in search of the castaways-第30章

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ot　go　quicker　than　a　walking　pace。　At　noon　they　were　obliged　to　let　them　rest　for　an　hour。　They　could　not　go　on　at　all；　and　refused　to　eat　the　ALFAFARES；　a　poor；　burnt…up　sort　of　lucerne　that　grew　there。　Glenarvan　began　to　be　uneasy。　　Tokens　of　sterility　were　not　the　least　on　the　decrease；　and　the　want　of　water　might　involve　serious　calamities。　Thalcave　said　nothing；　thinking　probably；　that　it　would　be　time　enough　to　despair　if　the　Guamini　should　be　dried　upif；　indeed；　the　heart　of　an　Indian　can　ever　despair。　Spur　and　whip　had　both　to　be　employed　to　induce　the　poor　animals　to　resume　the　route；　and　then　they　only　crept　along；　for　their　strength　was　gone。　Thaouka；　indeed；　could　have　galloped　swiftly　enough；　and　reached　the　RIO　in　a　few　hours；　but　Thalcave　would　not　leave　his　companions　behind；　alone　in　the　midst　of　a　desert。　It　was　hard　work；　however；　to　get　the　animal　to　consent　to　walk　quietly。　He　kicked；　and　reared；　and　neighed　violently；　and　was　subdued　at　last　more　by　his　master's　voice　than　hand。　　Thalcave　positively　talked　to　the　beast；　and　Thaouka　understood　perfectly；　though　unable　to　reply；　for；　after　a　great　deal　of　arguing；　the　noble　creature　yielded；　though　he　still　champed　the　bit。　Thalcave　did　not　understand　Thaouka；　it　turned　out；　though　Thaouka　understood　him。　　The　intelligent　animal　felt　humidity　in　the　atmosphere　and　drank　it　in　with　frenzy；　moving　and　making　a　noise　with　his　tongue；　as　if　taking　deep　draughts　of　some　cool　refreshing　liquid。　The　Patagonian　could　not　mistake　him　nowwater　was　not　far　off。　The　two　other　horses　seemed　to　catch　their　comrade's　meaning；　and；　inspired　by　his　example；　made　a　last　effort；　and　galloped　forward　after　the　Indian。　About　three　o'clock　a　white　line　appeared　in　a　dip　of　the　road；　and　seemed　to　tremble　in　the　sunlight。　〃Water！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan。　〃Yes；　yes！　it　is　water！〃　shouted　Robert。　They　were　right；　and　the　horses　knew　it　too；　for　there　was　no　need　now　to　urge　them　on；　they　tore　over　the　ground　as　if　mad；　and　in　a　few　minutes　had　reached　the　river；　and　plunged　in　up　to　their　chests。　Their　masters　had　to　go　on　too；　whether　they　would　or　not　but　they　were　so　rejoiced　at　being　able　to　quench　their　thirst；　that　this　compulsory　bath　was　no　grievance。　〃Oh；　how　delicious　this　is！〃　exclaimed　Robert；　taking　a　deep　draught。　〃Drink　moderately；　my　boy；〃　said　Glenarvan；　but　he　did　not　set　the　example。　Thalcave　drank　very　quietly；　without　hurrying　himself；　taking　small　gulps；　but　〃as　long　as　a　lazo；〃　as　the　Patagonians　say。　He　seemed　as　if　he　were　never　going　to　leave　off；　and　really　there　was　some　danger　of　his　swallowing　up　the　whole　river。　At　last　Glenarvan　said：　〃Well；　our　friends　won't　be　disappointed　this　time；　they　will　be　sure　of　finding　clear；　cool　water　when　they　get　here　that　is　to　say；　if　Thalcave　leaves　any　for　them。〃　〃But　couldn't　we　go　to　meet　them？　　It　would　spare　them　several　hours'　suffering　and　anxiety。〃　〃You're　right　my　boy；　but　how　could　we　carry　them　this　water？　The　leather　bottles　were　left　with　Wilson。　　No；　it　is　better　for　us　to　wait　for　them　as　we　agreed。　　They　can't　be　here　till　about　the　middle　of　the　night；　so　the　best　thing　we　can　do　is　to　get　a　good　bed　and　a　good　supper　ready　for　them。〃　Thalcave　had　not　waited　for　Glenarvan's　proposition　to　prepare　an　encampment。　　He　had　been　fortunate　enough　to　discover　on　the　banks　of　the　_rio　a　ramada_；　a　sort　of　enclosure；　which　had　served　as　a　fold　for　flocks；　and　was　shut　in　on　three　sides。　　A　more　suitable　place　could　not　be　found　for　their　night's　lodging；　provided　they　had　no　fear　of　sleeping　in　the　open　air　beneath　the　star…lit　heavens；　and　none　of　Thalcave's　companions　had　much　solicitude　on　that　score。　Accordingly　they　took　possession　at　once；　and　stretched　themselves　at　full　length　on　the　ground　in　the　bright　sunshine；　to　dry　their　dripping　garments。　〃Well；　now　we've　secured　a　lodging；　we　must　think　of　supper；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Our　friends　must　not　have　reason　to　complain　of　the　couriers　they　sent　to　precede　them；　and　if　I　am　not　much　mistaken；　they　will　be　very　satisfied。　It　strikes　me　that　an　hour's　shooting　won't　be　lost　time。　Are　you　ready；　Robert？〃　〃Yes；　my　Lord；〃　replied　the　boy；　standing　up；　gun　in　hand。　Why　Glenarvan　proposed　this　was；　that　the　banks　of　the　Guamini　seemed　to　be　the　general　rendezvous　of　all　the　game　in　the　surrounding　plains。　A　sort　of　partridge　peculiar　to　the　Pampas；　called　TINAMOUS；　black　wood…hens；　a　species　of　plover；　called　TERU…TERU；　yellow　rays；　and　waterfowl　with　magnificent　green　plumage；　rose　in　coveys。　No　quadrupeds；　however；　were　visible；　but　Thalcave　pointed　to　the　long　grass　and　thick　brushwood；　and　gave　his　friends　to　understand　they　were　lying　there　in　concealment。　Disdaining　the　feathered　tribes　when　more　substantial　game　was　at　hand；　the　hunters'　first　shots　were　fired　into　the　underwood。　　Instantly　there　rose　by　the　hundred　roebucks　and　guanacos；　like　those　that　had　swept　over　them　that　terrible　night　on　the　Cordilleras；　but　the　timid　creatures　were　so　frightened　that　they　were　all　out　of　gunshot　in　a　twinkling。　The　hunters　were　obliged　to　content　themselves　with　humbler　game；　though　in　an　alimentary　point　of　view　nothing　better　could　be　wished。　A　dozen　of　red　partridges　and　rays　were　speedily　brought　down；　and　Glenarvan　also　managed　very　cleverly　to　kill　a　TAY…TETRE；　or　peccary；　a　pachydermatous　animal；　the　flesh　of　which　is　excellent　eating。　In　less　than　half　an　hour　the　hunters　had　all　the　game　they　required。　Robert　had　killed　a　curious　animal　belonging　to　the　order　EDENTATA；　an　armadillo；　a　sort　of　tatou；　covered　with　a　hard　bony　shell；　in　movable　pieces；　and　measuring　a　foot　and　a　half　long。　It　was　very　fat　and　would　make　an　excellent　dish；　the　Patagonian　said。　Robert　was　very　proud　of　his　success。　Thalcave　did　his　part　by　capturing　a　NANDOU；　a　species　of　ostrich；　remarkable　for　its　extreme　swiftness。　There　could　be　no　entrapping　such　an　animal；　and　the　Indian　did　not　attempt　it。　　He　urged　Thaouka　to　a　gallop；　and　made　a　direct　attack；　knowing　that　if　the　first　aim　missed　the　NANDOU　would　soon　tire　out　horse　and　rider　by　involving　them　in　an　inextricable　labyrinth　of　windings。　The　moment；　therefore；　that　Thalcave　got　to　a　right　distance；　he　flung　his　BOLAS　with　such　a　powerful　hand；　and　so　skillfully；　that　he　caught　the　bird　round　the　legs　and　paralyzed　his　efforts　at　once。　In　a　few　seconds　it　lay　flat　on　the　ground。　The　Indian　had　not　made　his　capture　for　the　mere　pleasure　and　glory　of　such　a　novel　chase。　　The　flesh　of　the　NANDOU　is　highly　esteemed；　and　Thalcave　felt　bound　to　contribute　his　share　of　the　common　repast。　They　returned　to　the　RAMADA；　bringing　back　the　string　of　partridges；　the　ostrich；　the　peccary；　and　the　armadillo。　The　ostrich　and　the　peccary　were　prepared　for　cooking　by　divesting　them　of　their　tough　skins；　and　cutting　them　up　into　thin　slices。　As　to　the　armadillo；　he　carries　his　cooking　apparatus　with　him；　and　all　that　had　to　be　done　was　to　place　him　in　his　own　shell　over　the　glowing　embers。　The　substantial　dishes　were　reserved　for　the　night…comers；　and　the　three　hunters　contented　themselves　with　devouring　the　partridges；　and　washed　down　their　meal　with　clear；　fresh　water；　which　was　pronounced　superior　to　all　the　porter　in　the　world；　even　to　th