Symzonia: Voyage of Discovery. Captain Adam Seaborn

will give up the voyage. The truth was, I felt sensible that had I been possessed of my pistols at the outset, I should certainly have shot Mr. Slim; but at this time the irritation of the first impulse had subsided a little. I had had time to cool. Mr. Albicore was standing by my side, as mute as a fish, waiting for orders. The boatswain, Jack Whiffle his mate, and a number of the best men, had joined Will Mackerel’s party; while those who adhered to Slim were the poorest seamen, and most timid men in the ship, though at the same time the most noisy.

      How the matter would have terminated but for a lucky occurrence is doubtful. The vessel was running on her course during this contest, with no one on the look out: a splash in the water, close aboard to windward, drew my attention that way; it was a seal. At the same moment I observed the water to be discoloured, and instantly ordered the engine to be stopped, and a cast of the lead to be made. Some of the faithful hastened to execute this order under the direction of Albicore and Will Mackerel: but Slim and his malcontents kept up their vociferation, Slim telling them that it was only a manœuvre of mine to divert them from their purpose.

      While this was going on, I swept the horizon with my spy glass, and soon discovered in the S. W. directly to wind-ward, a low range of broken land. The moment I fixed my glass upon it, every eye was turned in that direction: some sprang into the rigging, some ran to the mast head, and the joyful cry of land ho! land! dispelled the mutinous disposition of the crew.

      Sixty-five fathoms, soft ooze, was the report of soundings; a delightful indication of an extensive body of land, with large rivers depositing their sediment on the bottom of the deep. We soon approached, and observed the coast to range about S. E. and N. W. as far as the eye could reach from the mast head. I called the attention of my officers to this circumstance, and observed to them that the broad opening which we had found in the ‘icy hoop’ could now be easily accounted for. We had noticed that the prevailing wind was from the S. W. with strong gales, the influence of which was continually forcing the ice to the eastward; but this body of land, ranging from the S. E. to the N. W. stopped the ice to the westward of it, while that to the eastward was driven away, leaving a clear passage to leeward of the land. From the westerly winds prevailing all the year round, this must always be the case, unless the ‘immutable laws of matter and motion,’ and the relation between ‘cause and effect’ should be changed.

      Mr. Slim, who had been leaning over the rail with his back towards me during my discourse, now turned upon me, with “well said, captain, that is the best reasoning I have heard from you yet—I understand that.” The truth was, we were now well in with the land, and the appearance of vast numbers of seal in the water and upon the shore, gave a prospect of a splendid voyage, and excited Slim’s cupidity, and his apprehension for the safety of his share, which he was aware he had jeopardized by his conduct.

      I was in excellent good humour, and told Slim I would overlook what had passed; I could do no less, at a moment when a kind providence was favouring my enterprise beyond my hopes, notwithstanding my numerous transgressions, without evincing an ungrateful and malicious spirit. The utmost joy prevailed throughout the ship’s company; even Slim’s livid countenance was distorted with an unusual grin. Slim was not without shrewdness, and occasionally he pretended to be very religious; but he had a double allowance of native selfishness, and worshipped with heartfelt devotion no other god but gold. With his misconduct forgiven, and a prospect of gain which surpassed his most sanguine expectations, he felt emotions as much like those of happiness, as such a compound of evil passions could be supposed to feel.

      When near the land, I observed it to be in general very low; there was scarcely any appearance of elevated spots, and no high hills or mountains could be seen. From the rugged appearance of the coast, I judged that there were deep indentations, affording numerous and convenient harbours, but in this I was mistaken. What we had taken for the coast, proved to be a succession of islands, with a broad sound between them and the main land, which latter had a straight, unbroken shore. Deep water, and a very rapid current or tide, rendered it unsafe to anchor amongst the islands; we therefore continued to coast along the main shore in search of a harbour for several hours. The shore in this place was not elevated more than 30 to 40 feet above the level of the sea. It was skirted with tussoc, which, from the very gradual rise of the land, hid all the interior from our view, except a few moderate elevations far distant.

      At 6 P. M. the appearance of a wide bay induced me to send off the boat to examine for anchorage. At 10 they returned, with the information that the bay afforded good shelter with soft ground, but was rather objectionable as a harbour, in so high a latitude, on account of its being full four miles wide, and very deep. I determined to run in and anchor, until a more secure port could be found; and having despatched two boats ahead to report the soundings by signal, stood into the bay, and at 12 o’clock P. M. anchored in 10 fathoms, soft mud, the two capes of the bay in one S. S. E. about one league, the western shore one mile distant. Although it was midnight according to our reckoning, we had a bright sunshine, the sun appearing ten degrees above the horizon.

      This land having been first seen by myself, my officers and men united in calling it after my name, and expressed their wish that I would permit it to be so denominated; it was accordingly recorded in the ship’s log book by the name of Seaborn’s Land.

      I had much need of rest, having been almost constantly on deck for five days; and after ordering the deck watch to get the boats out, and prepare every thing for an excursion, I retired to my cabin, and was soon fast asleep.

1 Handcuffs. ↑

2 ‘Blink of the ice.’—This is an arch formed upon the clouds by the reflection of light from the packed ice. ↑