Ледяной сфинкс
Chapter IX. Fitting out the Halbrane
”Whatinexhaustiblepastures,whatanabundanceofthatsavourygrass,thetussock,doesnaturelavishonanimalsthere!Australia,thoughsorichinthisrespect,doesnotsetabetterspreadtablebeforeherovineandbovinepensioners.
TheFalklandsoughttoberesortedtoforthere-victuallingofships.ThegroupsareofrealimportancetonavigatorsmakingfortheStraitofMagellan,aswellastothosewhocometofishinthevicinityofthepolarregions.
Whentheworkonthehullwasdone,Westoccupiedhimselfwiththemastsandtherigging,withtheassistanceofMartinHolt,oursailing-master,whowasverycleveratthiskindofindustry.
Onthe21stofOctober,CaptainLenGuysaidtome:“Youshallsee,Mr.Jeorling,thatnothingwillbeneglectedtoensurethesuccessofourenterprise.Everythingthatcanbeforeseenhasbeenforeseen,andiftheHalbraneistoperishinsomecatastrophe,itwillbebecauseitisnotpermittedtohumanbeingstogoagainstthedesignsofGod.”
“Ihavegoodhopes,captain,asIhavealreadysaid.Yourvesselandhercrewareworthyofconfidence.But,supposingtheexpeditionshouldbemuchprolonged,perhapsthesupplyofprovisions—”
“Weshallcarrysufficientfortwoyears,andthoseshallbeofgoodquality.PortEgmonthasprovedcapableofsupplyinguswitheverythingwerequire.”
”Anotherquestion,ifyouwillallowme?”
“Putit,Mr.Jeorling,putit.
