh?! Has he convinced you? . . . " "Yes,...he still clearly remembers that when the 'Jenny' was moored eleven years ago, he saw the ship with his own eyes." "The 'Jenny'? My brother? . . . " "I also learned from him that he knew Captain William Gay himself..." "He did business with the 'Jenny'? . . . " "That's right... didn't he just do business with the 'Halbrena' too!" "The 'Jenny' ever anchored in this bay?..." "Same spot as your brig, captain." "What about... Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters?..." "He had frequent contact with them." "Did he ask what happened to them?" "Of course I did. I told him Arthur Pym was dead. He thought he was a man of audacity, a man of imprudence, capable of the most daring madness." "Here is a madman, a dangerous madman, Mr. Georyn. Was it not he who took my poor brother into that miserable expedition?" "Based on his own statement, there is indeed reason to believe that." "And there's a reason never to forget that!" Captain Lan Guy added eagerly. "This Glass," I went on, "knows the Jenny's first mate Patterson too..." "He was a skilled seaman, Mr. Georin, and a warm-hearted man . "As Jem West did to you, Captain." "Ah! Why should we find poor Paterson on this floe, who's been dead for weeks!" "His presence will be of great benefit to your future search efforts," I pointed this out. "That's right, Mr. Georin," said Captain Lan Guy. "Does Glass know where the men in distress on the 'Jenny' are now?" "I've told him, Captain, and I've told him how you're going to rescue these people!" Glass was very surprised that Captain Lan Guy did not come to visit.The ex-artillery corporal, bumbling and vain, waited for someone to call and didn't think it should be him, the governor of Tristan da Cunha, who went first.I don't think it is necessary to say these words. By this time Captain Lan Guy had changed the subject, and said to me: "I want to ask you a question, Mr. Jeolyn. Do you think that everything in Edgar Allan Poe's journal of Arthur Pym is accurate?" "There is much to be reserved, I think," I answered, "because the hero of this adventure is very peculiar. At least some of the phenomena he pointed out in the sea beyond the island of Zalar are too absurd. This is especially true of William Gay and several of his mates. You see, he's categorically saying that they were killed in the Crocker-Crocker Hill collapse, isn't that nonsense? . . . " "No, he didn't say for sure, Mr. Georin!" retorted Captain Lan Guy, "he only said that when he and Dirk Peters reached the mouth of the valley, they could see the fields all around them. The mystery of the artificial earthquake was revealed before them. However, since the slope of the hill had rolled down to the bottom of the valley, the fate of my brother and his twenty-eight men was beyond doubt in his mind. Therefore, he further believed that only He and Dirk Peters, two white guys, stayed on Zalal Island. That's all he said and nothing else! It's just a hypothesis, a very reasonable hypothesis, don't you agree? It's just a hypothesis." "Yes, I admit, Captain." "Thanks to Patterson's notebook, we now know that my brother and his five companions survived the collapse planned by the Aboriginal people..." "This is an obvious fact, Captain. As for the fate of the survivors of the 'Jenny', whether they were captured by the natives of Zalar and are still their captives, or regained their freedom, Patterson's notes There is no mention of it. Even under what circumstances he himself was taken away and left other people, and he did not mention..." "We shall know this, Mr. Georin... Yes! We shall know... The key point is that we can be sure that, less than four months ago, in a certain place on the island of Zalar where my brother and six of his sailors are alive. It is no longer a novel by Edgar Allan Poe, but a true story by Patterson..." "Captain," I said then, "would you like me to remain with you until the end of the Halle Brenaner's expedition across the Antarctic ocean?" Captain Lan Guy stared at me--a gaze as sharp as a knife.He showed no sign of surprise at my proposal just now—perhaps that was what he expected—he only said one word: "it is good!"