Chapter 43 Chapter Eleven Anxiety Footprints

From April 26th to 27th, the weather began to change, the temperature dropped significantly, and the residents of the doctor's house felt the cold creeping into their quilts. When the fire went out, he had to fill in a large amount of coal to keep the room temperature at ten degrees Celsius. This cooling heralds the end of the storm, and to the great delight of the doctor, the return to the usual activities of hunting, excursions, and land surveying puts an end to the idleness which can make the best of tempers sour. The next morning the doctor got up early and made his way along the snow and ice that had piled up to the top of the cone of the lighthouse.

The wind turned to the north, and the weather was very clear, with strips of snow making a firm, firm carpet underfoot. The five wintering companions soon left the doctor's house, and their first task was to remove the snow that had buried it; they could no longer distinguish it on the plateau, and it was impossible to find the remains of the house here. , the blizzard filled the undulating terrain, leveling everything and raising the ground by at least fifteen feet. Start by clearing the snow first.Restore the original appearance of the building, make those bloated lines lively, and restore its balance.Nothing could be easier to do, after shoveling the ice and snow, a few swipes of the snow knife and the ice wall returns to its original thickness.

After two hours of persevering labor, the granite plinth was revealed, and it was possible to re-enter the food store and powder magazine. But in the ever-changing weather, when this kind of thing could explode at any time, they stored some fuel and transported it to the kitchen.Stomachs afflicted by salted goods need fresh meat, and the hunters are responsible for changing the caloric system of the food, and they are ready to go. However, at the end of April, the Arctic spring has not yet come, and the moment of recovery has not yet sounded. It will take at least six weeks.They feared the scarcity of beasts, whether birds or quadrupeds.But a hare, several pairs of large waterfowl, and a small fox would still appear on the dining table in the doctor's house, and the hunters decided to hunt with ecstasy everything that came within range of their guns.

The Doctor, Altamon, and Bell are tasked with surveying the area.Altamon, judging by his habits, should be a tactful and decisive hunter, and a good marksman, if a bit of rhetoric.He was part of the team, and Duck was like him, like him in his kind, but less talkative. The three adventurous companions climbed from the eastern cone into the vast white plain, but they need not go far, for there are many footprints within two nautical miles of the fort, and from there they continue As far as Victoria Bay, they seem to encircle God's Fortress in their circles. The hunters followed the footprints curiously and looked at each other.

Why!The doctor said, I can see clearly. Very clearly, Bell replied, bear's footprints. Pretty good prey, Altamon replied, but I don't think it's special today. what feature?the doctor asked. A lot, the American replied. what do you mean?Bell said again. I mean there are clearly five bears here, five bears, too many for five people! Are you sure about what you said?The doctor said. Judge for yourself, here one footprint is different from the other, these claws are farther apart than those claws.This is the footprint of an even smaller bear.Make a good comparison and you will find the tracks of five beasts in a closed circle.

Apparently, Bell said, he looked it over carefully. Do not be useless bravery, says the doctor, but be vigilant instead, these beasts must be starving after a harsh winter, and they are quite dangerous, since their numbers are unquestionable Nor can their intentions be questioned.The Americans said again. Do you think, said Bell, that they found us on this shore? Unless we've fallen into the bear's path, no doubt, but why are the footprints distributed in rings instead of disappearing into the distance?Notice!These beasts came from the southeast, and they stopped at this place, where they began to survey the land.

You are right, said the doctor, and it is even certain that they came this evening. Other nights have undoubtedly come, answered Altamon, but the snow covered their tracks. No, replied the doctor, it was more likely that the bears were waiting for the storm to pass, and they were compelled to come to the bay, hoping to catch a seal, which would soon smell us. That is so, replied Altamon, but it is easy to know whether they will come tomorrow night or not. how do you know?Bell said. Take part of this track away, and if we find new tracks tomorrow morning, it will be obvious that God's fortress was the object of these wild beasts.

Well, replied the doctor, at least we know what we are supposed to do. The three hunters started to work. They scraped the snow and quickly made the footprints within two hundred meters disappear. It's odd, Bell said, that the beasts could smell us from such a distance that we didn't burn any of the fatty substances that would attract them. oh!The doctor replied that bears are born with keen eyesight and an exceptional sense of smell, and besides, they are very intelligent, if not the most intelligent of animals, and here they smell something unusual. Besides, said Bell, who can tell us that they will not come to the plateau during a snowstorm?

So, the Americans replied, why did they stop at this limit tonight? Yes, there is no answer to that, retorted the doctor, we will gradually narrow their search circle around the fortress of God. Let us see, replied Altamon. Now, go on, said the doctor, but watch your eyes. The hunters are so preoccupied with their vigilance that they fear which bears may hide behind the mounds, they often go so far as to mistook the bears for huge blocks of ice shaped and colored to look like bears.But, in the end, they discovered to their great satisfaction that it was nothing more than their hallucination.

They made their way back at last to the half-way up Pit Pit, where they had seen Johnson Island from Cape Washington without gaining anything. They could see nothing, everything was still, white, there was no sound, not a crack. They went back to the igloo. Hatteras and Johnson also learned of the situation, and they decided to put on the alert with all their might.Night came, and nothing disturbed its majestic stillness, and there was not a single sound that foreshadowed the approaching danger. At dawn the next day Hatteras and his companions went out in full armor to survey the snow, and they found the same tracks as the night before, but nearer.Apparently, the enemy had begun to lay siege to God's fortress.

They started the second round, the doctor said. They even went a step, Altamon replied, look at these steps towards the plateau, they belong to a mighty beast. Yes, the bears were getting closer, Johnson said, and apparently they wanted to attack us. There is no doubt about it, the doctor replied, we avoided showing up.We don't have the power to win the fight. But where are these damn bears?bell yelled. Behind some ice floes to the east, from where they spy on us, let's not venture rashly. What about hunting?Altamon said. Delay it for a few more days.The doctor replied, wipe off the recent footprints again, and we will see if there are new ones in the morning.In this way, we will know the plots of our enemies. The doctor's opinion was accepted, and they were shut up again in the fort, and the presence of these terrible beasts prevented all excursions.They watched with rapt attention the surroundings of Victoria Harbour.The lighthouse was extinguished, it was of no use at present, and would attract the attention of the beasts, the lantern and wires were put away in the house, and everyone took turns keeping an eye on the plateau. This is going through a new pain of loneliness, but is there any other way?They cannot compromise in such a struggle of disparity in strength, each life is too precious to be risked lightly, the bears can see nothing, they may be thrown off, if they appear alone in the long journey, They are more likely to win by attacking them. But this inaction is underscored by a new trend: to be vigilant, and everyone is willing to do something about this vital matter. The twenty-eighth of April passed, and there seemed to be no sign of the beasts.The next day they looked at the steps with great curiosity, and then cried out in wonder. There is no more footprints, and the untouched snow blanket spreads into the distance. good!cried Altamon, the bear has been thrown off!They are impatient!They are tired of waiting!They are gone!Have a nice trip!Now, go hunting! oh!oh!The doctor retorted, who knows?To be sure, my friends, I ask you to be on the alert for another day.The enemy won't come back tonight, at least not this way After a week of patrolling the plateau, Altamon said, we'll know what we're going to do. Very happy, doctor. But in vain they scouted carefully for a week within two nautical miles, and it was impossible to find any trace. So, do we hunt?asked the impatient American. Wait until tomorrow, the doctor replied. Tomorrow, answered Altamon, who had a hard time controlling himself. They returned to the fort.But, as on the previous night, every man was to be at his observation post within an hour. When it was Altamon's turn, he took Bell's place on top of the cone. As soon as he started, Hatteras called his companions to his side, the doctor put down his notebook, and Johnson left his stove. It was conceivable that Hatteras was going to talk about the dangers of the situation, and he didn't even have to think about it. My friends, he said, while this American is away, let's talk about our affairs. There are some things that have nothing to do with him, and I don't want him to participate. The captain's interlocutors looked at each other, wondering where he was going. I want, he said, to talk to you about our future plans. Well, well, replied the Doctor, let's talk, now that we are alone. A month later, Hatteras added, the time for the great excursions would come in six weeks at the latest.Have you thought about what to do in summer? What about you, Captain?Johnson asked. I, so to speak, have never lived a single moment of my life that I have not spent in my thoughts.I don't think any of you want to go back, do you? This hint was not immediately answered. I see, said Hatteras again, that I should go all the way to the North Pole, and we're a hundred and sixty nautical miles from there. Such an opportunity is lost by not trying even the impossible.What are your plans in this regard? Same as yours, replied the doctor excitedly. How about you, Johnson? Same as the doctor's, replied the bosun. Your turn to speak, Bell, said Hatteras. Captain, replied the carpenter, we have no family waiting for us in England, it is true, but there is the motherland, after all, it is the motherland!Don't you want to go back? Going back, the captain said again, it is also good after discovering the pole.And better.No added difficulty, because, going forward, we are far from the coldest place on earth.Our fuel and food will last a long time.Nothing can stop us, and we are guilty if we do not go all the way to the end. Well, answered Bell, we all agree with you, Captain. Well, replied Hatteras, I never doubted you that we shall succeed, my friends, and England shall have all the glory of our success. But there is an American among us, Johnson said. Hatteras couldn't help making an angry gesture at the prompt. I know, he said stiffly. We can't leave him here, the doctor said again. Yes, we can't!Hatteras answered mechanically. He will definitely go! Yes!he will go!But who will lead? You, Captain. What if you obey me, the rest of you, but this Yankee refuses to obey? I don't think so, replied Johnson, but anyway if he won't obey your orders? This is between him and me. The three Englishmen looked at Hatteras, lost in thought.The doctor took over, how do we travel far?He said. As far as possible along the coast, Hatteras replied. But how is this possible if we discover unimpeded oceans? Well, let's go through it. How are you doing?We don't have a dinghy. Hatteras didn't answer, obviously perplexed. Perhaps, Bell said, build a dinghy out of the remains of the Perle Boise. no!Hatteras yelled. no!Johnson said. The doctor shook his head, understanding the captain's disgust. No, said the latter, the dinghy made of wood from American ships was American. However, Captain Johnson said again. The doctor made a gesture to the old boatswain not to insist on it now, but to save the question for a more opportune time, and while the doctor understood Hatteras' distaste, he had no regrets. With the same sentiments, he intended to dissuade his friend from such a resolution. He then spoke of other things, of the possibility of going directly up the coast to the North, of that strange point on the globe called the North Pole. In short, he reversed the dangerous momentum of the conversation until it was cut short and Altamon entered. He didn't notice anything. The day passed like this, and the night passed peacefully.The bear was apparently gone.