<p><SPAN name="XXVI" id="XXVI"></SPAN></p>
<h4>
CHAPTER XXVI.
</h4>
<h4>
CONCLUSION.
</h4>
<p>It would be useless to enumerate all the misfortunes which befell the
survivors of the expedition. Even the men themselves were never able to
give any detailed narrative of the events which occurred during the week
subsequent to the horrible discovery related in the last chapter. However,
on the 9th of September, by superhuman exertions, they arrived at last at
Cape Horsburg, the extreme point of North Devon.</p>
<p>They were absolutely starving. For forty-eight hours they had tasted
nothing, and their last meal had been off the flesh of their last
Esquimaux dog. Bell could go no further, and Johnson felt himself dying.</p>
<p>They were on the shore of Baffin's Bay, now half-frozen over; that is to
say, on the road to Europe, and three miles off the waves were dashing
noiselessly on the sharp edges of the ice-field.</p>
<p>Here they must wait their chance of a whaler appearing; and for how long?</p>
<p>But Heaven pitied the poor fellows, for the very next day Altamont
distinctly perceived a sail on the horizon. Every one knows the torturing
suspense that follows such an appearance, and the agonizing dread lest it
should prove a false hope. The vessel seems alternately to approach and
recede, and too often just at the very moment when the poor castaways
think they are saved, the sail begins to disappear, and is soon out of
sight.</p>
<p>[Illustration: Two hours later, after unheard-of exertions, the survivors
of the <i>Forward</i> were picked up by the <i>Hans Christian</i>.-P.266]</p>
<p>The Doctor and his companions went through all these experiences. They had
succeeded in reaching the western boundary of the ice-field by carrying
and pushing each other along, and they watched the ship gradually fade
away from view without observing them, in spite of their loud cries for
help.</p>
<p>Just then a happy inspiration came to the Doctor. His fertile genius,
which had served him many a time in such good stead, supplied him with one
last idea!</p>
<p>A floe driven by the current struck against the icefield, and Clawbonny
exclaimed, pointing to it-</p>
<p>"This floe!"</p>
<p>His companions could not understand what he meant.</p>
<p>"Let us embark on it! let us embark on it!"</p>
<p>"Oh! Mr. Clawbonny, Mr. Clawbonny," said Johnson, pressing his hand.</p>
<p>Bell, assisted by Altamont, hurried to the sledge, and brought back one of
the poles, which he stuck fast on the ice like a mast, and fastened it
with ropes. The tent was torn up to furnish a sail, and as soon as the
frail raft was ready the poor fellows jumped upon it, and sailed out to
the open sea.</p>
<p>Two hours later, after unheard-of exertions, the survivors of the <i>Forward</i>
were picked up by the <i>Hans Christian</i>, a Danish whaler, on her way
to Davis' Straits. They were more like spectres than human beings, and the
sight of their sufferings was enough. It told its own tale; but the
captain received them with such hearty sympathy, and lavished on them such
care and kindness, that he succeeded in keeping them alive.</p>
<p>Ten days afterwards, Clawbonny, Johnson, Bell, Altamont, and Captain
Hatteras landed at Korsam, in Zealand, an island belonging to Denmark.
They took the steamer to Kiel, and from there proceeded by Altona and
Hamburg to London, where they arrived on the 13th of the same month,
scarcely recovered after their long sufferings.</p>
<p>The first care of Clawbonny was to request the Royal Geographical Society
to receive a communication from him. He was accordingly admitted to the
next</p>
<p>[Illustration: -P.267]</p>
<p><i>séance</i>, and one can imagine the astonishment of the learned
assembly and the enthusiastic applause produced by the reading of
Hatteras' document.</p>
<p>The English have a passion for geographical discovery, from the lord to
the cockney, from the merchant down to the dock labourer, and the news of
this grand discovery speedily flashed along the telegraph wires,
throughout the length and breadth of the kingdom. Hatteras was lauded as a
martyr by all the newspapers, and every Englishman felt proud of him.</p>
<p>The Doctor and his companions had the honour of being presented to the
Queen by the Lord Chancellor, and they were feted and "lionized" in all
quarters.</p>
<p>The Government confirmed the names of "Queen's Island," "Mount Hatteras,"
and "Altamont Harbour."</p>
<p>Altamont would not part from his companions in misery and glory, but
followed them to Liverpool, where they were joyously welcomed back, after
being so long supposed dead and buried beneath the eternal snows.</p>
<p>But Dr. Clawbonny would never allow that any honour was due to himself. He
claimed all the merit of the discovery for his unfortunate captain, and in
the narrative of his voyage, published the next year under the auspices of
the Royal Geographical Society, he places John Hatteras on a level with
the most illustrious navigators, and makes him the compeer of all the
brave, daring men who have sacrificed themselves for the progress of
science.</p>
<p>The insanity of this poor victim of a sublime passion was of a mild type,
and he lived quietly at Sten Cottage, a private asylum near Liverpool,
where the Doctor himself had placed him. He never spoke, and understood
nothing that was said to him; reason and speech had fled together. The
only tie that connected him with the outside world was his friendship for
Duk, who was allowed to remain with him.</p>
<p>For a considerable time the captain had been in the habit of walking in
the garden for hours, accompanied by his faithful dog, who watched him
with sad, wistful eyes, but his promenade was always in one direction in a
particular part of the garden. When he got to the end of this path, he
would stop and begin to walk backwards. If anyone stopped him he would
point with his finger towards a certain part of the sky, but let anyone
attempt to turn him round, and he became angry, while Duk, as if sharing
his master's sentiments, would bark furiously.</p>
<p>The Doctor, who often visited his afflicted friend, noticed this strange
proceeding one day, and soon understood the reason of it. He saw how it
was that he paced so constantly in a given direction, as if under the
influence of some magnetic force.</p>
<p>This was the secret: John Hatteras invariably walked towards the North.</p>
<p>The End.</p>
<h4>
End of the Voyage Extraordinaire
</h4>
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