[Illustration: "I dispute the claim," said the Englishman, restraining himself by a powerful effort.-P.72]
"I dispute the claim," said the Englishman, restraining himself by a powerful effort. "To name a country, you must first discover it, I suppose, and that you certainly did not do. Besides, but for us, where would you have been, sir, at this moment, pray? Lying twenty feet deep under the snow."
"And without me, sir," retorted Altamont, hotly, "without me and my ship, where would you all be at this moment? Dead, from cold and hunger."
"Come, come, friends," said the Doctor, "don't get to words, all that can be easily settled. Listen to me."
"Mr. Hatteras," said Altamont, "is welcome to name whatever territories he may discover, should he succeed in discovering any; but this continent belongs to me. I should not even consent to its having two names like Grinnell's Land, which is also called Prince Albert's Land, because it was discovered almost simultaneously by an Englishman and an American. This is quite another matter; my right of priority is incontestable. No ship before mine ever touched this shore, no foot before mine ever trod this soil. I have given it a name, and that name it shall keep."
"And what is that name?" inquired the Doctor.
"New America," replied Altamont.
Hatteras trembled with suppressed passion, but by a violent effort restrained himself.
"Can you prove to me," said Altamont, "that an Englishman has set foot here before an American?"
Johnson and Bell said nothing, though quite as much offended as the captain by Altamont's imperious tone. They felt that reply was impossible.