in search of the castaways-第108章

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ance。　　He　succeeded　in　his　dangerous　attempt；　and　had　arrived　the　previous　night　at　the　tomb　of　Kara…Tete；　and　there　proposed　to　recruit　his　strength　while　he　waited　in　the　hope　that　his　friends　might；　by　Divine　mercy；　find　the　means　of　escape。　Such　was　Paganel's　story。　　Did　he　designedly　conceal　some　incident　of　his　captivity？　　More　than　once　his　embarrassment　led　them　to　that　conclusion。　　But　however　that　might　be；　he　was　heartily　congratulated　on　all　sides。　And　then　the　present　emergency　came　on　for　serious　discussion。　The　natives　dare　not　climb　Maunganamu；　but　they；　of　course；　calculated　that　hunger　and　thirst　would　restore　them　their　prey。　It　was　only　a　question　of　time；　and　patience　is　one　of　the　virtues　of　all　savages。　　Glenarvan　was　fully　alive　to　the　difficulty；　but　made　up　his　mind　to　watch　for　an　opportunity；　or　make　one。　First　of　all　he　made　a　thorough　survey　of　Maunganamu；　their　present　fortress；　not　for　the　purpose　of　defence；　but　of　escape。　The　Major；　John；　Robert；　Paganel；　and　himself；　made　an　exact　map　of　the　mountain。　　They　noted　the　direction；　outlet　and　inclination　of　the　paths。　　The　ridge；　a　mile　in　length；　which　united　Maunganamu　to　the　Wahiti　chain　had　a　downward　inclination。　Its　slope；　narrow　and　jagged　though　it　was；　appeared　the　only　practicable　route；　if　they　made　good　their　escape　at　all。　If　they　could　do　this　without　observation；　under　cover　of　night；　they　might　possibly　reach　the　deep　valleys　of　the　Range　and　put　the　Maories　off　the　scent。　But　there　were　dangers　in　this　route；　the　last　part　of　it　was　within　pistol　shot　of　natives　posted　on　the　lower　slopes。　Already　when　they　ventured　on　the　exposed　part　of　the　crest；　they　were　saluted　with　a　hail　of　shot　which　did　not　reach　them。　Some　gun　wads；　carried　by　the　wind；　fell　beside　them；　they　were　made　of　printed　paper；　which　Paganel　picked　up　out　of　curiosity；　and　with　some　trouble　deciphered。　〃That　is　a　good　idea！　　My　friends；　do　you　know　what　those　creatures　use　for　wads？〃　〃No；　Paganel！〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Pages　of　the　Bible！　　If　that　is　the　use　they　make　of　the　Holy　Book；　I　pity　the　missionaries！　　It　will　be　rather　difficult　to　establish　a　Maori　library。〃　〃And　what　text　of　scripture　did　they　aim　at　us？〃　〃A　message　from　God　Himself！〃　exclaimed　John　Mangles；　who　was　in　the　act　of　reading　the　scorched　fragment　of　paper。　〃It　bids　us　hope　in　Him；〃　added　the　young　captain；　firm　in　the　faith　of　his　Scotch　convictions。　〃Read　it；　John！〃　said　Glenarvan。　And　John　read　what　the　powder　had　left　visible：　　〃I　will　deliver　him；　for　he　hath　trusted　in　me。〃　〃My　friends；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃we　must　carry　these　words　of　hope　to　our　dear；　brave　ladies。　　The　sound　will　bring　comfort　to　their　hearts。〃　Glenarvan　and　his　companions　hastened　up　the　steep　path　to　the　cone；　and　went　toward　the　tomb。　　As　they　climbed　they　were　astonished　to　perceive　every　few　moments　a　kind　of　vibration　in　the　soil。　It　was　not　a　movement　like　earthquake；　but　that　peculiar　tremor　that　affects　the　metal　of　a　boiler　under　high　pressure。　It　was　clear　the　mountain　was　the　outer　covering　of　a　body　of　vapor；　the　product　of　subterranean　fires。　This　phenomenon　of　course　excited　no　surprise　in　those　that　had　just　traveled　among　the　hot　springs　of　the　Waikato。　　They　knew　that　the　central　region　of　the　Ika…na…Mani　is　essentially　volcanic。　It　is　a　sieve；　whose　interstices　furnish　a　passage　for　the　earth's　vapors　in　the　shape　of　boiling　geysers　and　solfataras。　Paganel；　who　had　already　noticed　this；　called　the　attention　of　his　friends　to　the　volcanic　nature　of　the　mountain。　The　peak　of　Maunganamu　was　only　one　of　the　many　cones　which　bristle　on　this　part　of　the　island。　　It　was　a　volcano　of　the　future。　A　slight　mechanical　change　would　produce　a　crater　of　eruption　in　these　slopes；　which　consisted　merely　of　whitish　silicious　tufa。　〃That　may　be；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃but　we　are　in　no　more　danger　here　than　standing　by　the　boiler　of　the　DUNCAN；　this　solid　crust　is　like　sheet　iron。〃　〃I　agree　with　you；〃　added　the　Major；　〃but　however　good　a　boiler　may　be；　it　bursts　at　last　after　too　long　service。〃　〃McNabbs；〃　said　Paganel；　〃I　have　no　fancy　for　staying　on　the　cone。　When　Providence　points　out　a　way；　I　will　go　at　once。〃　〃I　wish；〃　remarked　John；　〃that　Maunganamu　could　carry　us　himself；　with　all　the　motive　power　that　he　has　inside。　　It　is　too　bad　that　millions　of　horse…power　should　lie　under　our　feet　unavailable　for　our　needs。　Our　DUNCAN　would　carry　us　to　the　end　of　the　world　with　the　thousandth　part　of　it。〃　The　recollections　of　the　DUNCAN　evoked　by　John　Mangles　turned　Glenarvan's　thoughts　into　their　saddest　channel；　for　desperate　as　his　own　case　was　he　often　forgot　it；　in　vain　regret　at　the　fate　of　his　crew。　His　mind　still　dwelt　on　it　when　he　reached　the　summit　of　Maunganamu　and　met　his　companions　in　misfortune。　Lady　Helena；　when　she　saw　Glenarvan；　came　forward　to　meet　him。　〃Dear　Edward；〃　said　she；　〃you　have　made　up　your　mind？　Are　we　to　hope　or　fear？〃　〃Hope；　my　dear　Helena；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃The　natives　will　never　set　foot　on　the　mountain；　and　we　shall　have　time　to　devise　a　plan　of　escape。〃　〃More　than　that；　madam；　God　himself　has　encouraged　us　to　hope。〃　And　so　saying；　John　Mangles　handed　to　Lady　Helena　the　fragment　of　paper　on　which　was　legible　the　sacred　words；　and　these　young　women；　whose　trusting　hearts　were　always　open　to　observe　Providential　interpositions；　read　in　these　words　an　indisputable　sign　of　salvation。　〃And　now　let　us　go　to　the　'oudoupa！'〃　cried　Paganel；　in　his　gayest　mood。　　〃It　is　our　castle；　our　dining…room；　our　study！　None　can　meddle　with　us　there！　　Ladies！　allow　me　to　do　the　honors　of　this　charming　abode。〃　They　followed　Paganel；　and　when　the　savages　saw　them　profaning　anew　the　tabooed　burial　place；　they　renewed　their　fire　and　their　fearful　yells；　the　one　as　loud　as　the　other。　But　fortunately　the　balls　fell　short　of　our　friends；　though　the　cries　reached　them。　Lady　Helena；　Mary　Grant；　and　their　companions　were　quite　relieved　to　find　that　the　Maories　were　more　dominated　by　superstition　than　by　anger；　and　they　entered　the　monument。　It　was　a　palisade　made　of　red…painted　posts。　　Symbolic　figures；　tattooed　on　the　wood；　set　forth　the　rank　and　achievements　of　the　deceased。　　Strings　of　amulets；　made　of　shells　or　cut　stones；　hung　from　one　part　to　another。　　In　the　interior；　the　ground　was　carpeted　with　green　leaves；　and　in　the　middle；　a　slight　mound　betokened　the　place　of　the　newly　made　grave。　There　lay　the　chief's　weapons；　his　guns　loaded　and　capped；　his　spear；　his　splendid　ax　of　green　jade；　with　a　supply　of　powder　and　ball　for　the　happy　hunting　grounds。　〃Quite　an　arsenal！〃　said　Paganel；　〃of　which　we　shall　make　a　better　use。　What　ideas　they　have！　　Fancy　carrying　arms　in　the　other　world！〃　〃Well！〃　said　the　Major；　〃but　these　are　English　firearms。〃　〃No　doubt；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃and　it　is　a　very　unwise　practice　to　give　firearms　to　savages！　　They　turn　them　against　the　invaders；　naturally　enough。　　But　at　any　rate；　they　will　be　very　valuable　to　us。〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Paganel；　〃but　what　is　more　useful　still　is　the　food　and　water　provided　for　Kara…Tete。〃　Things　had　been　handsomely　done　for　the　deceased　chief；　the　amount　of　provisions　denoted　their　esteem　for　the　departed。　There　was　food　enough　to　sustain　ten　persons　for　fifteen　days；　or