in search of the castaways-第42章

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posed　to　Robert　to　go　and　hunt　in　the　neighboring　forest。　Robert　clapped　his　hands　at　the　idea；　so　they　took　Thalcave's　powder　flask；　cleaned　the　revolvers　and　loaded　them　with　small　shot；　and　set　off。　〃Don't　go　too　far；〃　said　the　Major；　gravely；　to　the　two　hunters。　After　their　departure；　Glenarvan　and　McNabbs　went　down　to　examine　the　state　of　the　water　by　looking　at　the　notches　they　had　made　on　the　tree；　and　Wilson　and　Mulrady　replenished　the　fire。　No　sign　of　decrease　appeared　on　the　surface　of　the　immense　lake；　yet　the　flood　seemed　to　have　reached　its　maximum　height；　but　the　violence　with　which　it　rushed　from　the　south　to　north　proved　that　the　equilibrium　of　the　Argentine　rivers　was　not　restored。　Before　getting　lower　the　liquid　mass　must　remain　stationary；　as　in　the　case　with　the　ocean　before　the　ebb　tide　commences。　While　Glenarvan　and　his　cousin　were　making　these　observations；　the　report　of　firearms　resounded　frequently　above　their　heads；　and　the　jubilant　outcries　of　the　two　sportsmenfor　Paganel　was　every　whit　as　much　a　child　as　Robert。　　They　were　having　a　fine　time　of　it　among　the　thick　leaves；　judging　by　the　peals　of　laughter　which　rang　out　in　the　boy's　clear　treble　voice　and　Paganel's　deep　bass。　The　chase　was　evidently　successful；　and　wonders　in　culinary　art　might　be　expected。　　Wilson　had　a　good　idea　to　begin　with；　which　he　had　skilfully　carried　out；　for　when　Glenarvan　came　back　to　the　brasier；　he　found　that　the　brave　fellow　had　actually　managed　to　catch；　with　only　a　pin　and　a　piece　of　string；　several　dozen　small　fish；　as　delicate　as　smelts；　called　MOJARRAS；　which　were　all　jumping　about　in　a　fold　of　his　poncho；　ready　to　be　converted　into　an　exquisite　dish。　At　the　same　moment　the　hunters　reappeared。　　Paganel　was　carefully　carrying　some　black　swallows'　eggs；　and　a　string　of　sparrows；　which　he　meant　to　serve　up　later　under　the　name　of　field　larks。　Robert　had　been　clever　enough　to　bring　down　several　brace　of　HILGUEROS；　small　green　and　yellow　birds；　which　are　excellent　eating；　and　greatly　in　demand　in　the　Montevideo　market。　　Paganel；　who　knew　fifty　ways　of　dressing　eggs；　was　obliged　for　this　once　to　be　content　with　simply　hardening　them　on　the　hot　embers。　　But　notwithstanding　this；　the　viands　at　the　meal　were　both　dainty　and　varied。　　The　dried　beef；　hard　eggs；　grilled　MOJARRAS；　sparrows；　and　roast　HILGUEROS；　made　one　of　those　gala　feasts　the　memory　of　which　is　imperishable。　The　conversation　was　very　animated。　　Many　compliments　were　paid　Paganel　on　his　twofold　talents　as　hunter　and　cook；　which　the　SAVANT　accepted　with　the　modesty　which　characterizes　true　merit。　Then　he　turned　the　conversation　on　the　peculiarities　of　the　OMBU；　under　whose　canopy　they　had　found　shelter；　and　whose　depths　he　declared　were　immense。　〃Robert　and　I；〃　he　added；　jestingly；　〃thought　ourselves　hunting　in　the　open　forest。　　I　was　afraid；　for　the　minute；　we　should　lose　ourselves；　for　I　could　not　find　the　road。　The　sun　was　sinking　below　the　horizon；　I　sought　vainly　for　footmarks；　I　began　to　feel　the　sharp　pangs　of　hunger；　and　the　gloomy　depths　of　the　forest　resounded　already　with　the　roar　of　wild　beasts。　No；　not　that；　there　are　no　wild　beasts　here；　I　am　sorry　to　say。〃　〃What！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃you　are　sorry　there　are　no　wild　beasts？〃　〃Certainly　I　am。〃　〃And　yet　we　should　have　every　reason　to　dread　their　ferocity。〃　〃Their　ferocity　is　non…existent；　scientifically　speaking；〃　replied　the　learned　geographer。　〃Now　come；　Paganel；〃　said　the　Major；　〃you'll　never　make　me　admit　the　utility　of　wild　beasts。　　What　good　are　they？〃　〃Why；　Major；〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　〃for　purposes　of　classification　into　orders；　and　families；　and　species；　and　sub…species。〃　〃A　mighty　advantage；　certainly！〃　replied　McNabbs；　〃I　could　dispense　with　all　that。　　If　I　had　been　one　of　Noah's　companions　at　the　time　of　the　deluge；　I　should　most　assuredly　have　hindered　the　imprudent　patriarch　from　putting　in　pairs　of　lions；　and　tigers；　and　panthers；　and　bears；　and　such　animals；　for　they　are　as　malevolent　as　they　are　useless。〃　〃You　would　have　done　that？〃　asked　Paganel。　〃Yes；　I　would。〃　〃Well；　you　would　have　done　wrong　in　a　zoological　point　of　view；〃　returned　Paganel。　〃But　not　in　a　humanitarian　one；〃　rejoined　the　Major。　〃It　is　shocking！〃　replied　Paganel。　　〃Why；　for　my　part；　on　the　contrary；　I　should　have　taken　special　care　to　preserve　megatheriums　and　pterodactyles；　and　all　the　antediluvian　species　of　which　we　are　unfortunately　deprived　by　his　neglect。〃　〃And　I　say；〃　returned　McNabbs；　〃that　Noah　did　a　very　good　thing　when　he　abandoned　them　to　their　fatethat　is；　if　they　lived　in　his　day。〃　〃And　I　say　he　did　a　very　bad　thing；〃　retorted　Paganel；　〃and　he　has　justly　merited　the　malediction　of　SAVANTS　to　the　end　of　time！〃　The　rest　of　the　party　could　not　help　laughing　at　hearing　the　two　friends　disputing　over　old　Noah。　　Contrary　to　all　his　principles；　the　Major；　who　all　his　life　had　never　disputed　with　anyone；　was　always　sparring　with　Paganel。　　The　geographer　seemed　to　have　a　peculiarly　exciting　effect　on　him。　Glenarvan；　as　usual；　always　the　peacemaker；　interfered　in　the　debate；　and　said：　〃Whether　the　loss　of　ferocious　animals　is　to　be　regretted　or　not；　in　a　scientific　point　of　view；　there　is　no　help　for　it　now；　we　must　be　content　to　do　without　them。　　Paganel　can　hardly　expect　to　meet　with　wild　beasts　in　this　aerial　forest。〃　〃Why　not？〃　asked　the　geographer。　〃Wild　beasts　on　a　tree！〃　exclaimed　Tom　Austin。　〃Yes；　undoubtedly。　　The　American　tiger；　the　jaguar；　takes　refuge　in　the　trees；　when　the　chase　gets　too　hot　for　him。　It　is　quite　possible　that　one　of　these　animals；　surprised　by　the　inundation；　might　have　climbed　up　into　this　OMBU；　and　be　hiding　now　among　its　thick　foliage。〃　〃You　haven't　met　any　of　them；　at　any　rate；　I　suppose？〃　said　the　Major。　〃No；〃　replied　Paganel；　〃though　we　hunted　all　through　the　wood。　It　is　vexing；　for　it　would　have　been　a　splendid　chase。　A　jaguar　is　a　bloodthirsty；　ferocious　creature。　　He　can　twist　the　neck　of　a　horse　with　a　single　stroke　of　his　paw。　When　he　has　once　tasted　human　flesh　he　scents　it　greedily。　He　likes　to　eat　an　Indian　best；　and　next　to　him　a　negro；　then　a　mulatto；　and　last　of　all　a　white　man。〃　〃I　am　delighted　to　hear　we　come　number　four；〃　said　McNabbs。　〃That　only　proves　you　are　insipid；〃　retorted　Paganel；　with　an　air　of　disdain。　〃I　am　delighted　to　be　insipid；〃　was　the　Major's　reply。　〃Well；　it　is　humiliating　enough；〃　said　the　intractable　Paganel。　〃The　white　man　proclaimed　himself　chief　of　the　human　race；　but　Mr。　Jaguar　is　of　a　different　opinion　it　seems。〃　〃Be　that　as　it　may；　my　brave　Paganel；　seeing　there　are　neither　Indians；　nor　negroes；　nor　mulattoes　among　us；　I　am　quite　rejoiced　at　the　absence　of　your　beloved　jaguars。　Our　situation　is　not　so　particularly　agreeable。〃　〃What！　not　agreeable！〃　exclaimed　Paganel；　jumping　at　the　word　as　likely　to　give　a　new　turn　to　the　conversation。　〃You　are　complaining　of　your　lot；　Glenarvan。〃　〃I　should　think　so；　indeed；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃Do　you　find　these　uncomfortable　hard　branches　very　luxurious？〃　〃I　have　never　been　more　comfortable；　even　in　my　study。　We　live　like　the　birds；　we　sing　and　fly　about。　　I　begin　to　believe　men　were　intended　to　live　on　trees。〃　〃But　they　want　wings；〃　suggested　the　Major。　〃They'll　make　them　some　day。〃　〃And　till　then；〃　put