Yet within the course of the next day, by superhuman exertions, we managed to dismember the boat, and transport it in sections to the cliff-top. Here we found that the undoing of her was but child’s-play to the putting of her together again. During the next three days language, temper, and filthiness of person bore hideous rule, and discomfort enveloped us like a fog.
Across these things I draw a discreet veil. Suffice it to say that on the evening of the third day, somehow or other, we had got the boat patched together and ready for lowering. Then we transported one of the ship’s windlasses up the rocks, and fixed it firmly with stanchions at the edge of the crags. We made a sort of cradle of hawsers. With immense care, with ropes thickly parcelled to avoid the frayings of the ledges, and with fenders firmly fastened to her sides, we were enabled to lower the cutter by slow degrees to the water, and to see her sit thereon unharmed.
Rafferty slid down to her, and there were lowered to him tow, chisels, and a pot of pitch. With these he contrived to give her an inside calk where her seams leaked worst from her unhandy rebuilding. We left her floating for the night, with two men aboard to keep watch and watch lest the sea rising should dash her against the cliffs, or the floe bear down to nip her against the rocks. Upon the cliff-top two more camped to be within rope’s reach of the boatmen if need arose.
No misfortune happily occurred, and the next day found us toiling up the cliff with stores for her provisioning, and water to fill her breakers. All these we passed down the swinging rope to Rafferty, who bestowed them in her lockers with nautical precision and neatness. Finally by eventide Waller and his six chosen associates descended, and amid the cheers of the assembled company took their places at the oars.
Then with one last encouraging shout, and amid great wavings of handkerchiefs and caps, they pulled away steadily up the channels between the pack-ice.
We watched them as they gradually faded to a black speck among the lanes in the floe and berg, and then disappeared to come into view again on the open water. There we saw their sail rise against the rays of the setting sun, and slant away slowly toward the horizon. At last even this vague dot upon the emptiness of ocean was not, and we turned away to seek the ship in the growing darkness.
There was sadness and an irresistible presentiment of coming evil in my heart; undefined it was; but none the easier borne. It was a silent and joyless meal we took before turning in, and I think every man of us sent up a prayer that night for our comrades on the open main; whose lives bore double burden, in that, if evil befell them, we should all likewise perish.
CHAPTER XVI
THE TEMPLE AND THE LAIR OF CAY
Though during the days of hard work, while the boat was being launched, we continued to live in the ship, we did so by compulsion of necessity alone, not having the time to seek another dwelling-place. Now the strain was over, we felt that it behoved us to seek shelter elsewhere, since another shock of earthquake might easily destroy the Racoon and leave us utterly without abode in this land of desolation. Therefore we cast about for a refuge which should be stable enough to withstand earthquakes, and also form a protection in case the Beast came down upon us.
Several moderate-sized peaks rose from the glacier foot. They were precipitous in parts, but broken with ledges and crevices, making their ascent arduous, but by no means difficult. One of these, a mass of granite shaped something like a pyramid with a flattened top, seemed to meet the case admirably. The breadth of its base made it unlikely that it would topple however much it might be shaken, and its summit was scarred with deep clefts. Any of these might be roofed over with a few planks to make a famous shelter.