Another day, and several mouldering13 ridges14 surrounded them; mere15 hillocks of sand they were, yet, rising as they did abruptly16 from an even expanse, they appeared in the distance as precipitous mountain steeps, and it was hard to believe that their grandeur17 would fade away at a closer view. Within these guarding barriers, a beautiful white tableland lay spread, so white and pure that it glittered like marble in the sun's rays. The sight was a dazzlingly splendid one, and Jack18, who had been the first to climb the gentle elevation19 hiding the valley from the south, had exclaimed in delight—
"What a huge lake we are coming to; it looks like a great frosted Christmas card!"
"Lake!" Mackay had answered, almost sorrowfully. "Ay, it's a lake that will give us a maist desperate thirst, instead o' quenching21 what we've got."
And soon the truth of this remark was borne painfully on them all, for the lake was a mass of crusted and crystallized salt, that crushed like tinder beneath their feet and showered over the heads of the voyagers in sparkling clouds of finest dust. It filled their ears and eyes and nostrils22; they inhaled23 the minute grains with every breath; it covered their tattered24 clothing in a gauzy film of white.
"Well, I'm blest!" ejaculated Emu Bill, "if this ain't the cruellest joke to play on a thirsty sinner, an' nary a drink within hundreds o' miles!"
[Pg 229]
"Shut up, Bill, an' ye won't swallow so much of it," retorted Never Never Dave, unsympathetically. Then he was moved to further speech. "Bless yer soul! It's a whole brewery25 we'll want afore we gets through this, I'm thinking."
"I had an idea," observed Mackay, blandly26, "that you two had joined the temperance party a week or so before we left, so as to get accustomed to a bit o' a drought."
"Temperance party!" stormed the unusually loquacious27 Never Never, "I reckon this here circus would break up any anti-thirst campaign in less'n five minutes."
He would have continued, but his companion sternly rebuked28 him by casting at him the words with which he had himself been silenced. After that not a word was spoken for fully20 ten minutes, and the camel team staggered blindly on, floundering through intervening salt wreaths like ships in a heavy sea. The lake appeared to be nearly six miles in length, which meant that at least two hours would be spent in the crossing, for their rate of travel seldom exceeded three miles an hour, and was more often considerably30 less. In that time, if each man satisfied his craving31 for water from their very limited store, there would be but little left, and by Bob's calculations they were yet about thirty miles from the location of Fortunate Spring. But though each of the little party suffered severely32, not one of them made other than jocular mention of his longing33, and Mackay felt proud of the fortitude34 and reserve they displayed. He was especially concerned for Bob and Jack, for they, not having been hardened to such experiences, must have felt the influence of their salt bath most keenly; but if they were in any way incommoded they showed no sign. Bob walked by Mackay's side,[Pg 230] talking at intervals35 concerning the probable geological history of interior Australia—a subject of endless interest to him. Jack and the Shadow strode at Misery36's head, for now Fireworks needed no guiding hand at his nose-rope, but followed submissively in the rear of Repentance37, and from snatches of their conversation, which floated to Mackay's ears, he gathered that Jack was giving his Australian comrade a description of the snows and frosts of the old country as a set-off to the blazing heat they were now experiencing.
"Yes, I reckon I'll go home with you," the Shadow was saying. "It must be a grand country, wi' no snakes nor centipedes nor other crawlers, an' nary muskittie to nibble38 you in your sleep."
Bob laughed. "I'm afraid the confined spaces at home would hardly suit him after this," he said. "I don't think I could stand the nature of things on the other side myself now."
"Because you're a born wanderer, Bob," smiled Mackay; "an' the world itself will soon be too small for you."
At last the end of the salt lake was reached, and cheerfully a path was forced over the encircling ridges, for all had high hopes of what might lie beyond. But disappointment again was their portion: the grim, unbroken desert stretched before them in all its hideous39 dreariness40; the land of beau desire had not yet come.
"I remember well," said Mackay, "that Fortunate Spring was in a pretty bare sort o' country, but it certainly wasna as bad as this, although we had a hard tussle41 before we came to it."
On, on, they struggled; but, if anything, their course became more difficult as they proceeded. On the following[Pg 231] morning a gentle wavy42 outline against the sky in the northerly distance warned them of some impending43 change, but by this time the members of the expedition had become spied to their comfortless lot, and scarce dared hope for an improvement until they neared the portals of their goal, their shadowy land of El Dorado.
Gradually the sinuous44 curves on the horizon loomed45 up plainer to the view, and lo! as they crested46 an intervening sand hillock, a strange sight met their gaze. As far as the eye could reach west or north, a sea of undulating sand ridges appeared, rolling down like gigantic breakers from the dim north-west, the mighty47 valleys between each swelling48 sand-wave being over a hundred yards apart and fully thirty feet deep. Capping these wonderful billows regular rows of saltbush and spinifex, so regularly spread, indeed, that in the rosy49 morning light the whole scene was like some Brobdingnagian field, with furrows50 bearing luxurious51 vegetation.
"I reckon we has struck the land o' Goschen at last," said the Shadow, joyously52.
"It does look pretty," Jack allowed hesitatingly, as they stood to take in the view, and waited for the others to come up. Indeed, so unaccustomed had they grown to seeing such close array of even the wiry desert growths that for the moment all imagined they looked upon a wildering forest. The saltbush was by the fantasy of mirage53 exalted54 to lordly proportions, and the spiky55 spinifex patches drooped56 in the sun's rays like the spreading fronds57 of the stately palm.
Mackay dispelled58 the illusion; he of all the party seemed ill at ease.
"I didna think the sand-waves extended so far back,"[Pg 232] he muttered, half to himself. Then he added, aloud, "It's no' a land o' promise you're lookin' at, boys; it's a deceiving land o' misery an' dispair, where many a good man has lost his life."
"But what about the beautiful trees and shrubs59?" asked Bob, in wonderment. "They seem to stretch back for miles and miles."
"It's only another case where distance lends enchantment60, as the poet says, my lad. Your trees are only saltbush, and instead o' growin' closely, there's over fifty yards between each o' them; it's those behind that fill in the gaps. The eye can never understand the perspective o' this country, the air is so clear that distant objects almost blend wi' what is close at hand."
He spoke29 truly. When they forced their way at a difficult angle across the vast undulations, they discovered to their sorrow that only the sparsest61 of vegetation found root on the hill crests62, while the long interstices were absolutely barren. Not only this, but the sand on the inclines and declivities was so loosely packed that the camels sank to the knees in their strenuous63 efforts to scale them, and had to be pulled over the barring obstacles by sheer force.
"A day of this will just about finish Remorse64," said Mackay, noting how that meek65 yet willing animal was labouring under its load. "I think, Bob, we'd better keep in the trough o' these confounded waves until we run oot o' them, I ken6 we must be near the edge as it is, for I mind that Fortunate Spring was a good day's travel past their eastern limit. That was why the chief called it by that name. We were vera nearly lost on those same ridges; we didna find a drop o' water for over a[Pg 233] hundred miles, and we were just about dead beat when we came upon it."
"How far do they run towards the north?" questioned Bob.
"Well, Carnegie, who was one o' the finest explorers that ever handled a sextant, calculated they covered nearly three hundred miles o' West Australia. What their area is God only knows, yet it must be over fifty thousand square miles."
"I should think this would be nearly as bad as the Sahara," said Jack, as he tugged66 at Misery's rope. "I haven't seen a drop of water since we started, unless that which Bob fell into."
"The Sahara?" echoed Mackay. "Why, we wouldn't ca' it a desert at all. It's only because it's so near the old country that it is considered to be anything extraordinary. This country, Jack, wouldna be an explorer's preserve if it contained as much water as the Sahara. It would be overrun in every direction by gold-miners."
Then Jack was silent, marvelling67 greatly that in his earlier youth at school he had learned so little concerning the vast sandy wastes of Australia. Soon, as they kept on their altered course, the retarding68 undulations began to grow less and less high, and by late afternoon they had merged69 into the monotonous plains, now welcome indeed to the travellers after their encounter with the formidable sand-ridges. But their progress that day had barely totalled ten miles, and the camels were well-nigh exhausted70 after their extreme exertions71. The poor brutes72 had had a severe experience from the beginning, and the rough usage was telling heavily upon their strength. That night they could scarcely muster73 up sufficient[Pg 234] spirit to chew their usual meal of saltbush tips, and, after a few weak efforts, Remorse and Repentance lay down in the sand, while Misery and Fireworks gazed at the little group around the camp-fire with mute, appealing eyes.
"I hope we don't have any trouble finding that spring," said Mackay, anxiously, and instinctively74 they all turned to Bob with a questioning look. The young navigator winced75 as he took out his notebook and hurriedly checked his previous calculations.
"We were in latitude76 28° 24′ 7′′ at noon to-day," he said quietly; "that should make us about seven miles only from the location of Fortunate Spring, allowing we made five miles since lunch."
"But the longitude77, Bob?" asked Mackay. "How do we stand for that?"
Bob again examined his log-book. "I have it marked at 125° 11′ 17′′," he answered, "but we came a good bit easterly since that. I'll try it again in the morning, though I think we're almost on the correct line now, and should hit the Spring by going due north."
He handed the book to Mackay, who glanced at the figures and mentally checked the simpler calculations, but he did not ask for Bob's table of logarithms, and the young man felt satisfied. Bob, indeed, was sure of his positions; they had been worked out with painful exactitude, but he could not help feeling anxious about the morrow. The country in the vicinity seemed so utterly78 arid and barren. Could the original figures he received be correct? Might not possibly some mistake have crept into Bentley's estimates? He shuddered80 at the thought, then was immediately sorry for the passing doubt. Who[Pg 235] was he who dared question the accuracy of an old and tried explorer's chart? Yet Bob went to sleep that night feeling vaguely81 uneasy, and by early sunrise he was up taking altitudes, Jack and the Shadow attending him to mark the time of his observations. It was nearly nine o'clock before they were ready to move out that morning; the camels had for a long time refused to be loaded, and when loaded they could not be prevailed upon to arise to their feet, until forced to do so by the necessarily cruel expedient82 of lighting83 fires under their noses.
"That's nothing, Jack," Mackay said with a laugh, for he had noticed the look of pain on the boy's face. "They get up long before they're hurt; their hide is like leather, you know, and camels are vera often stubborn and annoying when there's really no occasion for it."
But he knew well that the poor animals were not refractory84 without reason on this morning, though he endeavoured to make light of the fact. Wearily the heavily laden85 beasts trudged86 along, and when the first hour passed, and the sand showed signs of hardening, the Shadow made a valiant87 effort to infuse life into their hulking movements by blowing at his long-unused mouth-organ vociferously88, and making the air resound89 with discordant90 notes, for his cracked lips could ill glide91 along the reeds with any degree of certainty. Bob, who was striding along well in advance, smiled as he heard the concert thus let loose, and he smiled the more when the dismal92 voices of Emu Bill and Never Never Dave were added to the chorus; and, looking back, he observed these two worthies93 prancing94 on with martial95 steps, though certainly not with martial grace, for their bodies were bent79 as they pulled their reluctant charges onwards,[Pg 236] and their feet, notwithstanding their jaunty98 uplifting, went down almost in the same place. And Mackay, looking back at the perspiring99 musician, nodded encouragingly, much to that alert youth's amazement100, for he had expected but a rude check as a reward for his labours. Not only did he thus ostensibly appreciate the lively music, but he joined in with his comrades lustily in their vocal101 exercises; and in this way the labouring train progressed, and almost unnoticeably a thin, straggling array of mallee and mulga shrubs began to dot the hardening sand surface, a slight dip in the land had obscured them from earlier view. By eleven o'clock the sand had merged into the longed-for iron-pebble strewn plains, and now the scrub was comparatively abundant all around, and the tough, wiry grasses which the camels loved appeared in greater profusion. Yet no signs of Fortunate Spring.
"It can't be far off now," said Bob, hopefully. "I'd better fix our position again before we go further, in case we might pass it."
"And that would be easily done, my lad," spoke Mackay. "I remember well that the water was in a mallee flat, just scrubby country like this, but there was no kind o' landmark102 except a fair-sized lime tree which grew beside it, an' I canna see any lime trees about here."
"I'll have another shot at the sun," decided103 Bob, and at once the team came to a halt, while Jack hastily unstrapped the sextant and chronometer104 from Misery's back.
A few minutes more and Bob had worked out the necessary calculation.
[Pg 237]
"I make the latitude come out exactly," he said gravely.
"Try again, Bob; try again," urged Mackay.
With sinking heart Bob once more levelled his sextant; the horizon was easily discernible through the scraggy bush, and the flat itself was level as could be.
"I find the latitude reading correct," he repeated, with bloodless lips; "and the longitude," he added, after a pause, "is the same as it was this morning, the same as is marked on my chart over the location of the Spring."
"We'll soon find it, if it is near abouts," cried Emu Bill, cheerily. "Don't fret105, Bob, them springs have a habit of getting lost at times. Come on, Never Never, come an' help me to smell it out wi' that tender nose o' yours."
And they rushed off into the bush towards the west. The Shadow and Jack started to follow, but Mackay recalled them.
"You two had better look around due north," he said, "and I'll tackle the east myself. Now don't go further than a mile, an' signal wi' a revolver-shot if ye find anything."
Without a word they departed on their quest, and Mackay and Bob were left alone. Calmly the elder man interrogated106 the lad, who was standing97 in an attitude of deepest dejection, the sextant hanging loosely in his hand.
"And is there no room for a mistake in any o' your figures, Bob?"
"None, none, that I can imagine. I have been particularly careful——"
Bob could not finish his sentence, a flood of emotion[Pg 238] swept over him, and he sat down in the sand and covered his face with his hands.
"Why, my laddie, ye mustn't blame yoursel' for no error o' yours," spoke Mackay, kindly107, gazing at the despondent108 youth with a strange light in his keen grey eyes. "Brace109 yoursel' up, Bob; we'll likely find the spring at no great distance, an' if we don't, well—we'll look for another one if the camels stand by us."
He hurried away into the eastward110 scrub. Bob arose and gazed after him with quivering eyelids111.
"Yes," he murmured brokenly, "I have brought you all to your death, and I can do nothing now to save.... I know the error is not mine, but I cannot and will not blame a dead man.... I wonder what can possibly be wrong."
He shook his head in utter hopelessness, then he glanced at the sextant, lying as he had left it, half buried in the sand. He took it up and brushed the silvered arc carefully with the ragged112 sleeve of his shirt, and was preparing to place it in its case when a new idea seemed to strike him. He grasped the instrument with a firmer grip and stood erect113, a new light, a light of gladness shining in his eyes.
"It's strange I never thought of it before," he said aloud; "a minute or two either way would make all the difference." He picked up the chronometer, which lay idly at his feet, and examined it critically. "It's just possible," he muttered, "the jolting114 of the camel may have made it go a bit fast; I wonder if I can check it. I am going to try."
Long and eagerly he gazed at the sun through the powerful telescope of the sextant, and every now and then[Pg 239] he would note down his observations, and consult the Nautical115 Almanac which lay open before him. In the midst of these proceedings116, Emu Bill and Never Never Dave returned, after a fruitless search, and while they stood watching him, Jack and the Shadow also made their appearance, and lined up beside the other two in solemn silence. There was no need to ask them if they had been successful, their faces plainly indicated disappointment, though they both strove hard to hide their feelings. As for the first arrivals, their rugged117 countenances118 betrayed not the slightest trace of emotion. Bill calmly chewed a quid of tobacco, and Dave reflectively pulled at his pipe. To them it did not seem to be a matter of much moment whether they found the spring or not. At length Bob threw down the sextant with a weary sigh.
"The chronometer is right," said he, sadly; then, as his comrades looked at him questioningly, he faltered120: "I've done my best, boys ... the fault may not be altogether mine, but ... I am responsible to you.... What can you think of me——?" He gave way completely.
Then out spoke Emu Bill, and his voice rang firm and true—
"Shoot me fur a dingo if I'll listen to you miscallin' yourself, Bob. You has shown us afore what ye were made o', an' hang me for a cross-eyed Chinese if I'll believe you've made the mistake."
"I'm right with ye thar, Bill," grunted121 Never Never.
Bob looked at them in silent gratitude122 that was more potent123 than words.
"Blow me!" blurted124 out the Shadow, "this ain't no funeral circus." He strode aside and examined the canvas bags overlapping125 Remorse's tough hide; they were flat[Pg 240] and empty, the last drop had gone. He rejoined the little circle quietly, and held out his hand to Bob, who was gazing with unseeing eyes into the horizon. "I knows it ain't your fault," he said simply.
Jack alone had not spoken, but Bob knew his comrade's thoughts; he knew the loyal courage and devotion of the boy's heart.
And all this time Mackay had not come back, nor had any welcome signal been heard. Bob commenced to fear that he would not come back unless he had something to report.
"What did ye mean by sayin' the chronometer was right, Bob?" asked Emu Bill, suddenly.
"If it had gone fast or slow, my longitude, which I calculated by it, would have been out accordingly," replied Bob, listlessly. "I thought the jolting might have affected126 it."
"Why then," returned Bill, "ain't it more likely that Bentley's time was wrong? If he came in from the west across the whole darned stretch o' sand-ridges, I reckon he would bust127 things up a bit."
Bob was startled into fresh energy. "Of course, you're right, Bill!" he cried excitedly. "I've been so anxiously looking for a possible error in my own instrument, I never thought of it occurring with Bentley's. I believe you've hit the solution of the whole difficulty. We'll find Fortunate Spring due east of us in that case, for his latitude would be sure to be right."
"We'll get under way at oncet then," grunted Never Never Dave. "We're bound to meet Mackay comin' back."
At once Jack rushed to Misery's head, and the[Pg 241] others hastened to their posts. Bob picked up the sextant and chronometer, and with a surging hope in his heart led the way in the direction that Mackay had taken. Slowly, slowly, they broke through the scrub, Misery's bell sending out its melancholy128 note, and shattering the oppressive stillness which had prevailed but a few minutes before. Onward96 they went and onward, and yet no sign of Mackay, and no sign of a spring to gladden their weary eyes. About two miles had been traversed, and the spirits of the forlorn party were drooping129 fast, when from the bush but a few hundred yards ahead a revolver shot boomed out loudly. With one accord the camels stopped dead. They seemed to realize that something was about to happen. Again came the sonorous130 echoes of an exploding cartridge131, and a hoarse132 cheer burst from the eagerly listening quartet.
"Mackay has found it! Hurrah133! Hurrah!" roared the Shadow, and with renewed effort a path was forced on towards the origin of the welcome sound. Five minutes more and they broke into a rough clearing in the bush in the centre of which a tall lime tree reared high above its dwarfed134 surroundings; and seated by the tree gazing at some rude markings that showed faintly on the gaunt white trunk, was Mackay. At his feet, sunk among the spreading roots, and half hidden by enclustering grassy135 growths, gleamed the water of the spring. Bob gave a gasp136 of relief and thankfulness. Emu Bill and Never Never Dave calmly began to unload the camels, the Shadow after vainly trying to find his speech, mechanically pulled out his musical instrument, and sought to indicate his joy thereon.
Then Mackay arose to his feet, "Dinna desecrate137 the[Pg 242] place, Shadow," said he, in gentle reproach. "Remember this is a monument to the dead."
He motioned Bob and Jack to come forward and view the mossy inscription138 on the tree, and silently they obeyed his summons. Deep graven in the wood was the legend: "Fortunate Spring, 1898. Bentley's Expedition. Lat. 28° 17′ 5′′, long. 125° 19′ 6′′ (Dead Reck.) Course E." Then followed a list of the initials of the party headed by those of Mackay: "J. M."
By this time Emu Bill, Never Never Dave, and the Shadow had also gathered round to view the symbols left by Mackay's old leader, and as each man traced out the lettering for himself, he doffed139 his tattered hat reverently140.
"Ay, boys," spoke Mackay, breaking the solemn hush141 that reigned142, "it was a fortunate spring for us then, and it's a fortunate spring for this expedition now. But how did you manage to come straight for it, Bob? It took me a good time zig-zagging through the bush before I sighted the tree."
In a few words the young navigator explained the cause of their coming, then he pointed143 to the inscription "Dead Reck." "That shows that Bentley did not think his readings altogether accurate," he said gravely, "and he meant it as a warning to others, though why he didn't put it on his chart is strange to me."
Mackay looked at the speaker with a troubled countenance119.
"It's been my fault, Bob. When I copied the figures into my own book I didna think it necessary to put the qualification down."
"I wants to say here," interjected Emu Bill, "that in my humble144 opinion Bob can steer145 a course wi' any man,[Pg 243] an' my ole carcase is here to prove it. A hundred an' eighty miles he's took us across the miserablest country on God's earth, an' nary time has I heard him grumble146."
"I goes nap on Bob every time," concurred147 Never Never.
A light of real happiness overspread Mackay's bronzed features.
"What more can you ask, Bob?" he said earnestly, "than the testimony148 o' the pioneer, wha' lends his life to your guidance."
"Hurrah for Fortunate Spring!" shouted Jack, unable to contain himself longer.
"Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" roared the answering chorus.
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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clumps
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| n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声 | |
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opportunely
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| adv.恰好地，适时地 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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ken
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| n.视野，知识领域 | |
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boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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profusion
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mightily
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everlasting
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| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
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monotonous
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| adj.单调的，一成不变的，使人厌倦的 | |
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mouldering
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| v.腐朽( moulder的现在分词 )；腐烂，崩塌 | |
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ridges
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| n.脊( ridge的名词复数 )；山脊；脊状突起；大气层的)高压脊 | |
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mere
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abruptly
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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fully
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quenching
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nostrils
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inhaled
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tattered
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brewery
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| n.啤酒厂 | |
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blandly
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loquacious
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| adj.多嘴的，饶舌的 | |
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rebuked
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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considerably
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craving
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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33
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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34
fortitude
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| n.坚忍不拔；刚毅 | |
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35
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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36
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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37
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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38
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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39
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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40
dreariness
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| 沉寂，可怕，凄凉 | |
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41
tussle
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| n.&v.扭打，搏斗，争辩 | |
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42
wavy
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| adj.有波浪的，多浪的，波浪状的，波动的，不稳定的 | |
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43
impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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44
sinuous
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| adj.蜿蜒的，迂回的 | |
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45
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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46
crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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47
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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48
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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49
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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50
furrows
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| n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 ) | |
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51
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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52
joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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53
mirage
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| n.海市蜃楼，幻景 | |
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54
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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55
spiky
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| adj.长而尖的，大钉似的 | |
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56
drooped
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| 弯曲或下垂，发蔫( droop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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57
fronds
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| n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 ) | |
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58
dispelled
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| v.驱散，赶跑( dispel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
shrubs
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| 灌木( shrub的名词复数 ) | |
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60
enchantment
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| n.迷惑，妖术，魅力 | |
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61
sparsest
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| adj.稀疏的，稀少的( sparse的最高级 ) | |
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62
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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63
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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64
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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65
meek
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| adj.温顺的，逆来顺受的 | |
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66
tugged
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| v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
marvelling
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的现在分词 ) | |
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68
retarding
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| 使减速( retard的现在分词 )； 妨碍； 阻止； 推迟 | |
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69
merged
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| （使）混合( merge的过去式和过去分词 )； 相融； 融入； 渐渐消失在某物中 | |
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70
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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71
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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72
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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73
muster
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| v.集合，收集，鼓起，激起；n.集合，检阅，集合人员，点名册 | |
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74
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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75
winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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77
longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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78
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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79
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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80
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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81
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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82
expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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83
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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84
refractory
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| adj.倔强的，难驾驭的 | |
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85
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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86
trudged
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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87
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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88
vociferously
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| adv.喊叫地，吵闹地 | |
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89
resound
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| v.回响 | |
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90
discordant
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| adj.不调和的 | |
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91
glide
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| n./v.溜，滑行；(时间)消逝 | |
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92
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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93
worthies
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| 应得某事物( worthy的名词复数 )； 值得做某事； 可尊敬的； 有（某人或事物）的典型特征 | |
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94
prancing
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| v.（马）腾跃( prance的现在分词 ) | |
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95
martial
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| adj.战争的，军事的，尚武的，威武的 | |
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96
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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97
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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98
jaunty
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| adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意 | |
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99
perspiring
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的现在分词 ) | |
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100
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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101
vocal
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| adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目 | |
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102
landmark
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| n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标 | |
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103
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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104
chronometer
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| n.精密的计时器 | |
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105
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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106
interrogated
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| v.询问( interrogate的过去式和过去分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询 | |
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107
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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108
despondent
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| adj.失望的，沮丧的，泄气的 | |
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109
brace
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| n. 支柱,曲柄,大括号; v. 绷紧,顶住,(为困难或坏事)做准备 | |
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110
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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111
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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112
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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113
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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114
jolting
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| adj.令人震惊的 | |
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115
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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116
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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117
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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118
countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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119
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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120
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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121
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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122
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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123
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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124
blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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125
overlapping
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| adj./n.交迭（的） | |
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126
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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127
bust
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| vt.打破；vi.爆裂；n.半身像；胸部 | |
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128
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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129
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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130
sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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131
cartridge
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| n.弹壳，弹药筒；(装磁带等的)盒子 | |
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132
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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133
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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134
dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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135
grassy
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| adj.盖满草的；长满草的 | |
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136
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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137
desecrate
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| v.供俗用，亵渎，污辱 | |
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138
inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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139
doffed
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| v.脱去，（尤指）脱帽( doff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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140
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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141
hush
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| int.嘘，别出声；n.沉默，静寂；v.使安静 | |
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142
reigned
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| vi.当政，统治（reign的过去式形式） | |
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143
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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144
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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145
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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146
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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147
concurred
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| 同意（concur的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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148
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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