Works of Jules Verne/Adventures of Captain Hatteras/The English at the North Pole/Chapter 24
CHAPTER XXIV
AN OLD FOX OF THE JAMES ROSS EXPEDITION
The thermometer fell daily lower. There was little or no wind, and the weather was tolerably fine. Hatteras took advantage of the clear atmosphere to go out and reconnoiter. He climbed the highest iceberg he could find, but, as far as he could see, and aided by the glass, nothing was visible but mountains and plains of ice. All was dreary chaos, and he went back on board to try and reckon the probable length of his captivity.
The hunting party, including the Doctor, James Wall, Simpson, Johnson, and Bell, kept the ship in fresh meat. All the birds had disappeared except the ptarmigans, but these were in such abundance and so easily shot that there was no fear of the supply being exhausted.
Hares, foxes, wolves, ermines, and bears were also to be found, but they were so ferocious that it was not easy to get near them; and, besides, when they had put on their winter coats it was hard to distinguish them from the snow, as they then possess its spotless whiteness, the fur becoming completely changed as winter draws on.
Seals of every variety were also frequently met with. It was a great object to kill these, not only for their skins, but their fat, which is an excellent combustible. Their liver is also good food, if nothing better can be had. Sometimes they could be counted by hundreds, and two or three miles away from the ship the ice was bored all over with their breathing holes; yet they were very difficult to secure, and many were wounded that succeeded afterwards in making their escape below the ice.
However, on the 19th, Simpson managed to get hold of one not far from the ship. He had taken the precaution to stop up its hole, so that it was at the mercy of the hunters. After a long struggle the animal was dispatched; it measured nine feet, and was a magnificent specimen. The doctor, wishing to preserve the head for his museum of natural history and the skin for future needs, prepared both, by a cheap and easy method. He plunged the body in the fire-hole, and allowed the myriads of shrimps and prawns to eat away the flesh. In half a day the operation was complete, and no tanner in Liverpool could have done it better.
As soon as the sun had passed the autumnal equinox, the Arctic winter may be said to begin. From the 23rd of September the sun begins to descend below the horizon, and on the 25th of October disappears altogether, not to return till the month of February.
We must not imagine, however, that the darkness is total during the sun's long absence. The moon does her best to replace him, and the stars shine their brightest. The planets are peculiarly resplendent, and the Aurora Borealis is a frequent phenomenon, so that there is a sort of twilight for several hours every day, except when fog and snow wrap the whole region in gloomy night.
Meantime, however, the weather was favorable. No one had any reason to complain of it, except the ptarmigans and the hares, and the hunters positively allowed them no rest. They also set fox-traps, but the wary animals would not allow themselves to be caught. They often even scratched up the snow under the trap and devoured the bait, and came off scot free.
On the 25th of October a hurricane of extreme violence broke loose; thick snow filled the air, and made pitch darkness about the Forward. For some hours great anxiety was felt on board about Bell and Simpson, who were out hunting. They did not reach the ship till next day, after being buried in snow five feet thick for twelve hours. They had wrapped themselves in their deerskins and lain down, letting the hurricane sweep over their heads till they were almost frozen, and could hardly get back to their quarters. The Doctor had great difficulty in restoring the circulation.
The storm raged for eight days without ceasing; no one stirred out.
During this compulsory leisure each man lived apart, as it were, some sleeping, others smoking, and certain individuals talking together in a low voice, but breaking off the conversation if Johnson or the Doctor came near; there was no bond of union among them. They never assembled together for anything but evening prayers, and on the Sundays for divine service.
Clifton was perfectly aware of the fact, that now that the 78th parallel was passed, his share of the prize-money had risen to £375. This was quite enough to satisfy his ambition. The others thought so too, and contented themselves now with indulging in day-dreams of enjoying the fortune won at such a price.
Hatteras remained almost invisible; he neither took part in hunting nor walking; he showed no interest in any of the meteorological phenomena which so excited the wondering admiration of the Doctor. He lived for one single idea; three words will tell it—the North Pole. He was only thinking of the time when the Forward would be released from her imprisonment, and able to resume her adventurous voyage.
The Doctor employed himself in arranging his notes, of which this narrative is the reproduction. He was never idle, and his even temper never failed him; but for all that he was glad enough when the storm was over, and he could resume hunting as usual.
On the 3rd of November he set out with Johnson and Bell about six in the morning. The ice-fields were smooth, and the snow, which lay so thick on them, was firm and hard beneath their tread. The weather was cold and dry; the moon shone with incomparable brilliancy, irradiating every object with wondrous luster.
The Doctor had brought his friend Duk with him; he was much more serviceable in hunting than the Greenland dogs, who seem to posess none of the sacred fire of the race inhabiting temperate zones. But, in spite of all his cleverness in scenting game and running it down, the hunters had not found so much as a hare after two hours' walking.
"I suppose all the game has fled south," said the Doctor, stopping at the foot of a hummock.
"It certainly looks like it," rejoined Bell.
"I don't think that's it," said Johnson; "hares, and foxes, and bears are made for this climate. In my opinion it is the hurricane that has caused their disappearance, but the south winds will soon bring them back. If you were speaking of reindeer or muskdeer, it would be quite a different thing."
"And yet on Melville Island there are troops of those very animals," said the Doctor. "Certainly it lies a little further south, but when Parry wintered there he found them in abundance always."
"We are not quite so well off," said Bell; "yet if we could only lay in a store of bear's flesh, we should not have much to complain of."
"Bell talks of bear's flesh," said Johnson, "but we want his fat far more just now than even his flesh or fur."
"You are right, Johnson; you are always thinking about the stores," replied Bell.
"No wonder," returned Johnson, "when the bunkers will be empty in at least three weeks, even with the utmost economy."
"Yes, that's our greatest danger, for this is only the beginning of November, and February is to come yet, the coldest month in the year in this zone. Well, if we can't get bear's grease, we can always get seal's fat, at any rate."
"Not for long, Mr. Clawbonny," replied Johnson; "these animals will soon cease to show themselves above the ice, either owing to fear or to the increasing cold."
"Then, after all," said the Doctor, "we shall have to fall back on the bear, and certainly he is the most useful of all the Arctic animals, for we can get food and clothing, and light and fire out of him. Listen, Duk," he continued, patting the dog, "we want a bear, old boy! Go and fetch him; there's a good old fellow!"
Duk, who had been scenting along the ice all the time, darted off like an arrow, barking vociferously. The hunters followed, but, though they could hear him still distinctly, they had to go a full mile before they came up to him. They found him standing on a little hill, on the top of which some enormous creature was moving about.
"We've got our wish for the asking," said the Doctor, loading his gun.
"Aye, it is a bear, and no mistake, and a jolly big one, too," said Bell, imitating the Doctor's example.
"I don't know, it is a strange sort of bear," added Johnson, preparing to fire after his companions.
Duk was barking furiously. Bell advanced within twenty feet and fired; but the ball took no effect.
Johnson's turn came last, but his ball was powerless like the others.
"I see how it is!" exclaimed the Doctor; "it is that confounded refraction again, one never gets used to it. Why, that bear is more than a thousand paces off."
"Let us go nearer then," replied Bell.
Away rushed all three towards the animal, who did not appear the least disturbed by their shots.
As soon as they were at the right distance they fired again, and the bear gave one tremendous spring and fell at the foot of the hill mortally wounded, there was no doubt.
Duk rushed upon him tooth and nail, holding him fast till the hunters came up.
"Well, it hasn't been much trouble to kill that bear, anyhow," said the Doctor.
"Three shots and he is done for," exclaimed Bell, contemptuously.
"It is very strange!" said Johnson.
"Unless we have chanced to come just at the very moment he was dying of old age," suggested the Doctor, laughing.
"My word, it is little matter whether he is young or old. It is a lucky prize for us."
But what was their blank amazement on reaching their victim to find that it was a white fox instead of a bear!
"Well, I declare," said Bell, "if that's not too bad!"
"Yes, I think so," replied the Doctor. "To kill a bear, and then pick up a fox."
Johnson stood stupefied, not knowing what to say.
At last the Doctor burst out laughing again, and said:
"It is just the refraction, that everlasting refraction!"
"What do you mean, Mr. Clawbonny?" asked the carpenter.
"Why, that we were deceived in the size as well as in the distance. Refraction made us fancy we saw a bear when it was only a fox. It is a mistake that has happened more than once to hunters in the Arctic regions."
"Well, we'll eat him anyhow, whether it is a bear or fox. Let us carry him off."
But just as Johnson was about to throw him over his shoulders, he stopped short and said:
"Here's something stranger still!"
"What's that?" asked the Doctor.
"Look here, Mr. Clawbonny. The beast has a collar round his neck."
"A collar!" exclaimed the Doctor, bending down to examine the animal.
Sure enough there was a brass collar half worn away round his neck, peeping through his white fur. The Doctor fancied he could perceive an inscription on it, and pulled it off to make a closer inspection.
"What does it say?" asked Johnson.
"It says that this fox is at least twelve years old, a fox caught by James Ross in 1848."
"Is it possible!" exclaimed Bell.
"There is not the least doubt of it. I am only sorry we killed the poor beast. While James Ross was wintering here, he snared a great quantity of white foxes, and had brass collars riveted on their necks, with the name and whereabouts of his two ships, the Enterprise and Investigator, inscribed on it, and also where the provision depots were to be found. These animals roam great distances in quest of food, and Ross's idea was that some of them might fall into the hands of Franklin's party. And now, instead of that, we have shot him with our balls, when he might have saved the lives of two ships' crews."
"We won't eat him, at any rate," said Johnson; "and besides, he is twelve years old. We'll keep his skin though, as a memento of this curious adventure."
Throwing the dead fox across his shoulder, and followed by his two companions, Johnson began to retrace his steps towards the vessel, guided by the stars. Their expedition had not been altogether unsuccessful, for they managed during the homeward route to bring down several brace of ptarmigan.
Just about an hour before they reached the ship, a phenomenon occurred, which filled the Doctor with amazement.
It was a regular shower of shooting-stars. They fell in myriads, completely eclipsing the light of the moon. This grand meteoric display lasted several hours. A similar shower was observed in Greenland by the Moravian Brethren in 1799. The Doctor sat up all night to gaze at this wonderful phenomenon, which continued till seven o'clock the next morning.