Jules Verne's Captain Hatteras - Part 2: Ice Desert

Chapter 18 - The Last Preparations

The next day, the weather changed; the cold returned; the snow, rain and cyclones followed one another for many days. Bell finished the boat; it entirely corresponded to the objective it was built for; partially pointed, tall onboard, it could face a sea on a bad weather, with a mirena and a fire; being lightweight, it could be transported on the sleigh without being a burden to the hitched dogs.

Finally, a very important change for the shipwrecked took place in the polar basin.

The ice began to shake in the middle of the gulf; the tallest, clashing nonstop, only needed a stronger storm to separate from the shore and to form icebergs.

However, Hatteras didn't want to wait for the field's dislocation so he could begin the trip. Taking into account that the trip would take place on land, he cared less if the sea was open or not; he thus fixated the day of 25 June for departure; till then, all the preparations could be finished. Johnson and Bell were busy with putting the sleigh in a perfect state; the framework was repaired and the soles remade. The travelers hoped to take advantage of these weeks of beautiful weather on their journey, which nature offered to the hyperborean lands. The sufferings would be easier to tolerate and the obstacles easier to overcome.

A few days before the departure, on 20 June, the ice left a few open channels between them of which they used to test the boat, on a trip to Washington Cape. The sea wasn't entirely open, it lasted until then; but, at last, it no longer had a massive solid surface and it would've been impossible to try a trip on foot along the cracked ice field.

This half a day of navigation permitted a good appreciation of the extraordinary qualities of the boat.

While returning, the navigators were witness to a peculiar incident, namely a gigantic bear's hunt for a seal; he was, thankfully, too busy to notice the boat, since he wouldn't hesitate to follow it; he stood guard near a crack from the ice-field, through which the seal, certainly, plunged in. The bear was waiting its appearance with a hunter's patience, or rather a fisher's, since, indeed, he was fishing. He waited in silence; he didn't move at all; he didn't give any sign of life.

But, suddenly, the water from the hole's surface began to shake; the amphibian went up to breathe; the bear lied down on the ice plain and placed its paws around the crack.

A moment later, the seal appeared above the water; but it didn't sink; the bear's paws, as if moved by an arch, united, strangling the animal with an irresistible power and pulled it outside of its environment.

It was a quick battle; the seal struggled for a bit and was suffocated at its gigantic opponent's chest; the bear, holding it without much weight, though it was pretty big, easily jumped from one glacier to the next to land, disappearing with its prey.

Johnson: Have a nice trip! This bear seems to have many paws at its disposal.

The boat soon returned to the small gulf that Bell arranged between the ice.

Four days separated Hatteras and his comrades from the fixed moment of departure.

The captain hurried the last preparations; he wanted to quickly leave New America, this land that didn't belong to him and which he didn't name; he didn't feel at home.

On 22 June they began to transport on the sleigh the materials for camp, the tent and supplies.

The travelers brought with them two hundred pounds of salted meat, three crates with vegetables and canned meat, fifteen pounds of brine and lemon juice, five quarters of flour, cochlearia and cress packages, from the doctor's plantation; to these were added two hundred pounds of gunpowder, the instruments, rifles and many more, like the boat, the pneumatic boat and sleigh, so it was about one thousand five hundred pounds to pull, which was a bit much for four dogs; the more so as, on the contrary of Eskimos customs, who didn't put them to work more than four successive days, they, without replacements, had to pull every day; but the travelers promised to help when necessary and reckoned to do frequent breaks; the distance between Victoria Gulf and the pole was three hundred and fifty-five miles at most and, making twelve miles a say, they needed one month to traverse; so, when they ran out of land, the boat would've permitted the journey's end without a big toil for dogs or humans.

They felt good; the general health was excellent; the winter, while harsh, ended in good conditions; each of them, after listening to the doctor's advice, escaped the inert diseases of this terrible climate. In short, they lost a little weight, which enlightened Doctor Clawbonny; but he adapted his body and soul to this tough existence, and now, the five acclimated comrades could face the most brutal trials of the cold and fatigue without being worn-out by them.

And then, lastly, they would head to the destination of their journey, towards that inaccessible pole, after which only the problem of returning would have risen. The friendship that united the five members of the expedition had to help them succeed in this bold journey and none of them doubted triumph. Foreseeing a long journey, the doctor forced his comrades to prepare long before and train with the utmost care.

Clawbonny: Friends, I'm not asking you to imitate the British runners, who lose eighteen pounds after the first two days of training and twenty-five after five days; but, finally, we have to make a few things so that we are in the best shape for fulfilling this long journey. Or, the first principle of training is suppressing fat, exactly like a runner and jockey, and that with the aid of purgatives, sweat and strength exercises; these gentlemen know they'll lose weight thanks to medicine and they'll reach some results of an incredible precision; thus, he who before training can't run on a distance of one mile without losing breath will easily make twenty-five miles after training! We'll cite the case of a certain Townsend, who ran one hundred miles in twelve hours without break.

Johnson: Beautiful result, though we're not that fat, but if we have to lose more weight...

Clawbonny: Pointless, Johnson, but, without exaggerating, we can't deny that this training will have good effects; gives the bones more resistance, more elasticity to muscles, finesse to hearing and refreshes sight; so, let's not forget this.

At last, trained or not, the travelers were ready on the day of 23 June; it was Sunday, and this day was dedicated to rest.

The moment of departure was approaching, and the inhabitants of Fort Providence felt it coming with great emotion. It was hard for them to leave this snow hut which fulfilled its purpose as a house so well, this Victoria Gulf, this hospitable beach where they spent the last months of overwintering. Will they, maybe, find these constructions on the way back? Wouldn't the sun's rays melt these fragile walls?

In short, they spent many beautiful moments here!

The doctor, at dinner, brought his comrades to attention and didn't forget to thank the Sky for the protection they had till now.

Finally, the time to sleep arrived. Each of them went to bed early to wake up at dawn. Thus the last night spent at Fort Providence passed.