atlantis.found-第2部分

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crop；　the　Leonardo　da　Vincis；　the　Picassos；　and　the　Einsteins　of　their　era　had　evaporated　into　nothingness；　abruptly　leaving　the　world　to　be　taken　over　by　primitive　nomadic　hunters；　a　phenomenon　similar　to　what　happened　to　the　glory　of　Greece　and　Rome　after　it　was　cast　aside　in　favor　of　centuries　of　ignorance　and　creative　lethargy。　A　neolithic　dark　age　shrouded　the　grave　of　the　highly　cultured　civilizations　that　once　existed　in　the　world；　a　dark　age　that　would　last　for　two　thousand　years。　Slowly；　very　slowly；　did　mankind　finally　walk　from　the　dark　and　begin　building　and　creating　cities　and　civilizations　again　in　Mesopotamia　and　Egypt。
　　　　　Pitifully　few　of　the　gifted　builders　and　creative　thinkers　of　the　lost　cultures　survived　to　reach　high　ground。　Realizing　their　civilization　was　lost；　never　to　rise　again；　they　began　a　centuries…long　quest　to　erect　the　mysterious　megaliths　and　dolmens　of　huge　upright　stones　found　across　Europe；　Asia；　the　Pacific　Islands；　and　into　the　lower　Americas。　Long　after　the　memory　of　their　shining　legacy　had　dimmed　and　bee　little　more　than　myth；　their　monuments　memorating　the　frightful　destruction　and　loss　of　life　still　acted　as　warnings　of　the　next　cataclysm　to　future　generations。　But　within　a　millennium；　their　descendants　slowly　forgot　the　old　ways　and　assimilated　with　the　nomadic　tribes　and　ceased　to　exist　as　a　race　of　advanced　people。
　　　　　For　hundreds　of　years　after　the　convulsion；　humans　were　afraid　to　venture　down　from　the　mountains　and　re…inhabit　the　lower　lands　and　coastal　shorelines。　The　technically　superior　seafaring　nations　were　but　vague　thoughts　of　a　distant　past。　Ship　construction　and　sailing　techniques　were　lost　and　had　to　be　reinvented　by　later　generations　whose　more　acplished　ancestors　were　revered　simply　as　gods。
　　　　　All　this　death　and　devastation　was　caused　by　a　hunk　of　dirty　ice　no　larger　than　a　small　farm　town　in　Iowa。　The　et　had　wreaked　its　unholy　havoc；　mercilessly；　viciously。　The　earth　had　not　been　ravaged　with　such　vehemence　since　a　meteor　had　struck　65　million　years　earlier　in　a　catastrophe　that　had　exterminated　the　dinosaurs。
　　　　　For　thousands　of　years　after　the　impact；　ets　were　associated　with　superstitions　of　catastrophic　events　and　considered　omens　of　future　tragedies。　They　were　blamed　for　everything　from　wars　and　pestilence　to　death　and　destruction。　Not　until　recent　history　were　ets　considered　nature's　wonders；　like　the　splendor　of　a　rainbow　or　clouds　painted　gold　by　a　setting　sun。
　　　　　The　biblical　flood　and　a　host　of　other　calamity　legends　all　had　ties　to　this　one　tragedy。　The　ancient　civilizations　of　Olmecs；　Mayans；　and　Aztecs　of　Central　America　had　many　traditions　relating　to　an　ancient　cataclysmic　event。　The　Indian　tribes　throughout　the　United　States　passed　down　stories　of　waters　flooding　over　their　lands。　The　Chinese；　the　Polynesians；　and　Africans　all　spoke　of　a　cataclysm　that　decimated　their　ancestors。
　　　　　But　the　legend　that　was　spawned　and　that　flourished　throughout　the　centuries；　the　one　that　provoked　the　most　mystery　and　intrigue；　was　that　of　the　lost　continent　and　civilization　of　Atlantis。
　
　GHOST　SHIP
　September　30；　1858
　Stefansson　Bay；　Antarctica
　Roxanna　Mender　knew　that　if　she　stopped　walking　she　would　die。　She　was　near　plete　exhaustion　and　moving　on　willpower　alone。　The　temperature　was　well　below　zero；　but　it　was　the　windchill　from　the　frigid　teeth　of　the　ice　gale　that　was　biting　through　her　skin。　The　deadly　drowsiness　gently　slipping　over　her　was　slowly　draining　her　will　to　live。　She　moved　forward；　one　foot　groping　ahead　of　the　other；　stumbling　when　caught　off　balance　by　a　sudden　break　in　the　ice　field。　Her　breath　came　in　the　rapid；　rasping　panting　of　a　mountain　climber　struggling　toward　a　peak　in　the　Himalayas　without　oxygen　equipment。
　Her　vision　was　nonexistent　as　the　icy　windblown　particles　swirled　in　front　of　her　face；　protected　by　a　thick　woolen　scarf　wrapped　inside　her　fur…lined　parka。　Though　she　only　squinted　between　the　layers　of　the　scarf　every　other　minute；　her　eyes　were　sore　and　reddened　from　the　onslaught　of　the　tiny　granules。　Frustration　gripped　Roxanna　when　she　looked　up　and　saw　the　dazzling　blue　sky　and　brilliant　sun　above　the　storm。　Blinding　ice　storms　under　clear　skies　were　not　an　unmon　phenomenon　in　Antarctica。
　　　　　Surprisingly；　snow　rarely　falls　in　the　South　Polar　region。　It　is　so　incredibly　cold　that　the　atmosphere　cannot　contain　water　vapor；　so　any　snowfall　is　minimal。　Not　more　than　five　inches　falls　over　the　continent　in　the　course　of　a　year。　Some　of　the　snow　that　is　already　on　the　ground　is　actually　several　thousand　years　old。　The　harsh　sun　strikes　the　white　ice　on　an　oblique　angle　and　its　heat　is　reflected　back　into　space；　contributing　largely　to　the　extraordinarily　cold　temperatures。
　　　　　Roxanna　was　fortunate。　The　cold　did　not　penetrate　her　clothing。　Rather　than　wearing　European　cold…weather　garb；　she　was　dressed　in　clothing　her　husband　had　acquired　while　trading　with　Eskimos　during　his　earlier　whaling　expeditions　in　the　Arctic。　Her　inner　clothing　consisted　of　a　tunic；　short　knee…length　pants；　and　a　socklike　boot　made　with　soft　fur　worn　against　her　feet。　Separate　outerwear　protected　against　extreme　cold。　The　parka　was　loose…fitting　to　allow　body　heat　to　circulate　and　escape　without　the　problem　of　sweat　buildup。　It　was　made　from　wolf　fur；　while　the　pants　came　from　a　caribou。　The　boots　stood　high　and　were　worn　over　the　socks；　with　the　fur　inward。
　　　　　Her　greatest　physical　danger　lay　in　breaking　an　ankle　or　leg　on　the　uneven　surface；　and　if　she　somehow　survived；　there　was　the　threat　of　frostbite。　Though　her　body　was　protected；　it　was　her　face　that　worried　her。　At　the　least　tingle　on　either　her　cheek　or　nose；　she　vigorously　rubbed　the　skin　to　restart　circulation。　She　had　already　watched　six　of　her　husband's　crew　develop　frostbite；　two　of　them　losing　toes　and　one　his　ears。
　　　　　Thankfully；　the　icy　gale　began　to　die　away　and　lose　its　violence；　and　her　progress　became　easier　than　it　had　been　for　the　past　hour　she　had　been　wandering　lost。　The　howling　wind　faded　from　her　ears；　and　she　could　hear　the　squeak　of　the　ice　crystals　beneath　her　feet。
　　　　　She　reached　a　hill　about　fifteen　feet　high　from　base　to　ridge　formed　by　the　restless　sea　ice　grinding　and　forcing　the　floe　upward　into　what　was　called　a　hummock。　Most　formed　an　uneven　surface；　but　this　one　was　weathered　until　its　sides　were　smooth。　Falling　to　her　hands　and　knees；　she　clawed　her　way　upward；　sliding　back　two　feet　for　every　three　she　gained。
　　　　　The　exertion　took　what　little　strength　Roxanna　had　left。　Without　knowing　how；　or　remembering　the　struggle；　she　pulled　herself　onto　the　ridge　of　the　hummock　half…dead　from　exhaustion；　heart　pounding；　breath　ing　in　labored　gasps。　She　did　not　know　how　long　she　lay　there；　but　she　was　thankful　to　rest　her　eyes　from　the　ice…plagued　wind。　After　a　few　minutes；　when　her　heart　slowed　and　her　breath　began　to　e　evenly；　Roxanna　cursed　herself　for　the　predicament　she　had　foolishly　caused。　Time　had　no　reference。　Without　a　watch；　she　had　no　idea　how　many　hours　had　passed　since　she　walked　from　her　husband's　whaling　ship；　the　Paloverde。
　　　　　Nearly　six　months　earlier；　the　ship　had　bee　locked　in　the　pack　ice；　and　to　endure　the　boredom　she　had　begun　taking　daily　hikes；　keeping　within　easy　view　of　the　ship　and　its　crew；　who　kept　an　eye　on　her。　That　morning　the　skies　had　dawned　crystal　clear　when　she　left　the　ship；　but　they　soon　turned　dark　and　vanished　when　the　ice　storm　swept　over　the　ice。　Within　minutes；　the　ship　had　disappeared　and　Roxanna　found　herself　wandering　lost　on　the　ice　pack。
　　　　　Traditionally；　most　whalers　never　sailed　with　women　aboard。　But　many　wives　refused　to　sit　at　home　for　the　three　to　four　years　their　husbands　were　gone。　Roxanna　Mender　was　not　about　to　spend　thousands　of　lonely　hours　alone。　She　was　a　hardy　woman；　though　petite；　barely　reaching　five　feet　in　height　and　weighing　less　than　a　hundred　pounds。　With　her　light　brown　eyes　and　ready　smile；　she　was　a　pretty　woman　who　seldom　plained　of　the　hardship　and　boredom　and　who　rarely　became　seasick。　In　her　cramped　cabin　she　had　already　given　birth　to　a　baby　boy；　whom　she　had　named　Samuel。　And　though　she　had　yet　to　tell　her　husband；　she　was　about　two　months　pregnant　with　the　next　baby。　She　had　found　acceptance　aboard　ship　with　the　crew；　taught　several　to　read；　written　letters　home　to　their　wives　and　families；　and　acted　as　nurse　whenever　there　was　an　injury　or　sickness　on　board。
　
　　　　　The　Paloverde　was　one　of　the　fleet　of　whalers　that　sailed　from　San　Francisco　on　the　nation's　west　coast。　She　was　a　stout　ship；　especially　constructed　for　polar　operations　during　the　whaling　season。　With　a　length　of　132　feet；　a　beam　of　30　feet；　and　a　draft　of　17　feet；　her　tonnage　was　close　to　330。　Her　dimensions　allowed　for　a　large　cargo　of　whale　oil　and　acmodations　for　a　lame　crew　of　officers　and　men　for　voyages　that　could　last　as　long　as　three　years。　Her　pine　keel；　timbers；　and　beams　were　cut　from　the　forests　of　the　Sierra　Nevada　Mountains。　Once　they　were　positioned；　the　three…inch　planking　was　laid　on　and　fastened　by　trunnels；　a　wooden　nail　usually　cut　from　oak。
　　　　　She　was　rigged　as　a　three…masted　bark；　and　her　lines　were　clean；　bold；　and　rakish。　Her　cabins　were　neatly　furnished　and　paneled　in　Washington　spruce。　The　captain's　cabin　was　particularly　well　appointed　because　of　his　wife's　insistence　that　she　acpany　him　on　the　long　voyage。　The　figurehead　was　a　finely　carved　image　of　a　paloverde　tree；　native　to　the　southwest。　The　ship's　name　was　spread　across　the　stern　in　carved　letters　gilded　in　gold。　Also　adorning　the　stern　was　a　spreadwinged　carving　of　the　California　condor。
　　　　　Instead　of　sailing　north　through　the　Bering　Sea　toward　the　Arctic　and　the　more　established　waters　for　whale　hunting；　Roxanna's　husband；　Captain　Bradford　Mender；　had　taken　the　Paloverde　south　to　the　Antarctic。　He　believed　that　since　the　region　was　overlooked　and　seldom　visited　by　the　hardy　whalers　from　New　England；　there　was　a　golden　opportunity　to　find　virgin　whaling　grounds。
　　　　　Soon　after　arriving　near　the　Antarctic　Circle；　the　crew　took　six　whales　as　the　ship　sailed　in　the　open　water　between　the　shore；　often　threading　its　way　through　a　sea　of　icebergs。　Then；　in　the　last　week　of　March；　the　A