“I don’t mean to contradict,” replied the boatswain, “but you say we should have attained our object. Do you mean by that, that we should have found our countrymen?”
“Perhaps.”
“I can scarcely believe such would have been the case, Mr. Jeorling, although this was the principal and perhaps even the only object of our navigation in the polar seas.”
“The only one—yes—at the start,” I insinuated. “But since the half-breed’s revelations about Arthur Pym—”
“Ah! You are always harking back on that subject, like brave Dirk Peters.”
“Always, Hurliguerly; and only that a deplorable and unforeseen accident made us run aground—”
“I leave you to your delusions, Mr. Jeorling, since you believe you have run aground—”
“Why? Is not this the case?”
“In any case it is a wonderful running aground,” replied the boatswain. “Instead of a good solid bottom, we have run aground in the air.”
“Then I am right, Hurliguerly, in saying it is an unfortunate adventure.”