in search of the castaways-第64章

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animal　with　a　ball　in　the　leg。　This　was　the　jabiru；　a　species　which　is　fast　disappearing；　the　gigantic　crane　of　the　English　colonies。　　This　winged　creature　was　five　feet　high；　and　his　wide；　conical；　extremely　pointed　beak；　measured　eighteen　inches　in　length。　The　violet　and　purple　tints　of　his　head　contrasted　vividly　with　the　glossy　green　of　his　neck；　and　the　dazzling　whiteness　of　his　throat；　and　the　bright　red　of　his　long　legs。　Nature　seems　to　have　exhausted　in　its　favor　all　the　primitive　colors　on　her　palette。　V。　IV　Verne　Great　admiration　was　bestowed　on　this　bird；　and　the　Major's　spoil　would　have　borne　the　honors　of　the　day；　had　not　Robert　come　across　an　animal　a　few　miles　further　on；　and　bravely　killed　it。　It　was　a　shapeless　creature；　half　porcupine；　half　ant…eater；　a　sort　of　unfinished　animal　belonging　to　the　first　stage　of　creation。　A　long　glutinous　extensible　tongue　hung　out　of　his　jaws　in　search　of　the　ants；　which　formed　its　principal　food。　〃It　is　an　echidna；〃　said　Paganel。　　〃Have　you　ever　seen　such　a　creature？〃　〃It　is　horrible；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　〃Horrible　enough；　but　curious；　and；　what's　more；　peculiar　to　Australia。　　One　might　search　for　it　in　vain　in　any　other　part　of　the　world。〃　Naturally　enough；　the　geographer　wished　to　preserve　this　interesting　specimen　of　monotremata；　and　wanted　to　stow　it　away　in　the　luggage；　but　M。　Olbinett　resented　the　idea　so　indignantly；　that　the　SAVANT　was　obliged　to　abandon　his　project。　About　four　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　John　Mangles　descried　an　enormous　column　of　smoke　about　three　miles　off；　gradually　overspreading　the　whole　horizon。　　What　could　be　the　cause　of　this　phenomenon？　Paganel　was　inclined　to　think　it　was　some　description　of　meteor；　and　his　lively　imagination　was　already　in　search　of　an　explanation；　when　Ayrton　cut　short　all　his　conjectures　summarily；　by　announcing　that　the　cloud　of　dust　was　caused　by　a　drove　of　cattle　on　the　road。　The　quartermaster　proved　right；　for　as　the　cloud　came　nearer；　quite　a　chorus　of　bleatings　and　neighings；　and　bel…lowings　escaped　from　it；　mingled　with　the　loud　tones　of　a　human　voice；　in　the　shape　of　cries；　and　whistles；　and　vo…ciferations。

Presently　a　man　came　out　of　the　cloud。　　This　was　the　leader…in…chief　of　the　four…footed　army。　　Glenarvan　advanced　toward　him；　and　friendly　relations　were　speedily　established　between　them。　The　leader；　or　to　give　him　his　proper　designation；　the　stock…keeper；　was　part　owner　of　the　drove。　　His　name　was　Sam　Machell；　and　he　was　on　his　way　from　the　eastern　provinces　to　Portland　Bay。　The　drove　numbered　12；075　head　in　all；　or　l；000　bullocks；　11；000　sheep；　and　75　horses。　　All　these　had　been　bought　in　the　Blue　Mountains　in　a　poor；　lean　condition；　and　were　going　to　be　fatted　up　on　the　rich　pasture　lands　of　Southern　Australia；　and　sold　again　at　a　great　profit。　Sam　Machell　expected　to　get　pounds　2　on　each　bullock；　and　10s。　on　every　sheep；　which　would　bring　him　in　pounds　3；750。　This　was　doing　good　business；　but　what　patience　and　energy　were　required　to　conduct　such　a　restive；　stubborn　lot　to　their　destination；　and　what　fatigues　must　have　to　be　endured。　　Truly　the　gain　was　hardly　earned。　Sam　Machell　told　his　history　in　a　few　words；　while　the　drove　continued　their　march　among　the　groves　of　mimosas。　Lady　Helena　and　Mary　and　the　rest　of　the　party　seated　themselves　under　the　shade　of　a　wide…spreading　gum…tree；　and　listened　to　his　recital。　It　was　seven　months　since　Sam　Machell　had　started。　　He　had　gone　at　the　rate　of　ten　miles　a　day；　and　his　interminable　journey　would　last　three　months　longer。　　His　assistants　in　the　laborious　task　comprised　twenty　dogs　and　thirty　men；　five　of　whom　were　blacks；　and　very　serviceable　in　tracking　up　any　strayed　beasts。　Six　wagons　made　the　rear…guard。　All　the　men　were　armed　with　stockwhips；　the　handles　of　which　are　eighteen　inches　long；　and　the　lash　nine　feet；　and　they　move　about　among　the　ranks；　bringing　refractory　animals　back　into　order；　while　the　dogs；　the　light　cavalry　of　the　regiment；　preserved　discipline　in　the　wings。　The　travelers　were　struck　with　the　admirable　arrangement　of　the　drove。　　The　different　stock　were　kept　apart；　for　wild　sheep　and　bullocks　would　not　have　got　on　together　at　all。　The　bullocks　would　never　have　grazed　where　the　sheep　had　passed　along；　and　consequently　they　had　to　go　first；　divided　into　two　battalions。　Five　regiments　of　sheep　followed；　in　charge　of　twenty　men；　and　last　of　all　came　the　horses。　Sam　Machell　drew　the　attention　of　his　auditors　to　the　fact　that　the　real　guides　of　the　drove　were　neither　the　men　nor　the　dogs；　but　the　oxen　themselves；　beasts　of　superior　intelligence；　recognized　as　leaders　by　their　congenitors。　　They　advanced　in　front　with　perfect　gravity；　choosing　the　best　route　by　instinct；　and　fully　alive　to　their　claim　to　respect。　　Indeed；　they　were　obliged　to　be　studied　and　humored　in　everything；　for　the　whole　drove　obeyed　them　implicitly。　　If　they　took　it　into　their　heads　to　stop；　it　was　a　matter　of　necessity　to　yield　to　their　good　pleasure；　for　not　a　single　animal　would　move　a　step　till　these　leaders　gave　the　signal　to　set　off。　Sundry　details；　added　by　the　stock…keeper；　completed　the　history　of　this　expedition；　worthy　of　being　written；　if　not　commended　by　Xenophon　himself。　　As　long　as　the　troop　marched　over　the　plains　it　was　well　enough；　there　was　little　difficulty　or　fatigue。　The　animals　fed　as　they　went　along；　and　slaked　their　thirst　at　the　numerous　creeks　that　watered　the　plains；　sleeping　at　night　and　making　good　progress　in　the　day；　always　obedient　and　tractable　to　the　dogs。　　But　when　they　had　to　go　through　great　forests　and　groves　of　eucalyptus　and　mimosas；　the　difficulties　increased。　Platoons；　battalions　and　regiments　got　all　mixed　together　or　scattered；　and　it　was　a　work　of　time　to　collect　them　again。　Should　a　〃leader〃　unfortunately　go　astray；　he　had　to　be　found；　cost　what　it　might；　on　pain　of　a　general　disbandment；　and　the　blacks　were　often　long　days　in　quest　of　him；　before　their　search　was　successful。　　During　the　heavy　rains　the　lazy　beasts　refused　to　stir；　and　when　violent　storms　chanced　to　occur；　the　creatures　became　almost　mad　with　terror；　and　were　seized　with　a　wild；　disorderly　panic。　However；　by　dint　of　energy　and　ambition；　the　stock…keeper　triumphed　over　these　difficulties；　incessantly　renewed　though　they　were。　He　kept　steadily　on；　mile　after　mile　of　plains　and　woods；　and　mountains；　lay　behind。　　But　in　addition　to　all　his　other　qualities；　there　was　one　higher　than　all　that　he　specially　needed　when　they　came　to　rivers。　　This　was　patiencepatience　that　could　stand　any　trial；　and　not　only　could　hold　out　for　hours　and　days；　but　for　weeks。　　The　stock…keeper　would　be　himself　forced　to　wait　on　the　banks　of　a　stream　that　might　have　been　crossed　at　once。　There　was　nothing　to　hinder　but　the　obstinacy　of　the　herd。　The　bullocks　would　taste　the　water　and　turn　back。　　The　sheep　fled　in　all　directions；　afraid　to　brave　the　liquid　element。　The　stock…keeper　hoped　when　night　came　he　might　manage　them　better；　but　they　still　refused　to　go　forward。　　The　rams　were　dragged　in　by　force；　but　the　sheep　would　not　follow。　　They　tried　what　thirst　would　do；　by　keeping　them　without　drink　for　several　days；　but　when　they　were　brought　to　the　river　again；　they　simply　quenched　their