To Mrs. Saville, England.
August 5th, 17—.
A very strange thing happened to us. I want to write about it now. You will probably see me soon, but I must tell you this story.
Last Monday, July 31st, there was ice all around our ship. The ship could not move because the ice was very close. A thick fog (a low, grey cloud that makes it hard to see) was everywhere. We stopped the ship and waited. We hoped the weather would change soon.
At two o’clock, the fog went away. We saw ice in every direction. The ice was flat and very large. My sailors were worried and sad. I was also worried. Then, we saw something very strange.
We saw a sledge (a vehicle with no wheels that slides on ice). Many dogs pulled the sledge. It was half a mile away from our ship. A very big man sat on the sledge and guided the dogs. He looked like a giant. We watched him with our telescopes (long tubes with glass that help you see far things). He moved quickly and disappeared across the ice.
We were very surprised. We were many miles from any land. We did not think people lived here. But we could not follow the man because the ice was around us.
Two hours later, we heard the sea. Before night, the ice broke. Our ship was free. We stayed there until the morning. We did not want to hit the large pieces of ice in the dark. I went to sleep for a few hours.
In the morning, I went to the deck of the ship. All the sailors stood on one side of the vessel. They talked to someone in the sea. I saw another sledge on a large piece of ice. The ice floated near our ship.
Only one dog was alive on the sledge. A man was also there. The sailors wanted the man to come onto our ship. He was not a giant like the other man. He was a European man. The Master (the second person in control of a ship) said to the man, "Our captain is here. He will help you."
The stranger looked at me. He spoke English with an accent. He asked, "Where is this ship going?"
I was very surprised. The man was almost dead, but he asked a question first. He was in a very dangerous situation. I told him that we were going to the North Pole. The stranger was happy with my answer. He agreed to come onto the ship.
Margaret, you would be very surprised if you saw this man. His arms and legs were nearly frozen. He was very thin because he was tired and hungry. I never saw a man in such a bad condition. We tried to carry him into a room, but he fainted.
We took him back to the deck. We rubbed his skin with brandy (a strong type of alcohol) to make him warm. We gave him a little brandy to drink. Soon, he showed signs of life. We put him in blankets near the kitchen stove. Slowly, the stranger felt better. He ate some soup and became stronger.
Two days passed before the stranger could speak. I was afraid because he was very sick. Later, I moved the stranger to my own cabin. I looked after him often. The stranger is a very interesting person.
The stranger has wild eyes. Sometimes he looks like a madman. But when someone is kind to him, his face becomes very sweet. He is usually very sad. Sometimes he gnashes his teeth because he is in pain or angry.
The sailors wanted to ask the stranger many questions. I did not allow this. The stranger needed to rest. But one day, the Lieutenant (an officer on the ship) asked a question. He asked why the stranger was on the ice.
The stranger looked very sad. He said, "I am looking for someone who ran away from me."
The Lieutenant asked, "Did that person travel on a sledge with dogs?"
The stranger said, "Yes."
The Lieutenant said, "We saw that man one day before we found you."
The stranger became very interested. He asked many questions about where the giant went. He called the giant a demon (a very bad or evil person). Later, the stranger spoke to me alone. He knew I was curious about his story. I told him I would not ask questions because he was weak.
The stranger said, "You saved my life. You are very kind."
Then, the stranger asked about the ice. He was afraid the other sledge broke in the night. I told him I did not know. The ice broke at midnight. The other man might be safe, or he might be dead.
Now, the stranger wants to be on the deck. He wants to watch for the other sledge. But I told him to stay in the cabin. The air is too cold for him. I promised that a sailor would watch the ice for him.
The stranger is getting better, but he is very quiet. He is only comfortable when I am in the cabin. The sailors like him because he is gentle. I like him very much. He is like a brother to me. I feel very sorry for his deep sadness.
I told you in my letters that I had no friends on the sea. But now I have found a friend. I will write more about the stranger soon.
August 13th, 17—.
I like the stranger more every day. I admire him very much. I also feel very sorry for him. He is a good man, but he is very sad. He is gentle and wise. He speaks with beautiful words.
The stranger is healthy now. He spends a lot of time on the deck. He looks for the first sledge (a vehicle with no wheels that slides on ice). But he also listens to my plans. I tell him everything about my voyage.
I tell him that I want to find new things. I tell him I will give my money and my life for my work. I say that one man’s death is a small price for knowledge. I want to win against the cold weather and the sea.
The stranger became very sad when I spoke. He tried to hide his feelings. He put his hands over his eyes. I saw tears on his fingers. He made a loud sound of pain.
Then he spoke slowly. He called me an unhappy man. He asked if I was also mad. He said he will tell me his story. He wants to stop me from making a big mistake.
I was very curious. But the stranger was too sad to speak more. He needed to rest and talk quietly. Later, he felt better. He was angry at himself because he was very emotional.
He asked me about my life when I was young. I told him my story quickly. I told him that I wanted a true friend. I believe a man needs a friend to be happy.
The stranger agreed with me. He said that people are not complete without a friend. A friend should be wise and good. The stranger once had a very noble friend.
He told me that I still have hope for the future. But he said he lost everything. He cannot start his life again. The stranger looked very sad. I felt very sorry for him.
He said nothing more. Then he went to his cabin. The stranger is very sad, but he still loves nature. He loves the stars and the sea. These things make his soul feel happy.
The stranger has two lives. He feels pain and disappointment in the real world. But inside himself, he is like a spirit (a beautiful being from heaven). He finds peace in his own mind.
Margaret, do not laugh because I like him so much. You would like this man too. You read many books and you are a kind person. This man is wonderful.
He is very smart. He understands why things happen. He speaks very well. His voice sounds like beautiful music.
August 19th, 17—.
Yesterday, the stranger spoke to Captain Walton. He said, "Captain Walton, you can see that I suffered very much. At first, I wanted to keep my secrets. But now I will tell you my story. You want to find knowledge and wisdom. I wanted those things too."
The stranger continued, "I hope your wishes do not hurt you. My wishes hurt me very much. My story might help you. It can teach you a moral (a lesson about what is right or wrong). It can help you if you succeed. It can also help you if you fail."
The stranger said, "My story is very strange. People in normal places might not believe it. But in this wild place, many things are possible. I know that my story is true."
Captain Walton was very happy. He wanted to hear the story. But Captain Walton did not want the stranger to feel sad again. Captain Walton was very curious. He also wanted to help the stranger. Captain Walton told the stranger these things.
The stranger thanked Captain Walton. But the stranger said that kindness could not help him. He said his destiny (the things that will happen in the future) was fixed. He said nothing could change his life now. He asked Captain Walton to listen to his history.
The stranger said he would start the story the next day. Captain Walton thanked him very much. Captain Walton decided to write down the story every night. He wanted to use the stranger's own words.
If Captain Walton is busy, he will write notes. He thinks the story will please Margaret. But Captain Walton feels very interested because he knows the stranger. He hears the stranger's voice now.
Captain Walton sees the stranger’s bright, sad eyes. He sees the stranger’s thin hands move. The stranger’s face shows his deep feelings. His story must be very strange and scary. A great storm destroyed the stranger's life. Now, he will tell us why.