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Updated: August 11, 2024
"We shall never get back!" said Bolton in despair. The crew had arrived at the highest pitch of insubordination. "Not a step further!" cried Wolsten. "Are you all of the same mind?" "Ay! ay!" answered all the sailors. "Come on, then," said Bolton; "let's go and find the commander; I'll undertake the talking." The sailors in a tight group swayed away towards the poop.
Wolsten, the gunsmith, Gripper, Clifton, and Bell were struck with snow blindness, a kind of weakness in the eyes very frequent in spring, and which determines, amongst the Esquimaux, numerous cases of blindness. The doctor advised those who were so afflicted and their companions in general to cover their faces with green gauze, and he was the first to put his own prescription into execution.
"What does he mean to do without a bullet?" muttered Shandon between his teeth. "We shall soon see," answered the doctor. "Ready, captain!" called out Wolsten. "All right!" replied Hatteras. "Brunton!" he called out to the engineer, "a few turns ahead." Brunton opened the sliders, and the screw being put in movement, the Forward neared the mined mountain.
But the path was not yet free; large blocks of ice remained suspended above the pass on the adjacent mountains, and there was every reason to fear that they would fall and close up the passage. Hatteras took in the situation at one glance. "Wolsten!" cried he. The gunsmith hastened up. "Yes, captain?" cried he.
Hatteras had the doctor, Johnson, Bell, and Simpson for him; they were devoted to him body and soul; amongst the undecided were Foker, Bolton, Wolsten the gunsmith, and Brunton the first engineer; and they might turn against the captain at any moment; as to Pen, Gripper, Clifton, and Warren, they were in open revolt; they wished to persuade their comrades to force the captain to return to England.
"That's right enough," answered Warren, "for if we are obliged to work like this, hauling the ship by the strength of our arms, my advice is to backwater." "We'll see about that on Sunday," answered Wolsten. "As soon as I get the order," said Brunton, "I'll soon get my steam up." "Or we'd manage to get it up ourselves," said Clifton.
"It's through him we're in an iceberg," said Gripper. "He's the cause that we've had more ice against us than has ever been seen at this time of year," said Wolsten. "He's the cause of my bad eyes," said Brunton. "He's cut off the gin and brandy," added Pen. "He's the cause of everything," said the assembly, getting excited. "And he's captain into the bargain!" cried Clifton.
"Load the gun in the bow with a triple charge," said Hatteras, "and wad it as hard as possible." "Are we going to attack the mountain with cannon-balls?" asked the doctor. "No," answered Hatteras, "that would be useless. No bullet, Wolsten, but a triple charge of powder. Look sharp!" A few minutes after the gun was loaded.
Plover, second engineer; 10. Foker, ice-master; 12. Wolsten, smith; 13. Bolton, sailor; 14. Garry, sailor; 15. Clifton, sailor; 16. Gripper, sailor; 17. Pen, sailor; 18. Warren, stoker. The day of departure arrived with the 5th of April. The admission of the doctor on board had given the crew more confidence. They knew that where the worthy doctor went they could follow.
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