atlantis.found-第3部分

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the　shore；　often　threading　its　way　through　a　sea　of　icebergs。　Then；　in　the　last　week　of　March；　the　Antarctic　autumn；　the　ice　built　over　the　sea　at　incredible　speed　until　it　reached　a　thickness　of　nearly　four　feet。　The　Paloverde　might　still　have　escaped　to　clear　water；　but　a　sudden　shift　of　wind　became　a　howling　gale　that　drove　the　ship　back　toward　shore。　With　no　avenue　of　escape　left　open；　as　the　ice　charged　toward　them　in　chunks　larger　than　the　ship　itself；　the　crew　of　the　Paloverde　could　only　stand　helpless　and　watch　the　cold　trap　spring　shut。
　　　　　The　ice　quickly　surged　around　the　whaler　with　such　force　as　to　shove　her　relentlessly　toward　the　land　as　if　caught　in　a　giant　fist。　The　clear　water　near　the　land　was　quickly　filling　with　a　sheet　of　ice。　Mender　and　his　crew　desperately　labored　and　finally　succeeded　in　getting　the　Paloverde's　anchors　to　hold　in　six　fathoms　less　than　two　miles　from　shore。　But　within　hours；　the　ship　was　jammed　tightly　in　the　ice　that　continued　to　thicken；　and　soon　all　signs　of　water　were　replaced　by　a　white　shroud。　The　Antarctic　winter　was　upon　them；　and　the　days　began　to　shrink。　There　was　no　hope　of　escaping；　and　mild　weather　with　warmer　temperatures　was　a　good　seven　months　away。
　　　　　The　sails　were　dried；　rolled　up；　and　stowed　away；　to　be　raised　again　in　the　spring；　if　divine　providence　allowed　for　warmer　weather　and　permitted　the　ship　to　float　free。　Now；　in　anticipation　of　a　long　imprisonment；　all　food　was　carefully　inventoried　and　rationed　for　the　long　months　of　winter。　Whether　the　victuals　stored　aboard　the　ship　could　be　stretched　until　the　ice　began　to　melt　in　the　spring　was　anybody's　guess。　But　dropping　lines　and　hooks　through　holes　in　the　ice　had　produced　better…than…hoped…for　results　and　a　nice　assortment　of　Antarctic　fish　were　soon　frozen　in　a　deck　larder。　And　then　there　were　the　ical　penguins　on　the　shore。　There　appeared　to　be　millions　of　them。　The　only　dilemma　was　that　no　matter　how　the　ship's　cook　prepared　their　meat；　it　tasted　most　unpleasant。
　　　　　The　principal　threats　facing　the　crew　of　the　whaler　were　the　terrible　cold　and　any　sudden　movement　of　the　ice　floe。　The　danger　of　freezing　was　greatly　reduced　by　burning　the　oil　from　the　whales　they　had　harpooned　before　being　locked　in　the　ice。　The　hold　still　held　more　than　a　hundred　barrels；　easily　enough　to　keep　the　stoves　burning　through　the　worst　of　the　Antarctic　winter。
　　　　　Until　now；　the　floe　had　been　relatively　undisturbed。　But　Mender　knew　that　it　was　only　a　matter　of　time　before　the　ice　would　buckle　and　shift。　Then　the　Paloverde　could　easily　find　her　hull　crushed　to　splinters；　her　stout　timbers　flattened　as　if　they　were　paper；　by　a　massive　migrating　iceberg。　He　did　not　relish　the　thought　of　his　wife　and　baby　trying　to　survive　on　land　until　another　ship　was　sighted　in　the　summer。　And　the　odds　of　that　happening　were　a　thousand　to　one　at　best。
　　　　　There　was　also　the　deadly　menace　of　disease。　Seven　of　the　men　were　showing　signs　of　scurvy。　The　only　bright　area　was　that　the　vermin　and　rats　had　long　before　succumbed　to　the　awful　cold。　The　long　Antarctic　nights；　the　isolation　and　freezing　wind；　nurtured　the　gloom　of　apathy。　Mender　bated　the　restless　boredom　by　keeping　his　men　busy　on　chores；　endless　jobs　to　keep　their　minds　and　bodies　active。
　　　　　Mender　had　sat　in　his　cabin　at　his　desk　and　recalculated　their　odds　of　survival　a　hundred　times。　But　no　matter　how　he　twisted　the　options　and　possibilities；　the　eventuality　always　remained　the　same。　Their　chances　of　floating　undamaged　and　intact　e　spring　were　bleak　indeed。
　
　　　　　The　icy　windstorm　had　ended　as　abruptly　as　it　had　arrived；　and　the　sun　returned。　Peering　through　squinting　eyes　over　the　dazzling　sparkle　of　the　ice　pack；　Roxanna　saw　her　shadow。　How　joyous　to　see　her　shadow　again　despite　the　endless　emptiness　around　her。　But　then　her　heart　surged　as　she　scanned　the　horizon　and　spotted　the　Paloverde　a　good　mile　and　a　half　away。　The　black　hull　was　nearly　hidden　by　the　ice；　but　she　could　see　the　huge　American　flag　flapping　in　the　dying　breeze　and　realized　that　her　worried　husband　had　hung　it　high　in　the　rigging　of　the　mainmast　as　a　beacon。　She　found　it　hard　to　believe　that　she　had　strayed　so　far。　In　her　numbed　mind；　she　thought　that　she　had　remained　reasonably　close　to　the　ship　while　wandering　in　circles。
　　　　　The　ice　pack　was　not　all　empty　isolation。　Roxanna　could　see　tiny　specks　moving　across　its　surface；　and　she　realized　that　it　was　her　husband　and　his　crew　searching　for　her。　She　was　about　to　stand　up　and　wave；　when　suddenly　she　caught　sight　of　something　most　unexpected　the　masts　of　another　ship　looming　between　two　giant　floebergs；　hummocks　frozen　together　and　grounded　on　the　shore。
　　　　　The　three　masts　and　bowsprit；　along　with　their　rigging；　looked　to　be　intact；　with　the　sails　furled。　With　the　wind　fallen　to　a　slight　breeze；　she　unwrapped　the　scarf　from　her　face　and　eyes　and　could　see　that　most　of　the　ship's　hull　was　embedded　in　the　ice。　Roxanna's　father　had　been　a　sea　captain　who　had　manded　clipper　ships　in　the　tea　trade　to　China；　and　as　a　young　girl　she　had　seen　thousands　of　ships　of　all　types　of　rigs　and　sails　arrive　and　depart　Boston；　but　the　only　time　she　had　seen　a　ship　like　the　one　encrusted　with　ice　was　in　a　painting　that　hung　in　her　grandfather's　house。
　　　　　The　ghostly　ship　was　old；　very　old；　with　a　huge　rounded　stern　bearing　windows　and　quarter　galleries　that　hung　over　the　water。　She　had　been　built　long；　narrow；　and　deep。　A　good　140　feet　in　length　with　at　least　a　35…foot　beam；　Roxanna　estimated。　Like　the　ship　she　had　seen　in　the　painting；　this　one　had　to　be　an　800…ton　British　Indiaman　of　the　late　eighteenth　century。
　　　　　She　turned　from　the　ship　and　waved　her　scarf　to　attract　her　husband　and　crew。　One　caught　the　movement　on　the　ice　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　and　alerted　the　others。　They　quickly　began　running　across　the　broken　ice　toward　her；　with　Captain　Mender　in　the　lead。　Twenty　minutes　later；　the　crew　of　the　Paloverde　had　reached　her；　shouting　joyously　at　finding　her　alive。
　　　　　Usually　a　quiet；　taciturn　man；　Mender　showed　uncharacteristic　emotion　when　he　swept　Roxanne　into　his　arms；　tears　frozen　to　his　cheeks；　and　kissed　her　long　and　lovingly。　〃Oh　God！〃　he　muttered；　〃I　thought　you　were　dead。　It's　truly　a　miracle　you　survived。〃
　　　　　A　whaling　master　at　the　age　of　twenty…eight；　Bradford　Mender　was　thirty…six　and　on　his　tenth　voyage　when　his　ship　had　bee　locked　in　the　Antarctic　ice。　A　tough；　resourceful　New　Englander；　he　stood　six　feet　tall　and　was　big　all　over；　weighing　in　at　close　to　225　pounds。　His　eyes　were　a　piercing　blue　and　his　hair　was　black　a　beard　ran　from　ears　to　chin。　Stern　but　fair；　he　never　had　a　problem　with　officers　and　crew　that　he　couldn't　handle　efficiently　and　honestly。　A　superb　whale…hunter　and　navigator；　Mender　was　also　a　shrewd　businessman　who　was　not　only　master　of　his　ship　but　its　owner　as　well。
　　　　　〃If　you　hadn't　insisted　I　wear　the　Eskimo　clothing　you　gave　me；　I　would　have　frozen　to　death　hours　ago。〃
　　　　　He　released　her　and　turned　to　the　six　members　of　his　crew　who　surrounded　them；　cheered　that　the　captain's　wife　had　been　found　alive。　〃Let　us　get　Mrs。　Mender　back　to　the　ship　quickly　and　get　some　hot　soup　in　her。〃
　　　　　〃No；　not　yet；〃　she　said；　clutching　him　by　the　arm　and　pointing。　〃I've　discovered　another　ship。〃
　　　　　Every　man　turned；　their　eyes　following　her　outstretched　arm。
　　　　　〃An　Englishman。　I　recognized　her　lines　from　a　painting　in　my　grandfather's　parlor　in　Boston。　It　looks　like　a　derelict。〃
　　　　　Mender　stared　at　the　apparition；　which　was　ghostly　white　under　its　tomb　of　ice。　〃I　do　believe　you're　right。　She　does　have　the　lines　of　a　very　old　merchantman　from　the　1770s。〃
　　　　　〃I　suggest　that　we　investigate；　Captain；〃　said　the　Paloverde's　first　mate；　Nathan　Bigelow。　〃She　may　still　contain　provisions　that　will　help　us　survive　till　spring。〃
　　　　　〃They　would　have　to　be　a　good　eighty　years　old；〃　Mender　said　heavily。
　　　　　〃But　preserved　by　the　cold；〃　Roxanna　reminded　him。
　　　　　He　looked　at　her　tenderly。　〃You've　had　a　hard　time；　dear　wife。　I'll　have　one　of　the　men　escort　you　back　to　the　Paloverde。〃
　　　　　〃No；　husband；〃　Roxanna　said　resolutely；　her　fatigue　banished；　〃I　intend　to　see　what　there　is　to　see。〃　Before　the　captain　could　protest；　she　took　off　down　the　slope　of　the　hummock　to　the　pack　ice　and　set　off　toward　the　abandoned　vessel。
　　　　　Mender　looked　at　his　crew　and　shrugged。　〃Far　be　it　from　me　to　argue　with　a　curious　woman。〃
　　　　　〃A　ghost　ship；〃　murmured　Bigelow。　〃A　great　pity　she's　forever　locked　in　the　ice；　or　we　could　sail　her　home　and　apply　for　salvage　rights。〃
　　　　　〃She's　too　ancient　to　be　worth　much；〃　said　Mender。
　　　　　〃Why　are　you　men　standing　there　in　the　cold；　babbling？〃　said　Roxanna；　turning　and　urging　the　men　on　impatiently。　〃Let　us　hurry　before　another　storm　sweeps　in。〃
　　　　　Making　their　way　over　the　ice　as　fast　as　possible　until　they　reached　the　deserted　ship；　they　found　that　the　ice　had　piled　against　the　hull；　making　it　easy　for　them　to　reach　the　upper　bulwarks　and　climb　over　the　gunwales。　Roxanna；　her　husband；　and　the　crewmen　found　themselves　standing　on　the　quarterdeck；　which　was　covered　by　a　thin　layer　of　ice。
　　　　　Mender　stared　around　at　the　desolation　and　shook　his　head　as　if　bewildered。　〃Amazing　that　her　hull　wasn't　crushed　by　the　ice。〃
　　　　　〃I　never　thought　I'd　be　standing　on　the　deck　of　an　English　East　Indiaman；〃　one　of　the　crewmen　muttered；　his　eyes　reflecting　apprehension。　〃Certainly　not　one　built　before　my　grandfather　was　born。〃
　　　　　〃She's　a　good…sized　ship；〃　said　Mender　slowly。　〃About　nine　hundred　tons；　I'd　guess。　A　hundred　and　fifty　feet　long　with　a　forty…foot　beam。〃
　　　　　Laid　and　fitted　out　in　a　Thames　River　shipyard；　the　workhorse　of　the　late…eighteenth…century　British　merchant　fleet；　the　Indiaman　was　a　crossbreed　among　ships。　She　was　built　mainly　as　a　cargo　carrier；　but　those　were　still　the　days　of　pirates　and　marauding　warships　from　England's　enemies；　so　she　was　armed　with　twenty…eight　eighteen…pound　cannon。　Besides　being　built　to　transport　goods　and　merchandise；　she　was　also　fitted　out　with　cabins　to　carry　passengers。　Everything　on　the　deck　was　standing；　encased　in　ice；　as　if　awaiting　a　phantom　crew。　The　guns　sat　silently　at　their　ports；　the　lifeboats　were　sti