in search of the castaways-第13章

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ologist。〃　〃Impossible！〃　〃It　is　too　true；〃　replied　Paganel；　in　a　doleful　voice。　〃Monsieur　Deville　was　on　board　the　government　corvette；　La　Decidee；　when　she　touched　at　the　Cape　Verde　Islands；　and　he　explored　the　most　interesting　of　the　group；　and　went　to　the　top　of　the　volcano　in　Isle　Fogo。　　What　is　left　for　me　to　do　after　him？〃　〃It　is　really　a　great　pity；〃　said　Helena。　　〃What　will　become　of　you；　Monsieur　Paganel？〃　Paganel　remained　silent。　〃You　would　certainly　have　done　much　better　to　have　landed　at　Madeira；　even　though　there　had　been　no　wine；〃　said　Glenarvan。　Still　the　learned　secretary　was　silent。　〃I　should　wait；〃　said　the　Major；　just　as　if　he　had　said；　〃I　should　not　wait。〃　Paganel　spoke　again　at　length；　and　said：　〃My　dear　Glenarvan；　where　do　you　mean　to　touch　next？〃　〃At　Concepcion。〃　〃Plague　it！　　That　is　a　long　way　out　of　the　road　to　India。〃　〃Not　it！　　From　the　moment　you　pass　Cape　Horn；　you　are　getting　nearer　to　it。〃　〃I　doubt　it　much。〃　〃Beside；〃　resumed　Lord　Glenarvan；　with　perfect　gravity；　〃when　people　are　going　to　the　Indies　it　doesn't　matter　much　whether　it　is　to　the　East　or　West。〃　〃What！　it　does　not　matter　much？〃　〃Without　taking　into　account　the　fact　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　Pampas　in　Patagonia　are　as　much　Indians　as　the　natives　of　the　Punjaub。〃　〃Well　done；　my　Lord。　　That's　a　reason　that　would　never　have　entered　my　head！〃　〃And　then；　my　dear　Paganel；　you　can　gain　the　gold　medal　anyway。　There　is　as　much　to　be　done；　and　sought；　and　investigated；　and　discovered　in　the　Cordilleras　as　in　the　mountains　of　Thibet。〃　〃But　the　course　of　the　Yarou…Dzangbo…Tchouwhat　about　that？〃　〃Go　up　the　Rio　Colorado　instead。　　It　is　a　river　but　little　known；　and　its　course　on　the　map　is　marked　out　too　much　according　to　the　fancy　of　geographers。〃　〃I　know　it　is；　my　dear　Lord；　they　have　made　grave　mistakes。　　Oh；　I　make　no　question　that　the　Geographical　Society　would　have　sent　me　to　Patagonia　as　soon　as　to　India；　if　I　had　sent　in　a　request　to　that　effect。　But　I　never　thought　of　it。〃　〃Just　like　you。〃　〃Come；　Monsieur　Paganel；　will　you　go　with　us？〃　asked　Lady　Helena；　in　her　most　winning　tone。　〃Madam；　my　mission？〃　〃We　shall　pass　through　the　Straits　of　Magellan；　I　must　tell　you；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan。　〃My　Lord；　you　are　a　tempter。〃　〃Let　me　add；　that　we　shall　visit　Port　Famine。〃　〃Port　Famine！〃　exclaimed　the　Frenchman；　besieged　on　all　sides。　〃That　famous　port　in　French　annals！〃　〃Think；　too；　Monsieur　Paganel；　that　by　taking　part　in　our　enterprise；　you　will　be　linking　France　with　Scotland。〃　〃Undoubtedly。〃　〃A　geographer　would　be　of　much　use　to　our　expedition；　and　what　can　be　nobler　than　to　bring　science　to　the　service　of　humanity？〃　〃That's　well　said；　madam。〃　〃Take　my　advice；　then；　and　yield　to　chance；　or　rather　providence。　Follow　our　example。　　It　was　providence　that　sent　us　the　document；　and　we　set　out　in　consequence。　　The　same　providence　brought　you　on　board　the　DUNCAN。　　Don't　leave　her。〃　〃Shall　I　say　yes；　my　good　friends？　　Come；　now；　tell　me；　you　want　me　very　much　to　stay；　don't　you？〃　said　Paganel。　〃And　you're　dying　to　stay；　now；　aren't　you；　Paganel？〃　returned　Glenarvan。　〃That's　about　it；〃　confessed　the　learned　geographer；　〃but　I　was　afraid　it　would　be　inconsiderate。〃

CHAPTER　IX　THROUGH　THE　STRAITS　OF　MAGELLAN

THE　joy　on　board　was　universal　when　Paganel's　resolution　was　made　known。　Little　Robert　flung　himself　on　his　neck　in　such　tumultuous　delight　that　he　nearly　threw　the　worthy　secretary　down；　and　made　him　say；　〃Rude　_petit　bonhomme_。　　I'll　teach　him　geography。〃　Robert　bade　fair　to　be　an　accomplished　gentleman　some　day；　for　John　Mangles　was　to　make　a　sailor　of　him；　and　the　Major　was　to　teach　him　_sang…froid_；　and　Glenarvan　and　Lady　Helena　were　to　instil　into　him　courage　and　goodness　and　generosity；　while　Mary　was　to　inspire　him　with　gratitude　toward　such　instructors。　The　DUNCAN　soon　finished　taking　in　coal；　and　turned　her　back　on　the　dismal　region。　　She　fell　in　before　long　with　the　current　from　the　coast　of　Brazil；　and　on　the　7th　of　September　entered　the　Southern　hemisphere。　So　far；　then；　the　voyage　had　been　made　without　difficulty。　Everybody　was　full　of　hope；　for　in　this　search　for　Captain　Grant；　each　day　seemed　to　increase　the　probability　of　finding　him。　The　captain　was　among　the　most　confident　on　board；　but　his　confidence　mainly　arose　from　the　longing　desire　he　had　to　see　Miss　Mary　happy。　He　was　smitten　with　quite　a　peculiar　interest　for　this　young　girl；　and　managed　to　conceal　his　sentiments　so　well　that　everyone　on　board　saw　it　except　himself　and　Mary　Grant。　As　for　the　learned　geographer；　he　was　probably　the　happiest　man　in　all　the　southern　hemisphere。　　He　spent　the　whole　day　in　studying　maps；　which　were　spread　out　on　the　saloon　table；　to　the　great　annoyance　of　M。　Olbinett；　who　could　never　get　the　cloth　laid　for　meals；　without　disputes　on　the　subject。　But　all　the　passengers　took　his　part　except　the　Major；　who　was　perfectly　indifferent　about　geographical　questions；　especially　at　dinner…time。　Paganel　also　came　across　a　regular　cargo　of　old　books　in　the　chief　officer's　chest。　They　were　in　a　very　damaged　condition；　but　among　them　he　raked　out　a　few　Spanish　volumes；　and　determined　forthwith　to　set　to　work　to　master　the　language　of　Cer…vantes；　as　no　one　on　board　understood　it；　and　it　would　be　helpful　in　their　search　along　the　Chilian　coast。　　Thanks　to　his　taste　for　languages；　he　did　not　despair　of　being　able　to　speak　the　language　fluently　when　they　arrived　at　Concepcion。　　He　studied　it　furiously；　and　kept　constantly　muttering　heterogeneous　syllables。　He　spent　his　leisure　hours　in　teaching　young　Robert；　and　instructed　him　in　the　history　of　the　country　they　were　so　rapidly　approaching。　On　the　25th　of　September；　the　yacht　arrived　off　the　Straits　of　Magellan；　and　entered　them　without　delay。　This　route　is　generally　preferred　by　steamers　on　their　way　to　the　Pacific　Ocean。　　The　exact　length　of　the　straits　is　372　miles。　Ships　of　the　largest　tonnage　find；　throughout；　sufficient　depth　of　water；　even　close　to　the　shore；　and　there　is　a　good　bottom　everywhere；　and　abundance　of　fresh　water；　and　rivers　abounding　in　fish；　and　forests　in　game；　and　plenty　of　safe　and　accessible　harbors；　in　fact　a　thousand　things　which　are　lacking　in　Strait　Lemaire　and　Cape　Horn；　with　its　terrible　rocks；　incessantly　visited　by　hurricane　and　tempest。　For　the　first　three　or　four　hoursthat　is　to　say；　for　about　sixty　to　eighty　miles；　as　far　as　Cape　Gregorythe　coast　on　either　side　was　low　and　sandy。　　Jacques　Paganel　would　not　lose　a　single　point　of　view；　nor　a　single　detail　of　the　straits。　It　would　scarcely　take　thirty…six　hours　to　go　through　them；　and　the　moving　panorama　on　both　sides；　seen　in　all　the　clearness　and　glory　of　the　light　of　a　southern　sun；　was　well　worth　the　trouble　of　looking　at　and　admiring。　　On　the　Terra　del　Fuego　side；　a　few　wretched…looking　creatures　were　wandering　about　on　the　rocks；　but　on　the　other　side　not　a　solitary　inhabitant　was　visible。　Paganel　was　so　vexed　at　not　being　able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　any　Patagonians；　that　his　companions　were　quite　amused　at　him。　He　would　insist　that　Patagonia　without　Patagonians　was　not　Patagonia　at　all。　But　Glenarvan　replied：　〃Patience；　my　worthy　geographer。　　We　shall　see　the　Patagonians　yet。〃　〃I　am　not　sure　of　it。〃　〃But　there　is　such　a　peopl