in search of the castaways-第109章

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ed　their　esteem　for　the　departed。　There　was　food　enough　to　sustain　ten　persons　for　fifteen　days；　or　the　dead　man　forever。　The　vegetable　aliments　consisted　of　edible　ferns；　sweet　potatoes；　the　〃convolvulus　batatas；〃　which　was　indigenous；　and　the　potato　which　had　been　imported　long　before　by　the　Europeans。　　Large　jars　contained　pure　water；　and　a　dozen　baskets　artistically　plaited　contained　tablets　of　an　unknown　green　gum。　The　fugitives　were　therefore　provided　for　some　days　against　hunger　and　thirst；　and　they　needed　no　persuasion　to　begin　their　attack　on　the　deceased　chief's　stores。　　Glenarvan　brought　out　the　necessary　quantity　and　put　them　into　Olbinett's　hands。　The　steward；　who　never　could　forget　his　routine　ideas；　even　in　the　most　exceptional　circumstances；　thought　the　meal　a　slender　one。　He　did　not　know　how　to　prepare　the　roots；　and；　besides；　had　no　fire。　But　Paganel　soon　solved　the　difficulty　by　recommending　him　to　bury　his　fern　roots　and　sweet　potatoes　in　the　soil。　The　temperature　of　the　surface　stratum　was　very　high；　and　a　thermometer　plunged　into　the　soil　would　have　marked　from　160　to　170　degrees；　in　fact；　Olbinett　narrowly　missed　being　scalded；　for　just　as　he　had　scooped　a　hole　for　the　roots；　a　jet　of　vapor　sprang　up　and　with　a　whistling　sound　rose　six　feet　above　the　ground。　The　steward　fell　back　in　terror。　〃Shut　off　steam！〃　cried　the　Major；　running　to　close　the　hole　with　the　loose　drift；　while　Paganel　pondering　on　the　singular　phenomenon　muttered　to　himself：　〃Let　me　see！　ha！　ha！　　Why　not？〃　〃Are　you　hurt？〃　inquired　McNabbs　of　Olbinett。　〃No；　Major；〃　said　the　steward；　〃but　I　did　not　expect〃　〃That　Providence　would　send　you　fire；〃　interrupted　Paganel　in　a　jovial　tone。　　〃First　the　larder　of　Kara…Tete　and　then　fire　out　of　the　ground！　　Upon　my　word；　this　mountain　is　a　paradise！　I　propose　that　we　found　a　colony；　and　cultivate　the　soil　and　settle　here　for　life！　　We　shall　be　the　Robinsons　of　Maunganamu。　　We　should　want　for　nothing。〃　〃If　it　is　solid　ground；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃Well！　it　is　not　a　thing　of　yesterday；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃It　has　stood　against　the　internal　fire　for　many　a　day；　and　will　do　so　till　we　leave　it；　at　any　rate。〃　〃Breakfast　is　ready；〃　announced　Olbinett　with　as　much　dignity　as　if　he　was　in　Malcolm　Castle。　Without　delay；　the　fugitives　sat　down　near　the　palisade；　and　began　one　of　the　many　meals　with　which　Providence　had　supplied　them　in　critical　circumstances。　　Nobody　was　inclined　to　be　fastidious；　but　opinions　were　divided　as　regarded　the　edible　fern。　Some　thought　the　flavor　sweet　and　agreeable；　others　pronounced　it　leathery；　insipid；　and　resembling　the　taste　of　gum。　The　sweet　potatoes；　cooked　in　the　burning　soil；　were　excellent。　The　geographer　remarked　that　Kara…Tete　was　not　badly　off　after　all。　And　now　that　their　hunger　was　appeased；　it　was　time　to　decide　on　their　plan　of　escape。　〃So　soon！〃　exclaimed　Paganel　in　a　piteous　tone。　　〃Would　you　quit　the　home　of　delight　so　soon？〃　〃But；　Monsieur　Paganel；〃　interposed　Lady　Helena；　〃if　this　be　Capua；　you　dare　not　intend　to　imitate　Hannibal！〃　〃Madam；　I　dare　not　contradict　you；　and　if　discussion　is　the　order　of　the　day；　let　it　proceed。〃　〃First；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃I　think　we　ought　to　start　before　we　are　driven　to　it　by　hunger。　　We　are　revived　now；　and　ought　to　take　advantage　of　it。　To…night　we　will　try　to　reach　the　eastern　valleys　by　crossing　the　cordon　of　natives　under　cover　of　the　darkness。〃　〃Excellent；〃　answered　Paganel；　〃if　the　Maories　allow　us　to　pass。〃　〃And　if　not？〃　asked　John　Mangles。　〃Then　we　will　use　our　great　resources；〃　said　Paganel。　〃But　have　we　great　resources？〃　inquired　the　Major。　〃More　than　we　can　use！〃　replied　Paganel；　without　any　further　explanation。　And　then　they　waited　for　the　night。　The　natives　had　not　stirred。　　Their　numbers　seemed　even　greater；　perhaps　owing　to　the　influx　of　the　stragglers　of　the　tribe。　Fires　lighted　at　intervals　formed　a　girdle　of　flame　round　the　base　of　the　mountain；　so　that　when　darkness　fell；　Maunganamu　appeared　to　rise　out　of　a　great　brasier；　and　to　hide　its　head　in　the　thick　darkness。　Five　hundred　feet　below　they　could　hear　the　hum　and　the　cries　of　the　enemy's　camp。　At　nine　o'clock　the　darkness　being　very　intense；　Glenarvan　and　John　Mangles　went　out　to　reconnoiter　before　embarking　the　whole　party　on　this　critical　journey。　They　made　the　descent　noiselessly；　and　after　about　ten　minutes；　arrived　on　the　narrow　ridge　that　crossed　the　native　lines；　fifty　feet　above　the　camp。　All　went　well　so　far。　　The　Maories；　stretched　beside　the　fires；　did　not　appear　to　observe　the　two　fugitives。　　But　in　an　instant　a　double　fusillade　burst　forth　from　both　sides　of　the　ridge。　〃Back；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃those　wretches　have　the　eyes　of　cats　and　the　guns　of　riflemen！〃　And　they　turned；　and　once　more　climbed　the　steep　slope　of　the　mountain；　and　then　hastened　to　their　friends　who　had　been　alarmed　at　the　firing。　Glenarvan's　hat　was　pierced　by　two　balls；　and　they　concluded　that　it　was　out　of　the　question　to　venture　again　on　the　ridge　between　two　lines　of　marksmen。　〃Wait　till　to…morrow；〃　said　Paganel；　〃and　as　we　cannot　elude　their　vigilance；　let　me　try　my　hand　on　them。〃　The　night　was　cold；　but　happily　Kara…Tete　had　been　furnished　with　his　best　night　gear；　and　the　party　wrapped　themselves　each　in　a　warm　flax　mantle；　and　protected　by　native　superstition；　slept　quietly　inside　the　inclosure；　on　the　warm　ground；　still　violating　with　the　violence　of　the　internal　ebullition。

CHAPTER　XIV　A　BOLD　STRATAGEM

NEXT　day；　February　17th；　the　sun's　first　rays　awoke　the　sleepers　of　the　Maunganamu。　　The　Maories　had　long　since　been　astir；　coming　and　going　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　without　leaving　their　line　of　observation。　Furious　clamor　broke　out　when　they　saw　the　Europeans　leave　the　sacred　place　they　had　profaned。　Each　of　the　party　glanced　first　at　the　neighboring　mountains；　and　at　the　deep　valleys　still　drowned　in　mist；　and　over　Lake　Taupo；　which　the　morning　breeze　ruffled　slightly。　And　then　all　clustered　round　Paganel　eager　to　hear　his　project。　Paganel　soon　satisfied　their　curiosity。　　〃My　friends；〃　said　he；　〃my　plan　has　one　great　recommendation；　if　it　does　not　accomplish　all　that　I　anticipate；　we　shall　be　no　worse　off　than　we　are　at　present。　But　it　must；　it　will　succeed。〃　〃And　what　is　it？〃　asked　McNabbs。　〃It　is　this；〃　replied　Paganel；　〃the　superstition　of　the　natives　has　made　this　mountain　a　refuge　for　us；　and　we　must　take　advantage　of　their　superstition　to　escape。　　If　I　can　persuade　Kai…Koumou　that　we　have　expiated　our　profanation；　that　the　wrath　of　the　Deity　has　fallen　on　us：　in　a　word；　that　we　have　died　a　terrible　death；　do　you　think　he　will　leave　the　plateau　of　Maunganamu　to　return　to　his　village？〃　〃Not　a　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃And　what　is　the　horrible　death　you　refer　to？〃　asked　Lady　Helena。　〃The　death　of　the　sacrilegious；　my　friends；〃　replied　Paganel。　　〃The　avenging　flames　are　under　our　feet。　Let　us　open　a　way　for　them！〃　〃What！　make　a　volcano！〃　cried　John　Mangles。　〃Yes；　an　impromptu　volcano；　whose　fury　we　can　regulate。　　There　are　plenty　of　vapors　ready　to　hand；　and　subterranean　fires　ready　to　issue　forth。　We　can　have　an　eruption　ready　to　order。〃　〃An　excellent　idea；　Paganel；　well　conceived；〃　said　the　Major。　〃You　understand；〃　replied　the　geographer；　〃we　are　to