in search of the castaways-第45章

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at　the　bottom；　and　base　at　the　top；　linking　together　the　turbulent　water　and　the　angry　clouds。　　This　meteor　soon　began　to　move　forward；　turning　over　and　over　on　itself　with　dizzy　rapidity；　and　sweeping　up　into　its　center　a　column　of　water　from　the　lake；　while　its　gyratory　motions　made　all　the　surrounding　currents　of　air　rush　toward　it。　A　few　seconds　more；　and　the　gigantic　water…spout　threw　itself　on　the　OMBU；　and　caught　it　up　in　its　whirl。　　The　tree　shook　to　its　roots。　Glenarvan　could　fancy　the　caimans'　teeth　were　tearing　it　up　from　the　soil；　for　as　he　and　his　companions　held　on；　each　clinging　firmly　to　the　other；　they　felt　the　towering　OMBU　give　way；　and　the　next　minute　it　fell　right　over　with　a　terrible　hissing　noise；　as　the　flaming　branches　touched　the　foaming　water。　It　was　the　work　of　an　instant。　　Already　the　water…spout　had　passed；　to　carry　on　its　destructive　work　elsewhere。　It　seemed　to　empty　the　lake　in　its　passage；　by　continually　drawing　up　the　water　into　itself。　The　OMBU　now　began　to　drift　rapidly　along；　impelled　by　wind　and　current。　　All　the　caimans　had　taken　their　departure；　except　one　that　was　crawling　over　the　upturned　roots；　and　coming　toward　the　poor　refugees　with　wide　open　jaws。　But　Mulrady；　seizing　hold　of　a　branch　that　was　half…burned　off；　struck　the　monster　such　a　tremendous　blow；　that　it　fell　back　into　the　torrent　and　disappeared；　lashing　the　water　with　its　formidable　tail。　Glenarvan　and　his　companions　being　thus　delivered　from　the　voracious　SAURIANS；　stationed　themselves　on　the　branches　windward　of　the　conflagration；　while　the　OMBU　sailed　along　like　a　blazing　fire…ship　through　the　dark　night；　the　flames　spreading　themselves　round　like　sails　before　the　breath　of　the　hurricane。

CHAPTER　XXVI　THE　RETURN　ON　BOARD

FOR　two　hours　the　OMBU　navigated　the　immense　lake　without　reaching　_terra　firma_。　　The　flames　which　were　devouring　it　had　gradually　died　out。　　The　chief　danger　of　their　frightful　passage　was　thus　removed；　and　the　Major　went　the　length　of　saying；　that　he　should　not　be　surprised　if　they　were　saved　after　all。　The　direction　of　the　current　remained　unchanged；　always　running　from　southwest　to　northeast。　　Profound　darkness　had　again　set　in；　only　illumined　here　and　there　by　a　parting　flash　of　lightning。　The　storm　was　nearly　over。　　The　rain　had　given　place　to　light　mists；　which　a　breath　of　wind　dispersed；　and　the　heavy　masses　of　cloud　had　separated；　and　now　streaked　the　sky　in　long　bands。　The　OMBU　was　borne　onward　so　rapidly　by　the　impetuous　torrent；　that　anyone　might　have　supposed　some　powerful　locomotive　engine　was　hidden　in　its　trunk。　　It　seemed　likely　enough　they　might　continue　drifting　in　this　way　for　days。　About　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　however；　the　Major　noticed　that　the　roots　were　beginning　to　graze　the　ground　occasionally；　and　by　sounding　the　depth　of　the　water　with　a　long　branch；　Tom　Austin　found　that　they　were　getting　on　rising　ground。　Twenty　minutes　afterward；　the　OMBU　stopped　short　with　a　violent　jolt。　〃Land！　land！〃　shouted　Paganel；　in　a　ringing　tone。　The　extremity　of　the　calcined　bough　had　struck　some　hillock；　and　never　were　sailors　more　glad；　the　rock　to　them　was　the　port。　Already　Robert　and　Wilson　had　leaped　on　to　the　solid　plateau　with　a　loud；　joyful　hurrah！　when　a　well…known　whistle　was　heard。　The　gallop　of　a　horse　resounded　over　the　plain；　and　the　tall　form　of　Thalcave　emerged　from　the　darkness。　〃Thalcave！　　Thalcave！〃　they　all　cried　with　one　voice。　〃Amigos！〃　replied　the　Patagonian；　who　had　been　waiting　for　the　travelers　here　in　the　same　place　where　the　current　had　landed　himself。　As　he　spoke　he　lifted　up　Robert　in　his　arms；　and　hugged　him　to　his　breast；　never　imagining　that　Paganel　was　hanging　on　to　him。　A　general　and　hearty　hand…shaking　followed；　and　everyone　rejoiced　at　seeing　their　faithful　guide　again。　　Then　the　Patagonian　led　the　way　into　the　HANGAR　of　a　deserted　ESTANCIA；　where　there　was　a　good；　blazing　fire　to　warm　them；　and　a　substantial　meal　of　fine；　juicy　slices　of　venison　soon　broiling；　of　which　they　did　not　leave　a　crumb。　When　their　minds　had　calmed　down　a　little；　and　they　were　able　to　reflect　on　the　dangers　they　had　come　through　from　flood；　and　fire；　and　alligators；　they　could　scarcely　believe　they　had　escaped。　Thalcave；　in　a　few　words；　gave　Paganel　an　account　of　himself　since　they　parted；　entirely　ascribing　his　deliverance　to　his　intrepid　horse。　Then　Paganel　tried　to　make　him　understand　their　new　interpretation　of　the　document；　and　the　consequent　hopes　they　were　indulging。　Whether　the　Indian　actually　understood　his　ingenious　hypothesis　was　a　question；　but　he　saw　that　they　were　glad　and　confident；　and　that　was　enough　for　him。　As　can　easily　be　imagined；　after　their　compulsory　rest　on　the　OMBU；　the　travelers　were　up　betimes　and　ready　to　start。　　At　eight　o'clock　they　set　off。　　No　means　of　transport　being　procurable　so　far　south；　they　were　compelled　to　walk。　　However；　it　was　not　more　than　forty　miles　now　that　they　had　to　go；　and　Thaouka　would　not　refuse　to　give　a　lift　occasionally　to　a　tired　pedestrian；　or　even　to　a　couple　at　a　pinch。　In　thirty…six　hours　they　might　reach　the　shores　of　the　Atlantic。　The　low…lying　tract　of　marshy　ground；　still　under　water；　soon　lay　behind　them；　as　Thalcave　led　them　upward　to　the　higher　plains。　Here　the　Argentine　territory　resumed　its　monotonous　aspect。　A　few　clumps　of　trees；　planted　by　European　hands；　might　chance　to　be　visible　among　the　pasturage；　but　quite　as　rarely　as　in　Tandil　and　Tapalquem　Sierras。　　The　native　trees　are　only　found　on　the　edge　of　long　prairies　and　about　Cape　Corrientes。　Next　day；　though　still　fifteen　miles　distant；　the　proximity　of　the　ocean　was　sensibly　felt。　　The　VIRAZON；　a　peculiar　wind；　which　blows　regularly　half　of　the　day　and　night；　bent　down　the　heads　of　the　tall　grasses。　Thinly　planted　woods　rose　to　view；　and　small　tree…like　mimosas；　bushes　of　acacia；　and　tufts　of　CURRA…MANTEL。　Here　and　there；　shining　like　pieces　of　broken　glass；　were　salinous　lagoons；　which　increased　the　difficulty　of　the　journey　as　the　travelers　had　to　wind　round　them　to　get　past。　They　pushed　on　as　quickly　as　possible；　hoping　to　reach　Lake　Salado；　on　the　shores　of　the　ocean；　the　same　day；　and　at　8　P。　M。；　when　they　found　themselves　in　front　of　the　sand　hills　two　hundred　feet　high；　which　skirt　the　coast；　they　were　all　tolerably　tired。　　But　when　the　long　murmur　of　the　distant　ocean　fell　on　their　ears；　the　exhausted　men　forgot　their　fatigue；　and　ran　up　the　sandhills　with　surprising　agility。　But　it　was　getting　quite　dark　already；　and　their　eager　gaze　could　discover　no　traces　of　the　DUNCAN　on　the　gloomy　expanse　of　water　that　met　their　sight。　〃But　she　is　there；　for　all　that；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　〃waiting　for　us；　and　running　alongside。〃　〃We　shall　see　her　to…morrow；〃　replied　McNabbs。　Tom　Austin　hailed　the　invisible　yacht；　but　there　was　no　response。　The　wind　was　very　high　and　the　sea　rough。　　The　clouds　were　scudding　along　from　the　west；　and　the　spray　of　the　waves　dashed　up　even　to　the　sand…hills。　It　was　little　wonder；　then；　if　the　man　on　the　look…out　could　neither　hear　nor　make　himself　heard；　supposing　the　DUNCAN　were　there。　There　was　no　shelter　on　the　coast　for　her；　neither　bay　nor　cove；　nor　port；　not　so　much　as　a　creek。　　The　shore　was　composed　of　sand…ban