in search of the castaways-第76章

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seek　a　shelter　among　the　rocks。　It　was　not　hail…stones；　but　regular　lumps　of　ice；　as　large　as　one's　hand；　which　fell　from　the　stormy　clouds。　A　waterspout　could　not　have　come　down　with　more　violence；　and　sundry　big　bruises　warned　Paganel　and　Robert　to　retreat。　The　wagon　was　riddled　in　several　places；　and　few　coverings　would　have　held　out　against　those　sharp　icicles；　some　of　which　had　fastened　themselves　into　the　trunks　of　the　trees。　It　was　impossible　to　go　on　till　this　tremendous　shower　was　over；　unless　the　travelers　wished　to　be　stoned。　　It　lasted　about　an　hour；　and　then　the　march　commenced　anew　over　slanting　rocks　still　slippery　after　the　hail。　Toward　evening　the　wagon；　very　much　shaken　and　disjointed　in　several　parts；　but　still　standing　firm　on　its　wooden　disks；　came　down　the　last　slopes　of　the　Alps；　among　great　isolated　pines。　The　passage　ended　in　the　plains　of　Gippsland。　　The　chain　of　the　Alps　was　safely　passed；　and　the　usual　arrangements　were　made　for　the　nightly　encampment。　On　the　21st；　at　daybreak；　the　journey　was　resumed　with　an　ardor　which　never　relaxed。　　Everyone　was　eager　to　reach　the　goalthat　is　to　say　the　Pacific　Oceanat　that　part　where　the　wreck　of　the　BRITANNIA　had　occurred。　　Nothing　could　be　done　in　the　lonely　wilds　of　Gippsland；　and　Ayrton　urged　Lord　Glenarvan　to　send　orders　at　once　for　the　DUNCAN　to　repair　to　the　coast；　in　order　to　have　at　hand　all　means　of　research。　He　thought　it　would　certainly　be　advisable　to　take　advantage　of　the　Lucknow　route　to　Melbourne。　　If　they　waited　it　would　be　difficult　to　find　any　way　of　direct　communication　with　the　capital。　This　advice　seemed　good；　and　Paganel　recommended　that　they　should　act　upon　it。　　He　also　thought　that　the　presence　of　the　yacht　would　be　very　useful；　and　he　added；　that　if　the　Lucknow　road　was　once　passed；　it　would　be　impossible　to　communicate　with　Melbourne。　Glenarvan　was　undecided　what　to　do；　and　perhaps　he　would　have　yielded　to　Ayrton's　arguments；　if　the　Major　had　not　combated　this　decision　vigorously。　　He　maintained　that　the　presence　of　Ayrton　was　necessary　to　the　expedition；　that　he　would　know　the　country　about　the　coast；　and　that　if　any　chance　should　put　them　on　the　track　of　Harry　Grant；　the　quartermaster　would　be　better　able　to　follow　it　up　than　any　one　else；　and；　finally；　that　he　alone　could　point　out　the　exact　spot　where　the　shipwreck　occurred。　McNabbs　voted　therefore　for　the　continuation　of　the　voyage；　without　making　the　least　change　in　their　programme。　John　Mangles　was　of　the　same　opinion。　　The　young　captain　said　even　that　orders　would　reach　the　DUNCAN　more　easily　from　Twofold　Bay；　than　if　a　message　was　sent　two　hundred　miles　over　a　wild　country。　His　counsel　prevailed。　　It　was　decided　that　they　should　wait　till　they　came　to　Twofold　Bay。　　The　Major　watched　Ayrton　narrowly；　and　noticed　his　disappointed　look。　　But　he　said　nothing；　keeping　his　observations；　as　usual；　to　himself。　The　plains　which　lay　at　the　foot　of　the　Australian　Alps　were　level；　but　slightly　inclined　toward　the　east。　　Great　clumps　of　mimosas　and　eucalyptus；　and　various　odorous　gum…trees；　broke　the　uniform　monotony　here　and　there。　　The　_gastrolobium　grandiflorum_　covered　the　ground；　with　its　bushes　covered　with　gay　flowers。　Several　unimportant　creeks；　mere　streams　full　of　little　rushes；　and　half　covered　up　with　orchids；　often　interrupted　the　route。　They　had　to　ford　these。　　Flocks　of　bustards　and　emus　fled　at　the　approach　of　the　travelers。　　Below　the　shrubs；　kangaroos　were　leaping　and　springing　like　dancing　jacks。　But　the　hunters　of　the　party　were　not　thinking　much　of　the　sport；　and　the　horses　little　needed　any　additional　fatigue。　Moreover；　a　sultry　heat　oppressed　the　plain。　　The　atmosphere　was　completely　saturated　with　electricity；　and　its　influence　was　felt　by　men　and　beasts。　　They　just　dragged　themselves　along；　and　cared　for　nothing　else。　　The　silence　was　only　interrupted　by　the　cries　of　Ayrton　urging　on　his　burdened　team。　From　noon　to　two　o'clock　they　went　through　a　curious　forest　of　ferns；　which　would　have　excited　the　admiration　of　less　weary　travelers。　These　plants　in　full　flower　measured　thirty　feet　in　height。　Horses　and　riders　passed　easily　beneath　their　drooping　leaves；　and　sometimes　the　spurs　would　clash　against　the　woody　stems。　Beneath　these　immovable　parasols　there　was　a　refreshing　coolness　which　every　one　appreciated。　　Jacques　Paganel；　always　demonstrative；　gave　such　deep　sighs　of　satisfaction　that　the　paroquets　and　cockatoos　flew　out　in　alarm；　making　a　deafening　chorus　of　noisy　chatter。　The　geographer　was　going　on　with　his　sighs　and　jubilations　with　the　utmost　coolness；　when　his　companions　suddenly　saw　him　reel　forward；　and　he　and　his　horse　fell　down　in　a　lump。　　Was　it　giddiness；　or　worse　still；　suffocation；　caused　by　the　high　temperature？　They　ran　to　him；　exclaiming：　　〃Paganel！　　Paganel！　what　is　the　matter？〃　〃Just　this。　　I　have　no　horse；　now！〃　he　replied；　disengaging　his　feet　from　the　stirrups。　〃What！　your　horse？〃　〃Dead　like　Mulrady's；　as　if　a　thunderbolt　had　struck　him。〃　Glenarvan；　John　Mangles；　and　Wilson　examined　the　animal；　and　found　Paganel　was　right。　　His　horse　had　been　suddenly　struck　dead。　〃That　is　strange；〃　said　John。　〃Very　strange；　truly；〃　muttered　the　Major。　Glenarvan　was　greatly　disturbed　by　this　fresh　accident。　He　could　not　get　a　fresh　horse　in　the　desert；　and　if　an　epidemic　was　going　to　seize　their　steeds；　they　would　be　seriously　embarrassed　how　to　proceed。　Before　the　close　of　the　day；　it　seemed　as　if　the　word　epidemic　was　really　going　to　be　justified。　　A　third　horse；　Wilson's；　fell　dead；　and　what　was；　perhaps　equally　disastrous；　one　of　the　bullocks　also。　The　means　of　traction　and　transport　were　now　reduced　to　three　bullocks　and　four　horses。　The　situation　became　grave。　　The　unmounted　horsemen　might　walk；　of　course；　as　many　squatters　had　done　already；　but　if　they　abandoned　the　wagon；　what　would　the　ladies　do？　Could　they　go　over　the　one　hundred　and　twenty　miles　which　lay　between　them　and　Twofold　Bay？　　John　Mangles　and　Lord　Glenarvan　examined　the　surviving　horses　with　great　uneasiness；　but　there　was　not　the　slightest　symptom　of　illness　or　feebleness　in　them。　The　animals　were　in　perfect　health；　and　bravely　bearing　the　fatigues　of　the　voyage。　　This　somewhat　reassured　Glenarvan；　and　made　him　hope　the　malady　would　strike　no　more　victims。　Ayrton　agreed　with　him；　but　was　unable　to　find　the　least　solution　of　the　mystery。　They　went　on　again；　the　wagon　serving；　from　time　to　time；　as　a　house　of　rest　for　the　pedestrians。　　In　the　evening；　after　a　march　of　only　ten　miles；　the　signal　to　halt　was　given；　and　the　tent　pitched。　　The　night　passed　without　inconvenience　beneath　a　vast　mass　of　bushy　ferns；　under　which　enormous　bats；　properly　called　flying　foxes；　were　flapping　about。　The　next　day's　journey　was　good；　there　were　no　new　calamities。　The　health　of　the　expedition　remained　satisfactory；　horses　and　cattle　did　their　task　cheerily。　　Lady　Helena's　drawing…room　was　very　lively；　thanks　to　the　number　of　visitors。　　M。　Olbinett　busied　himself　in　passing　round　refreshments　which　were　very　acceptable　in　such　hot　weather。　Half　a　barrel　of　Scotch　ale　was　sent　in　bodily。　　Barclay　and　Co。　was　declared　to　be　the　greatest　man　in　Great　Britain；　even　above　Wellington；　who　could　never　have　manufact