in search of the castaways-第75章

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und　out　practical　paths；　or　passes；　indeed　they　might　be　called；　for　these　projections　of　the　ground　were　like　so　many　rocks；　between　which　the　wagon　had　to　steer　carefully。　　It　required　absolute　navigation　to　find　a　safe　way　over　the　billowy　region。　It　was　a　difficult　and　often　perilous　task。　　Many　a　time　Wilson's　hatchet　was　obliged　to　open　a　passage　through　thick　tangles　of　shrubs。　The　damp　argillaceous　soil　gave　way　under　their　feet。　　The　route　was　indefinitely　prolonged　owing　to　the　insurmountable　obstacles；　huge　blocks　of　granite；　deep　ravines；　suspected　lagoons；　which　obliged　them　to　make　a　thousand　detours。　　When　night　came　they　found　they　had　only　gone　over　half　a　degree。　　They　camped　at　the　foot　of　the　Alps；　on　the　banks　of　the　creek　of　Cobongra；　on　the　edge　of　a　little　plain；　covered　with　little　shrubs　four　feet　high；　with　bright　red　leaves　which　gladdened　the　eye。　〃We　shall　have　hard　work　to　get　over；〃　said　Glenarvan；　looking　at　the　chain　of　mountains；　the　outlines　of　which　were　fast　fading　away　in　the　deepening　darkness。　　〃The　very　name　Alps　gives　plenty　of　room　for　reflection。〃　〃It　is　not　quite　so　big　as　it　sounds；　my　dear　Glenarvan。　Don't　suppose　you　have　a　whole　Switzerland　to　traverse。　In　Australia　there　are　the　Grampians；　the　Pyrenees；　the　Alps；　the　Blue　Mountains；　as　in　Europe　and　America；　but　in　miniature。　This　simply　implies　either　that　the　imagination　of　geographers　is　not　infinite；　or　that　their　vocabulary　of　proper　names　is　very　poor。〃　〃Then　these　Australian　Alps；〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan；　〃are〃　〃Mere　pocket　mountains；〃　put　in　Paganel；　〃we　shall　get　over　them　without　knowing　it。〃　〃Speak　for　yourself；〃　said　the　Major。　　〃It　would　certainly　take　a　very　absent　man　who　could　cross　over　a　chain　of　mountains　and　not　know　it。〃　〃Absent！　　But　I　am　not　an　absent　man　now。　　I　appeal　to　the　ladies。　Since　ever　I　set　foot　on　the　Australian　continent；　have　I　been　once　at　fault？　　Can　you　reproach　me　with　a　single　blunder？〃　〃Not　one。　　Monsieur　Paganel；〃　said　Mary　Grant。　　〃You　are　now　the　most　perfect　of　men。〃　〃Too　perfect；〃　added　Lady　Helena；　laughing；　〃your　blunders　suited　you　admirably。〃　〃Didn't　they；　Madam？　　If　I　have　no　faults　now；　I　shall　soon　get　like　everybody　else。　　I　hope　then　I　shall　make　some　outrageous　mistake　before　long；　which　will　give　you　a　good　laugh。　You　see；　unless　I　make　mistakes；　it　seems　to　me　I　fail　in　my　vocation。〃　Next　day；　the　9th　of　January；　notwithstanding　the　assurances　of　the　confident　geographer；　it　was　not　without　great　difficulty　that　the　little　troop　made　its　way　through　the　Alpine　pass。　They　were　obliged　to　go　at　a　venture；　and　enter　the　depths　of　narrow　gorges　without　any　certainty　of　an　outlet。　　Ayrton　would　doubtless　have　found　himself　very　much　embarrassed　if　a　little　inn；　a　miserable　public　house；　had　not　suddenly　presented　itself。　〃My　goodness！〃　cried　Paganel；　〃the　landlord　of　this　inn　won't　make　his　fortune　in　a　place　like　this。　　What　is　the　use　of　it　here？〃　〃To　give　us　the　information　we　want　about　the　route；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃Let　us　go　in。〃　Glenarvan；　followed　by　Ayrton；　entered　the　inn　forthwith。　The　landlord　of　the　〃Bush　Inn；〃　as　it　was　called；　was　a　coarse　man　with　an　ill…tempered　face；　who　must　have　considered　himself　his　principal　customer　for　the　gin；　brandy　and　whisky　he　had　to　sell。　He　seldom　saw　any　one　but　the　squatters　and　rovers。　He　answered　all　the　questions　put　to　him　in　a　surly　tone。　But　his　replies　sufficed　to　make　the　route　clear　to　Ayrton；　and　that　was　all　that　was　wanted。　　Glenarvan　rewarded　him　with　a　handful　of　silver　for　his　trouble；　and　was　about　to　leave　the　tavern；　when　a　placard　against　the　wall　arrested　his　attention。　It　was　a　police　notice；　and　announcing　the　escape　of　the　convicts　from　Perth；　and　offering　a　reward　for　the　capture　of　Ben　Joyce　of　pounds　100　sterling。　〃He's　a　fellow　that's　worth　hanging；　and　no　mistake；〃　said　Glenarvan　to　the　quartermaster。　〃And　worth　capturing　still　more。　　But　what　a　sum　to　offer！　He　is　not　worth　it！〃　〃I　don't　feel　very　sure　of　the　innkeeper　though；　in　spite　of　the　notice；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃No　more　do　I；〃　replied　Ayrton。　They　went　back　to　the　wagon；　toward　the　point　where　the　route　to　Lucknow　stopped。　　A　narrow　path　wound　away　from　this　which　led　across　the　chain　in　a　slanting　direction。　They　had　commenced　the　ascent。　It　was　hard　work。　　More　than　once　both　the　ladies　and　gentlemen　had　to　get　down　and　walk。　　They　were　obliged　to　help　to　push　round　the　wheels　of　the　heavy　vehicle；　and　to　support　it　frequently　in　dangerous　declivities；　to　unhar…ness　the　bullocks　when　the　team　could　not　go　well　round　sharp　turnings；　prop　up　the　wagon　when　it　threatened　to　roll　back；　and　more　than　once　Ayrton　had　to　reinforce　his　bullocks　by　harnessing　the　horses；　although　they　were　tired　out　already　with　dragging　themselves　along。　Whether　it　was　this　prolonged　fatigue；　or　from　some　other　cause　altogether；　was　not　known；　but　one　of　the　horses　sank　suddenly；　without　the　slightest　symptom　of　illness。　It　was　Mulrady's　horse　that　fell；　and　on　attempting　to　pull　it　up；　the　animal　was　found　to　be　dead。　　Ayrton　examined　it　immediately；　but　was　quite　at　a　loss　to　account　for　the　disaster。　〃The　beast　must　have　broken　some　blood　vessels；〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃Evidently；〃　replied　Ayrton。　〃Take　my　horse；　Mulrady；〃　added　Glenarvan。　　〃I　will　join　Lady　Helena　in　the　wagon。〃　Mulrady　obeyed；　and　the　little　party　continued　their　fatiguing　ascent；　leaving　the　carcass　of　the　dead　animal　to　the　ravens。　The　Australian　Alps　are　of　no　great　thickness；　and　the　base　is　not　more　than　eight　miles　wide。　　Consequently　if　the　pass　chosen　by　Ayrton　came　out　on　the　eastern　side；　they　might　hope　to　get　over　the　high　barrier　within　forty…eight　hours　more。　The　difficulty　of　the　route　would　then　be　surmounted；　and　they　would　only　have　to　get　to　the　sea。　During　the　18th　the　travelers　reached　the　top…most　point　of　the　pass；　about　2；000　feet　high。　　They　found　themselves　on　an　open　plateau；　with　nothing　to　intercept　the　view。　　Toward　the　north　the　quiet　waters　of　Lake　Omco；　all　alive　with　aquatic　birds；　and　beyond　this　lay　the　vast　plains　of　the　Murray。　　To　the　south　were　the　wide　spreading　plains　of　Gippsland；　with　its　abundant　gold…fields　and　tall　forests。　There　nature　was　still　mistress　of　the　products　and　water；　and　great　trees　where　the　woodman's　ax　was　as　yet　unknown；　and　the　squatters；　then　five　in　number；　could　not　struggle　against　her。　It　seemed　as　if　this　chain　of　the　Alps　separated　two　different　countries；　one　of　which　had　retained　its　primitive　wildness。　The　sun　went　down；　and　a　few　solitary　rays　piercing　the　rosy　clouds；　lighted　up　the　Murray　district；　leaving　Gippsland　in　deep　shadow；　as　if　night　had　suddenly　fallen　on　the　whole　region。　　The　contrast　was　presented　very　vividly　to　the　spectators　placed　between　these　two　countries　so　divided；　and　some　emotion　filled　the　minds　of　the　travelers；　as　they　contemplated　the　almost　unknown　district　they　were　about　to　traverse　right　to　the　frontiers　of　Victoria。　They　camped　on　the　plateau　that　night；　and　next　day　the　descent　commenced。　　It　was　tolerably　rapid。　A　hailstorm　of　extreme　violence　assailed　the　travelers；　and　obliged　them　to　seek　a　shelter　among　the　rocks。　It　was　not　hail…stones；　but　regular　lumps　of　ice；　as　large　as　one's