The Voyages and Adventures of Captain Hatteras Part 57

"You might have chosen, sir," cried Hatteras, beside himself, "a name less offensive to an English ear."

"But none dearer to an American ear," answered Altamont, with much pride.

"Come, come," continued the doctor, who found it hard to keep the peace in this little world, "no discussion about that! Let an American be proud of his great men! Let us honor genius wherever it is found, and since Altamont has made his choice, let us now speak for ourselves and our friends. Let our captain--"

"Doctor," answered Hatteras, "since this is an American land, I don't care to have my name figure here."

"Is that opinion unchangeable?" asked the doctor.

"It is," answered Hatteras.

The doctor did not insist any further.

"Well, then, it's our turn," he said, addressing the old sailor and the carpenter; "let us leave a trace of our pa.s.sage here. I propose that we call that island about three miles from here Johnson Island, in honor of our boatswain."

"O," said the latter, a little embarra.s.sed, "O doctor!"

"As to the mountain which we have seen in the west, we shall call it Bell Mountain, if our carpenter is willing."

"It's too much honor for me," answered Bell.

"It's only fair," said the doctor.

"Nothing better," said Altamont.

"Then we have only to name our fort," resumed the doctor; "there need be no discussion about that; it's neither to Her Royal Highness Queen Victoria nor to Washington that we owe our protection in it at this moment, but to G.o.d, who brought us together and saved us all. Let it be called Fort Providence!"

"A capital plan!" answered Altamont.

"Fort Providence," added Johnson, "that sounds well! So, then, in returning from our excursions in the north, we shall start from Cape Washington to reach Victoria Bay, and from there to Fort Providence, where we shall find rest and plenty in Doctor's House."

"Then that's settled," answered the doctor; "later, as we make discoveries, we shall have other names to give, which I hope will not give rise to discussion; for, my friends, we ought to stand by one another and love one another; we represent humanity on this distant sh.o.r.e; let us not give ourselves up to the detestable pa.s.sions which infest society; let us rather remain unattackable by adversity. Who can say what dangers Heaven has in store for us, what sufferings we may not have to support before we return to our own country? Let us five be like one man, and leave on one side the rivalry which is wrong anywhere, and especially here. You understand me, Altamont? And you, Hatteras?"

The two men made no reply, but the doctor did not seem to notice their silence. Then they talked about other things; about hunting, so as to get a supply of fresh meat; with the spring, hares, partridges, even foxes, would return, as well as bears; they resolved accordingly not to let a favorable day pa.s.s without exploring the land of New America.

CHAPTER VIII.

EXCURSION TO THE NORTH OF VICTORIA BAY.

The next morning, as soon as the sun appeared, Clawbonny ascended the wall of rock which rose above Doctor's House; it terminated suddenly in a sort of truncated cone; the doctor reached the summit with some little difficulty, and from there his eye beheld a vast expanse of territory which looked as if it were the result of some volcanic convulsion; a huge white canopy covered land and sea, rendering them undistinguishable the one from the other. The doctor, when he saw that this rock overlooked all the surrounding plain, had an idea,--a fact which will not astonish those who are acquainted with him. This idea he turned over, pondered, and made himself master of by the time he returned to the house, and then he communicated it to his companions.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "The doctor reached the summit with some little difficulty."]

"It has occurred to me," he said to them, "to build a lighthouse at the top of the cone up there."

"A lighthouse?" they cried.

"Yes, a lighthouse; it will be of use to show us our way back at night when we are returning from distant excursions, and to light up the neighborhood in the eight months of winter."

"Certainly," answered Altamont, "such an apparatus would be useful; but how will you build it?"

"With one of the _Porpoise's_ lanterns."

"Very good; but with what will you feed the lamp? With seal-oil?"

"No; it doesn't give a bright enough light; it could hardly pierce the fog."

"Do you think you can get hydrogen from our coal and make illuminating gas?"

"Well, that light would not be bright enough, and it would be wrong to use up any of our fuel."

"Then," said Altamont, "I don't see--"

"As for me," answered Johnson, "since the bullet of mercury, the ice lens, the building of Fort Providence, I believe Dr. Clawbonny is capable of anything."

"Well," resumed Altamont, "will you tell us what sort of a light you are going to have?"

"It's very simple," answered the doctor; "an electric light."

"An electric light!"

"Certainly; didn't you have on board of the _Porpoise_ a Bunsen's pile in an uninjured state?"

"Yes," answered the American.

"Evidently, when you took it, you intended to make some experiments, for it is complete. You have the necessary acid, and the wires isolated, hence it would be easy for us to get an electric light. It will be more brilliant, and will cost nothing."

"That is perfect," answered the boatswain, "and the less time we lose--"

"Well, the materials are there," answered the doctor, "and in an hour we shall have a column ten feet high, which will be enough."

[Ill.u.s.tration]

The doctor went out; his companions followed him to the top of the cone; the column was promptly built and was soon surmounted by one of the _Porpoise's_ lanterns. Then the doctor arranged the conducting wires which were connected with the pile; this was placed in the parlor of the ice-house, and was preserved from the frost by the heat of the stoves. From there the wires ran to the lantern. All this was quickly done, and they waited till sunset to judge of the effect. At night the two charcoal points, kept at a proper distance apart in the lantern, were brought together, and flashes of brilliant light, which the wind could neither make flicker nor extinguish, issued from the lighthouse. It was a noteworthy sight, these sparkling rays, rivalling the brilliancy of the plains, and defining sharply the outlines of the surrounding objects. Johnson could not help clapping his hands.

"Dr. Clawbonny," he said, "has made another sun!"

"One ought to do a little of everything," answered the doctor, modestly.

The cold put an end to the general admiration, and each man hastened back to his coverings.

After this time life was regularly organized. During the following days, from the 15th to the 20th of April, the weather was very uncertain; the temperature fell suddenly twenty degrees, and the atmosphere experienced severe changes, at times being full of snow and squally, at other times cold and dry, so that no one could set foot outside without precautions. However, on Sat.u.r.day, the wind began to fall; this circ.u.mstance made an expedition possible; they resolved accordingly to devote a day to hunting, in order to renew their provisions. In the morning, Altamont, the doctor, Bell, each one taking a double-barrelled gun, a proper amount of food, a hatchet, a snow-knife in case they should have to dig a shelter, set out under a cloudy sky. During their absence Hatteras was to explore the coast and take their bearings. The doctor took care to start the light; its rays were very bright; in fact, the electric light, being equal to that of three thousand candles or three hundred gas-jets, is the only one which at all approximates to the solar light.

The cold was sharp, dry, and still. The hunters set out towards Cape Washington, finding their way made easier over the hardened snow. In about half an hour they had made the three miles which separated the cape from Fort Providence. Duke was springing about them. The coast inclined to the east, and the lofty summits of Victoria Bay tended to grow lower toward the north. This made them believe that New America was perhaps only an island; but they did not have then to concern themselves with its shape. The hunters took the route by the sea and went forward rapidly. There was no sign of life, no trace of any building; they were walking over a virgin soil. They thus made about fifteen miles in the first three hours, eating without stopping to rest; but they seemed likely to find no sport. They saw very few traces of hare, fox, or wolf. Still, a few snow-birds flew here and there, announcing the return of spring and the arctic animals. The three companions had been compelled to go inland to get around some deep ravines and some pointed rocks which ran down from Bell Mountain; but after a few delays they succeeded in regaining the sh.o.r.e; the ice had not yet separated. Far from it. The sea remained fast; still a few traces of seals announced the beginning of their visit, and that they were already come to breathe at the surface of the ice-field. It was evident from the large marks, the fresh breaking of the ice, that many had very recently been on the land. These animals are very anxious for the rays of the sun, and they like to bask on the sh.o.r.e in the sun's heat. The doctor called his companions' attention to these facts.