letters from high latitudes-第39章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ovinces to discover a north…east passage to that dream…landCathay； and each time； after penetrating to the eastward of Nova Zembla； he had been foiled by the impenetrable line of ice。 On this occasion he adopted the bolder and more northerly courses which brought him to Bear Island。 Thence； plunging into the mists of the frozen sea； he ultimately sighted the western mountains of Spitzbergen。 Unable to proceed further in that direction； Barentz retraced his steps； and again passing in sight of Bear Island； proceeded in a south…east direction to Nova Zembla； where his ships got entangled in the ice； and he subsequently perished。
Towards the close of the sixteenth century； in spite of repeated failures； one endeavour after another was made to penetrate to India across these fatal waters。
The first English vessel that sailed on the disastrous quest was the 〃Bona Esperanza。〃 in the last year of King Edward VI。 Her commander was Sir Hugh Willoughby； and we have still extant a copy of the instructions drawn up by Sebastian Cabotthe Grand Pilot of England； for his guidance。 Nothing can be more pious than the spirit in which this ancient document is conceived； expressly enjoining that morning and evening prayers should be offered on board every ship attached to the expedition； and that neither dicing； carding； tabling； nor other devilish deviceswere to be permitted。 Here and there were clauses of a more questionable morality；recommending that natives of strange lands be 〃enticed on board； and made drunk with your beer and wine； for then you shall know the secrets of their hearts。〃 The whole concluding with an exhortation to all on board to take especial heed to the devices of 〃certain creatures； with men's heads； and the tails of fishes； who swim with bows and arrows about the fiords and bays； and live on human flesh。〃
On the 11th of May the ill…starred expedition got under way from Deptford； and saluting the king； who was then lying sick at Greenwich； put to sea。 By the 30th of July the little fleetthree vessels in allhad come up abreast of the Loffoden islands； but a gale coming on； the 〃Esperanza〃 was separated from the consorts。 Ward…huusa little harbour to the east of the North Cape…had been appointed as the place of rendezvous in case of such an event； but unfortunately； Sir Hugh overshot the mark； and wasted all the precious autumn time in blundering amid the ice to the eastward。 At last； winter set in； and they were obliged to run for a port in Lapland。 Here； removed from all human aid； they were frozen to death。 A year afterwards； the ill…fated ships were discovered by some Russian sailors； and an unfinished journal proved that Sir Hugh and many of his companions were still alive in January； 1554。
The next voyage of discovery in a north…east direction was sent out by Sir Francis Cherie； alderman of London； in 1603。 After proceeding as far east as Ward…huus and Kela； the 〃Godspeed〃 pushed north into the ocean； and on the 16th of August fell in with Bear Island。 Unaware of its previous discovery by Barentz； Stephen Bennetwho commanded the expeditionchristened the island Cherie Island； in honour of his patron； and to this day the two names are used almost indiscriminately。
In 1607； Henry Hudson was despatched by the Muscovy Company； with orders to sail； if possible； right across the pole。 Although perpetually baffled by the ice； Hudson at last succeeded in reaching the north…west extremity of Spitzbergen； but finding his further progress arrested by an impenetrable barrier of fixed ice； he was forced to return。 A few years later； Jonas Poolehaving been sent in the same direction； instead of prosecuting any discoveries； wisely set himself to killing the sea…horses that frequent the Arctic ice…fields； and in lieu of tidings of new landsbrought back a valuable cargo of walrus tusks。 In 1615； Fotherby started with the intention of renewing the attempt to sail across the north pole； but after encountering many dangers he also was forced to return。 It was during the course of his homeward voyage that he fell in with the island of Jan Mayen。 Soon afterwards； the discovery by Hudson and Davis； of the seas and straits to which they have given their names； diverted the attention of the public from all thoughts of a north…east passage； and the Spitzbergen waters were only frequented by ships engaged in the fisheries。 The gradual disappearance of the whale； and the discovery of more profitable fishing stations on the west coast of Greenland； subsequently abolished the sole attraction for human being which this inhospitable region ever possessed； and of late years； I understand； the Spitzbergen seas have remained as lonely and unvisited as they were before the first adventurer invaded their solitude。
Twice only； since the time of Fotherby； has any attempt been made to reach the pole on a north…east course。 In 1773； Captain Phipps； afterwards Lord Mulgrave； sailed in the 〃Carcass〃 towards Spitzbergen； but he never reached a higher latitude than 81 degrees。 It was in this expedition that Nelson made his first voyage； and had that famous encounter with the bear。 The next and last endeavour was undertaken by Parry； in 1827。 Unable to get his ship even as far north as Phipps had gone； he determined to leave her in a harbour in Spitzbergen； and push across the sea in boats and sledges。 The uneven nature of the surface over which they had to travel； caused their progress northward to be very slow； and very laborious。 The ice too； beneath their feet； was not itself immovable； and at last they perceived they were making the kind of progress a criminal makes upon the treadmill；the floes over which they were journeying drifting to the southward faster than they walked north； so that at the end of a long day's march of ten miles； they found themselves four miles further from their destination than at its commencement。 Disgusted with so Irish a manoeuvre； Parry determined to return； though not until he had almost reached the 83rd parallel； a higher latitude than any to which man is known to have penetrated。 Arctic authorities are still of opinion； that Parry's plan for reaching the pole might prove successful； if the expedition were to set out earlier in the season； ere the intervening field of ice is cast adrift by the approach of summer。
Our own run to Bear Island was very rapid。 On getting outside the islands； a fair fresh wind sprung up； and we went spinning along for two nights and two days as merrily as possible； under a double…reefed mainsail and staysail； on a due north course。 On the third day we began to see some land birds； and a few hours afterwards； the loom of the island itself； but it had already begun to get fearfully cold； and our thermometer； which I consulted every two hours； plainly indicated that we were approaching ice。 My only hope was that； at all events； the southern extremity of the island might be disengaged； for I was very anxious to land； in order to examine some coal…beds which are said to exist in the upper strata of the sandstone formation。 This expectation was doomed to complete disappointment。 Before we had got within six miles of the shore； it became evident that the report of the Hammerfest Sea…horseman was too true。
Between us and the land there extended an impenetrable barrier of packed ice； running due east and west； as far as the eye could reach。
＇Figure： fig…p162。gif＇
What was now to be done？ If a continuous field of ice lay 150 miles off the southern coast of Spitzbergen； what would be the chance of getting to the land by going further north？ Now that we had received ocular proof of the veracity of the Hammerfest skipper in this first particular； was it likely that we should have the luck to find the remainder of his story untrue？ According to the track he had jotted down for me on the chart； the ice in front stretched right away west in an unbroken line； to the wall of ice which we had seen running to the north； from the upper end of Jan Mayen。 Only a week had elapsed since he had actually ascertained the impracticability of reaching a higher latitude；what likelihood could there be of a channel having been opened up to the northward during so short an interval？ Such was the series of insol
