in search of the castaways-第73章

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te　admirer　of　this　music。〃　Michael　grasped　his　hand　cordially；　and　then　pointing　out　the　road　to　take；　set　off；　accompanied　by　the　ladies　and　Lord　Glenarvan　and　his　friends；　for　the　station。　　The　horses　and　the　camp　were　left　to　the　care　of　Ayrton　and　the　sailors。　Hottam　Station　was　truly　a　magnificent　establishment；　kept　as　scrupulously　in　order　as　an　English　park。　　Immense　meadows；　enclosed　in　gray　fences；　stretched　away　out　of　sight。　In　these；　thousands　of　bullocks　and　millions　of　sheep　were　grazing；　tended　by　numerous　shepherds；　and　still　more　numerous　dogs。　The　crack　of　the　stock…whip　mingled　continually　with　the　barking　of　the　〃collies〃　and　the　bellowing　and　bleating　of　the　cattle　and　sheep。　Toward　the　east　there　was　a　boundary　of　myalls　and　gum…trees；　beyond　which　rose　Mount　Hottam；　its　imposing　peak　towering　7；500　feet　high。　Long　avenues　of　green　trees　were　visible　on　all　sides。　　Here　and　there　was　a　thick　clump　of　〃grass　trees；〃　tall　bushes　ten　feet　high；　like　the　dwarf　palm；　quite　lost　in　their　crown　of　long　narrow　leaves。　The　air　was　balmy　and　odorous　with　the　perfume　of　scented　laurels；　whose　white　blossoms；　now　in　full　bloom；　distilled　on　the　breeze　the　finest　aromatic　perfume。　To　these　charming　groups　of　native　trees　were　added　transplantations　from　European　climates。　　The　peach；　pear；　and　apple　trees　were　there；　the　fig；　the　orange；　and　even　the　oak；　to　the　rapturous　delight　of　the　travelers；　who　greeted　them　with　loud　hurrahs！　But　astonished　as　the　travelers　were　to　find　themselves　walking　beneath　the　shadow　of　the　trees　of　their　own　native　land；　they　were　still　more　so　at　the　sight　of　the　birds　that　flew　about　in　the　branches　the　〃satin　bird；〃　with　its　silky　plumage；　and　the　〃king…honeysuckers；〃　with　their　plumage　of　gold　and　black　velvet。　For　the　first　time；　too；　they　saw　here　the　〃Lyre〃　bird；　the　tail　of　which　resembles　in　form　the　graceful　instrument　of　Orpheus。　　It　flew　about　among　the　tree　ferns；　and　when　its　tail　struck　the　branches；　they　were　almost　surprised　not　to　hear　the　harmonious　strains　that　inspired　Amphion　to　rebuild　the　walls　of　Thebes。　　Paganel　had　a　great　desire　to　play　on　it。　However；　Lord　Glenarvan　was　not　satisfied　with　admiring　the　fairy…like　wonders　of　this　oasis；　improvised　in　the　Australian　desert。　He　was　listening　to　the　history　of　the　young　gentlemen。　In　England；　in　the　midst　of　civilized　countries；　the　new　comer　acquaints　his　host　whence　he　comes　and　whither　he　is　going；　but　here；　by　a　refinement　of　delicacy；　Michael　and　Sandy　Patterson　thought　it　a　duty　to　make　themselves　known　to　the　strangers　who　were　about　to　receive　their　hospitality。　Michael　and　Sandy　Patterson　were　the　sons　of　London　bankers。　When　they　were　twenty　years　of　age；　the　head　of　their　family　said；　〃Here　are　some　thousands；　young　men。　　Go　to　a　distant　colony；　and　start　some　useful　settlement　there。　　Learn　to　know　life　by　labor。　If　you　succeed；　so　much　the　better。　　If　you　fail；　it　won't　matter　much。　We　shall　not　regret　the　money　which　makes　you　men。〃　The　two　young　men　obeyed。　　They　chose　the　colony　of　Victoria　in　Australia；　as　the　field　for　sowing　the　paternal　bank…notes；　and　had　no　reason　to　repent　the　selection。　At　the　end　of　three　years　the　establishment　was　flourishing。　In　Victoria；　New　South　Wales；　and　Southern　Australia；　there　are　more　than　three　thousand　stations；　some　belonging　to　squatters　who　rear　cattle；　and　others　to　settlers　who　farm　the　ground。　Till　the　arrival　of　the　two　Pattersons；　the　largest　establishment　of　this　sort　was　that　of　Mr。　Jamieson；　which　covered　an　area　of　seventy…five　miles；　with　a　frontage　of　about　eight　miles　along　the　Peron；　one　of　the　affluents　of　the　Darling。　Now　Hottam　Station　bore　the　palm　for　business　and　extent。　The　young　men　were　both　squatters　and　settlers。　　They　managed　their　immense　property　with　rare　ability　and　uncommon　energy。　The　station　was　far　removed　from　the　chief　towns　in　the　V。　IV　Verne　midst　of　the　unfrequented　districts　of　the　Murray。　It　occupied　a　long　wide　space　of　five　leagues　in　extent；　lying　between　the　Buffalo　Ranges　and　Mount　Hottam。　　At　the　two　angles　north　of　this　vast　quadrilateral；　Mount　Aberdeen　rose　on　the　left；　and　the　peaks　of　High　Barven　on　the　right。　Winding；　beautiful　streams　were　not　wanting；　thanks　to　the　creeks　and　affluents　of　the　Oven's　River；　which　throws　itself　at　the　north　into　the　bed　of　the　Murray。　　Consequently　they　were　equally　successful　in　cattle　breeding　and　farming。　Ten　thousand　acres　of　ground；　admirably　cultivated；　produced　harvests　of　native　productions　and　exotics；　and　several　millions　of　animals　fattened　in　the　fertile　pastures。　The　products　of　Hottam　Station　fetched　the　very　highest　price　in　the　markets　of　Castlemaine　and　Melbourne。　Michael　and　Sandy　Patterson　had　just　concluded　these　details　of　their　busy　life；　when　their　dwelling　came　in　sight；　at　the　extremity　of　the　avenue　of　the　oaks。　It　was　a　charming　house；　built　of　wood　and　brick；　hidden　in　groves　of　emerophilis。　　Nothing　at　all；　however；　belonging　to　a　station　was　visibleneither　sheds；　nor　stables；　nor　cart…houses。　All　these　out…buildings；　a　perfect　village；　comprising　more　than　twenty　huts　and　houses；　were　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off　in　the　heart　of　a　little　valley。　Electric　communication　was　established　between　this　village　and　the　master's　house；　which；　far　removed　from　all　noise；　seemed　buried　in　a　forest　of　exotic　trees。　At　Sandy　Patterson's　bidding；　a　sumptuous　breakfast　was　served　in　less　than　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　The　wines　and　viands　were　of　the　finest　quality；　but　what　pleased　the　guests　most　of　all　in　the　midst　of　these　refinements　of　opulence；　was　the　joy　of　the　young　squatters　in　offering　them　this　splendid　hospitality。　It　was　not　long　before　they　were　told　the　history　of　the　expedition；　and　had　their　liveliest　interest　awakened　for　its　success。　They　spoke　hopefully　to　the　young　Grants；　and　Michael　said：　〃Harry　Grant　has　evidently　fallen　into　the　hands　of　natives；　since　he　has　not　turned　up　at　any　of　the　settlements　on　the　coast。　He　knows　his　position　exactly；　as　the　document　proves；　and　the　reason　he　did　not　reach　some　English　colony　is　that　he　must　have　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　savages　the　moment　he　landed！〃　〃That　is　precisely　what　befell　his　quartermaster；　Ayrton；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃But　you；　gentlemen；　then；　have　never　heard　the　catastrophe　of　the　BRITANNIA；　mentioned？〃　inquired　Lady　Helena。　〃Never；　Madam；〃　replied　Michael。　〃And　what　treatment；　in　your　opinion；　has　Captain　Grant　met　with　among　the　natives？〃　〃The　Australians　are　not　cruel；　Madam；〃　replied　the　young　squatter；　〃and　Miss　Grant　may　be　easy　on　that　score。　　There　have　been　many　instances　of　the　gentleness　of　their　nature；　and　some　Europeans　have　lived　a　long　time　among　them　without　having　the　least　cause　to　complain　of　their　brutality。〃　〃King；　among　others；　the　sole　survivor　of　the　Burke　expedition；〃　put　in　Paganel。　〃And　not　only　that　bold　explorer；〃　returned　Sandy；　〃but　also　an　English　soldier　named　Buckley；　who　deserted　at　Port　Philip　in　1803；　and　who　was　welcomed　by　the　natives；　and　lived　thirty…three　years　among　them。〃　〃And　more　recently；〃　added　Michael；〃　one　of　the　last　numbers　of　the　AUSTRALASIA　informs　us　that　a　certain　Morrilli　has　just　been　restored　to　his　countrymen　after　si