in search of the castaways-第20章

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　her　mantle　over　the　eastern　slopes　of　the　Andes。　　The　western　side　was　illumined　by　the　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　and　peaks　and　glaciers　flashed　back　his　golden　beams　with　dazzling　radiance。　On　the　south　the　view　was　magnificent。　　Across　the　wild　valley　of　the　Torbido；　about　two　miles　distant；　rose　the　volcano　of　Antuco。　　The　mountain　roared　like　some　enormous　monster；　and　vomited　red　smoke；　mingled　with　torrents　of　sooty　flame。　The　surrounding　peaks　appeared　on　fire。　　Showers　of　red…hot　stones；　clouds　of　reddish　vapor　and　rockets　of　lava；　all　combined；　presented　the　appearance　of　glowing　sparkling　streams。　The　splendor　of　the　spectacle　increased　every　instant　as　night　deepened；　and　the　whole　sky　became　lighted　up　with　a　dazzling　reflection　of　the　blazing　crater；　while　the　sun；　gradually　becoming　shorn　of　his　sunset　glories；　disappeared　like　a　star　lost　in　the　distant　darkness　of　the　horizon。　Paganel　and　Glenarvan　would　have　remained　long　enough　gazing　at　the　sublime　struggle　between　the　fires　of　earth　and　heaven；　if　the　more　practical　Wilson　had　not　reminded　them　of　the　business　on　hand。　　There　was　no　wood　to　be　found；　however；　but　fortunately　the　rocks　were　covered　with　a　poor；　dry　species　of　lichen。　Of　this　they　made　an　ample　provision；　as　well　as　of　a　plant　called　LLARETTA；　the　root　of　which　burns　tolerably　well。　This　precious　combustible　was　carried　back　to　the　CASUCHA　and　heaped　up　on　the　hearth。　　It　was　a　difficult　matter　to　kindle　it；　though；　and　still　more　to　keep　it　alight。　The　air　was　so　rarefied　that　there　was　scarcely　oxygen　enough　in　it　to　support　combustion。　　At　least；　this　was　the　reason　assigned　by　the　Major。　〃By　way　of　compensation；　however；〃　he　added；　〃water　will　boil　at　less　than　100　degrees　heat。　　It　will　come　to　the　point　of　ebullition　before　99　degrees。〃　McNabbs　was　right；　as　the　thermometer　proved；　for　it　was　plunged　into　the　kettle　when　the　water　boiled；　and　the　mercury　only　rose　to　99　degrees。　Coffee　was　soon　ready；　and　eagerly　gulped　down　by　everybody。　The　dry　meat　certainly　seemed　poor　fare；　and　Paganel　couldn't　help　saying：　〃I　tell　you　what；　some　grilled　llama　wouldn't　be　bad　with　this；　would　it？　They　say　that　the　llama　is　substitute　for　the　ox　and　the　sheep；　and　I　should　like　to　know　if　it　is；　in　an　alimentary　respect。〃　〃What！〃　replied　the　Major。　　〃You're　not　content　with　your　supper；　most　learned　Paganel。〃　〃Enchanted　with　it；　my　brave　Major；　still　I　must　confess　I　should　not　say　no　to　a　dish　of　llama。〃　〃You　are　a　Sybarite。〃　〃I　plead　guilty　to　the　charge。　　But　come；　now；　though　you　call　me　that；　you　wouldn't　sulk　at　a　beefsteak　yourself；　would　you？〃　〃Probably　not。〃　〃And　if　you　were　asked　to　lie　in　wait　for　a　llama；　notwithstanding　the　cold　and　the　darkness；　you　would　do　it　without　the　least　hesitation？〃　〃Of　course；　and　if　it　will　give　you　the　slightest　pleasure〃　His　companions　had　hardly　time　to　thank　him　for　his　obliging　good　nature；　when　distant　and　prolonged　howls　broke　on　their　ear；　plainly　not　proceeding　from　one　or　two　solitary　animals；　but　from　a　whole　troop；　and　one；　moreover；　that　was　rapidly　approaching。　Providence　had　sent　them　a　supper；　as　well　as　led　them　to　a　hut。　This　was　the　geographer's　conclusion；　but　Glenarvan　damped　his　joy　somewhat　by　remarking　that　the　quadrupeds　of　the　Cordilleras　are　never　met　with　in　such　a　high　latitude。　〃Then　where　can　these　animals　come　from？〃　asked　Tom　Austin。　　〃Don't　you　hear　them　getting　nearer！〃　〃An　avalanche；〃　suggested　Mulrady。　〃Impossible；〃　returned　Paganel。　　〃That　is　regular　howling。〃　〃Let　us　go　out　and　see；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；　and　be　ready　for　hunting；〃　replied　McNabbs；　arming　himself　with　his　carbine。　They　all　rushed　forthwith　out　of　the　CASUCHA。　　Night　had　completely　set　in；　dark　and　starry。　　The　moon；　now　in　her　last　quarter；　had　not　yet　risen。　　The　peaks　on　the　north　and　east　had　disappeared　from　view；　and　nothing　was　visible　save　the　fantastic　SILHOUETTE　of　some　towering　rocks　here　and　there。　The　howls；　and　clearly　the　howls　of　terrified　animals；　were　redoubled。　　They　proceeded　from　that　part　of　the　Cordilleras　which　lay　in　darkness。　　What　could　be　going　on　there？　Suddenly　a　furious　avalanche　came　down；　an　avalanche　of　living　animals　mad　with　fear。　　The　whole　plateau　seemed　to　tremble。　There　were　hundreds；　perhaps　thousands；　of　these　animals；　and　in　spite　of　the　rarefied　atmosphere；　their　noise　was　deafening。　Were　they　wild　beasts　from　the　Pampas；　or　herds　of　llamas　and　vicunas？　Glenarvan；　McNabbs；　Robert；　Austin；　and　the　two　sailors；　had　just　time　to　throw　themselves　flat　on　the　ground　before　they　swept　past　like　a　whirlwind；　only　a　few　paces　distant。　Paganel；　who　had　remained　standing；　to　take　advantage　of　his　peculiar　powers　of　sight；　was　knocked　down　in　a　twinkling。　At　the　same　moment　the　report　of　firearms　was　heard。　The　Major　had　fired；　and　it　seemed　to　him　that　an　animal　had　fallen　close　by；　and　that　the　whole　herd；　yelling　louder　than　ever；　had　rushed　down　and　disappeared　among　the　declivities　lighted　up　by　the　reflection　of　the　volcano。　〃Ah；　I've　got　them；〃　said　a　voice；　the　voice　of　Paganel。　〃Got　what？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃My　spectacles；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃One　might　expect　to　lose　that　much　in　such　a　tumult　as　this。〃　〃You　are　not　wounded；　I　hope？〃　〃No；　only　knocked　down；　but　by　what？〃　〃By　this；〃　replied　the　Major；　holding　up　the　animal　he　had　killed。　They　all　hastened　eagerly　into　the　hut；　to　examine　McNabbs'　prize　by　the　light　of　the　fire。　It　was　a　pretty　creature；　like　a　small　camel　without　a　hump。　The　head　was　small　and　the　body　flattened；　the　legs　were　long　and　slender；　the　skin　fine；　and　the　hair　the　color　of　_cafe　au　lait_。　Paganel　had　scarcely　looked　at　it　before　he　exclaimed；　〃A　guanaco！〃　〃What　sort　of　an　animal　is　that？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃One　you　can　eat。〃　〃And　it　is　good　savory　meat；　I　assure　you；　a　dish　of　Olympus！　　I　knew　we　should　have　fresh　meat　for　supper；　and　such　meat！　But　who　is　going　to　cut　up　the　beast？〃　〃I　will；〃　said　Wilson。　〃Well；　I'll　undertake　to　cook　it；〃　said　Paganel。　〃Can　you　cook；　then；　Monsieur　Paganel？〃　asked　Robert。　〃I　should　think　so；　my　boy。　　I'm　a　Frenchman；　and　in　every　Frenchman　there　is　a　cook。〃　Five　minutes　afterward　Paganel　began　to　grill　large　slices　of　venison　on　the　embers　made　by　the　use　of　the　LLARETTAS；　and　in　about　ten　minutes　a　dish　was　ready；　which　he　served　up　to　his　companions　by　the　tempting　name　of　guanaco　cutlets。　No　one　stood　on　ceremony；　but　fell　to　with　a　hearty　good　will。　To　the　absolute　stupefaction　of　the　geographer；　however；　the　first　mouthful　was　greeted　with　a　general　grimace；　and　such　exclamations　as〃Tough！〃　〃It　is　horrible。〃　〃It　is　not　eatable。〃　The　poor　SAVANT　was　obliged　to　own　that　his　cutlets　could　not　be　relished；　even　by　hungry　men。　　They　began　to　banter　him　about　his　〃Olympian　dish；〃　and　indulge　in　jokes　at　his　expense；　but　all　he　cared　about　was　to　find　out　how　it　happened　that　the　flesh　of　the　guanaco；　which　was　certainly　good　and　eatable　food；　had　turned　out　so　badly　in　his　hands。　At　last　light　broke　in　on　him；　and　he　called　out：　〃I　see　through　it　now！　　Yes；　I　see　through　it。　　I　have　found　out　the　secret　now。〃　〃The　meat　was　too　long　kept；　was　it？〃　asked　McNabbs；　quietly。　〃No；　but　the　meat　had　walked　too　much。　　How　could　I　have　forgotten　that？〃　〃What　do　you　mea