An Antarctic Mystery

the Dutch cleanliness of the vessel. The captain's cabin, and that of the lieutenant, one on the port, the other on the starboard side, were fitted up with a narrow berth, a cupboard an

portions, also with its furniture-a table, a cupboard, a cane-bottomed arm-chair, a washing-stand on an iron pedestal, and a berth to which a less accommodating passenger would doubt

, Rogers, Drap, Francis, Gratian, Burg, and Stern-sailors all between twenty-five and thirty-f

y all obeyed at a word, a gesture, was not the captain of the Halbrane; that

e never went ashore except for the needs of his service, whether of the State or of trade. If he had to leave one ship for another he merely shifted his canvas bag to the latter, from which he stirred no more. When he was not sailing in re

he did not concern himself with the buying or selling of cargoes; but everything connec

se of a gymnast, the true sailor's "look," but of very unusual far-sightedness and surprising penetration, sunburnt face, hair thick and shor

d he was understood. I call attention to this typical officer of the Merchant Marine, who was devoted body and soul to Captain Len Guy as to the sc

frican coast named Endicott, thirty years of age, who had held that post for eig

o be done? To question the lieutenant would have been loss of time. Besides, was he in possession of the secrets of his chief? It was no part of his business to be so, and I had observed that he did not occupy himself with anything outside of it. Not ten words were exchanged between him and me during the

always disposed to chatter; but what had he to say that could interest me? He never failed to bid me good

the Crozet group. The next day we passed Possession Island, which is inhabited only in the fishing season. A

occurred to me that Captain Len Guy might take this op

Halbrane was to take in a fresh supply of water. I concluded therefore that the monotony of our voyage would continue unbroken to the end. B

something t

to hear yo

turally taciturn." Here he hesitated again,

scover my reason for changing my mi

ceeded, captain. Perhaps, as I am

merican that I decided in the end to

I am an A

you come from

t under

you belong to Connecticut, since you have visited Nantucket Is

f Edgar Poe

ipt in which the details of that extraordinary and di

omance was nothing but a fiction, a work of imagination by the most brilliant of

ing myself what manner of man was

y question?" pers

ainly, but I am not sure

o lived in Nantucket Island? Arthur Pym's father was one of the principal merchants there, he was a Navy c

o the powerful imagination of our

r. Jeorling?" said the captain, sh

ptain Guy, and you are the first I have heard m

, it is none the less a reality. Although eleven years have elapsed since the facts occurred, they ar

er of the schooner. I had only to listen to him, and as I had read Poe's romance

ed a certain amount of nervous irritation, "it is possible that you did not know

lsewh

t Arthur Gordon is only a fictitious personage, and his voyage an imaginary one! Do you

e of the necessity of treating his monomania with re

mind; there is no disputing about facts. You may deduce any results from them you like. I

ade a sign of acquiescence. The matte

re the writer's family lived; the grandfather had served as quarter-master-general during the War of Inde

captain continued, wit

could not see him. Unfortunately, being unable to see Edgar Poe, I was unable to refer to Arthur Gordon Pym in the case. That bold pioneer of the Antarctic regions wa

. My notion was that, as he either could not or dared not wind up so extraordinary a work of imagination, Poe had given it to be understood that he

re points in that part of it, as in many other places. However, Edgar Poe stated explicitly that Dirk Peters would be able to furnish information relating to the non-communicated chapters, and that he lived at Illinois. I set out at once for Illinois; I arrived at Springfield; I inquired for this man, a half-breed Indian. He lived in the hamlet of Vandalia; I went there, and met with

albrane! Yes, another moment, and, in my turn, I should have made a fool of myself. This poor mad fellow imagined that he had gone to Illinois and seen p

m still more mad. Accordingly I appeared entirely convinced that

e schooner on which Arthur Pym had embarked, of a bottle containing a sea

ecall the

t to be. I found it and the letter also. That letter stated that the captain and Arthu

nd that

es

the l

es

inventions. I was on the point of saying to him, "Show me that letter," but I thought be

he and Arthur Pym returned from so far. Recollect, now, in the last chapter but one they are both there. Their boat is in front of the thick curtain of whi

would have been interesting to learn what was the outcome of these adventures. But, to my

ed almost involuntarily

Arthur Pym and Dirk Peters after the frightful shipwreck of the

gar Poe's romance, "is it not the case that all these men perished, some in the at

emotion. "Who can say but that some of the unfortunate cr

be difficult to admit that those who

d w

we are discussing a

in the midst of those Antarctic lands, why should not their companions, if they were not all killed by the natives, if they were so fortunate as to reach the neighbouring isla

ay, captain," I replied.

a material proof of the existence of these unhappy men, imprisoned at the ends of the earth, were fur

ad roused the interest of this strange man in those shipwrecked folk who ne

anew, laid his hand on my shou

d has not been said concer

promptly

hip; but what of that? The captain of the Jane never lived but in the imagination of the novelist, he and the skipper of the Halbrane have nothing in common except a name which is frequently to be found in England. But, on thinking of the similarity, it struck me that the poor c

condition of Captain Len Guy; and besides, any kind of conversation with the lieutenant was difficult. On the whole I thought it safer to restrain my curiosity. In a few days the schooner would reach Tristan d'Acunha, and I should part with

south latitude 46° 55', and 37° 46' east longitude. We were in sight of

north-west, towards the most northern parallel of the southern