Part 47 (1/2)
On that day they could not set foot outside; fortunately their quarters were comfortable, or at least seemed so to the exhausted travellers The little stove worked well, except occasionally when violent gusts drove the smoke into the room; with its heat they could es when the temperature is low
The castaways, for they deserve the name, found the tireeable war, or even indifferent to the future, which threatened with speedy death
The Aradually returned to life; he opened his eyes, but he did not say anything; his lips bore traces of the scurvy, and could not utter a sound; he could hear, and was told where he was and how he got there He ratitude; he saw that he had been saved fro him how very short a tiht or three weeks at the most, their supply of food would be exhausted
Towards midday Hatteras arose and went up to the doctor, Johnson, and Bell
”My friends,” he said to the to take a final resolution as to the course we must follow In the first place, I must ask Johnson to tell me under what circumstances this act of treachery came to pass”
”Why should we know?” said the doctor; ”the fact is certain, we need give it noof it, all the same,” answered Hatteras ”But after I've heard what Johnson has to say, I shall not think of it again”
[Illustration: Johnson's Story]
”This is the way it happened,” went on the boatswain; ”I did all I could to prevent the crime--”
”I am sure of that, Johnson, and I will add that the leaders had been plotting it for soht,” said the doctor
”And I too,” continued Johnson; ”for very soon after your departure, Captain, on the very next day, Shandon, as angry with you and was egged on by the others, took command of the shi+p; I tried to resist, but in vain After that, every one acted as he saw fit; Shandon did not try to control the and privation had gone by Hence there was no econoan to burn the brig The iven theine the abuse they s went on in this way from the 7th to the 15th of January”
”So,” said Hatteras, in a grave voice, ”it was Shandon who incited themore about him Go on, Johnson”
”It was towards January 24th or 25th, that the plan of leaving the shi+p was formed They determined to reach the western coast of Baffin's Bay; from there, in the launch, they could meet whalers, or, perhaps, the settlements on the eastern side Their supplies were abundant; the sick grew better with the hope of reaching hoe for the transport of their food, fuel, and the launch; theit themselves
This occupied the your return, Captain, and yet I feared having you present; you would have had no influence over the creould rather have killed you than have remained on board They ith the hope of escape I took all ht theers of such a journey, as well as the cowardliness of abandoning you I could get nothing, even fro Shandon was ie all the food and liquor it could hold; they took a great deal of wood; the whole larboard side had been cut away to the water-line The last day they passed carousing; they ravaged and stole everything, and it was during this drunkenness that Pen and two or three others set fire to the shi+p I resisted, and struggled against them; they threw me down and struck me; at last, these villains, with Shandon at their head, fled to the east, and disappeared froainst this fire which was seizing the whole shi+p? The water-hole was frozen over; I hadn't a drop of water For two days the _Forward_ rapped in fla finished this account, a long silence prevailed in this ice-house; the gloo of the shi+p, the loss of their precious brig, appeared so vividly before the minds of the castaways; they found theland They did not dare to look at one another, for fear of seeing on each other's faces blank despair There was nothing to be heard save the hasty breathing of the American
At last Hatteras spoke
”Johnson,” said he, ”I thank you; you have done all you could to save ain I thank you, and now don't let us speak again of this misfortune Let us unite our efforts for the common safety There are four of us here, four friends, and the life of one is of no ive his opinion on what should be done”
”Ask us, Hatteras,” answered the doctor; ”we are all devoted to you, our answers shall be sincere And, in the first place, have you any plan?”
”I can't have any alone,” said Hatteras, sadly ”My opinion ht seem interested; I want to hear your opinion first”
”Captain,” said Johnson, ”before speaking on such weighty matters, I have an important question to ask you”
”What is it?”
”You ascertained our position yesterday; well, has the ice-field drifted any more, or are we in just the same place?”
”It has not stirred,” answered Hatteras ”The latitude before we left was 80 15', and longitude 97 35'”
”And,” said Johnson, ”how far are we from the nearest sea to the west?”
”About six hundred miles,” answered Hatteras