An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne

“An Antarctic Mystery”, also known as “The Sphinx of the Ice Fields”, was written by Jules Verne and published in 1897. It is both a sequel to Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” and a standalone novel. The story follows a journey through the Antarctic seas, as the protagonist, Jeorling, embarks on an expedition aboard the schooner Halbrane, led by Captain Len Guy. Their mission is to uncover the fate of an earlier ship, The Jane, which disappeared on a mysterious voyage into the icy unknown, following the trail laid out in Poe’s work.

Plot Summary

The wind howled across the icy expanse of the Kerguelen Islands, where Mr. Jeorling, a scholarly American, found himself stranded. He had completed his geological studies and was eager to leave the desolate islands, yearning for adventure. His chance came when the Halbrane, a sturdy schooner commanded by the enigmatic Captain Len Guy, anchored at Christmas Harbour. Jeorling learned that the Halbrane was bound for Tristan d’Acunha, a stopover on its regular trading route. However, fate had something far more mysterious in store.

Captain Len Guy was no ordinary sailor. He was driven by a deep, personal obsession. His brother, William Guy, had captained The Jane, a vessel that had disappeared into the Antarctic wilderness years before, chronicled in a manuscript from the now-famous Arthur Gordon Pym. The Jane and its crew, lost in the ice-bound seas, had become a legend. But for Len Guy, it was unfinished business. He believed that some of The Jane’s crew, including his brother, might still be alive, waiting for rescue. When Jeorling expressed interest in the voyage, Guy hesitated but eventually agreed to take him aboard.

The Halbrane set sail, and as the days passed, Jeorling became more intrigued by the captain’s mission. Len Guy confided in him, revealing his secret plan to follow the path of The Jane, using clues left in Arthur Pym’s narrative. The ship’s crew, seasoned and brave, were unaware of the full extent of the journey they were about to undertake. With the mysterious and rugged Hurliguerly, the ever-loyal boatswain, and the dutiful lieutenant James West, the Halbrane was well-prepared, yet none aboard truly understood the dangers that lay ahead.

As the ship crossed into colder, more perilous waters, a new figure joined their quest. Dirk Peters, a wild, half-Indian, half-white man who had sailed with Arthur Pym himself, appeared at one of their stops. Peters was a man haunted by his past, his eyes dark with memories of the horrors he had witnessed. He had been one of the few survivors of Pym’s fateful voyage and knew more than anyone about the treacherous southern seas. His arrival only deepened the mystery, and Captain Len Guy welcomed him aboard, recognizing in Peters a crucial ally for their dangerous quest.

The Halbrane sailed ever farther south, deeper into the unknown Antarctic wilderness. The weather grew fiercer, the icebergs taller, and the sea itself seemed to resist their progress. Jeorling, though fascinated by the adventure, began to feel the weight of the captain’s obsession. The crew became uneasy as they encountered strange and ominous signs—massive ice formations, deserted islands, and inexplicable phenomena that made the very air feel thick with otherworldly presence.

Amidst the icy desolation, they discovered remnants of The Jane, a heartbreaking confirmation of the tragedy that had befallen Captain Len Guy’s brother. But the captain, fueled by a burning hope, pressed onward. He refused to believe that all was lost, that his brother had perished in these frozen wastes. Guided by fragments of information from Pym’s tale and Dirk Peters’ memories, they ventured into even more treacherous territories, determined to uncover the fate of The Jane.

As the ship continued south, the Antarctic landscape became increasingly surreal and inhospitable. Icebergs loomed like ghostly mountains, and strange, unexplained noises echoed across the empty seas. The crew, hardened though they were, began to fear they had sailed beyond the limits of the world. The eerie isolation took its toll on their minds, and whispers of mutiny began to circulate. Captain Len Guy, however, remained steadfast, his focus unbroken by the creeping dread that seemed to permeate the air.

Then, one fateful day, they made a discovery that defied all explanation. They encountered an island, shrouded in mist, with a strange and alien landscape. It was here that they finally uncovered the last clues to the fate of The Jane and its crew. There were survivors, as Len Guy had hoped, but their fate was not one of simple abandonment or hardship. The island held secrets—terrifying, almost supernatural forces—that had ensnared the lost crew.

The few survivors they found were mere shadows of their former selves, their minds broken by years of isolation and fear. Among them was Captain William Guy, barely recognizable, his spirit all but crushed by the horrors they had endured. The mystery of The Jane was revealed in full: a tale of survival against impossible odds, of strange encounters with the unknown forces lurking in the farthest reaches of the Antarctic.

Despite the rescue, there was little triumph in their success. The journey back was fraught with more challenges as the ship struggled through the ice-choked seas. The elements seemed determined to keep them from returning to civilization. The toll on the crew was heavy, and not all survived the harrowing voyage home. Captain Len Guy, having found his brother but lost much of himself in the process, returned a broken man, haunted by the frozen horrors of the Antarctic.

Jeorling, now back in warmer climes, reflected on the extraordinary journey and the grim price of human obsession. He had ventured farther than most would dare, into a world where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blurred, and where survival often came at the cost of sanity. The mysteries of the Antarctic remained unsolved, its icy secrets locked away in a realm beyond human understanding.

The voyage of the Halbrane was over, but the cold, silent reaches of the Antarctic remained, untouched and enigmatic, waiting for the next brave souls to try their luck against its ancient, indifferent forces.

Main Characters

• Mr. Jeorling: The protagonist and narrator of the story, Jeorling is a scholarly American naturalist who finds himself stranded on the Kerguelen Islands. His intellectual curiosity and love for adventure drive him to join the voyage of the Halbrane. His journey transforms from a simple return trip to an obsessive pursuit of the fate of Arthur Gordon Pym and the crew of The Jane.

• Captain Len Guy: The enigmatic and intense captain of the Halbrane. His motivations are deeply tied to the mystery of his brother, who captained The Jane before its mysterious disappearance. Len Guy is driven by both a sense of duty and personal obsession with uncovering the truth behind the lost voyage.

• Hurliguerly: The amiable boatswain of the Halbrane. He serves as a bridge between the crew and the officers, often providing humor and a down-to-earth perspective in contrast to the more intense characters. Despite his light-hearted nature, he is fiercely loyal to the captain and the mission.

• Dirk Peters: A half-Indian, half-white companion from Pym’s original journey. Peters is a character from Edgar Allan Poe’s novel, and in “An Antarctic Mystery”, he is portrayed as one of the few survivors of The Jane. He is a rough and wild man, haunted by his past but also a critical link to understanding the mystery that drives the story forward.

Theme

• Obsession and Adventure: Like many of Verne’s novels, “An Antarctic Mystery” explores the human obsession with adventure and the unknown. The desire to push the boundaries of human knowledge and the lengths people will go to for exploration and personal quests is at the heart of the novel.

• Survival and Isolation: The stark, icy backdrop of the Antarctic amplifies themes of survival and isolation. The crew’s journey takes them into one of the most desolate places on Earth, testing their resilience against the elements and their psychological endurance in the face of the unknown.

• The Unknown and Supernatural: Much like Poe’s original story, “An Antarctic Mystery” blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural. The Antarctic, as a largely unexplored region in Verne’s time, is depicted as a place full of mysterious and perhaps otherworldly forces, invoking fear and fascination.

• Brotherhood and Loyalty: The relationships among the crew, particularly between Captain Len Guy and his men, are infused with themes of loyalty and brotherhood. The bonds of shared hardship and the captain’s personal ties to the mystery of his lost brother drive much of the emotional tension.

Writing Style and Tone

Jules Verne’s writing in “An Antarctic Mystery” is characterized by meticulous attention to detail and an educational tone, which is common in his works. Verne’s narrative style combines scientific curiosity with adventure, blending fact with fiction in a way that was innovative for his time. His detailed descriptions of geography, ships, and survival at sea create a sense of immersion, making readers feel as though they are participants in the voyage.

The tone of the novel alternates between wonder and dread. The awe of exploration is continually contrasted with the looming danger of the unknown, particularly as the crew ventures deeper into the Antarctic. Verne’s language often heightens the atmosphere of suspense, especially as the supernatural elements of the story unfold. The tone grows increasingly somber and introspective as the journey progresses, reflecting the psychological toll that the quest takes on the characters.