fell. The sailor instinct--the aptitude of the navigator--instantly told
him what this thermic change meant for Hili-li. Others in the house were
now moving about, and Peters sought them out. Pym did not seem at once
to realize the danger; and Lilama said she had heard of these storms,
but did not think that they lasted long. All except Peters were wrapped
in shawl-like garments, and some of the servants had about their forms
light rugs which they had taken from the floors. Soon, however, all
except Pym and Peters were shivering; and every article of covering
obtainable was in use. Lilama told a maid to bring out her dresses and
wrappers, which she divided among the servants, each donning several
garments. Peters, stoical, but always on the alert, called Pym aside,
and explained to him that this change meant nothing less than the
devastation of Hili-li--that the temperature was steadily falling, the
wind increasing, and that the storm was only beginning. Pym could not
but perceive that the cold was due to a pronounced alteration in the
direction of wind-currents; and that under the circumstances the cold
would of necessity increase to the point of normal antarctic
temperature--no doubt below zero--unless the wind should before then
change. Quickly his mind grasped the circumstances in which they were
placed. They were on an island, situated in water navigable at all
seasons and hours, with the chief food-supply on near-by islands, and
each day brought to Hili-li for that day's consumption; they were in a
city practically without fuel; the inhabitants were accustomed to heat,
and wholly unused to cold; the houses were built without protection
against cold, because, except occasionally for a few hours at a time,
there were no climatic conditions demanding such a construction.
Further, the climate being very warm, there was not--except in the
possession of a hundred men whose business took them on visits to
islands lying outside of the crater-warmed air-currents--a heavy wrap of
any kind, such as overcoat, cloak, or shawl, in the entire city. Carpets