in search of the castaways-第86章

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heir　efforts；　Wilson　and　John　Mangles　soon　found　themselves　in　an　inverse　position；　which　made　the　action　of　the　oars　impossible。　There　was　no　help　for　it；　they　could　do　nothing　to　arrest　the　gyratory　movement　of　the　raft；　it　turned　round　with　dizzying　rapidity；　and　drifted　out　of　its　course。　　John　Mangles　stood　with　pale　face　and　set　teeth；　gazing　at　the　whirling　current。　However；　the　raft　had　reached　the　middle　of　the　river；　about　half　a　mile　from　the　starting　point。　　Here　the　current　was　extremely　strong；　and　this　broke　the　whirling　eddy；　and　gave　the　raft　some　stability。　John　and　Wilson　seized　their　oars　again；　and　managed　to　push　it　in　an　oblique　direction。　　This　brought　them　nearer　to　the　left　shore。　They　were　not　more　than　fifty　fathoms　from　it；　when　Wilson's　oar　snapped　short　off；　and　the　raft；　no　longer　supported；　was　dragged　away。　John　tried　to　resist　at　the　risk　of　breaking　his　own　oar；　too；　and　Wilson；　with　bleeding　hands；　seconded　his　efforts　with　all　his　might。　At　last　they　succeeded；　and　the　raft；　after　a　passage　of　more　than　half　an　hour；　struck　against　the　steep　bank　of　the　opposite　shore。　The　shock　was　so　violent　that　the　logs　became　disunited；　the　cords　broke；　and　the　water　bubbled　up　between。　The　travelers　had　barely　time　to　catch　hold　of　the　steep　bank。　They　dragged　out　Mulrady　and　the　two　dripping　ladies。　Everyone　was　safe；　but　the　provisions　and　firearms；　except　the　carbine　of　the　Major；　went　drifting　down　with　the　DEBRIS　of　the　raft。　The　river　was　crossed。　　The　little　company　found　themselves　almost　without　provisions；　thirty…five　miles　from　Delegete；　in　the　midst　of　the　unknown　deserts　of　the　Victoria　frontier。　Neither　settlers　nor　squatters　were　to　be　met　with；　it　was　entirely　uninhabited；　unless　by　ferocious　bushrangers　and　bandits。　They　resolved　to　set　off　without　delay。　　Mulrady　saw　clearly　that　he　would　be　a　great　drag　on　them；　and　he　begged　to　be　allowed　to　remain；　and　even　to　remain　alone；　till　assistance　could　be　sent　from　Delegete。　Glenarvan　refused。　　It　would　be　three　days　before　he　could　reach　Delegete；　and　five　the　shorethat　is　to　say；　the　26th　of　January。　　Now；　as　the　DUNCAN　had　left　Melbourne　on　the　16th；　what　difference　would　a　few　days'　delay　make？　〃No；　my　friend；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　not　leave　anyone　behind。　We　will　make　a　litter　and　carry　you　in　turn。〃　The　litter　was　made　of　boughs　of　eucalyptus　covered　with　branches；　and；　whether　he　would　or　not；　Mulrady　was　obliged　to　take　his　place　on　it。　　Glenarvan　would　be　the　first　to　carry　his　sailor。　He　took　hold　of　one　end　and　Wilson　of　the　other；　and　all　set　off。　What　a　sad　spectacle；　and　how　lamentably　was　this　expedition　to　end　which　had　commenced　so　well。　　They　were　no　longer　in　search　of　Harry　Grant。　　This　continent；　where　he　was　not；　and　never　had　been；　threatened　to　prove　fatal　to　those　who　sought　him。　And　when　these　intrepid　countrymen　of　his　should　reach　the　shore；　they　would　find　the　DUNCAN　waiting　to　take　them　home　again。　The　first　day　passed　silently　and　painfully。　　Every　ten　minutes　the　litter　changed　bearers。　　All　the　sailor's　comrades　took　their　share　in　this　task　without　murmuring；　though　the　fatigue　was　augmented　by　the　great　heat。　In　the　evening；　after　a　journey　of　only　five　miles；　they　camped　under　the　gum…trees。　The　small　store　of　provisions　saved　from　the　raft　composed　the　evening　meal。　　But　all　they　had　to　depend　upon　now　was　the　Major's　carbine。　It　was　a　dark；　rainy　night；　and　morning　seemed　as　if　it　would　never　dawn。　They　set　off　again；　but　the　Major　could　not　find　a　chance　of　firing　a　shot。　　This　fatal　region　was　only　a　desert；　unfrequented　even　by　animals。　　Fortunately；　Robert　discovered　a　bustard's　nest　with　a　dozen　of　large　eggs　in　it；　which　Olbinett　cooked　on　hot　cinders。　These；　with　a　few　roots　of　purslain　which　were　growing　at　the　bottom　of　a　ravine；　were　all　the　breakfast　of　the　22d。　The　route　now　became　extremely　difficult。　　The　sandy　plains　were　bristling　with　SPINIFEX；　a　prickly　plant；　which　is　called　in　Melbourne　the　porcupine。　　It　tears　the　clothing　to　rags；　and　makes　the　legs　bleed。　The　courageous　ladies　never　complained；　but　footed　it　bravely；　setting　an　example；　and　encouraging　one　and　another　by　word　or　look。　They　stopped　in　the　evening　at　Mount　Bulla　Bulla；　on　the　edge　of　the　Jungalla　Creek。　　The　supper　would　have　been　very　scant；　if　McNabbs　had　not　killed　a　large　rat；　the　_mus　conditor_；　which　is　highly　spoken　of　as　an　article　of　diet。　Olbinett　roasted　it；　and　it　would　have　been　pronounced　even　superior　to　its　reputation　had　it　equaled　the　sheep　in　size。　They　were　obliged　to　be　content　with　it；　however；　and　it　was　devoured　to　the　bones。　On　the　23d　the　weary　but　still　energetic　travelers　started　off　again。　After　having　gone　round　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　they　crossed　the　long　prairies　where　the　grass　seemed　made　of　whalebone。　It　was　a　tangle　of　darts；　a　medley　of　sharp　little　sticks；　and　a　path　had　to　be　cut　through　either　with　the　hatchet　or　fire。　That　morning　there　was　not　even　a　question　of　breakfast。　　Nothing　could　be　more　barren　than　this　region　strewn　with　pieces　of　quartz。　Not　only　hunger；　but　thirst　began　to　assail　the　travelers。　A　burning　atmosphere　heightened　their　discomfort。　Glenarvan　and　his　friends　could　only　go　half　a　mile　an　hour。　Should　this　lack　of　food　and　water　continue　till　evening；　they　would　all　sink　on　the　road；　never　to　rise　again。　But　when　everything　fails　a　man；　and　he　finds　himself　without　resources；　at　the　very　moment　when　he　feels　he　must　give　up；　then　Providence　steps　in。　　Water　presented　itself　in　the　CEPHALOTES；　a　species　of　cup…shaped　flower；　filled　with　refreshing　liquid；　which　hung　from　the　branches　of　coralliform…shaped　bushes。　They　all　quenched　their　thirst　with　these；　and　felt　new　life　returning。　The　only　food　they　could　find　was　the　same　as　the　natives　were　forced　to　subsist　upon；　when　they　could　find　neither　game；　nor　serpents；　nor　insects。　　Paganel　discovered　in　the　dry　bed　of　a　creek；　a　plant　whose　excellent　properties　had　been　frequently　described　by　one　of　his　colleagues　in　the　Geographical　Society。　It　was　the　NARDOU；　a　cryptogamous　plant　of　the　family　Marsilacea；　and　the　same　which　kept　Burke　and　King　alive　in　the　deserts　of　the　interior。　　Under　its　leaves；　which　resembled　those　of　the　trefoil；　there　were　dried　sporules　as　large　as　a　lentil；　and　these　sporules；　when　crushed　between　two　stones；　made　a　sort　of　flour。　　This　was　converted　into　coarse　bread；　which　stilled　the　pangs　of　hunger　at　least。　There　was　a　great　abundance　of　this　plant　growing　in　the　district；　and　Olbinett　gathered　a　large　supply；　so　that　they　were　sure　of　food　for　several　days。　The　next　day；　the　24th；　Mulrady　was　able　to　walk　part　of　the　way。　His　wound　was　entirely　cicatrized。　　The　town　of　Delegete　was　not　more　than　ten　miles　off；　and　that　evening　they　camped　in　longitude　140　degrees；　on　the　very　frontier　of　New　South　Wales。　For　some　hours；　a　fine　but　penetrating　rain　had　been　falling。　There　would　have　been　no　shelter　from　this；　if　by　chance　John　Mangles　had　not　discovered　a　sawyer's　hut；　deserted　and　dilapidated　to　a　degree。　But　with　this　miserable　cabin　they　were　obliged　to　be　content。　Wilson　wanted　to　kindle　a　fire　to　prepare　the　NARDOU　bread；　and　he　went　out　to　pick　up　the　dead　wood　scatt