Adventure Magazine Cover, March 20, 1925 — page 33: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Snow Driver whales, feeling themselves drawn toward this whirlpool do cry out most piteously. Aye, as ever was!” ‘And ships,”’ nodded the red beard, ‘‘be lost that touch on Malestrand, forby they’re spewed out again as bare timbers and planks. From this central in-draft o’ the seas the tides have their being.” To these warnings Master Thorne hark- ened with small patience, but Durforth, ever smiling and crumbling bread into his empty glass, seemed to be weighing the effect of the tales on his companions. “So,” he observed at last, “I take it the merchants of Orfordnesse have no will to risk goods on this venture?” >: One by one they shook their heads, some Swearing with a great oath that here was no mere risk but the certainty of loss. He of the red beard, their spokesman, explained matters. “For that,” he cried triumphantly, “the Easterlings are able to summon tempests out of the heavens and floes of ice taller than ships to close the channels. Aye, and a more marvelous thing, to arrest the sun in its natural course, so that it hung ever above the rim of the world and there was no night.” Now for the first time Richard Chancellor spoke quietly. “The sun will bide where it will, my masters. Our governor, Messer Cabot, doth relate that off the Labrador of America the days are of twenty hours and the night is brighter than in this part of the earth. Storms and ice we may meet and will deal with them, God willing.” At this the aged Master Thorne blazed out eagerly: “Well spoken! Sir, in my time I have made shift to draw a true card of the world and, to my thinking, open water extends from Norway to the mighty empire of Cathay.” Laughter and muttered pleasantries greet- ed the Mad Cosmographer, but Chancellor glanced at him with interest, and made courteous answer, slowly as was his habit. “By experience, Master Thorne, we may come at the truth. By my reckoning, if a northeast passage exists, "twill shorten the voyage to Cathay by two thousand leagues. So——”’ He laid the dagger, with which he had been cutting slices off the leg of mutton, at is top of his plate and touched the pom- mel, 15 ‘‘Here, or below here lies Cathay, and the island of Zipangu where all silk comes from.” He ran his finger from the point to the end of the hilt. “Thus may we voyage from England to Cathay by the northeast passage—if one is to be found.” Then, moving his finger from the point of the dagger, around the plate, he added: “In this way do the ships of the emperor and the Portingals go to their spicery at the far Indies. As you see, the distance is more than twice as great.” MASTER THORNE cried approval and lifted his glass, calling upon all present to drink the health of the sea farers, the navigants. of Orfordnesse responded with an ill grace, and Chancellor, who was a blunt man, eyed them in angry curiosity. “Your greatest peril,’”’ Thorne remarked, “lies in the cold. Passing the seventh clime, the cold is so great few can suffer it.” “We will do what men may,” said Chan- cellor who was the pilot-major. “By your leave,” put in Durforth, rousing up suddenly, “I hold it folly to go on.” “And why?” Chancellor frowned as if an old point of debate had arisen. | “Master Thorne hath the right of it; the lands at the pole are uninhabitable.” “‘Nay,” the cosmographer corrected him, “T said you must guard against the cold. Our fathers held that the lands under the Equinoctial* Line were full of an unendur- able heat, yet hath experience proven them both fair and pleasant. There is no land uninhabitable, no sea innavigable!’’ Durforth emptied the crumbs from his glass with a gesture of irritation. “Words! As advisor of the council, I say, Chancellor, that we must bide another season. ’*Tis now hard upon midsummer, so greatly have we been delayed. "Twill be the season of autumnal storms when we pass north cf Norway. If you and Sir Hugh—who knoweth little of the seas— will not wait another year, at least send tothe court and learn the wishes of his majesty.” Now, hearing this, Ralph Thorne pushed aside his plate and stood up, waiting until he caught Durforth’s eye. The ship’s captain started slightly and his jaw set, so that his pointed black beard seemed to jut forward. *The Equator. GoOMmiGcdoo The merchants: (©