Letter1
ToMrs.Saville,England.
St.
Petersburgh,Dec.11th,17—.
You
bo
willrejoicetohearthatni
nodisasterhasaccompaniedthecommencementofanenterprisewhichyouhaveregardeds
withsuchevilforebodings.Iarrivedhereyesterday,
in
andmyfirsttaskistoassuremydragi
dearsisterofmywelfarein
andincreasingconfidenceinthesuccessofmyundertaking.Iam
že
alreadyfarnorthofLondon,in
andasIwalkinthestreetsofPetersburgh,Ifeelacoldnorthernbreezeplayuponmycheeks,ki
whichbracesmynervesandfillsmez
withdelight.Doyouunderstand
ta
thisfeeling?Thisbreeze,whichhastravelledfromtheregionstowards
ki
whichIamadvancing,givesmeaforetasteofthoseicyclimes.Inspiritedby
tem
thiswindofpromise,mydaydreamsbecomebolj
moreferventandvivid.Itryinvaintobepersuadedthatthepoleistheseatoffrost
in
anddesolation;iteverpresentsitselftomyimaginationastheregionofbeauty
in
anddelight.There,Margaret,thesunisforevervisible,itsbroaddiskjustskirtingthehorizon
in
anddiffusingaperpetualsplendour.There—for
z
withyourleave,mysister,Iwillputsometrustinprecedingnavigators—theresnowin
andfrostarebanished;and,sailingoveracalmsea,we
lahko
maybewaftedtoalandsurpassinginwondersin
andinbeautyeveryregionhithertodiscoveredonthehabitableglobe.Itsproductions
in
andfeaturesmaybewithoutexample,asthephenomenaoftheheavenlybodiesundoubtedlyareinteh
thoseundiscoveredsolitudes.Whatmaynotbeexpectedinacountryofeternal
svetlobe
light?Imaytherediscoverthewondrous
moč
powerwhichattractstheneedlein
andmayregulateathousandcelestialobservationsthatrequiresamo
onlythisvoyagetorendertheirseemingeccentricitiesconsistentforever.Ishallsatiatemyardentcuriosity
s
withthesightofadel
partoftheworldneverbeforevisited,in
andmaytreadalandnikoli
neverbeforeimprintedbythefootofman.Thesearemyenticements,
in
andtheyaresufficienttoconquerallfearofdangerali
ordeathandtoinducemetocommenceto
thislaboriousvoyagewiththejoyaotrok
childfeelswhenheembarksinalittleboat,z
withhisholidaymates,onanexpeditionofdiscoveryuphisnativeriver.Butsupposing
vse
alltheseconjecturestobefalse,youcannotcontesttheinestimablebenefitki
whichIshallconferonvse
allmankind,tothelastgeneration,bydiscoveringapassagenearthepoletothosecountries,toreachki
whichatpresentsomanymonthsarerequisite;ali
orbyascertainingthesecretofthemagnet,kar
which,ifatallpossible,lahko
canonlybeeffectedbyanundertakingsuchasmine.Thesereflections
so
havedispelledtheagitationwithki
whichIbeganmyletter,in
andIfeelmyheartglowwithanenthusiasmki
whichelevatesmetoheaven,fornič
nothingcontributessomuchtotranquillisetheuma
mindasasteadypurpose—atočka
pointonwhichthesoullahko
mayfixitsintellectualeye.Ta
Thisexpeditionhasbeenthefavouritedreamofmyearlyyears.I
so
havereadwithardourtheaccountsofthevariousvoyageski
whichhavebeenmadeintheprospectofarrivingattheNorthPacificOceanskozi
throughtheseaswhichsurroundthepole.You
morda
mayrememberthatahistoryofvseh
allthevoyagesmadeforpurposesofdiscoverycomposedthecelotno
wholeofourgoodUncleThomas’library.Myeducationwasneglected,
vendar
yetIwaspassionatelyfondofreading.Te
Thesevolumesweremystudydayin
andnight,andmyfamiliaritywiththemincreasedthatregretwhichIhadfelt,asje
achild,onlearningthatmyfather’sdyinginjunctionhadforbiddenmyuncletoallowmetoembarkinje
aseafaringlife.Thesevisionsfaded
ko
whenIperused,fortheprvič
firsttime,thosepoetswhoseeffusionsentrancedmysoulin
andliftedittoheaven.I
tudi
alsobecameapoetandforeno
oneyearlivedinaparadiseofmyowncreation;Iimagined
da
thatIalsomightobtainanicheinthetemplekjer
wherethenamesofHomerin
andShakespeareareconsecrated.Youare
dobro
wellacquaintedwithmyfailurein
andhowheavilyIborethedisappointment.Toda
ButjustatthattimeIinheritedthefortuneofmycousin,in
andmythoughtswereturnedintothechanneloftheirearlierbent.Šest
SixyearshavepassedsinceIresolvedonmypresentundertaking.I
lahko
can,evennow,rememberthehourfromwhichIdedicatedmyselftothisgreatenterprise.Icommencedbyinuringmy
telo
bodytohardship.Iaccompaniedthewhale-fishersonseveralexpeditionstotheNorthSea;
Ivoluntarilyendured
mraz
cold,famine,thirst,andwantofspanja
sleep;Ioftenworkedharder
kot
thanthecommonsailorsduringthedan
dayanddevotedmynightstothestudyofmathematics,thetheoryofmedicine,in
andthosebranchesofphysicalsciencefromwhichanavaladventurermightderivethegreatestpracticaladvantage.TwiceI
dejansko
actuallyhiredmyselfasanunder-mateinaGreenlandwhaler,in
andacquittedmyselftoadmiration.ImustownIfeltalittleproud
ko
whenmycaptainofferedmethedrugo
seconddignityinthevesselin
andentreatedmetoremainwiththegreatestearnestness,sovaluabledidheconsidermyservices.In
Andnow,dearMargaret,doInotdeservetoaccomplishnekaj
somegreatpurpose?Mylifemighthavebeenpassedinease
in
andluxury,butIpreferredglorytovsako
everyenticementthatwealthplacedinmypath.Oh,
da
thatsomeencouragingvoicewouldanswerintheaffirmative!Mycourage
in
andmyresolutionisfirm;ampak
butmyhopesfluctuate,andmyspiritsareoftendepressed.Iamabouttoproceedona
dolgo
longanddifficultvoyage,theemergenciesofwhichbodo
willdemandallmyfortitude:Iamrequirednot
samo
onlytoraisethespiritsofothers,ampak
butsometimestosustainmyown,ko
whentheirsarefailing.Thisisthe
najbolj
mostfavourableperiodfortravellinginRussia.Theyflyquickly
čez
overthesnowintheirsledges;themotionispleasant,
in
and,inmyopinion,farbolj
moreagreeablethanthatofanEnglishstagecoach.The
mrzlo
coldisnotexcessive,ifyouarewrappedinfurs—adresski
whichIhavealreadyadopted,forthereisagreatdifferencemed
betweenwalkingthedeckandremainingseatedmotionlessforhours,ko
whennoexercisepreventsthekri
bloodfromactuallyfreezinginyourveins.Ihavenoambitiontolosemy
življenje
lifeonthepost-roadbetweenSt.Petersburghin
andArchangel.Ishalldepartforthelatter
mesto
towninafortnightortri
threeweeks;andmyintentionistohireaship
tam
there,whichcaneasilybedonebypayingtheinsurancefortheowner,in
andtoengageasmanysailorsasImislim
thinknecessaryamongthosewhoareaccustomedtothewhale-fishing.IdonotintendtosailuntilthemonthofJune;
in
andwhenshallIreturn?Ah,
draga
dearsister,howcanIanswerto
thisquestion?IfIsucceed,
veliko
many,manymonths,perhapsyears,bo
willpassbeforeyouandImaymeet.Če
IfIfail,youwillseemespet
againsoon,ornever.Farewell,my
draga
dear,excellentMargaret.Heavenshowerdownblessingsonyou,
in
andsaveme,thatIlahko
mayagainandagaintestifymygratitudeforallyourljubezen
loveandkindness.Letter2
ToMrs.Saville,England.
Archangel,28thMarch,17—.
Kako
Howslowlythetimepassestukaj
here,encompassedasIambyfrostin
andsnow!Yetasecondstepistakentowardsmyenterprise.
Ihavehiredavessel
in
andamoccupiedincollectingmysailors;thosewhomIhave
že
alreadyengagedappeartobemenonwhomIlahko
candependandarecertainlypossessedofdauntlesscourage.Ampak
ButIhaveonewantki
whichIhaveneveryetbeensposoben
abletosatisfy,andtheabsenceoftheobjectofki
whichInowfeelasanajbolj
mostsevereevil,Ihavenofriend,Margaret:ko
whenIamglowingwiththeenthusiasmofsuccess,therebo
willbenonetoparticipatemyjoy;če
ifIamassailedbydisappointment,ne
noonewillendeavourtosustainmeindejection.Ishallcommitmythoughtstopaper,itis
res
true;butthatisapoormediumforthecommunicationoffeeling.
Idesirethecompanyofa
moškega
manwhocouldsympathisewithmano
me,whoseeyeswouldreplytomine.You
morda
maydeemmeromantic,mydraga
dearsister,butIbitterlyfeelthewantofafriend.Ihavenoonenearme,gentle
vendar
yetcourageous,possessedofacultivatedastudi
wellasofacapaciousum
mind,whosetastesarelikemyown,toapproveali
oramendmyplans.Howwould
tak
suchafriendrepairthefaultsofyourpoorbrata
brother!Iamtooardentinexecution
in
andtooimpatientofdifficulties.Toda
ButitisastillgreatereviltomethatIamself-educated:forthefirstfourteenyearsofmylifeIranwildonacommon
in
andreadnothingbutourUncleThomas’booksofvoyages.AtthatageIbecameacquainted
s
withthecelebratedpoetsofourowncountry;toda
butitwasonlywhenithadceasedtobeinmypowertoderiveitsmostimportantbenefitsfromsuchaconvictionthatIperceivedthenecessityofbecomingacquaintedz
withmorelanguagesthanthatofmynativecountry.Zdaj
NowIamtwenty-eightandaminrealitybolj
moreilliteratethanmanyschoolboysoffifteen.Itis
res
truethatIhavethoughtveč
moreandthatmydaydreamsareveč
moreextendedandmagnificent,buttheywant(asthepainterscallit)keeping;in
andIgreatlyneedafriendki
whowouldhavesenseenoughnottodespisemeasromantic,in
andaffectionenoughformetoendeavourtoregulatemyum
mind.Well,theseareuselesscomplaints;
Ishallcertainlyfind
ne
nofriendonthewideocean,noreventukaj
hereinArchangel,amongmerchantsin
andseamen.Yetsomefeelings,unalliedtothedrossofhumannature,beat
tudi
evenintheseruggedbosoms.Mylieutenant,forinstance,isa
človek
manofwonderfulcourageandenterprise;heismadlydesirousofglory,
ali
orrather,towordmyphrasebolj
morecharacteristically,ofadvancementinhisprofession.HeisanEnglishman,
in
andinthemidstofnationalin
andprofessionalprejudices,unsoftenedbycultivation,retainsnekatere
someofthenoblestendowmentsofhumanity.I
prvič
firstbecameacquaintedwithhimonboardawhalevessel;findingthathewasunemployedin
tem
thiscity,Ieasilyengagedhimtoassistinmyenterprise.Themasterisa
oseba
personofanexcellentdispositionin
andisremarkableintheshipforhisgentlenessin
andthemildnessofhisdiscipline.Te
Thiscircumstance,addedtohiswell-knownintegrityin
anddauntlesscourage,mademezelo
verydesiroustoengagehim.Ayouthpassedinsolitude,mybestyearsspent
pod
underyourgentleandfemininefosterage,hassorefinedthegroundworkofmycharacterthatIcannotovercomeanintensedistastetotheusualbrutalityexercisedonboardship:I
so
haveneverbelievedittobenecessary,in
andwhenIheardofamarinerequallynotedforhiskindlinessofsrca
heartandtherespectandobediencepaidtohimbyhiscrew,Ifeltmyselfpeculiarlyfortunateinbeinglahko
abletosecurehisservices.Iheardofhim
najprej
firstinratheraromanticmanner,fromaladyki
whoowestohimthehappinessofherlife.To
This,briefly,ishisstory.Nekaj
SomeyearsagohelovedayoungRussiandamo
ladyofmoderatefortune,andhavingamassedaconsiderablesuminprize-money,theoče
fatherofthegirlconsentedtothematch.Hesawhismistress
enkrat
oncebeforethedestinedceremony;butshewasbathedintears,
in
andthrowingherselfathisfeet,entreatedhimtosparenjen
her,confessingatthesametimethatsheloveddrugega
another,butthathewaspoor,in
andthatherfatherwouldnikoli
neverconsenttotheunion.Mygenerous
prijatelj
friendreassuredthesuppliant,andonbeinginformedofje
thenameofherlover,instantlyabandonedhispursuit.Hehad
že
alreadyboughtafarmwithhismoney,onwhichhehaddesignedtopasstheremainderofhislife;toda
buthebestowedthewholeonhisrival,skupaj
togetherwiththeremainsofhisprize-moneytopurchasestock,andthenhimselfsolicitedtheyoungwoman’sočeta
fathertoconsenttohermarriagez
withherlover.Buttheoldmandecidedlyrefused,thinkinghimselfboundinhonourtomyfriend,who,
ko
whenhefoundthefatherinexorable,quittedhiscountry,norreturneddokler
untilheheardthathisformermistresswasmarriedaccordingtoherinclinations.“Whatanoblefellow!”
youwillexclaim.
Heisso;
ampak
butthenheiswhollyuneducated:heisassilentasaTurk,
in
andakindofignorantcarelessnessattendsga
him,which,whileitrendershisconductthebolj
moreastonishing,detractsfromtheinterestin
andsympathywhichotherwisehewouldcommand.Yetdonotsuppose,
ker
becauseIcomplainalittleorker
becauseIcanconceiveaconsolationformytoilswhichImaynikoli
neverknow,thatIamwaveringinmyresolutions.Thoseareasfixedasfate,
in
andmyvoyageisonlyzdaj
nowdelayeduntiltheweathershallpermitmyembarkation.Thewinterhasbeendreadfullysevere,butthespringpromises
dobro
well,anditisconsideredasaremarkablyearlyseason,soda
thatperhapsImaysailsoonerthanIexpected.Ishalldo
ničesar
nothingrashly:youknowmesufficientlytoconfideinmyprudence
in
andconsideratenesswheneverthesafetyofothersiscommittedtomycare.Icannotdescribetoyoumysensationsonthenearprospectofmyundertaking.
Itisimpossibletocommunicatetoyouaconceptionofthetremblingsensation,
pol
halfpleasurableandhalffearful,s
withwhichIampreparingtodepart.Iamgoingtounexploredregions,to“thelandofmist
in
andsnow,”butIshallubil
killnoalbatross;thereforedonotbealarmedformysafetyor
če
ifIshouldcomebacktoyouaswornin
andwoefulasthe“AncientMariner.”Youwillsmileatmyallusion,butIwilldiscloseasecret.
Ihaveoftenattributedmyattachmentto,mypassionateenthusiasmfor,thedangerousmysteriesofoceantothatproductionofthe
najbolj
mostimaginativeofmodernpoets.Thereis
nekaj
somethingatworkinmysoulwhichIdonotunderstand.Iampracticallyindustrious—painstaking,aworkmantoexecute
z
withperseveranceandlabour—butbesidestega
thisthereisaloveforthemarvellous,abeliefinthemarvellous,intertwinedinvseh
allmyprojects,whichhurriesmeoutofthecommonpathwaysofmen,celo
eventothewildseain
andunvisitedregionsIamabouttoexplore.Toda
Buttoreturntodearerconsiderations.ShallImeetyou
spet
again,afterhavingtraversedimmenseseas,in
andreturnedbythemostsoutherncapeofAfricaali
orAmerica?Idarenotexpectsuchsuccess,
vendar
yetIcannotbeartolookonthereverseofthepicture.Continueforthepresentto
pišite
writetomebyeveryopportunity:I
lahko
mayreceiveyourlettersonsomeoccasionsko
whenIneedthemmosttosupportmyspirits.Iloveyou
zelo
verytenderly.Remembermewithaffection,shouldyou
nikoli
neverhearfrommeagain.Letter3
ToMrs.Saville,England.
July7th,17—.
My
draga
dearSister,.Iwritea
nekaj
fewlinesinhastetorekel
saythatIamsafe—anddobro
welladvancedonmyvoyage.To
ThisletterwillreachEnglandbyje
amerchantmannowonitshomewardvoyagefromArchangel;bolj
morefortunatethanI,whomaynotseemynativeland,perhaps,forveliko
manyyears.Iam,however,ingoodspirits:
mymenarebold
in
andapparentlyfirmofpurpose,nordothefloatingsheetsoficethatcontinuallypassnas
us,indicatingthedangersoftheregiontowardswhichweareadvancing,appeartodismayjih
them.Wehavealreadyreacheda
zelo
veryhighlatitude;butitistheheightofsummer,
in
andalthoughnotsowarmasinEngland,thesoutherngales,ki
whichblowusspeedilytowardsthoseshoreski
whichIsoardentlydesiretoattain,breatheadegreeofrenovatingwarmthki
whichIhadnotexpected.Ni
Noincidentshavehithertobefallenuski
thatwouldmakeafigureinaletter.En
Oneortwostiffgalesin
andthespringingofaleakareaccidentski
whichexperiencednavigatorsscarcelyremembertorecord,in
andIshallbewellcontentče
ifnothingworsehappentousduringourvoyage.Adieu,my
draga
dearMargaret.Beassuredthatformyownsake,as
tudi
wellasyours,Iwillnotrashlyencounterdanger.Iwillbecool,persevering,
in
andprudent.Butsuccessshallcrownmyendeavours.
Whereforenot?
Thus
daleč
farIhavegone,tracingasecurepot
wayoverthepathlessseas,theverystarsthemselvesbeingwitnessesin
andtestimoniesofmytriumph.Whynotstillproceedovertheuntamed
vendar
yetobedientelement?Whatcanstopthedetermined
srce
heartandresolvedwillofman?Myswelling
srce
heartinvoluntarilypoursitselfoutthus.Ampak
ButImustfinish.Heavenblessmybelovedsister!
Letter4
ToMrs.Saville,England.
August5th,17—.
SostrangeanaccidenthashappenedtousthatIcannotforbearrecordingit,althoughitis
zelo
veryprobablethatyouwillvideli
seemebeforethesepaperscancomeintoyourpossession.Prejšnji
LastMonday(July31st)wewerenearlysurroundedbyice,ki
whichclosedintheshiponvseh
allsides,scarcelyleavingherje
thesea-roominwhichshefloated.Oursituationwassomewhatdangerous,especiallyaswewerecompassedroundby
je
averythickfog.Weaccordinglylayto,hopingthatsome
sprememba
changewouldtakeplaceintheatmospherein
andweather.Abouttwoo’clock
je
themistclearedaway,andwebeheld,stretchedoutineverydirection,vastin
andirregularplainsofice,ki
whichseemedtohavenokonca
end.Someofmycomradesgroaned,
in
andmyownmindbegantogrowwatchfulz
withanxiousthoughts,whenastrangesightsuddenlyattractedourattentionin
anddivertedoursolicitudefromourownsituation.Weperceivedalowcarriage,fixedonasledge
in
anddrawnbydogs,passontowardsthenorth,atthedistanceofpol
halfamile;abeing
ki
whichhadtheshapeofaman,vendar
butapparentlyofgiganticstature,satinthesledgein
andguidedthedogs.Wewatchedtherapidprogressofthetraveller
s
withourtelescopesuntilhewasizgubil
lostamongthedistantinequalitiesoftheice.Ta
Thisappearanceexcitedourunqualifiedwonder.Wewere,aswebelieved,manyhundredmilesfromanyland;
toda
butthisapparitionseemedtodenotethatitwasnot,inreality,sodistantaswehadsupposed.Shutin,however,byice,itwasimpossibletofollowhistrack,
ki
whichwehadobservedwithje
thegreatestattention.Abouttwohours
po
afterthisoccurrenceweheardje
thegroundsea,andbeforenightje
theicebrokeandfreedourship.Smo
We,however,laytountilthemorning,fearingtoencounterinthedarkthoselargeloosemasseski
whichfloataboutafterthebreakingupoftheice.Iprofitedof
ta
thistimetorestforanekaj
fewhours.Inthemorning,however,assoonasitwaslight,Iwentupondeck
in
andfoundallthesailorsbusyononesideofje
thevessel,apparentlytalkingtonekom
someoneinthesea.Itwas,infact,asledge,likethatwehadseenbefore,whichhaddriftedtowardsusinthe
ponoči
nightonalargefragmentofice.Samo
Onlyonedogremainedalive;toda
buttherewasahumanbeingwithinitwhomthesailorswerepersuadingtoenterthevessel.Hewasnot,astheothertravellerseemedtobe,asavageinhabitantofsomeundiscoveredisland,
ampak
butaEuropean.WhenIappearedondeckthemastersaid,“Hereisourcaptain,andhe
bo
willnotallowyoutoperishontheopensea.”Onperceiving
mi
me,thestrangeraddressedmeinEnglish,althoughz
withaforeignaccent.“BeforeIcomeonboardyourvessel,”saidhe,“willyouhavethekindnesstoinformmewhitheryouarebound?”
Youmayconceivemyastonishmentonhearingsucha
vprašanje
questionaddressedtomefromačlovek
manonthebrinkofdestructionin
andtowhomIshouldhavesupposedthatmyvesselwouldhavebeenaresourcewhichhewouldnothaveexchangedforthemostpreciouswealththeearthcanafford.Ireplied,however,
da
thatwewereonavoyageofdiscoverytowardsthenorthernpole.Uponhearing
to
thisheappearedsatisfiedandconsentedtocomeonboard.GoodGod!
Margaret,
če
ifyouhadseenthemanki
whothuscapitulatedforhissafety,yoursurprisewouldhavebeenboundless.Hislimbswerenearlyfrozen,
in
andhisbodydreadfullyemaciatedbyfatiguein
andsuffering.Ineversawamaninsowretchedacondition.
Weattemptedtocarryhimintothecabin,
vendar
butassoonashehadquittedthefreshzrak
airhefainted.Weaccordinglybroughthim
nazaj
backtothedeckandrestoredhimtoanimationbyrubbinghimwithbrandyin
andforcinghimtoswallowasmallquantity.Assoonasheshowedsignsoflifewewrappedhimupinblankets
in
andplacedhimnearthechimneyofthekitchenstove.Byslowdegreesherecovered
in
andatealittlesoup,ki
whichrestoredhimwonderfully.Twodayspassedin
ta
thismannerbeforehewassposoben
abletospeak,andIoftenfearedthathissufferingshaddeprivedhimofunderstanding.Ko
Whenhehadinsomemeasurerecovered,Iremovedhimtomyowncabinin
andattendedonhimasmuchasmydutywouldpermit.I
nikoli
neversawamoreinterestingcreature:hiseyeshavegenerallyanexpressionofwildness,
in
andevenmadness,buttherearemomentsko
when,ifanyoneperformsanactofkindnesstowardshimali
ordoeshimanythenajbolj
mosttriflingservice,hiswholecountenanceislighteddo
up,asitwere,withabeamofbenevolencein
andsweetnessthatIneversawequalled.Toda
Butheisgenerallymelancholyin
anddespairing,andsometimeshegnasheshisteeth,asifimpatientoftheweightofwoesthatoppressesga
him.Whenmyguestwasa
malo
littlerecoveredIhadgreattroubletokeepoffthemen,ki
whowishedtoaskhimathousandquestions;