in search of the castaways-第60章

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na　at　last；　〃what　would　you　do？〃　〃Madam；〃　replied　Ayrton；　readily　enough；　〃I　should　re…embark　in　the　DUNCAN；　and　go　right　to　the　scene　of　the　catastrophe。　There　I　should　be　guided　by　circumstances；　and　by　any　chance　indications　we　might　discover。〃　〃Very　good；〃　returned　Glenarvan；　〃but　we　must　wait　till　the　DUNCAN　is　repaired。〃　〃Ah；　she　has　been　injured　then？〃　said　Ayrton。　〃Yes；〃　replied　Mangles。　〃To　any　serious　extent？〃　〃No；　but　such　injuries　as　require　more　skilful　workmanship　than　we　have　on　board。　　One　of　the　branches　of　the　screw　is　twisted；　and　we　cannot　get　it　repaired　nearer　than　Melbourne。〃　〃Well；　let　the　ship　go　to　Melbourne　then；〃　said　Paganel；　〃and　we　will　go　without　her　to　Twofold　Bay。〃　〃And　how？〃　asked　Mangles。　〃By　crossing　Australia　as　we　crossed　America；　keeping　along　the　37th　parallel。〃　〃But　the　DUNCAN？〃　repeated　Ayrton；　as　if　particularly　anxious　on　that　score。　〃The　DUNCAN　can　rejoin　us；　or　we　can　rejoin　her；　as　the　case　may　be。　Should　we　discover　Captain　Grant　in　the　course　of　our　journey；　we　can　all　return　together　to　Melbourne。　　If　we　have　to　go　on　to　the　coast；　on　the　contrary；　then　the　DUNCAN　can　come　to　us　there。　Who　has　any　objection　to　make？　　Have　you；　Major？〃　〃No；　not　if　there　is　a　practicable　route　across　Australia。〃　〃So　practicable；　that　I　propose　Lady　Helena　and　Miss　Grant　should　accompany　us。〃　〃Are　you　speaking　seriously？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃Perfectly　so；　my　Lord。　　It　is　a　journey　of　350　miles；　not　more。　If　we　go　twelve　miles　a　day　it　will　barely　take　us　a　month；　just　long　enough　to　put　the　vessel　in　trim。　　If　we　had　to　cross　the　continent　in　a　lower　latitude；　at　its　wildest　part；　and　traverse　immense　deserts；　where　there　is　no　water　and　where　the　heat　is　tropical；　and　go　where　the　most　adventurous　travelers　have　never　yet　ventured；　that　would　be　a　different　matter。　But　the　37th　parallel　cuts　only　through　the　province　of　Victoria；　quite　an　English　country；　with　roads　and　railways；　and　well　populated　almost　everywhere。　　It　is　a　journey　you　might　make；　almost；　in　a　chaise；　though　a　wagon　would　be　better。　It　is　a　mere　trip　from　London　to　Edinburgh；　nothing　more。〃　〃What　about　wild　beasts；　though？〃　asked　Glenarvan；　anxious　to　go　into　all　the　difficulties　of　the　proposal。　〃There　are　no　wild　beasts　in　Australia。〃　〃And　how　about　the　savages？〃　〃There　are　no　savages　in　this　latitude；　and　if　there　were；　they　are　not　cruel；　like　the　New　Zealanders。〃　〃And　the　convicts？〃　〃There　are　no　convicts　in　the　southern　provinces；　only　in　the　eastern　colonies。　　The　province　of　Victoria　not　only　refused　to　admit　them；　but　passed　a　law　to　prevent　any　ticket…of…leave　men　from　other　provinces　from　entering　her　territories。　This　very　year　the　Government　threatened　to　withdraw　its　subsidy　from　the　Peninsular　Company　if　their　vessels　continued　to　take　in　coal　in　those　western　parts　of　Australia　where　convicts　are　admitted。　　What！　　Don't　you　know　that；　and　you　an　Englishman？〃　〃In　the　first　place；　I　beg　leave　to　say　I　am　not　an　Englishman；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃What　M。　Paganel　says　is　perfectly　correct；〃　said　Paddy　O'Moore。　〃Not　only　the　province　of　Victoria；　but　also　Southern　Australia；　Queensland；　and　even　Tasmania；　have　agreed　to　expel　convicts　from　their　territories。　Ever　since　I　have　been　on　this　farm；　I　have　never　heard　of　one　in　this　Province。〃　〃And　I　can　speak　for　myself。　　I　have　never　come　across　one。〃　〃You　see　then；　friends；〃　went　on　Jacques　Paganel；　〃there　are　few　if　any　savages；　no　ferocious　animals；　no　convicts；　and　there　are　not　many　countries　of　Europe　for　which　you　can　say　as　much。　Well；　will　you　go？〃　〃What　do　you　think；　Helena？〃　asked　Glenarvan。　〃What　we　all　think；　dear　Edward；〃　replied　Lady　Helena；　turning　toward　her　companions；　〃let　us　be　off　at　once。〃

CHAPTER　VIII　PREPARATION　FOR　THE　JOURNEY

GLENARVAN　never　lost　much　time　between　adopting　an　idea　and　carrying　it　out。　　As　soon　as　he　consented　to　Paganel's　proposition；　he　gave　immediate　orders　to　make　arrangements　for　the　journey　with　as　little　delay　as　possible。　　The　time　of　starting　was　fixed　for　the　22d　of　December；　the　next　day　but　one。　What　results　might　not　come　out　of　this　journey。　　The　presence　of　Harry　Grant　had　become　an　indisputable　fact；　and　the　chances　of　finding　him　had　increased。　　Not　that　anyone　expected　to　discover　the　captain　exactly　on　the　37th　parallel；　which　they　intended　strictly　to　follow；　but　they　might　come　upon　his　track；　and　at　all　events；　they　were　going　to　the　actual　spot　where　the　wreck　had　occurred。　That　was　the　principal　point。　Besides；　if　Ayrton　consented　to　join　them　and　act　as　their　guide　through　the　forests　of　the　province　of　Victoria　and　right　to　the　eastern　coast；　they　would　have　a　fresh　chance　of　success。　Glenarvan　was　sensible　of　this；　and　asked　his　host　whether　he　would　have　any　great　objection　to　his　asking　Ayrton　to　accompany　them；　for　he　felt　particularly　desirous　of　securing　the　assistance　of　Harry　Grant's　old　companion。　Paddy　O'Moore　consented；　though　he　would　regret　the　loss　of　his　excellent　servant。　〃Well；　then；　Ayrton；　will　you　come　with　us　in　our　search　expedition？〃　Ayrton　did　not　reply　immediately。　　He　even　showed　signs　of　hesitation；　but　at　last；　after　due　reflection；　said；　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　I　will　go　with　you；　and　if　I　can　not　take　you　to　Captain　Grant；　I　can　at　least　take　you　to　the　very　place　where　his　ship　struck。〃　〃Thanks；　Ayrton。〃　〃One　question；　my　Lord。〃　〃Well？〃　〃Where　will　you　meet　the　DUNCAN　again？〃　〃At　Melbourne；　unless　we　traverse　the　whole　continent　from　coast　to　coast。〃　〃But　the　captain？〃　〃The　captain　will　await　my　instructions　in　the　port　of　Melbourne。〃　〃You　may　depend　on　me　then；　my　Lord。〃　〃I　will；　Ayrton。〃　The　quartermaster　was　warmly　thanked　by　the　passengers　of　the　DUNCAN；　and　the　children　loaded　him　with　caresses。　Everyone　rejoiced　in　his　decision　except　the　Irishman；　who　lost　in　him　an　intelligent　and　faithful　helper。　But　Paddy　understood　the　importance　Glenarvan　attached　to　the　presence　of　the　man；　and　submitted。　　The　whole　party　then　returned　to　the　ship；　after　arranging　a　rendezvous　with　Ayrton；　and　ordering　him　to　procure　the　necessary　means　of　conveyance　across　the　country。　When　John　Mangles　supported　the　proposition　of　Paganel；　he　took　for　granted　that　he　should　accompany　the　expedition。　He　began　to　speak　to　Glenarvan　at　once　about　it；　and　adduced　all　sorts　of　arguments　to　advance　his　causehis　devotion　to　Lady　Helena　and　his　Lordship；　how　useful　could　he　be　in　organizing　the　party；　and　how　useless　on　board　the　DUNCAN；　everything；　in　fact；　but　the　main　reason；　and　that　he　had　no　need　to　bring　forward。　〃I'll　only　ask　you　one　question；　John；〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃Have　you　entire　confidence　in　your　chief　officer？〃　〃Absolute；〃　replied　Mangles；　〃Tom　Austin　is　a　good　sailor。　He　will　take　the　ship　to　her　destination；　see　that　the　repairs　are　skilfully　executed；　and　bring　her　back　on　the　appointed　day。　Tom　is　a　slave　to　duty　and　discipline。　　Never　would　he　take　it　upon　himself　to　alter　or　retard　the　execution　of　an　order。　Your　Lordship　may　rely　on　him　as　on　myself。〃　〃Very　well　then；　John；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃You　shall　go　with　us；　for　it　would　be　advisable；〃　he　added；　smiling；　〃that　you　should　be　there　when　we　find　Mary　Grant's　father。〃　〃Oh！　your　Lordship；〃　murmured　John；　turning　pale。　　He　could　say