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Page 64
"That is also the conclusion which I formed some time ago," declared Mr.
Bredejord: "but I kept it to myself, as I did not wish to dampen your
hopes, my dear boy. But I am sure that we must give up the idea of
reaching Behring's Strait in three months!"
"That is also my opinion," said the doctor.
Mr. Malarius on his part indicated by a motion of his head that he
agreed with them all.
"Well!" said Erik, "having settled that point, what line of conduct now
remains for us to adopt?"
"There is one right course which it is our duty to take," answered Mr.
Bredejord, "it is to renounce an enterprise which we see clearly is
impracticable and return to Stockholm. You understand this fact, my
child, and I congratulate you upon being able to look the situation
calmly in the face!"
"You pay me a compliment which I can not accept," said Erik smiling,
"for I do not merit it. No--I have no thoughts of abandoning the
expedition, for I am far from regarding it as impracticable. I only
think that it is best for us all to baffle the machinations of that
scoundrel who is lying in wait for us, and the first thing to do is to
change our route."
"Such a change would only complicate our difficulties," replied the
doctor, "since we have adopted the shortest one. If it would be
difficult to reach Behring's Straits by the Mediterranean and the Suez
Canal, it would be impossible by the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Horn,
for either of these routes would necessarily take five or six months."
"There is another way which would shorten our voyage, instead of
lengthening it, and where we would be sure not to meet Tudor Brown,"
said Erik.
"Another way?" answered Dr. Schwaryencrona; "upon my word I do not know
of any unless you are thinking of the way of Panama. But it is not yet
practicable for vessels, and it will not be yet for several years."
"I am not thinking of Panama, nor of Cape Horn, nor of the Cape of Good
Hope," answered the young captain of the "Alaska." "The route I propose
is the only one by which we can reach Behring's Strait in three months:
it is to go by way of the Arctic Ocean, the north-west passage."
Then seeing that his friends were stupefied by this unexpected
announcement, Erik proceeded to develop his plans.
"The north-west passage now is no longer what it was formerly, frightful
to navigators--it is intermittent, since it is only open for eight or
ten weeks every year, but it is now well known, marked out upon
excellent charts, and frequented by hundreds of whaling-vessels. It is
rarely taken by any vessel going from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean,
I must admit. Most of them who enter it from either side only traverse
it partially. It might even happen, if circumstances were not favorable,
that we might find the passage closed, or that it might not be open at
the precise time when we desired to enter it. It is a risk that one must
take. But I think there are many reasons to make us hopeful of success
if we take this route, whilst as far as I can see there is none, if we
take any of the others. This being the state of affairs, I think it is
our duty--a duty which we owe to those who have fitted out the
expedition--to take the shortest way of reaching Behring's Strait. An
ordinary vessel equipped for navigating tropical waters might hesitate
before deciding upon such a course, but with a vessel like the 'Alaska'
fitted out especially for polar navigation, we need not hesitate. For my
part I declare that I will not return to Stockholm before having
attempted to find Nordenskiold."
Erik's reasoning was so sound that nobody tried to contradict it.
What objections could the doctor, Mr. Bredejord, and Mr. Malarius raise?
They saw the difficulties which beset the new plan. But it was possible
that these difficulties might not prove insurmountable, whilst, if they
pursued any other course, they must abandon all hopes of success.
Besides, they did not hesitate to agree with Erik that it would be more
glorious, in any case, to make the attempt, than to return to Stockholm
and acknowledge themselves conquered.
"I see but one serious objection, for my part," said Dr. Schwaryencrona,
after he had remained for a few moments lost in reflection. "It is the
difficulty of procuring coal in the arctic regions. For without coal,
adieu to the possibility of making the north-west passage, and of
profiting by the time, often very short, during which it is
practicable."
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