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returned until he heard that his former mistress was married according `
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to her inclinations. "What a noble fellow!" you will exclaim. He is `
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so; but then he is wholly uneducated: he is as silent as a Turk, and a `
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kind of ignorant carelessness attends him, which, while it renders his `
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conduct the more astonishing, detracts from the interest and sympathy `
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which otherwise he would command. `
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Yet do not suppose, because I complain a little or because I can `
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conceive a consolation for my toils which I may never know, that I am `
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wavering in my resolutions. Those are as fixed as fate, and my voyage `
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is only now delayed until the weather shall permit my embarkation. The `
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winter has been dreadfully severe, but the spring promises well, and it `
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is considered as a remarkably early season, so that perhaps I may sail `
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sooner than I expected. I shall do nothing rashly: you know me `
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sufficiently to confide in my prudence and considerateness whenever the `
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safety of others is committed to my care. `
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I cannot describe to you my sensations on the near prospect of my `
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undertaking. It is impossible to communicate to you a conception of `
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the trembling sensation, half pleasurable and half fearful, with which `
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I am preparing to depart. I am going to unexplored regions, to "the `
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land of mist and snow," but I shall kill no albatross; therefore do not `
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be alarmed for my safety or if I should come back to you as worn and `
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woeful as the "Ancient Mariner." You will smile at my allusion, but I `
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will disclose a secret. I have often attributed my attachment to, my `
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passionate enthusiasm for, the dangerous mysteries of ocean to that `
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production of the most imaginative of modern poets. There is something `
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at work in my soul which I do not understand. I am practically `
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industrious--painstaking, a workman to execute with perseverance and `
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labour--but besides this there is a love for the marvellous, a belief `
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in the marvellous, intertwined in all my projects, which hurries me out `
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of the common pathways of men, even to the wild sea and unvisited `
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regions I am about to explore. But to return to dearer considerations. `
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Shall I meet you again, after having traversed immense seas, and `
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returned by the most southern cape of Africa or America? I dare not `
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expect such success, yet I cannot bear to look on the reverse of the `
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picture. Continue for the present to write to me by every `
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opportunity: I may receive your letters on some occasions when I need `
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them most to support my spirits. I love you very tenderly. Remember `
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me with affection, should you never hear from me again. `
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Your affectionate brother, `
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Robert Walton `
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Letter 3 `
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To Mrs. Saville, England `
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July 7th, 17-- `
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My dear Sister, `
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`
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I write a few lines in haste to say that I am safe--and well advanced `
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on my voyage. This letter will reach England by a merchantman now on `
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its homeward voyage from Archangel; more fortunate than I, who may not `
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see my native land, perhaps, for many years. I am, however, in good `
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spirits: my men are bold and apparently firm of purpose, nor do the `
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floating sheets of ice that continually pass us, indicating the dangers `
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of the region towards which we are advancing, appear to dismay them. We `
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have already reached a very high latitude; but it is the height of `
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summer, and although not so warm as in England, the southern gales, `
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which blow us speedily towards those shores which I so ardently desire `
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to attain, breathe a degree of renovating warmth which I had not `
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expected. `
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No incidents have hitherto befallen us that would make a figure in a `
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letter. One or two stiff gales and the springing of a leak are `
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accidents which experienced navigators scarcely remember to record, and `
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I shall be well content if nothing worse happen to us during our `
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voyage. `
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Adieu, my dear Margaret. Be assured that for my own sake, as well as `
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yours, I will not rashly encounter danger. I will be cool, `
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persevering, and prudent. `
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But success SHALL crown my endeavours. Wherefore not? Thus far I have `
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gone, tracing a secure way over the pathless seas, the very stars `
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themselves being witnesses and testimonies of my triumph. Why not `
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still proceed over the untamed yet obedient element? What can stop the `
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determined heart and resolved will of man? `
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My swelling heart involuntarily pours itself out thus. But I must `
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finish. Heaven bless my beloved sister! `
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R.W. `
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Letter 4 `
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To Mrs. Saville, England `
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August 5th, 17-- `
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So strange an accident has happened to us that I cannot forbear `
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recording it, although it is very probable that you will see me before `
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these papers can come into your possession. `
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Last Monday (July 31st) we were nearly surrounded by ice, which closed `
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in the ship on all sides, scarcely leaving her the sea-room in which `
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she floated. Our situation was somewhat dangerous, especially as we `
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were compassed round by a very thick fog. We accordingly lay to, `
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hoping that some change would take place in the atmosphere and weather. `
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About two o'clock the mist cleared away, and we beheld, stretched out `
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in every direction, vast and irregular plains of ice, which seemed to `
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have no end. Some of my comrades groaned, and my own mind began to `
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grow watchful with anxious thoughts, when a strange sight suddenly `
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attracted our attention and diverted our solicitude from our own `
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situation. We perceived a low carriage, fixed on a sledge and drawn by `
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dogs, pass on towards the north, at the distance of half a mile; a `
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being which had the shape of a man, but apparently of gigantic stature, `
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sat in the sledge and guided the dogs. We watched the rapid progress `
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of the traveller with our telescopes until he was lost among the `
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distant inequalities of the ice. This appearance excited our `
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unqualified wonder. We were, as we believed, many hundred miles from `
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any land; but this apparition seemed to denote that it was not, in `
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reality, so distant as we had supposed. Shut in, however, by ice, it `
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was impossible to follow his track, which we had observed with the `
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greatest attention. About two hours after this occurrence we heard the `
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ground sea, and before night the ice broke and freed our ship. We, `
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however, lay to until the morning, fearing to encounter in the dark `
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those large loose masses which float about after the breaking up of the `
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ice. I profited of this time to rest for a few hours. `
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In the morning, however, as soon as it was light, I went upon deck and `
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found all the sailors busy on one side of the vessel, apparently `
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talking to someone in the sea. It was, in fact, a sledge, like that we `
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had seen before, which had drifted towards us in the night on a large `
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fragment of ice. Only one dog remained alive; but there was a human `
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being within it whom the sailors were persuading to enter the vessel. `
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He was not, as the other traveller seemed to be, a savage inhabitant of `
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some undiscovered island, but a European. When I appeared on deck the `
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master said, "Here is our captain, and he will not allow you to perish `
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on the open sea." `
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On perceiving me, the stranger addressed me in English, although with a `
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foreign accent. "Before I come on board your vessel," said he, "will `
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you have the kindness to inform me whither you are bound?" `
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You may conceive my astonishment on hearing such a question addressed `
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to me from a man on the brink of destruction and to whom I should have `
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supposed that my vessel would have been a resource which he would not `
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have exchanged for the most precious wealth the earth can afford. I `
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replied, however, that we were on a voyage of discovery towards the `
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northern pole. `
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Upon hearing this he appeared satisfied and consented to come on board. `
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Good God! Margaret, if you had seen the man who thus capitulated for `
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his safety, your surprise would have been boundless. His limbs were `
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nearly frozen, and his body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and `
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suffering. I never saw a man in so wretched a condition. We attempted `
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to carry him into the cabin, but as soon as he had quitted the fresh `
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air he fainted. We accordingly brought him back to the deck and `
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restored him to animation by rubbing him with brandy and forcing him to `
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swallow a small quantity. As soon as he showed signs of life we `
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wrapped him up in blankets and placed him near the chimney of the `
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kitchen stove. By slow degrees he recovered and ate a little soup, `
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which restored him wonderfully. `
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Two days passed in this manner before he was able to speak, and I often `
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feared that his sufferings had deprived him of understanding. When he `
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had in some measure recovered, I removed him to my own cabin and `
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attended on him as much as my duty would permit. I never saw a more `
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interesting creature: his eyes have generally an expression of `
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wildness, and even madness, but there are moments when, if anyone `
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performs an act of kindness towards him or does him any the most trifling `
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service, his whole countenance is lighted up, as it were, with a beam `
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of benevolence and sweetness that I never saw equalled. But he is `
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generally melancholy and despairing, and sometimes he gnashes his `
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teeth, as if impatient of the weight of woes that oppresses him. `
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When my guest was a little recovered I had great trouble to keep off the `
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men, who wished to ask him a thousand questions; but I would not allow `
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him to be tormented by their idle curiosity, in a state of body and `
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mind whose restoration evidently depended upon entire repose. Once, `
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however, the lieutenant asked why he had come so far upon the ice in so `
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strange a vehicle. `
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His countenance instantly assumed an aspect of the deepest gloom, and `
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he replied, "To seek one who fled from me." `
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"And did the man whom you pursued travel in the same fashion?" `
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`
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"Yes." `
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"Then I fancy we have seen him, for the day before we picked you up we `
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saw some dogs drawing a sledge, with a man in it, across the ice." `
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This aroused the stranger's attention, and he asked a multitude of `
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questions concerning the route which the demon, as he called him, had `
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pursued. Soon after, when he was alone with me, he said, "I have, `
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doubtless, excited your curiosity, as well as that of these good `
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people; but you are too considerate to make inquiries." `
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