Ледяной сфинкс

           Butasupplyofwaterwasindispensable,andbesides,itmightbepossibletheretoputtheschoonerinaconditiontocontendwiththeicebergsandgaintheopensea—sinceopenitwasbeyondtheeighty-secondparallel—-infacttoattemptwhatLieutenantWilkesoftheAmericanNavywasthenattempting.

           Thenavigatorsknewatthisperiod,thatfromthemiddleofNovembertothebeginningofMarchwasthelimitduringwhichsomesuccessmightbelookedfor.Thetemperatureismorebearablethen,stormsarelessfrequent,theicebergsbreakloosefromthemass,theicewallhasholesinit,andperpetualdayreignsinthatdistantregion.

           Tristand’Acunhaliestothesouthofthezoneoftheregularsouth-westwinds.Itsclimateismildandmoist.Theprevailingwindsarewestandnorth-west,and,duringthewinter—AugustandSeptember—south.Theislandwasinhabited,from1811,byAmericanwhalefishers.Afterthem,EnglishsoldierswereinstalledtheretowatchtheSt.Helenaseas,andtheseremaineduntilafterthedeathofNapoleon,in1821.SeveralyearslaterthegroupofislandspopulatedbyAmericansandDutchmenfromtheCapeacknowledgedthesuzeraintyofGreatBritain,butthiswasnotsoin1839.MypersonalobservationatthatdateconvincedmethatthepossessionofTristand’Acunhawasnotworthdisputing.InthesixteenthcenturytheislandswerecalledtheLandofLife.

           Onthe5thofSeptember,inthemorning,thetoweringvolcanoofthechiefislandwassignalled;ahugesnow-coveredmass,whosecraterformedthebasinofasmalllake.