“Not the slightest.”
“What then?”
“An utter blank, the abomination of desolation, as described by the prophet Isaiah.”
“I’m not much on dead prophets,” said Captain Nares, “nor on living ones either; but is there no northwest passage?”
“No; talk about the South Pole; no one seems to interest himself about that.”
The conversation was interrupted by the entrance of the first officer.
“The fog is thickening, sir,” he said. “There is electricity in the air.”
“Can’t trust the compass?”
“Not to any great extent. We may run ashore at any moment.”
“Have you looked at the chart?”