in search of the castaways-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


adam；　the　Indians　are　not　anthropophagi！　Far　from　it。　　One　of　my　own　countrymen；　M。　Guinnard；　associated　with　me　in　the　Geographical　Society；　was　three　years　a　prisoner　among　the　Indians　in　the　Pampas。　　He　had　to　endure　sufferings　and　ill…treatment；　but　came　off　victorious　at　last。　A　European　is　a　useful　being　in　these　countries。　The　Indians　know　his　value；　and　take　care　of　him　as　if　he　were　some　costly　animal。〃　〃There　is　not　the　least　room　then　for　hesitation；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan。　　〃Go　we　must；　and　as　soon　as　possible。　What　route　must　we　take？〃　〃One　that　is　both　easy　and　agreeable；〃　replied　Paganel。　〃Rather　mountainous　at　first；　and　then　sloping　gently　down　the　eastern　side　of　the　Andes　into　a　smooth　plain；　turfed　and　graveled　quite　like　a　garden。〃　〃Let　us　see　the　map？〃　said　the　Major。　〃Here　it　is；　my　dear　McNabbs。　　We　shall　go　through　the　capital　of　Araucania；　and　cut　the　Cordilleras　by　the　pass　of　Antuco；　leaving　the　volcano　on　the　south；　and　gliding　gently　down　the　mountain　sides；　past　the　Neuquem　and　the　Rio　Colorado　on　to　the　Pampas；　till　we　reach　the　Sierra　Tapalquen；　from　whence　we　shall　see　the　frontier　of　the　province　of　Buenos　Ayres。　　These　we　shall　pass　by；　and　cross　over　the　Sierra　Tandil；　pursuing　our　search　to　the　very　shores　of　the　Atlantic；　as　far　as　Point　Medano。〃　Paganel　went　through　this　programme　of　the　expedition　without　so　much　as　a　glance　at　the　map。　　He　was　so　posted　up　in　the　travels　of　Frezier；　Molina；　Humboldt；　Miers；　and　Orbigny；　that　he　had　the　geographical　nomenclature　at　his　fingers'　ends；　and　could　trust　implicitly　to　his　never…failing　memory。　〃You　see　then；　friend；〃　he　added；　〃that　it　is　a　straight　course。　In　thirty　days　we　shall　have　gone　over　it；　and　gained　the　eastern　side　before　the　DUNCAN；　however　little　she　may　be　delayed　by　the　westerly　winds。〃　〃Then　the　DUNCAN　is　to　cruise　between　Corrientes　and　Cape　Saint　Antonie；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃Just　so。〃　〃And　how　is　the　expedition　to　be　organized？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃As　simply　as　possible。　　All　there　is　to　be　done　is　to　reconnoiter　the　situation　of　Captain　Grant　and　not　to　come　to　gunshot　with　the　Indians。　　I　think　that　Lord　Glenarvan；　our　natural　leader；　the　Major；　who　would　not　yield　his　place　to　anybody；　and　your　humble　servant；　Jacques　Paganel。〃　〃And　me；〃　interrupted　Robert。　〃Robert；　Robert！〃　exclaimed　Mary。　〃And　why　not？〃　returned　Paganel。　　〃Travels　form　the　youthful　mind。　Yes；　Robert；　we　four　and　three　of　the　sailors。〃　〃And　does　your　Lordship　mean　to　pass　me　by？〃　said　John　Mangles；　addressing　his　master。　〃My　dear　John；〃　replied　Glenarvan；　〃we　leave　passengers　on　board；　those　dearer　to　us　than　life；　and　who　is　to　watch　over　them　but　the　devoted　captain？〃　〃Then　we　can't　accompany　you？〃　said　Lady　Helena；　while　a　shade　of　sadness　beclouded　her　eyes。　〃My　dear　Helena；　the　journey　will　so　soon　be　accomplished　that　it　will　be　but　a　brief　separation；　and〃　〃Yes；　dear；　I　understand；　it　is　all　right；　and　I　do　hope　you　may　succeed。〃　〃Besides；　you　can　hardly　call　it　a　journey；〃　added　Paganel。　〃What　is　it；　then？〃　〃It　is　just　making　a　flying　passage　across　the　continent；　the　way　a　good　man　goes　through　the　world；　doing　all　the　good　he　can。　_Transire　beneficiendo_that　is　our　motto。〃　This　ended　the　discussion；　if　a　conversation　can　be　so　called；　where　all　who　take　part　in　it　are　of　the　same　opinion。　Preparations　commenced　the　same　day；　but　as　secretly　as　possible　to　prevent　the　Indians　getting　scent　of　it。　The　day　of　departure　was　fixed　for　the　14th　of　October。　　The　sailors　were　all　so　eager　to　join　the　expedition　that　Glenarvan　found　the　only　way　to　prevent　jealousy　among　them　was　to　draw　lots　who　should　go。　This　was　accordingly　done；　and　fortune　favored　the　chief　officer；　Tom　Austin；　Wilson；　a　strong；　jovial　young　fellow；　and　Mulrady；　so　good　a　boxer　that　he　might　have　entered　the　lists　with　Tom　Sayers　himself。　Glenarvan　displayed　the　greatest　activity　about　the　preparations；　for　he　was　anxious　to　be　ready　by　the　appointed　day。　John　Mangles　was　equally　busy　in　coaling　the　vessel；　that　she　might　weigh　anchor　at　the　same　time。　　There　was　quite　a　rivalry　between　Glenarvan　and　the　young　captain　about　getting　first　to　the　Argentine　coast。　Both　were　ready　on　the　14th。　　The　whole　search　party　assembled　in　the　saloon　to　bid　farewell　to　those　who　remained　behind。　The　DUNCAN　was　just　about　to　get　under　way；　and　already　the　vibration　of　the　screw　began　to　agitate　the　limpid　waters　of　Talcahuano；　Glenarvan；　Paganel；　McNabbs；　Robert　Grant；　Tom　Austin；　Wilson；　and　Mulrady；　stood　armed　with　carbines　and　Colt's　revolvers。　Guides　and　mules　awaited　them　at　the　landing　stairs　of　the　harbor。　〃It　is　time；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan　at　last。　〃Go　then；　dear　Edward；〃　said　Lady　Helena；　restraining　her　emotion。　Lord　Glenarvan　clasped　her　closely　to　his　breast　for　an　instant；　and　then　turned　away；　while　Robert　flung　his　arms　round　Mary's　neck。　〃And　now；　friends；〃　said　Paganel；　〃let's　have　one　good　hearty　shake　of　the　hand　all　round；　to　last　us　till　we　get　to　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic。〃　This　was　not　much　to　ask；　but　he　certainly　got　strong　enough　grips　to　go　some　way　towards　satisfying　his　desire。　All　went　on　deck　now；　and　the　seven　explorers　left　the　vessel。　They　were　soon　on　the　quay；　and　as　the　yacht　turned　round　to　pursue　her　course；　she　came　so　near　where　they　stood；　that　Lady　Helena　could　exchange　farewells　once　more。　〃God　help　you！〃　she　called　out。　〃Heaven　will　help　us；　madam；〃　shouted　Paganel；　in　reply；　〃for　you　may　be　sure　we'll　help　ourselves。〃　〃Go　on；〃　sung　out　the　captain　to　his　engineer。　At　the　same　moment　Lord　Glenarvan　gave　the　signal　to　start；　and　away　went　the　mules　along　the　coast；　while　the　DUNCAN　steamed　out　at　full　speed　toward　the　broad　ocean。

CHAPTER　XI　TRAVELING　IN　CHILI

THE　native　troops　organized　by　Lord　Glenarvan　consisted　of　three　men　and　a　boy。　　The　captain　of　the　muleteers　was　an　Englishman；　who　had　become　naturalized　through　twenty　years'　residence　in　the　country。　He　made　a　livelihood　by　letting　out　mules　to　travelers；　and　leading　them　over　the　difficult　passes　of　the　Cordilleras；　after　which　he　gave　them　in　charge　of　a　BAQUEANO；　or　Argentine　guide；　to　whom　the　route　through　the　Pampas　was　perfectly　familiar。　This　Englishman　had　not　so　far　forgotten　his　mother　tongue　among　mules　and　Indians　that　he　could　not　converse　with　his　countrymen；　and　a　lucky　thing　it　was　for　them；　as　Lord　Glenarvan　found　it　far　easier　to　give　orders　than　to　see　them　executed；　Paganel　was　still　unsuccessful　in　making　himself　understood。　The　CATAPEZ；　as　he　was　called　in　Chilian；　had　two　natives　called　PEONS；　and　a　boy　about　twelve　years　of　age　under　him。　The　PEONS　took　care　of　the　baggage　mules；　and　the　boy　led　the　MADRINA；　a　young　mare　adorned　with　rattle　and　bells；　which　walked　in　front；　followed　by　ten　mules。　The　travelers　rode　seven　of　these；　and　the　CATAPEZ　another。　The　remaining　two　carried　provisions　and　a　few　bales　of　goods；　intended　to　secure　the　goodwill　of　the　Caciques　of　the　plain。　The　PEONS　walked；　according　to　their　usual　habit。　Every　arrangement　had　been　made　to　insure　safety　and　speed；　for　crossing　the　Andes　is　something　more　than　an　ordinary　journey。　It　could　not　be　accomplished　without　the　help　of　the　hardy　mules　of　the　far…famed　Argentine　breed。　　Those　reared　in