in search of the castaways-第18章

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APEZ；　who　replied：　〃Quite　right。〃　And　then；　turning　toward　the　geographer；　he　added：　〃You　have　traveled　in　these　parts　before；　sir？〃　〃Oh；　yes；〃　said　Paganel；　quite　gravely。　〃On　a　mule？〃　〃No；　in　an　easy　chair。〃　The　CATAPEZ　could　not　make　him　out；　but　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　resumed　his　post　at　the　head　of　the　party。　At　five　in　the　evening　they　stopped　in　a　gorge　of　no　great　depth；　some　miles　above　the　little　town　of　Loja；　and　encamped　for　the　night　at　the　foot　of　the　Sierras；　the　first　steppes　of　the　great　Cordilleras。

CHAPTER　XII　ELEVEN　THOUSAND　FEET　ALOFT

NOTHING　of　importance　had　occurred　hitherto　in　the　passage　through　Chili；　but　all　the　obstacles　and　difficulties　incident　to　a　mountain　journey　were　about　to　crowd　on　the　travelers　now。　One　important　question　had　first　to　be　settled。　　Which　pass　would　take　them　over　the　Andes；　and　yet　not　be　out　of　their　fixed　route？　On　questioning　the　CATAPEZ　on　the　subject；　he　replied：　〃There　are　only　two　practicable　passes　that　I　know　of　in　this　part　of　the　Cordilleras。〃　〃The　pass　of　Arica　is　one　undoubtedly　discovered　by　Valdivia　Mendoze；〃　said　Paganel。　〃Just　so。〃　〃And　that　of　Villarica　is　the　other。〃　〃Precisely。〃　〃Well；　my　good　fellow；　both　these　passes　have　only　one　fault；　they　take　us　too　far　out　of　our　route；　either　north　or　south。〃　〃Have　you　no　other　to　propose？〃　asked　the　Major。　〃Certainly；〃　replied　Paganel。　　〃There　is　the　pass　of　Antuco；　on　the　slope　of　the　volcano；　in　latitude；　37　degrees　30'　；　or；　in　other　words；　only　half　a　degree　out　of　our　way。〃　〃That　would　do；　but　are　you　acquainted　with　this　pass　of　Antuco；　CATAPEZ？〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；　your　Lordship；　I　have　been　through　it；　but　I　did　not　mention　it；　as　no　one　goes　that　way　but　the　Indian　shepherds　with　the　herds　of　cattle。〃　〃Oh；　very　well；　if　mares　and　sheep　and　oxen　can　go　that　way；　we　can；　so　let's　start　at　once。〃　The　signal　for　departure　was　given　immediately；　and　they　struck　into　the　heart　of　the　valley　of　Las　Lejas；　between　great　masses　of　chalk　crystal。　From　this　point　the　pass　began　to　be　difficult；　and　even　dangerous。　The　angles　of　the　declivities　widened　and　the　ledges　narrowed；　and　frightful　precipices　met　their　gaze。　　The　mules　went　cautiously　along；　keeping　their　heads　near　the　ground；　as　if　scenting　the　track。　They　marched　in　file。　　Sometimes　at　a　sudden　bend　of　the　road；　the　MADRINA　would　disappear；　and　the　little　caravan　had　to　guide　themselves　by　the　distant　tinkle　of　her　bell。　　Often　some　capricious　winding　would　bring　the　column　in　two　parallel　lines；　and　the　CATAPEZ　could　speak　to　his　PEONS　across　a　crevasse　not　two　fathoms　wide；　though　two　hundred　deep；　which　made　between　them　an　inseparable　gulf。　Glenarvan　followed　his　guide　step　by　step。　　He　saw　that　his　perplexity　was　increasing　as　the　way　became　more　difficult；　but　did　not　dare　to　interrogate　him；　rightly　enough；　perhaps；　thinking　that　both　mules　and　muleteers　were　very　much　governed　by　instinct；　and　it　was　best　to　trust　to　them。　For　about　an　hour　longer　the　CATAPEZ　kept　wandering　about　almost　at　haphazard；　though　always　getting　higher　up　the　mountains。　At　last　he　was　obliged　to　stop　short。　　They　were　in　a　narrow　valley；　one　of　those　gorges　called　by　the　Indians　〃quebrads；〃　and　on　reaching　the　end；　a　wall　of　porphyry　rose　perpendicularly　before　them；　and　barred　further　passage。　　The　CATAPEZ；　after　vain　attempts　at　finding　an　opening；　dismounted；　crossed　his　arms；　and　waited。　Glenarvan　went　up　to　him　and　asked　if　he　had　lost　his　way。　〃No；　your　Lordship；〃　was　the　reply。　〃But　you　are　not　in　the　pass　of　Antuco。〃　〃We　are。〃　〃You　are　sure　you　are　not　mistaken？〃　〃I　am　not　mistaken。　　See！　there　are　the　remains　of　a　fire　left　by　the　Indians；　and　there　are　the　marks　of　the　mares　and　the　sheep。〃　〃They　must　have　gone　on　then。〃　〃Yes；　but　no　more　will　go；　the　last　earthquake　has　made　the　route　impassable。〃　〃To　mules；〃　said　the　Major；　〃but　not　to　men。〃　〃Ah；　that's　your　concern；　I　have　done　all　I　could。　My　mules　and　myself　are　at　your　service　to　try　the　other　passes　of　the　Cordilleras。〃　〃And　that　would　delay　us？〃　〃Three　days　at　least。〃　Glenarvan　listened　silently。　　He　saw　the　CATAPEZ　was　right。　His　mules　could　not　go　farther。　　When　he　talked　of　returning；　however；　Glenarvan　appealed　to　his　companions　and　said：　〃Will　you　go　on　in　spite　of　all　the　difficulty？〃　〃We　will　follow　your　Lordship；〃　replied　Tom　Austin。　〃And　even　precede　you；〃　added　Paganel。　　〃What　is　it　after　all？　We　have　only　to　cross　the　top　of　the　mountain　chain；　and　once　over；　nothing　can　be　easier　of　descent　than　the　slopes　we　shall　find　there。　When　we　get　below；　we　shall　find　BAQUEANOS；　Argentine　shepherds；　who　will　guide　us　through　the　Pampas；　and　swift　horses　accustomed　to　gallop　over　the　plains。　　Let's　go　forward　then；　I　say；　and　without　a　moment's　hesitation。〃　〃Forward！〃　they　all　exclaimed。　　〃You　will　not　go　with　us；　then？〃　said　Glenarvan　to　the　CATAPEZ。　〃I　am　the　muleteer；〃　was　the　reply。　〃As　you　please；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃We　can　do　without　him；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃On　the　other　side　we　shall　get　back　into　the　road　to　Antuco；　and　I'm　quite　sure　I'll　lead　you　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain　as　straight　as　the　best　guide　in　the　Cordilleras。〃　Accordingly；　Glenarvan　settled　accounts　with　the　CATAPEZ；　and　bade　farewell　to　him　and　his　PEONS　and　mules。　The　arms　and　instruments；　and　a　small　stock　of　provisions　were　divided　among　the　seven　travelers；　and　it　was　unanimously　agreed　that　the　ascent　should　recommence　at　once；　and；　if　necessary；　should　continue　part　of　the　night。　　There　was　a　very　steep　winding　path　on　the　left；　which　the　mules　never　would　have　attempted。　It　was　toilsome　work；　but　after　two　hours'　exertion；　and　a　great　deal　of　roundabout　climbing；　the　little　party　found　themselves　once　more　in　the　pass　of　Antuco。　They　were　not　far　now　from　the　highest　peak　of　the　Cordilleras；　but　there　was　not　the　slightest　trace　of　any　beaten　path。　The　entire　region　had　been　overturned　by　recent　shocks　of　earthquake；　and　all　they　could　do　was　to　keep　on　climbing　higher　and　higher。　Paganel　was　rather　disconcerted　at　finding　no　way　out　to　the　other　side　of　the　chain；　and　laid　his　account　with　having　to　undergo　great　fatigue　before　the　topmost　peaks　of　the　Andes　could　be　reached；　for　their　mean　height　is　between　eleven　and　twelve　thousand　six　hundred　feet。　　Fortunately　the　weather　was　calm　and　the　sky　clear；　in　addition　to　the　season　being　favorable；　but　in　Winter；　from　May　to　October；　such　an　ascent　would　have　been　impracticable。　The　intense　cold　quickly　kills　travelers；　and　those　who　even　manage　to　hold　out　against　it　fall　victims　to　the　violence　of　the　TEMPORALES；　a　sort　of　hurricane　peculiar　to　those　regions；　which　yearly　fills　the　abysses　of　the　Cordilleras　with　dead　bodies。　They　went　on　toiling　steadily　upward　all　night；　hoisting　themselves　up　to　almost　inaccessible　plateaux；　and　leaping　over　broad；　deep　crevasses。　　They　had　no　ropes；　but　arms　linked　in　arms　supplied　the　lack；　and　shoulders　served　for　ladders。　　The　strength　of　Mulrady　and　the　dexterity　of　Wilson　were　taxed　heavily　now。　These　two　brave　Scots　multiplied　themselves；　so　to　speak。　Many　a　time；　but　for　their　devotion　and　courage　the　small　band　could　not　have　gone　on。　　Glenarvan　never　lost　sight　of　young　Robert；　for　his　age　and　vivacity　made　him　impr