"And what is its name?" asked the doctor.
"New America," answered Altamont.
Hatteras clinched his fists on the table. But with a violent effort he controlled himself.
"Can you prove to me," Altamont went on, "that any Englishman has ever set foot on this soil before me?"
Johnson and Bell were silent, although they were no less angry than the captain at the haughty coolness of their opponent. But there was nothing to be said. The doctor began again after a few moments of painful silence.
"My friends," he said, "the first law of humanity is justice; it embraces all the rest. Let us then be just, and not give way to evil feelings. Altamont's priority appears to me incontestable. There is no question about it; we shall have our revenge later, and England will have a good share in future discoveries. Let us leave to this land, then, the name of New America. But Altamont, in giving it this name, has not, I imagine, disposed of the bays, capes, points, and promontories which it encloses, and I don't see anything to prevent our calling it Victoria Bay."
"None at all," answered Altamont, "provided that the cape jutting into the sea over there is named Cape Washington."
"You might have chosen, sir," cried Hatteras, beside himself, "a name less offensive to an English ear."
"But none dearer to an American ear," answered Altamont, with much pride.
"Come, come," continued the doctor, who found it hard to keep the peace in this little world, "no discussion about that! Let an American be proud of his great men! Let us honor genius wherever it is found, and since Altamont has made his choice, let us now speak for ourselves and our friends. Let our captain—"