n, as though he would escape from some harrowing
recollection which my words had evoked, he said,--

"Who would venture to seek the South Pole?"

"It would be difficult to reach, and the experiments would be of
no practical use," I replied. "Nevertheless there are men
sufficiently adventurous to embark in such an enterprise."

"Yes--adventurous is the word!" muttered the captain.

"And now," I resumed, "the United States is again making an
attempt with Wilkes's fleet, the _Vancouver_, the _Peacock_, the
_Flying Fish_, and others."

"The United States, Mr. Jeorling? Do you mean to say that an
expedition has been sent by the Federal Government to the Antarctic
seas?"

"The fact is certain, and last year, before I left America, I
learned that the vessels had sailed. That was a year ago, and it is
very possible that Wilkes has gone farther than any of the preceding
explorers."

Captain Len Guy had relapsed into silence, and came out of his
inexplicable musing only to say abruptly--

"You come from Connecticut, sir?"

"From Connecticut."

"And more specially?"

"From Providence."

"Do you know Nantucket Island?"

"I have visited it several times."

"You know, I think," said the captain, looking straight into my
eyes, "that Nantucket Island was the birthplace of Arthur Gordon
Pym, the hero of your famous romance-writer Edgar Poe."

"Yes. I remember that Poe's romance starts from Nantucket."

"Romance, you say? That was the word you used?"

"Undoubtedly, captain."

"Yes, and that is what everybody says! But, pardon me, I cannot
stay any longer. I regret that I cannot alter my mind with respect
to your proposal. But, at any rate, you will only have a few days to
wait. The season is about to open. Trading ships and whalers will
put in at Christmas Harbour, and you will be able to make a choice,
with the certainty of going to the port you want to reach. I am very
sorry, sir, and I salute you."

With these words Captain Len Guy walked quickly away, and the
interview ended differently from what I had expected, that is to say
in formal, although polite, fashion.

As there is no use in contending with the impossible, I gave up the
hope of a passage on the _Halbrane_, but continued to feel angry with
her intractable captain. And why should I not confess that my
curiosity was aroused? I felt that there was something mysterious
about this sullen mariner, and I should have liked to find out what
it was.

Th