Consequential (Northern Arcadia)

          

Polar hares

          Whilechatting, the huntsmen, now converted to naturalists, continued on their way,and reached a sort of vale, without surrounding hills, at the bottom of whichsnaked a more or less unfrozen river; because of its southern exposure there grew some vegetation on the banksand a certain way up the slopes.  Theground displayed a veritable desire to be fertilized;  with a few inches of topsoil, it would haveasked for nothing better than to produce. The doctor pointed out these manifest tendencies.

        ‘Look, couldn’ta few enterprising settlers settle in this valley, if they had to?  With hard work and perseverance, they wouldtransform it; not to a temperate countryside – I wouldn’t go so far – but atleast a presentable patch of land.  If I’mnot mistaken, over there are even a few four-legged inhabitants!   Suchfellows know all the best places.’

Polar hare  

        ‘Goodness,they’re polar hares!’ exclaimed Altamont, loading his gun.

         ‘Wait,’ criedthe doctor, ‘wait, you crazy huntsman! The poor animals aren’t about to flee. Come on, leave them be;  let themcome to us!’

            In factthree or four young hares, gamboling in the thin heather and new moss, wereapproaching the three men, whose presence they did not fear;  they ran up with beautiful naïve airs, whichhardly managed to disarm Altamont.

Arctic fox

           Soon theywere between the doctor’s legs, who stroked them, saying:

            ‘Why useshots for those who seek caresses?  Thedeath of these small creatures wouldn’t serve us.’

              ‘You’reright,’ cried Hatteras, ‘their lives should be spared.’

           ‘Like thoseof the ptarmigans flying toward us,’ exclaimed Altamont, ‘and the sandpipersadvancing gravely on their long stilts.’

Arctic Ptarmigan

          A wholefeathered race was approaching the huntsmen, not suspecting the danger thedoctor had averted.  Even Duke, holdinghimself back, watched in admiration.

Arctic sandpiper

          It was acurious sight to see the pretty animals running, jumping and leapingtrustingly;  they landed on the goodClawbonny’s shoulders; they lay down at his feet;  they spontaneously offered themselves to theunaccustomed caresses;  they did theirutmost to welcome the unknown guests; the many birds, joyously chirping, called to each other and came fromall points of the valley;  the doctorresembled a veritable charmer.  Thehuntsmen continued their journey by climbing up the soggy banks of the stream,followed by this friendly group;  at abend in the valley they spotted a herd of eight or ten reindeer, grazing onsome lichen half-buried under the snow, charming animals to look upon, graciousand calm, the females bearing antlers as proudly as the males.  Their wooly hides were already exchangingwintry whiteness for the brown and dull grey of summer;  they appeared no more frightened and no lesstame than the hares or birds of this peaceful country.

Arctic reindeer

          Suchmust  have been the relationship betweenthe first man and the first animals when the world was young.

Dr. Clawbonny, Duke, Captains Hatteras and Altamont in Northern Arcadia

Text excerpted from:  Jules Verne, The Adventures of Captain Hatteras (1864).  Trans. William Butcher.  Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2005.