An Antarctic Mystery
by Jules Verne
Written in response to Edgar Allan Poe's novel The Stories of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantyuket, the film follows the narrator's adventures and journey through the Kerguelen Islands in Halbran. The story takes place in 1839, eleven years after the events at Arthur Gordon Pym. The narrator is Jorling, a wealthy American who entertains himself with private wildlife exploration in the Kerguelen Islands and is now looking for a passage back to the United States. The Halbrane is one of the first ships to arrive at Kerguelen, and its captain, Len Guy, is reluctant to accept that Jörling be accepted as a passenger until Tristan da Cunha. While driving, they encounter a stray iceberg with a dead body on it, which turns out to be a sailor from Jane. A note found with him indicates that he and several others, including Captain Janes William Guy, survived the attempted assassination of Tsalal and are still alive. Guy, who had previously spoken to Jorling about Pim's theme, turned out to be William Guy's brother. He decides to come to the aid of Janes' crew. After inheriting the provisions regarding Tristan daCuña and the Falkland Islands, they head south with Yorling, who is still on board. They also embark another mysterious sailor named Hunt, who wants to join the search for unresolved causes. The extremely mild weather allows Halbran to make good progress, and in early summer they break through the ice barrier surrounding the ice-free Antarctic Ocean. They find the first islet of Bennetts where Jane stood, and finally Tsalal. But the island is apparently completely devastated and desolate by the recent strong earthquake. They apparently find most of the remains of the Tsalals' natives, who died long before the earthquake, and the collar of Pims, the dog, the Tiger, but there is no trace of Jane.
