letters from high latitudes-第30章
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there was any access at all to the island； it was very evident it would be on its northern or eastern side； and now that we were alone； to keep on knocking up through a hundred miles or so of ice in a thick fog； in our fragile schooner； would have been out of the question。
The ship's course； therefore； having been shaped in accordance with this view； I stole back into bed and resumed my violated slumbers。 Towards mid…day the weather began to moderate； and by four o'clock we were skimming along on a smooth sea； with all sails set。 This state of prosperity continued for the next twenty…four hours； we had made about eighty knots since parting company with the Frenchman； and it was now time to run down West and pick up the land。 Luckily the sky was pretty clear； and as we sailed on through open water I really began to think our prospects very brilliant。 But about three o'clock on the second day； specks of ice began to flicker here and there on the horizon； then larger bulks came floating by in forms as picturesque as ever（one； I particularly remember； a human hand thrust up out of the water with outstretched forefinger； as if to warn us against proceeding farther）； until at last the whole sea became clouded with hummocks that seemed to gather on our path in magical multiplicity。
Up to this time we had seen nothing of the island； yet I knew we must be within a very few miles of it； and now； to make things quite pleasant； there descended upon us a thicker fog than I should have thought the atmosphere capable of sustaining； it seemed to hang in solid festoons from the masts and spars。 To say that you could not see your hand； ceased almost to be any longer figurative； even the ice was hidexcept those fragments immediately adjacent； whose ghastly brilliancy the mist itself could not quite extinguish； as they glimmered round the vessel like a circle of luminous phantoms。 The perfect stillness of the sea and sky added very much to the solemnity of the scene； almost every breath of wind had fallen； scarcely a ripple tinkled against the copper sheathing； as the solitary little schooner glided along at the rate of half a knot or so an hour； and the only sound we heard was the distant wash of waters； but whether on a great shore； or along a belt of solid ice； it was impossible to say。 In such weather； as the original discoverers of Jan Mayen said under similar circumstances；〃it was easier to hear land than to see it。〃 Thus； hour after hour passed by and brought no change。 Fitz and Sigurdrwho had begun quite to disbelieve in the existence of the islandwent to bed； while I remained pacing up and down the deck； anxiously questioning each quarter of the grey canopy that enveloped us。 At last； about four in the morning； I fancied some change was going to take place； the heavy wreaths of vapour seemed to be imperceptibly separating； and in a few minutes more the solid roof of grey suddenly split asunder； and I beheld through the gapthousands of feet overhead； as if suspended in the crystal skya cone of illuminated snow。
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You can imagine my delight。 It was really that of an anchorite catching a glimpse of the seventh heaven。 There at last was the long…sought…for mountain actually tumbling down upon our heads。 Columbus could not have been more pleased when； after nights of watching； he saw the first fires of a new hemisphere dance upon the water； nor； indeed； scarcely less disappointed at their sudden disappearance than I was； when； after having gone below to wake Sigurdr； and tell him we had seen bona fide terra…firma； I found； on returning upon deck； that the roof of mist had closed again； and shut out all trace of the transient vision。 However； I had got a clutch of the island； and no slight matter should make me let go my hold。 In the meantime there was nothing for it but to wait patiently until the curtain lifted； and no child ever stared more eagerly at a green drop…scene in expectation of 〃the realm of dazzling splendour〃 promised in the bill； than I did at the motionless grey folds that hung round us。 At last the hour of liberation came： a purer light seemed gradually to penetrate the atmosphere； brown turned to grey； and grey to white； and white to transparent blue； until the lost horizon entirely reappeared； except where in one direction an impenetrable veil of haze still hung suspended from the zenith to the sea。 Behind that veil I knew must lie Jan Mayen。
A few minutes more； and slowly； silently； in a manner you could take no count of； its dusky hem first deepened to a violet tinge； then gradually lifting； displayed a long line of coastin reality but the roots of Beerenbergdyed of the darkest purple； while； obedient to a common impulse； the clouds that wrapped its summit gently disengaged themselves； and left the mountain standing in all the magnificence of his 6；870 feet； girdled by a single zone of pearly vapour； from underneath whose floating folds seven enormous glaciers rolled down into the sea！ Nature seemed to have turned scene…shifter； so artfully were the phases of this glorious spectacle successively developed。
Althoughby reason of our having hit upon its side instead of its narrow endthe outline of Mount Beerenberg appeared to us more like a sugar…loaf than a spirebroader at the base and rounder at the top than I had imagined； in size； colour； and effect； it far surpassed anything I had anticipated。 The glaciers were quite an unexpected element of beauty。 Imagine a mighty river of as great a volume as the Thamesstarted down the side of a mountain； bursting over every impediment；whirled into a thousand eddies；tumbling and raging on from ledge to ledge in quivering cataracts of foam；then suddenly struck rigid by a power so instantaneous in its action； that even the froth and fleeting wreaths of spray have stiffened into the immutability of sculpture。 Unless you had seen it； it would be almost impossible to conceive the strangeness of the contrast between the actual tranquillity of these silent crystal rivers and the violent descending energy impressed upon their exterior。 You must remember； too； all this is upon a scale of such prodigious magnitude； that when we succeeded subsequently in approaching the spotwhere with a leap like that of Niagara one of these glaciers plunges down into the seathe eye； no longer able to take in its fluvial character； was content to rest in simple astonishment at what then appeared a lucent precipice of grey…green ice； rising to the height of several hundred feet above the masts of the vessel。
As soon as we had got a little over our first feelings of astonishment at the panorama thus suddenly revealed to us by the lifting of the fog； I began to consider what would be the best way of getting to the anchorage on the westor Greenland side of the island。 We were still seven or eight miles from the shore； and the northern extremity of the island； round which we should have to pass； lay about five leagues off； bearing West by North； while between us and the land stretched a continuous breadth of floating ice。 The hummocks； however； seemed to be pretty loose with openings here and there； so that with careful sailing I thought we might pass through； and perhaps on the farther side of the island come into a freer sea。 Alas！ after having with some difficulty wound along until we were almost abreast of the cape； we were stopped dead short by a solid rampart of fixed ice； which in one direction leant upon the land； and in the other ran away as far as the eye could reach into the dusky North。 Thus hopelessly cut off from all access to the western and better anchorage； it only remained to put about； andrunning down along the landattempt to reach a kind of open roadstead on the eastern side； a little to the south of the volcano described by Dr。 Scoresby but in this endeavour also we were doomed to be disappointed； for after sailing some considerable distance through a field of ice； which kept getting more closely packed as we pushed further into it； we came upon another barrier equally impenetrable； that stretched away from the island toward the Southward and Eastward。 Under these circumstances； the only thing to be done was to get back to where the ice was looser； and attemp
