letters from high latitudes-第4章
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oor； with a basin on one side of him； and a pestle and mortar on the other； used to manufacture my pills； between the paroxysms of his malady； with a decorous pertinacity that could not be too much admired。
Strangely enough； too； his state of unhappiness lasted a few days longer than the eight…and…forty hours which are generally sufficient to set people on their feet again。 I tried to console him by representing what an occasion it was for observing the phenomena of sea…sickness from a scientific point of view； and I must say he set to work most conscientiously to discover some remedy。 Brandy； prussic acid； opium； champagne； ginger； mutton… chops； and tumblers of salt…water； were successively exhibited； but； I regret to say； after a few minutes； each in turn re…exhibited itself with monotonous punctuality。 Indeed； at one time we thought he would never get over it； and the following conversation； which I overheard one morning between him and my servant； did not brighten his hopes of recovery。
This person's name is Wilson； and of all men I ever met he is the most desponding。 Whatever is to be done； he is sure to see a lion in the path。 Life in his eyes is a perpetual filling of leaky buckets； and a rolling of stones up hill。 He is amazed when the bucket holds water； or the stone perches on the summit。 He professes but a limited belief in his star；and success with him is almost a disappointment。 His countenance corresponds with the prevailing character of his thoughts； always hopelessly chapfallen； his voice is as of the tomb。 He brushes my clothes； lays the cloth； opens the champagne； with the air of one advancing to his execution。 I have never seen him smile but once； when he came to report to me that a sea had nearly swept his colleague； the steward； overboard。 The son of a gardener at Chiswick； he first took to horticulture； then emigrated as a settler to the Cape； where he acquired his present complexion； which is of a grass…green； and finally served as a steward on board an Australian steam…packet。
Thinking to draw consolation from his professional experiences； I heard Fitz's voice； now very weak； say in a tone of coaxing cheerfulness；
〃Well； Wilson； I suppose this kind of thing does not last long？〃
The Voice； as of the tomb。 〃I don't know； Sir。〃
Fitz。〃But you must have often seen passengers sick。〃
The Voice。〃Often； Sir； very sick。〃
Fitz。〃Well； and on an average； how soon did they recover？〃
The Voice。〃Some of them didn't recover； Sir。〃
Fitz。〃Well； but those that did？〃
The Voice。〃I know'd a clergyman and his wife as were； ill all the voyage； five months； Sir。〃
Fitz。（Quite silent。）
The Voice； now become sepulchral。〃They sometimes dies； Sir。〃
Fitz。〃Ugh！〃
Before the end of the voyage； however； this Job's comforter himself fell ill； and the Doctor amply revenged himself by prescribing for him。
Shortly after this； a very melancholy occurrence took place。 I had observed for some days past； as we proceeded north； and the nights became shorter； that the cock we shipped at Stornaway had become quite bewildered on the subject of that meteorological phenomenon called the Dawn of Day。 In fact； I doubt whether he ever slept for more than five minutes at a stretch； without waking up in a state of nervous agitation； lest it should be cock…crow。 At last； when night ceased altogether； his constitution could no longer stand the shock。 He crowed once or twice sarcastically； then went melancholy mad： finally； taking a calenture； he cackled lowly （probably of green fields）； and leaping overboard； drowned himself。 The mysterious manner in which every day a fresh member of his harem used to disappear； may also have preyed upon his spirits。
At last； on the morning of the eighth day； we began to look out for land。 The weather had greatly improved during the night； and； for the first time since leaving the Hebrides； the sun had got the better of the clouds； and driven them in confusion before his face。 The sea； losing its dead leaden colour； had become quite crisp and burnished； darkling into a deep sapphire blue against the horizon； beyond which； at about nine o'clock； there suddenly shot up towards the zenith； a pale； gold aureole； such as precedes the appearance of the good fairy at a pantomime farce； then； gradually lifting its huge back above the water； rose a silver pyramid of snow； which I knew must be the cone of an ice mountain； miles away in the interior of the island。 From the moment we got hold of the land； our cruise； as you may suppose； doubled in interest。 Unfortunately； however； the fair morning did not keep its promise； about one o'clock； the glittering mountain vanished in mist； the sky again became like an inverted pewter cup； and we had to return for two more days to our old practice of threshing to windward。 So provoked was I at this relapse of the weather； that； perceiving a whale blowing convenient； I could not help suggesting to Sigurdr； son of Jonas； that it was an occasion for observing the traditions of his family； but he excused himself on the plea of their having become obsolete。
The mountain we had seen in the morning was the south…east extremity of the island； the very landfall made by one of its first discoverers。 ＇Footnote： There is in Strabo an account of a voyage made by a citizen of the Greek colony of Marseilles； in the time of Alexander the Great； through the Pillars of Hercules； along the coasts of France and Spain； up the English Channel； and so across the North Sea； past an island he calls Thule； his further progress； he asserted； was hindered by a barrier of a peculiar nature；neither earth； air； nor sky； but a compound of all three； forming a thick viscid substance which it was impossible to penetrate。 Now； whether this same Thule was one of the Shetland Islands； and the impassable substance merely a fog；or Iceland； and the barricade beyond； a wall of ice； it is impossible to say。 Probably Pythias did not get beyond the Shetlands。＇ This gentleman not having a compass； （he lived about A。D。 864；） nor knowing exactly where the land lay； took on board with him； at starting； three consecrated ravensas an M。P。 would take three well…trained pointers to his moor。 Having sailed a certain distance； he let loose one； which flew back： by this he judged he had not got half…way。 Proceeding onwards； he loosed the second； which； after circling in the air for some minutes in apparent uncertainty； also made off home； as though it still remained a nice point which were the shorter course toward terra firma。 But the third； on obtaining his liberty a few days later； flew forward； and by following the direction in which he had disappeared； Rabna Floki； or Floki of the Ravens； as he came to be called； triumphantly made the land。
The real colonists did not arrive till some years later； for I do not much believe a story they tell of Christian relics； supposed to have been left by Irish fishermen； found on the Westmann islands。 A Scandinavian king； named Harold Haarfager （a contemporary of our own King Alfred's）； having murdered； burnt； and otherwise exterminated all his brother kings who at that time grew as thick as blackberries in Norway； first consolidated their dominions into one realm； as Edgar did the Heptarchy； and then proceeded to invade the Udal rights of the landholders。 Some of them； animated with that love of liberty innate in the race of the noble Northmen； rather than submit to his oppressions； determined to look for a new home amid the desolate regions of the icy sea。 Freighting a dragon…shaped galleythe 〃Mayflower〃 of the periodwith their wives and children； and all the household monuments that were dear to them； they saw the blue peaks of their dear Norway hills sink down into the sea behind； and manfully set their faces towards the west； wheresome vague report had whispereda new land might be found。 Arrived in sight of Iceland； the leader of the expedition threw the sacred pillars belonging to his former dwelling into the water； in order that the gods might determine the site of his new home： carried by the tide； no one could say in what direction； they were at last discovered； at the end of three years； in a sheltered bay on the west side of the island； and Ingol
