Now, why had Dirk Peters hidden himself in the Falklands under the name of Hunt? Why, since his embarkation on the _Halbrane_, had he kept up that _incognito_? Why had he not told who he was, since he was aware of the intentions of the captain, who was about to make every effort to save his countrymen by following the course of the _Jane_? Why? No doubt because he feared that his name would inspire horror. Was it not the name of one who had shared in the horrible scenes of the _Grampus_, who had killed Parker, the sailor, who had fed upon the man's flesh, and quenched his thirst in the man's blood? To induce him to reveal his name he must needs be assured that the _Halbrane_ would attempt to discover and rescue Arthur Pym! And as to the existence of Arthur Pym? I confess that my reason did not rebel against the admission of it as a possibility. The imploring cry of the half-breed, "Pym, poor Pym! he must not be forsaken!" troubled me profoundly. Assuredly, since I had resolved to take part in the expedition of the _Halbrane_, I was no longer the same man! A long silence had followed the astounding declaration of the half-breed. None dreamed of doubting his veracity. He had said, "I am Dirk Peters." He was Dirk Peters. At length, moved by irresistible impulse, I said: "My friends, before any decision is made, let us carefully consider the situation. Should we not lay up everlasting regret for ourselves if we were to abandon our expedition at the very moment when it promises to succeed? Reflect upon this, captain, and you, my companions. It is less than seven months since Patterson left your countrymen alive on Tsalal Island. If they were there then, the fact proves that for eleven years they had been enabled to exist on the resources provided by the island, having nothing to fear from the islanders, some of whom had fallen victims to circumstances unknown to us, and others had probably transferred themselves to some neighbouring island. This is quite plain, and I do not see how any objection can be raised to my reasoning." No one made answer: there was none to be made. "If we have not come across the captain of the _Jane_ and his people," I resumed, "it is because they have been obliged to abandon Tsalal Island since Patterson's departure. Why? In my belief, it was because the earthquake had rendered the island uninhabitable. Now, they would only have required a native boat to gain either another island or some point of the Antarctic continent by the aid of the southern current. I hardly hesitate to assert that all this has occurred; but in any case, I know, and I repeat, that we shall have done nothing if we do not persevere in the search on which the safety of your countrymen depends." I questioned my audience by a searching look. No answer.