The Voyage of the Narwhal by Andrea Barrett

Author:Andrea Barrett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“OUR ACQUAINTANCES HAVE deceived us,” Zeke said when he returned. He’d been gone for three days, exploring the far side of the point in search of the Esquimaux. His face was sunburnt and above it his hair, sweaty and rumpled, looked almost white.

Ned, who was standing next to Erasmus and sorting handfuls of scurvy grass, said, “You saw the Esquimaux?”

“I saw no one,” Zeke said curtly. “The pack in the Sound is beginning to move, there are big leads everywhere and there’s no possibility of travel across it. As the Esquimaux must have known when they sent us home. They never had any intention of helping us, they just meant to get rid of us. And so they have. We have no way of communicating with them now for the rest of the season.”

“Why would they come here?” Ned said. “All they ever want to do is get away from us.”

“Your opinion,” Zeke retorted. “Which you may keep to yourself.”

Ned turned and busied himself with the stove. Captain Tyler and Mr. Tagliabeau, still idle but well enough to sit in the sun wrapped in blankets, looked up at Zeke. “But this is good news,” Captain Tyler said. “Isn’t it? If the ice is breaking up in the Sound, surely we’ll be freed soon...”

“I don’t think so,” Zeke replied. “I went south along the ice belt, looking for open water. The straits aren’t open anywhere, they’re only heaving and breaking. The ice on our side is completely solid between us and the North Water.”

Mr. Tagliabeau groaned and put his head on his knees.

“We have at least six weeks before there’s even the possibility of breaking out,” Zeke said. “And there’s no point wasting this precious time. So we don’t have dogs. So the movement in the Sound blocks us from travel to the east. There’s no reason we can’t head north, exploring the coast. We’ll break into two parties, one to guard the brig and ready it for our departure, and another to travel. Volunteers?”

No one said a word.

Zeke looked from face to face. Erasmus shifted his eyes when Zeke’s gaze reached him.

“Some enthusiasm would be welcome,” Zeke said. “I’ll post a sheet of paper in the deckhouse tomorrow morning, and I expect six of you to sign up for the exploring party. Work it out among yourselves.”

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