in search of the castaways-第37章

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cularly　damp。　This　was　evident　by　the　fertility　and　abundance　of　the　pasture　and　its　dark　color。　　However；　the　clouds　remained　unbroken　for　the　present；　and　in　the　evening；　after　a　brisk　gallop　of　forty　miles；　the　horses　stopped　on　the　brink　of　deep　CANADAS；　immense　natural　trenches　filled　with　water。　　No　shelter　was　near；　and　ponchos　had　to　serve　both　for　tents　and　coverlets　as　each　man　lay　down　and　fell　asleep　beneath　the　threatening　sky。　Next　day　the　presence　of　water　became　still　more　sensibly　felt；　it　seemed　to　exude　from　every　pore　of　the　ground。　　Soon　large　ponds；　some　just　beginning　to　form；　and　some　already　deep；　lay　across　the　route　to　the　east。　　As　long　as　they　had　only　to　deal　with　lagoons；　circumscribed　pieces　of　water　unencumbered　with　aquatic　plants；　the　horses　could　get　through　well　enough；　but　when　they　encountered　moving　sloughs　called　PENTANOS；　it　was　harder　work。　Tall　grass　blocked　them　up；　and　they　were　involved　in　the　peril　before　they　were　aware。　These　bogs　had　already　proved　fatal　to　more　than　one　living　thing；　for　Robert；　who　had　got　a　good　bit　ahead　of　the　party；　came　rushing　back　at　full　gallop；　calling　out：　〃Monsieur　Paganel；　Monsieur　Paganel；　a　forest　of　horns。〃　〃What！〃　exclaimed　the　geographer；　〃you　have　found　a　forest　of　horns？〃　〃Yes；　yes；　or　at　any　rate　a　coppice。〃　〃A　coppice！〃　replied　Paganel；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃My　boy；　you　are　dreaming。〃　〃I　am　not　dreaming；　and　you　will　see　for　yourself。　　Well；　this　is　a　strange　country。　　They　sow　horns；　and　they　sprout　up　like　wheat。　I　wish　I　could　get　some　of　the　seed。〃　〃The　boy　is　really　speaking　seriously；〃　said　the　Major。　〃Yes；　Mr。　Major；　and　you　will　soon　see　I　am　right。〃　The　boy　had　not　been　mistaken；　for　presently　they　found　themselves　in　front　of　an　immense　field　of　horns；　regularly　planted　and　stretching　far　out　of　sight。　　It　was　a　complete　copse；　low　and　close　packed；　but　a　strange　sort。　〃Well；〃　said　Robert。　〃This　is　peculiar　certainly；〃　said　Paganel；　and　he　turned　round　to　question　Thalcave　on　the　subject。　〃The　horns　come　out　of　the　ground；〃　replied　the　Indian；　〃but　the　oxen　are　down　below。〃　〃What！〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　〃do　you　mean　to　say　that　a　whole　herd　was　caught　in　that　mud　and　buried　alive？〃　〃Yes；〃　said　the　Patagonian。　And　so　it　was。　　An　immense　herd　had　been　suffocated　side　by　side　in　this　enormous　bog；　and　this　was　not　the　first　occurrence　of　the　kind　which　had　taken　place　in　the　Argentine　plains。　An　hour　afterward　and　the　field　of　horns　lay　two　miles　behind。　Thalcave　was　somewhat　anxiously　observing　a　state　of　things　which　appeared　to　him　unusual。　　He　frequently　stopped　and　raised　himself　on　his　stirrups　and　looked　V。　IV　Verne　around。　　His　great　height　gave　him　a　commanding　view　of　the　whole　horizon；　but　after　a　keen　rapid　survey；　he　quickly　resumed　his　seat　and　went　on。　　About　a　mile　further　he　stopped　again；　and　leaving　the　straight　route；　made　a　circuit　of　some　miles　north　and　south；　and　then　returned　and　fell　back　in　his　place　at　the　head　of　the　troop；　without　saying　a　syllable　as　to　what　he　hoped　or　feared。　This　strange　behavior；　several　times　repeated；　made　Glenarvan　very　uneasy；　and　quite　puzzled　Paganel。　　At　last；　at　Glenarvan's　request；　he　asked　the　Indian　about　it。　Thalcave　replied　that　he　was　astonished　to　see　the　plains　so　saturated　with　water。　　Never；　to　his　knowledge；　since　he　had　followed　the　calling　of　guide；　had　he　found　the　ground　in　this　soaking　condition。　Even　in　the　rainy　season；　the　Argentine　plains　had　always　been　passable。　〃But　what　is　the　cause　of　this　increasing　humidity？〃　said　Paganel。　〃I　do　not　know；　and　what　if　I　did？〃　〃Could　it　be　owing　to　the　RIOS　of　the　Sierra　being　swollen　to　overflowing　by　the　heavy　rains？〃　〃Sometimes　they　are。〃　〃And　is　it　the　case　now？〃　〃Perhaps。〃　Paganel　was　obliged　to　be　content　with　this　unsatisfactory　reply；　and　went　back　to　Glenarvan　to　report　the　result　of　his　conversation。　〃And　what　does　Thalcave　advise　us　to　do？〃　said　Glenarvan。　Paganel　went　back　to　the　guide　and　asked　him。　〃Go　on　fast；〃　was　the　reply。　This　was　easier　said　than　done。　　The　horses　soon　tired　of　treading　over　ground　that　gave　way　at　every　step。　　It　sank　each　moment　more　and　more；　till　it　seemed　half　under　water。　They　quickened　their　pace；　but　could　not　go　fast　enough　to　escape　the　water；　which　rolled　in　great　sheets　at　their　feet。　Before　two　hours　the　cataracts　of　the　sky　opened　and　deluged　the　plain　in　true　tropical　torrents　of　rain。　　Never　was　there　a　finer　occasion　for　displaying　philosophic　equanimity。　There　was　no　shelter；　and　nothing　for　it　but　to　bear　it　stolidly。　The　ponchos　were　streaming　like　the　overflowing　gutter…spouts　on　the　roof　of　a　house；　and　the　unfortunate　horsemen　had　to　submit　to　a　double　bath；　for　their　horses　dashed　up　the　water　to　their　waists　at　every　step。　In　this　drenching；　shivering　state；　and　worn　out　with　fatigue；　they　came　toward　evening　to　a　miserable　RANCHO；　which　could　only　have　been　called　a　shelter　by　people　not　very　fastidious；　and　certainly　only　travelers　in　extremity　would　even　have　entered　it；　but　Glenarvan　and　his　companions　had　no　choice；　and　were　glad　enough　to　burrow　in　this　wretched　hovel；　though　it　would　have　been　despised　by　even　a　poor　Indian　of　the　Pampas。　　A　miserable　fire　of　grass　was　kindled；　which　gave　out　more　smoke　than　heat；　and　was　very　difficult　to　keep　alight；　as　the　torrents　of　rain　which　dashed　against　the　ruined　cabin　outside　found　their　way　within　and　fell　down　in　large　drops　from　the　roof。　Twenty　times　over　the　fire　would　have　been　extinguished　if　Mulrady　and　Wilson　had　not　kept　off　the　water。　The　supper　was　a　dull　meal；　and　neither　appetizing　nor　reviving。　Only　the　Major　seemed　to　eat　with　any　relish。　　The　impassive　McNabbs　was　superior　to　all　circumstances。　　Paganel；　Frenchman　as　he　was；　tried　to　joke；　but　the　attempt　was　a　failure。　〃My　jests　are　damp；〃　he　said；　〃they　miss　fire。〃　The　only　consolation　in　such　circumstances　was　to　sleep；　and　accordingly　each　one　lay　down　and　endeavored　to　find　in　slumber　a　temporary　forgetfulness　of　his　discomforts　and　his　fatigues。　The　night　was　stormy；　and　the　planks　of　the　rancho　cracked　before　the　blast　as　if　every　instant　they　would　give　way。　The　poor　horses　outside；　exposed　to　all　the　inclemency　of　the　weather；　were　making　piteous　moans；　and　their　masters　were　suffering　quite　as　much　inside　the　ruined　RANCHO。　　However；　sleep　overpowered　them　at　length。　Robert　was　the　first　to　close　his　eyes　and　lean　his　head　against　Glenarvan's　shoulder；　and　soon　all　the　rest　were　soundly　sleeping　too　under　the　guardian　eye　of　Heaven。　The　night　passed　safely；　and　no　one　stirred　till　Thaouka　woke　them　by　tapping　vigorously　against　the　RANCHO　with　his　hoof。　He　knew　it　was　time　to　start；　and　at　a　push　could　give　the　signal　as　well　as　his　master。　　They　owed　the　faithful　creature　too　much　to　disobey　him；　and　set　off　immediately。　The　rain　had　abated；　but　floods　of　water　still　covered　the　ground。　Paganel；　on　consulting　his　map；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　the　RIOS　Grande　and　Vivarota；　into　which　the　water　from　the　plains　generally　runs；　must　have　been　united　in　one　large　bed　several　miles　in　extent。　Extreme　haste　was　imperative；　for　all　their　lives　depended　on　it。　Should　the　inundation　increase；　where　could　they　find　refuge？　Not　a　singl