in search of the castaways-第85章

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trench　themselves　at　that　point；　and　defend　it。　They　were　at　least　thirty　against　seven！　　But　there　are　moments　when　people　do　not　deliberate；　or　when　they　have　no　choice　but　to　go　on。　〃My　Lord；〃　said　John　Mangles；　〃before　we　throw　away　our　chance；　before　venturing　to　this　bridge；　we　ought　to　reconnoiter；　and　I　will　undertake　it。〃　〃I　will　go　with　you；　John；〃　said　Paganel。　This　proposal　was　agreed　to；　and　John　Mangles　and　Paganel　prepared　to　start　immediately。　　They　were　to　follow　the　course　of　the　Snowy　River；　follow　its　banks　till　they　reached　the　place　indicated　by　Ben　Joyce；　and　especially　they　were　to　keep　out　of　sight　of　the　convicts；　who　were　probably　scouring　the　bush。　So　the　two　brave　comrades　started；　well　provisioned　and　well　armed；　and　were　soon　out　of　sight　as　they　threaded　their　way　among　the　tall　reeds　by　the　river。　　The　rest　anxiously　awaited　their　return　all　day。　　Evening　came；　and　still　the　scouts　did　not　return。　　They　began　to　be　seriously　alarmed。　At　last；　toward　eleven　o'clock；　Wilson　announced　their　arrival。　Paganel　and　John　Mangles　were　worn　out　with　the　fatigues　of　a　ten…mile　walk。　〃Well；　what　about　the　bridge？　　Did　you　find　it？〃　asked　Glenarvan；　with　impetuous　eagerness。　〃Yes；　a　bridge　of　supple…jacks；〃　said　John　Mangles。　　〃The　convicts　passed　over；　but〃　〃But　what？〃　said　Glenarvan；　who　foreboded　some　new　misfortune。　〃They　burned　it　after　they　passed！〃　said　Paganel。

CHAPTER　XIX　HELPLESS　AND　HOPELESS

IT　was　not　a　time　for　despair；　but　action。　　The　bridge　at　Kemple　Pier　was　destroyed；　but　the　Snowy　River　must　be　crossed；　come　what　might；　and　they　must　reach　Twofold　Bay　before　Ben　Joyce　and　his　gang；　so；　instead　of　wasting　time　in　empty　words；　the　next　day　（the　16th　of　January）　John　Mangles　and　Glenarvan　went　down　to　examine　the　river；　and　arrange　for　the　passage　over。　The　swollen　and　tumultuous　waters　had　not　gone　down　the　least。　They　rushed　on　with　indescribable　fury。　　It　would　be　risking　life　to　battle　with　them。　　Glenarvan　stood　gazing　with　folded　arms　and　downcast　face。　〃Would　you　like　me　to　try　and　swim　across？〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃No；　John；　no！〃　said　Lord　Glenarvan；　holding　back　the　bold；　daring　young　fellow；　〃let　us　wait。〃　And　they　both　returned　to　the　camp。　　The　day　passed　in　the　most　intense　anxiety。　　Ten　times　Lord　Glenarvan　went　to　look　at　the　river；　trying　to　invent　some　bold　way　of　getting　over；　but　in　vain。　Had　a　torrent　of　lava　rushed　between　the　shores；　it　could　not　have　been　more　impassable。　During　these　long　wasted　hours；　Lady　Helena；　under　the　Major's　advice；　was　nursing　Mulrady　with　the　utmost　skill。　The　sailor　felt　a　throb　of　returning　life。　McNabbs　ventured　to　affirm　that　no　vital　part　was　injured。　Loss　of　blood　accounted　for　the　patient's　extreme　exhaustion。　The　wound　once　closed　and　the　hemorrhage　stopped；　time　and　rest　would　be　all　that　was　needed　to　complete　his　cure。　Lady　Helena　had　insisted　on　giving　up　the　first　compartment　of　the　wagon　to　him；　which　greatly　tried　his　modesty。　The　poor　fellow's　greatest　trouble　was　the　delay　his　condition　might　cause　Glenarvan；　and　he　made　him　promise　that　they　should　leave　him　in　the　camp　under　Wilson's　care；　should　the　passage　of　the　river　become　practicable。　But；　unfortunately；　no　passage　was　practicable；　either　that　day　or　the　next　（January　17）；　Glenarvan　was　in　despair。　Lady　Helena　and　the　Major　vainly　tried　to　calm　him；　and　preached　patience。　Patience；　indeed；　when　perhaps　at　this　very　moment　Ben　Joyce　was　boarding　the　yacht；　when　the　DUNCAN；　loosing　from　her　moorings；　was　getting　up　steam　to　reach　the　fatal　coast；　and　each　hour　was　bringing　her　nearer。　John　Mangles　felt　in　his　own　breast　all　that　Glenarvan　was　suffering。　He　determined　to　conquer　the　difficulty　at　any　price；　and　constructed　a　canoe　in　the　Australian　manner；　with　large　sheets　of　bark　of　the　gum…trees。　These　sheets　were　kept　together　by　bars　of　wood；　and　formed　a　very　fragile　boat。　The　captain　and　the　sailor　made　a　trial　trip　in　it　during　the　day。　All　that　skill；　and　strength；　and　tact；　and　courage　could　do　they　did；　but　they　were　scarcely　in　the　current　before　they　were　upside　down；　and　nearly　paid　with　their　lives　for　the　dangerous　experiment。　The　boat　disappeared；　dragged　down　by　the　eddy。　　John　Mangles　and　Wilson　had　not　gone　ten　fathoms；　and　the　river　was　a　mile　broad；　and　swollen　by　the　heavy　rains　and　melted　snows。　Thus　passed　the　19th　and　20th　of　January。　　The　Major　and　Glenarvan　went　five　miles　up　the　river　in　search　of　a　favorable　passage；　but　everywhere　they　found　the　same　roaring；　rushing；　impetuous　torrent。　The　whole　southern　slope　of　the　Australian　Alps　poured　its　liquid　masses　into　this　single　bed。　All　hope　of　saving　the　DUNCAN　was　now　at　an　end。　　Five　days　had　elapsed　since　the　departure　of　Ben　Joyce。　　The　yacht　must　be　at　this　moment　at　the　coast；　and　in　the　hands　of　the　convicts。　However；　it　was　impossible　that　this　state　of　things　could　last。　The　temporary　influx　would　soon　be　exhausted；　and　the　violence　also。　Indeed；　on　the　morning　of　the　21st；　Paganel　announced　that　the　water　was　already　lower。　　〃What　does　it　matter　now？〃　said　Glenarvan。　　〃It　is　too　late！〃　〃That　is　no　reason　for　our　staying　longer　here；〃　said　the　Major。　〃Certainly　not；〃　replied　John　Mangles。　　〃Perhaps　tomorrow　the　river　may　be　practicable。〃　〃And　will　that　save　my　unhappy　men？〃　cried　Glenarvan。　〃Will　your　Lordship　listen　to　me？〃　returned　John　Mangles。　　〃I　know　Tom　Austin。　　He　would　execute　your　orders；　and　set　out　as　soon　as　departure　was　possible。　　But　who　knows　whether　the　DUNCAN　was　ready　and　her　injury　repaired　on　the　arrival　of　Ben　Joyce。　　And　suppose　the　V。　IV　Verne　yacht　could　not　go　to　sea；　suppose　there　was　a　delay　of　a　day；　or　two　days。〃　〃You　are　right；　John；〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃We　must　get　to　Twofold　Bay；　we　are　only　thirty…five　miles　from　Delegete。〃　〃Yes；〃　added　Paganel；　〃and　that's　a　town　where　we　shall　find　rapid　means　of　conveyance。　　Who　knows　whether　we　shan't　arrive　in　time　to　prevent　a　catastrophe。〃　〃Let　us　start；〃　cried　Glenarvan。　John　Mangles　and　Wilson　instantly　set　to　work　to　construct　a　canoe　of　larger　dimensions。　　Experience　had　proved　that　the　bark　was　powerless　against　the　violence　of　the　torrent；　and　John　accordingly　felled　some　of　the　gum…trees；　and　made　a　rude　but　solid　raft　with　the　trunks。　It　was　a　long　task；　and　the　day　had　gone　before　the　work　was　ended。　It　was　completed　next　morning。　By　this　time　the　waters　had　visibly　diminished；　the　torrent　had　once　more　become　a　river；　though　a　very　rapid　one；　it　is　true。　However；　by　pursuing　a　zigzag　course；　and　overcoming　it　to　a　certain　extent；　John　hoped　to　reach　the　opposite　shore。　At　half…past　twelve；　they　embarked　provisions　enough　for　a　couple　of　days。　　The　remainder　was　left　with　the　wagon　and　the　tent。　Mulrady　was　doing　well　enough　to　be　carried　over；　his　convalescence　was　rapid。　At　one　o'clock；　they　all　seated　themselves　on　the　raft；　still　moored　to　the　shore。　　John　Mangles　had　installed　himself　at　the　starboard；　and　entrusted　to　Wilson　a　sort　of　oar　to　steady　the　raft　against　the　current；　and　lessen　the　leeway。　　He　took　his　own　stand　at　the　back；　to　steer　by　means　of　a　large　scull；　but；　notwithstanding　their　efforts；　Wilson　and　John　Mangles　soon　found　themselves　in　an　inverse　position；　which　made　the　a