Crossing the Strait.--The Mrima.--Dick's Remark and Joe's Proposition.--A Recipe for Coffee-making.--The Uzaramo.--The Unfortunate Maizan.--Mount Dathumi.--The Doctor's Cards.--Night under a Nopal.
The air was pure, the wind moderate, and the balloon ascended2 almost perpendicularly3 to a height of fifteen hundred feet, as indicated by a depression of two inches in the barometric4 column.
At this height a more decided5 current carried the balloon toward the southwest. What a magnificent spectacle was then outspread beneath the gaze of the travellers! The island of Zanzibar could be seen in its entire extent, marked out by its deeper color upon a vast planisphere; the fields had the appearance of patterns of different colors, and thick clumps6 of green indicated the groves7 and thickets8.
The inhabitants of the island looked no larger than insects. The huzzaing and shouting were little by little lost in the distance, and only the discharge of the ship's guns could be heard in the concavity beneath the balloon, as the latter sped on its flight.
"How fine that is!" said Joe, breaking silence for the first time.
He got no reply. The doctor was busy observing the variations of the barometer9 and noting down the details of his ascent10.
Kennedy looked on, and had not eyes enough to take in all that he saw.
The rays of the sun coming to the aid of the heating cylinder11, the tension of the gas increased, and the Victoria attained12 the height of twenty-five hundred feet.
The Resolute13 looked like a mere14 cockle-shell, and the African coast could be distinctly seen in the west marked out by a fringe of foam15.
"You don't talk?" said Joe, again.
"We are looking!" said the doctor, directing his spy-glass toward the mainland.
"For my part, I must talk!"
"As much as you please, Joe; talk as much as you like!"
And Joe went on alone with a tremendous volley of exclamations16. The "ohs!" and the "ahs!" exploded one after the other, incessantly17, from his lips.
During his passage over the sea the doctor deemed it best to keep at his present elevation18. He could thus reconnoitre a greater stretch of the coast. The thermometer and the barometer, hanging up inside of the half-opened awning19, were always within sight, and a second barometer suspended outside was to serve during the night watches.
At the end of about two hours the Victoria, driven along at a speed of a little more than eight miles, very visibly neared the coast of the mainland. The doctor, thereupon, determined20 to descend21 a little nearer to the ground. So he moderated the flame of his cylinder, and the balloon, in a few moments, had descended22 to an altitude only three hundred feet above the soil.
It was then found to be passing just over the Mrima country, the name of this part of the eastern coast of Africa. Dense23 borders of mango-trees protected its margin24, and the ebb-tide disclosed to view their thick roots, chafed25 and gnawed26 by the teeth of the Indian Ocean. The sands which, at an earlier period, formed the coast-line, rounded away along the distant horizon, and Mount Nguru reared aloft its sharp summit in the northwest.
The Victoria passed near to a village which the doctor found marked upon his chart as Kaole. Its entire population had assembled in crowds, and were yelling with anger and fear, at the same time vainly directing their arrows against this monster of the air that swept along so majestically27 away above all their powerless fury.
The wind was setting to the southward, but the doctor felt no concern on that score, since it enabled him the better to follow the route traced by Captains Burton and Speke.
Kennedy had, at length, become as talkative as Joe, and the two kept up a continual interchange of admiring interjections and exclamations.
"Out upon stage-coaches!" said one.
"Steamers indeed!" said the other.
"Railroads! eh? rubbish!" put in Kennedy, "that you travel on, without seeing the country!"
"Balloons! they're the sort for me!" Joe would add. "Why, you don't feel yourself going, and Nature takes the trouble to spread herself out before one's eyes!"
"What a splendid sight! What a spectacle! What a delight! a dream in a hammock!"
"Suppose we take our breakfast?" was Joe's unpoetical change of tune28, at last, for the keen, open air had mightily29 sharpened his appetite.
"Good idea, my boy!"
"Oh! it won't take us long to do the cooking--biscuit and potted meat?"
"And as much coffee as you like," said the doctor. "I give you leave to borrow a little heat from my cylinder. There's enough and to spare, for that matter, and so we shall avoid the risk of a conflagration30."
"That would be a dreadful misfortune!" ejaculated Kennedy. "It's the same as a powder-magazine suspended over our heads."
"Not precisely," said Ferguson, "but still if the gas were to take fire it would burn up gradually, and we should settle down on the ground, which would be disagreeable; but never fear--our balloon is hermetically sealed."
"Let us eat a bite, then," replied Kennedy.
"Now, gentlemen," put in Joe, "while doing the same as you, I'm going to get you up a cup of coffee that I think you'll have something to say about."
"The fact is," added the doctor, "that Joe, along with a thousand other virtues31, has a remarkable32 talent for the preparation of that delicious beverage33: he compounds it of a mixture of various origin, but he never would reveal to me the ingredients."
"Well, master, since we are so far above-ground, I can tell you the secret. It is just to mix equal quantities of Mocha, of Bourbon coffee, and of Rio Nunez."
A few moments later, three steaming cups of coffee were served, and topped off a substantial breakfast, which was additionally seasoned by the jokes and repartees of the guests. Each one then resumed his post of observation.
The country over which they were passing was remarkable for its fertility. Narrow, winding34 paths plunged35 in beneath the overarching verdure. They swept along above cultivated fields of tobacco, maize36, and barley37, at full maturity38, and here and there immense rice-fields, full of straight stalks and purple blossoms. They could distinguish sheep and goats too, confined in large cages, set up on piles to keep them out of reach of the leopards39' fangs40. Luxuriant vegetation spread in wild profuseness41 over this prodigal42 soil.
Village after village rang with yells of terror and astonishment43 at the sight of the Victoria, and Dr. Ferguson prudently44 kept her above the reach of the barbarian45 arrows. The savages46 below, thus baffled, ran together from their huddle47 of huts and followed the travellers with their vain imprecations while they remained in sight.
At noon, the doctor, upon consulting his map, calculated that they were passing over the Uzaramo* country. The soil was thickly studded with cocoa-nut, papaw, and cotton-wood trees, above which the balloon seemed to disport48 itself like a bird. Joe found this splendid vegetation a matter of course, seeing that they were in Africa. Kennedy descried49 some hares and quails50 that asked nothing better than to get a good shot from his fowling-piece, but it would have been powder wasted, since there was no time to pick up the game.
* U and Ou signify country in the language of that region.
The aeronauts swept on with the speed of twelve miles per hour, and soon were passing in thirty-eight degrees twenty minutes east longitude51, over the village of Tounda.
"It was there," said the doctor, "that Burton and Speke were seized with violent fevers, and for a moment thought their expedition ruined. And yet they were only a short distance from the coast, but fatigue52 and privation were beginning to tell upon them severely53."
In fact, there is a perpetual malaria54 reigning55 throughout the country in question. Even the doctor could hope to escape its effects only by rising above the range of the miasma56 that exhales57 from this damp region whence the blazing rays of the sun pump up its poisonous vapors58. Once in a while they could descry59 a caravan60 resting in a "kraal," awaiting the freshness and cool of the evening to resume its route. These kraals are wide patches of cleared land, surrounded by hedges and jungles, where traders take shelter against not only the wild beasts, but also the robber tribes of the country. They could see the natives running and scattering61 in all directions at the sight of the Victoria. Kennedy was keen to get a closer look at them, but the doctor invariably held out against the idea.
"The chiefs are armed with muskets," he said, "and our balloon would be too conspicuous62 a mark for their bullets."
"Would a bullet-hole bring us down?" asked Joe.
"Not immediately; but such a hole would soon become a large torn orifice through which our gas would escape."
"Then, let us keep at a respectful distance from yon miscreants63. What must they think as they see us sailing in the air? I'm sure they must feel like worshipping us!"
"Let them worship away, then," replied the doctor, "but at a distance. There is no harm done in getting as far away from them as possible. See! the country is already changing its aspect: the villages are fewer and farther between; the mango-trees have disappeared, for their growth ceases at this latitude64. The soil is becoming hilly and portends65 mountains not far off."
"Yes," said Kennedy, "it seems to me that I can see some high land on this side."
"In the west--those are the nearest ranges of the Ourizara--Mount Duthumi, no doubt, behind which I hope to find shelter for the night. I'll stir up the heat in the cylinder a little, for we must keep at an elevation of five or six hundred feet."
"That was a grant idea of yours, sir," said Joe. "It's mighty66 easy to manage it; you turn a cock, and the thing's done."
"Ah! here we are more at our ease," said the sportsman, as the balloon ascended; "the reflection of the sun on those red sands was getting to be insupportable."
"What splendid trees!" cried Joe. "They're quite natural, but they are very fine! Why a dozen of them would make a forest!"
"Those are baobabs," replied Dr. Ferguson. "See, there's one with a trunk fully67 one hundred feet in circumference68. It was, perhaps, at the foot of that very tree that Maizan, the French traveller, expired in 1845, for we are over the village of Deje-la-Mhora, to which he pushed on alone. He was seized by the chief of this region, fastened to the foot of a baobab, and the ferocious69 black then severed70 all his joints71 while the war-song of his tribe was chanted; he then made a gash72 in the prisoner's neck, stopped to sharpen his knife, and fairly tore away the poor wretch's head before it had been cut from the body. The unfortunate Frenchman was but twenty-six years of age."
"And France has never avenged73 so hideous74 a crime?" said Kennedy.
"France did demand satisfaction, and the Said of Zanzibar did all in his power to capture the murderer, but in vain."
"I move that we don't stop here!" urged Joe; "let us go up, master, let us go up higher by all means."
"All the more willingly, Joe, that there is Mount Duthumi right ahead of us. If my calculations be right we shall have passed it before seven o'clock in the evening."
"Shall we not travel at night?" asked the Scotchman.
"No, as little as possible. With care and vigilance we might do so safely, but it is not enough to sweep across Africa. We want to see it."
"Up to this time we have nothing to complain of, master. The best cultivated and most fertile country in the world instead of a desert! Believe the geographers75 after that!"
Let us wait, Joe! we shall see by-and-by."
About half-past six in the evening the Victoria was directly opposite Mount Duthumi; in order to pass, it had to ascend1 to a height of more than three thousand feet, and to accomplish that the doctor had only to raise the temperature of his gas eighteen degrees. It might have been correctly said that he held his balloon in his hand. Kennedy had only to indicate to him the obstacles to be surmounted76, and the Victoria sped through the air, skimming the summits of the range.
At eight o'clock it descended the farther slope, the acclivity of which was much less abrupt77. The anchors were thrown out from the car and one of them, coming in contact with the branches of an enormous nopal, caught on it firmly. Joe at once let himself slide down the rope and secured it. The silk ladder was then lowered to him and he remounted to the car with agility78. The balloon now remained perfectly79 at rest sheltered from the eastern winds.
The evening meal was got ready, and the aeronauts, excited by their day's journey, made a heavy onslaught upon the provisions.
"What distance have we traversed to-day?" asked Kennedy, disposing of some alarming mouthfuls.
The doctor took his bearings, by means of lunar observations, and consulted the excellent map that he had with him for his guidance. It belonged to the Atlas80 of "Der Neuester Endeckungen in Afrika" ("The Latest Discoveries in Africa"), published at Gotha by his learned friend Dr. Petermann, and by that savant sent to him. This Atlas was to serve the doctor on his whole journey; for it contained the itinerary81 of Burton and Speke to the great lakes; the Soudan, according to Dr. Barth; the Lower Senegal, according to Guillaume Lejean; and the Delta82 of the Niger, by Dr. Blaikie.
Ferguson had also provided himself with a work which combined in one compilation83 all the notions already acquired concerning the Nile. It was entitled "The Sources of the Nile; being a General Survey of the Basin of that River and of its Head-Stream, with the History of the Nilotic Discovery, by Charles Beke, D.D."
He also had the excellent charts published in the "Bulletins of the Geographical84 Society of London;" and not a single point of the countries already discovered could, therefore, escape his notice.
Upon tracing on his maps, he found that his latitudinal85 route had been two degrees, or one hundred and twenty miles, to the westward86.
Kennedy remarked that the route tended toward the south; but this direction was satisfactory to the doctor, who desired to reconnoitre the tracks of his predecessors87 as much as possible. It was agreed that the night should be divided into three watches, so that each of the party should take his turn in watching over the safety of the rest. The doctor took the watch commencing at nine o'clock; Kennedy, the one commencing at midnight; and Joe, the three o'clock morning watch.
So Kennedy and Joe, well wrapped in their blankets, stretched themselves at full length under the awning, and slept quietly; while Dr. Ferguson kept on the lookout88.
飞越海峡——姆利马——肯尼迪的话和乔的建议——煮咖啡的秘诀——乌扎拉莫——不幸的麦桑——杜图米峰——博士的地图——仙人掌上的夜晚
空气纯净，风力适中。“维多利亚”号几乎垂直上升到了1500尺的高度。气压表上的气压指明差2分不到2寸①。
①约5厘米，每上升100米，气压表上的气压就下降1厘米。—原注
在这个高度上，较为稳定的气流把气球往西南方向吹去。展现在旅行家们眼前的景色多么美妙啊！桑给巴尔岛整个映入视野中，色彩较深的地方非常突出，如同一份大的地球平面图上标出的那样。块块田野呈现出浓淡不一的各种色调。森林和树丛形成了一簇簇大小不同的绿团。
岛上的居民看起来像昆虫一样大小，欢呼声和喊叫声逐渐消失在云层中，唯有船上大炮的轰鸣声传到气球下面的吊篮里。
“这一切多美好啊！”乔头一个打破了沉默。
但谁也不搭理他的话茬。博士忙着观察气压表上的变化，还要记下气球上升时的每一个不同细节。
肯尼迪左瞧瞧右看看，只恨眼睛不够用，无法饱览一切。
在阳光的照射和氢氧喷嘴的共同作用下，气球内气体的压力增大。“维多利亚号”达到了2500尺的高度。
“决心号”运输舰看上去像一只普通的小船。非洲绵延的海岸线翻卷着白色的浪花在西方出现。
“主人，您不说点什么吗？”乔问。
“我们先看吧。”博士边说，边把他的望远镜对准非洲大陆。
“那么，我可要说说啦。”
“想说就说吧！乔，你高兴说什么就说什么。”
于是，乔自得其乐地在那里大呼小叫起来。他启动双唇模拟出各种声音：哦噢！哎嗨！啊哈！
飞越大海时，博士认为气球保持这个高度正合适，他可以在最大范围内观察海岸线。悬挂在半掩半开的帐篷内的温度计和气压表始终在他的视力范围内。另一支气压表安放在帐篷外面，那是夜间值班时用的。
两个小时过去了， 以每小时8英里多点的速度飞行的“维多利亚号”显然到达了非洲海岸上空。博士决定靠近地面。他拧小了喷嘴的火头，气球很快下降到距地面300尺高的地方。
他们现在处在姆利马地区的上空。这是非洲东海岸这一部分地区的名字。茂密的芒果树林防护着这一带海岸。正值退潮的时候，可以清楚地看到裸露在地面上的密密麻麻的芒果树树根。它们曾受到了印度洋海水的侵蚀。在远方天边，露出一个个圆包状的砂丘。它们构成了从前的海岸线。恩古鲁山的山峰就耸立在西北方。
“维多利亚号”从一个村庄旁飞过。根据地图，博士认出这是考尔村。一看见气球，全村居民立即聚集起来，发出愤怒和恐惧的吼叫声。箭纷纷徒劳地射向这个空中怪物，而它依旧在这些无能为力的狂热者头顶上庄严地摇来摆去。
风把气球向南吹去。但博士并不担忧。相反，这倒使他得以沿着伯顿上尉和斯皮克上尉走过的道路看看。
肯尼迪终于变得和乔一样喜欢饶舌了。他们两人你一言我一语，赞叹地交谈了起来。
“嘿！公共马车算得了什么！”一个说。
“嘿！轮船有什么意思！”另一个附和道。
“嘿！火车也不行！”肯尼迪感慨万分，“坐那玩意儿旅行，你经过的地方不少却什么也看不到！”
“还是气球好！”乔接过话茬，“你就感觉不到在动。不用费劲，大自然就展现在你眼前了。”
“多美的景致！多么令人赏心悦目！多么令人心醉神迷！真像躺在吊床上做的一个梦。”
“我们是不是吃点早餐？”乔问。大自然的空气使他有了胃口。
“好主意，小伙子。”
“瞧我的！做饭花不了多少时间，有饼干和干肉。”
“还有想喝多少有多少的咖啡。”博士补充道，“我允许你在我的氢氧喷嘴上借用一点热气。现在，热气有剩余，而且，我们完全不必担心会发生火灾。”
“要是发生火灾，就太可怕了。”肯尼迪又发话了，“我们上面的气球就是一个火药库。”
“不完全是。”弗格森答道，“但是，如果氢气燃了起来，它毕竟会一点点烧光。那时我们可能降到地上，这确实让人感到沮丧。不过，别害怕，我们的气球密封得很严。”
“那好，我们吃饭吧。”肯尼迪说。
“饭来了，先生们，”乔应道，“我可以边吃边煮咖啡。我煮的咖啡你们会赞不绝口的。”
“应该承认，”博士证实道，“乔有上千种能耐，准备这种美味饮料是他的拿手好戏。他把各个不同产地的咖啡掺和一起，煮出来的味道很好。但他从不让我知道他是如何搞的。”
“好吧！主人，既然我们是在上不着天下不着地的半空中，我可以把秘诀吐露给你们。这种咖啡确确实实是用份量相等的几种咖啡配制的。它们是木哈咖啡、波旁咖啡和里奥一努内咖啡。”
一会儿的功夫，三杯热气腾腾的咖啡端了上来。一顿营养丰富的早餐就在几位伙伴谈笑风生的欢快气氛中结束了。饭后，每人随即回到各自的观察岗位上。
气球经过的这个地区看来非常肥沃。一条条蜿蜒细长的羊肠小道在拱形树阴下时隐时现。往下看，田里种植的烟草，玉米和大麦已进入成熟期。由近及远到处是大块大块的稻田。盛开着红紫色稻花的水稻，茎直叶壮；绵羊和山羊被圈养在用支柱架起来的大笼子里，这使得它们得以免遭豹子的猎食。茂盛的草木在这片慷慨的土地上显得杂乱无章。“维多利亚号”的飞临在许多村庄里引起极大的骚动。村民们惊骇万分，又喊又叫乱成一团。每当这时，弗格森博士总是十分谨慎地使气球保持在弓箭射程之外的高度上。村民们聚集在他们毗连的茅屋周围，嘴里不停地念着没有任何作用的咒语，一直到气球无影无踪。
中午时分，博士查找着地图，判定他们现在是在乌扎拉莫国①的上空。原野上，椰子树，番木瓜树林立，遍地长满了絮菊鼠曲草；天空中，气球悠悠荡荡，好像是在玩耍戏嘻。乔认为，既然是在非洲，很自然就会生长着这些花草。肯尼迪发现这里的兔子，鹌鹑看见他们飞来毫不惊慌，好像巴不得挨枪子似的。不过，既然不可能降下去捡猎物，开枪就成了浪费弹药。
①“乌”就是当地土语中“国”的意思。
航空家们以每小时12英里的速度继续前进，很快到了位于东经38度20分的通达村上空。
“就是在这儿，”博士介绍说，“伯顿和斯皮克患上了凶猛的热病。他们一度以为自己的探险无法继续下去了。当时，他们离开海岸还不太远，但是已经饱尝了疲劳和食物匮乏之苦。”
的确，在这个地区疟疾长年横行。博士只好把气球上升到这块潮湿土地的瘴气上面，以避免被传染上这种疾病。现在，灼热的阳光正使这种瘴气向上蒸发。
时尔，可以看见一支躲在“克拉阿尔”休息等待夜晚凉爽后好赶路的骆驼队商。“克拉阿尔”是一些四周围着篱笆或树篱的宽敞地块。来往客商在那里不仅可以免遭猛兽的袭击，还可以躲避当地强盗帮的洗劫。土著人一看见“维多利亚号”，立即惊慌失措，东跑西奔，四处逃散。肯尼迪很想靠近点儿仔细看看他们，但是，弗格森总是反对。
“酋长们手里都有火枪，”博士解释说，“而我们的气球会成为一个靶子，很容易被穿个洞的。”
“一个子弹孔就会让气球坠落吗？”乔不解地问。
“不会马上坠落。但这个弹孔会成为一个大口子，我们所有的氢气都会从那儿跑光的。”
“那么，咱们就离这些异教徒远点儿吧。看到咱们在空中翱翔，他们该怎么想呢？我敢肯定，他们禁不住要崇拜我们了。”
“让他们崇拜去吧。”博士答道，“不过，还是离他们远点好，我们反正占着上风呢。瞧，下面已经变了模样，村子越来越少，芒果树也没了。在这个纬度上，原来的草木已不能生长，地面成了丘陵地带，这让人预感到随后就要进入山区了。”
“的确，”肯尼迪说，“我从这里好像看到了几座山岗。”
“在西边……，那是乌里扎拉山①的头几条山脉。毫无疑问是杜图米峰。
①位于尼日利亚博尔诺州西北部。
我希望咱们藏在这座山的后面过夜。我来把氢氧喷头的火力弄大些。我们必须保持在五六百尺的高度上。”
“先生，还是您发明的这个灵巧机关好，真了不起！”乔由衷地赞叹道，“它既好使又不累人，只需拧拧开关就全解决了！”
“这下子我们更舒服了。”气球升上去后，猎人说，“太阳照在红沙上映得真让人受不了啦。”
“多漂亮的树啊！”乔喊了起来，“尽管在这儿算不了什么，可它们实在是太美了！这种树用不了12棵就是一大片树林了。”
“那是猴面包树。 ”弗格森博士答道，“瞧，那一棵树的树干就有100尺粗。也许法国人麦桑1845年就是在这棵树下被杀的。我们现在就是在当年麦桑只身冒险到过的德热拉·莫拉村上空。他被当地的酋长抓住，捆到一棵猴面包树下。在战歌声中，这个残忍的黑人慢慢地砍断了麦桑全身的关节，接着切开了他的喉咙。因为要磨一磨用钝的刀，他停了停。随后，他竟甩手把这位可怜的人的头给拧了下来！当时，这位可怜的法国人只有26岁！”
“难道对这样的罪行，法国政府就没采取任何行动吗？”肯尼迪问。
“法国政府提出了抗议。桑给巴尔的统治者尽一切办法捉拿凶手，但始终未能如愿。”
“我请求路上别停留，”乔说，“我的主人，咱们升上去吧，假如您认为我说的对，咱们就升上去吧。”
“乔，我更乐意升上去，因为杜图米峰就耸立在我们眼前。如果我算得不错，我们将在今晚7点前越过这座山。”
“我们夜里不飞吧？”猎人问。
“不飞，尽可能夜里不飞。只要我们小心警惕，就不会有危险。但仅仅飞越非洲大陆是不够的，我们还应考察非洲。”
“我的主人，到现在为止，我们还没有什么好抱怨的。非洲才是世界上最易耕种，最富饶的地方，哪里是什么沙漠！您竟然相信地理学家的鬼话！”
“等等，乔，我们等着瞧。晚些时候，我们就会明白的。”
晚上6点半光景， “维多利亚号”飘游到了杜图米峰前面。要想飞过该峰，气球就必须上升3000多尺。博士只是把温度升高了18度（摄氏10度）就达到了目的。可以说， 博士操纵他的气球， 的确只需动动手。肯尼迪为他指着要越过的障碍，“维多利亚号”紧贴着山顶由空中飞过。
8点钟， 气球在杜图米峰另一侧地势最缓的山坡上空徐徐下降。几只锚紧紧地钩住了一棵巨大的仙人掌的枝杈。乔立即抓住锚索滑下去，把锚牢牢地固定在枝杈上。软梯向他放下，他敏捷地攀上软梯，回到吊篮中。气球避开了东面来风，悬在那儿一动不动。
晚饭准备妥当。因空中漫游而兴奋不已的旅行家们，胃口大开，一下子吃掉了许多食物。
“我们今天的成就如何？”肯尼迪边大块大块地吞咽着东西，边问。
博士看看月亮，确定下位置，然后查了查作旅行指南用的精美地图册。这本地图册是他的学者朋友彼德曼在德国哥达出版的《非洲最新发现》。他送给了博士一本。这本地图册也许在博士的这次整个旅行中都非常有用。因为，地图册中包括了伯顿和斯皮克与大湖区的路线图，根据巴尔特博士的材料绘制的苏丹地图，根据纪尧姆·勒让的材料绘制的塞内加尔河下游图和贝凯①博士绘制的尼日尔河三角洲地图。
①1825—1864，英国探险家和语言家，1854年，1857年两次去尼日尔河考察。
弗格森博士还准备了一部集有关尼罗河所有已知材料于一体的巨着。 书名为“The sources of the Nile， being a general surway of the basin of thatriver and of Its head stream with the history of the Niloti c discoveryby Charles Beke，th．D。”（《尼罗河探源——尼罗河流域及其源头综述，附尼罗河发现史》查理·倍克①着）。
①查理—倍克（1800—1874），英国圣经研究学者，地理学家兼商人，在发现尼罗河源头的最后阶段发挥了重要作用。
他还带了刊登在伦敦地理学会学报上的那些精制地图。新发现地区的每一点一滴都不会被他放过。
在往地图上作标记时，他发现他们已经前进了两度，换句话说，就是向西飞了120英里！
肯尼迪注意到他们在往南飞去。不过，博士对此倒挺满意。他想尽可能探查清楚以前的探险家们走过的路线。
博士决定夜里分成三班轮流值日，以保证大家的安全。博士值9点到12点的班，肯尼迪是12点到第二天清晨3点，乔是3点到6点。
于是，肯尼迪和乔裹上被子躺到帐篷里，安然入睡，而弗格森博士则密切注视着周围的动向。
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ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perpendicularly
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| adv. 垂直地, 笔直地, 纵向地 | |
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barometric
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| 大气压力 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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groves
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| 树丛，小树林( grove的名词复数 ) | |
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thickets
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| n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 )；丛状物 | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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chafed
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| v.擦热（尤指皮肤）( chafe的过去式 )；擦痛；发怒；惹怒 | |
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gnawed
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| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
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majestically
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| 雄伟地； 庄重地； 威严地； 崇高地 | |
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tune
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| n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整 | |
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mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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virtues
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| 美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处 | |
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remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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maturity
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| n.成熟；完成；(支票、债券等)到期 | |
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leopards
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| n.豹( leopard的名词复数 )；本性难移 | |
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fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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profuseness
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| n.挥霍 | |
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prodigal
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| adj.浪费的，挥霍的，放荡的 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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prudently
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| adv. 谨慎地，慎重地 | |
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barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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huddle
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| vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人 | |
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disport
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| v.嬉戏，玩 | |
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descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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quails
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| 鹌鹑( quail的名词复数 )； 鹌鹑肉 | |
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longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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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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malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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reigning
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| adj.统治的，起支配作用的 | |
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56
miasma
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| n.毒气；不良气氛 | |
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exhales
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| v.呼出，发散出( exhale的第三人称单数 )；吐出（肺中的空气、烟等），呼气 | |
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58
vapors
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| n.水汽，水蒸气，无实质之物( vapor的名词复数 )；自夸者；幻想 [药]吸入剂 [古]忧郁（症）v.自夸，（使）蒸发( vapor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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59
descry
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| v.远远看到；发现；责备 | |
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caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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61
scattering
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| n.[物]散射；散乱，分散；在媒介质中的散播adj.散乱的；分散在不同范围的；广泛扩散的；（选票）数量分散的v.散射(scatter的ing形式)；散布；驱散 | |
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62
conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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miscreants
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| n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 ) | |
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64
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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portends
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| v.预示( portend的第三人称单数 )；预兆；给…以警告；预告 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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67
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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68
circumference
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| n.圆周，周长，圆周线 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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71
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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72
gash
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| v.深切，划开；n.(深长的)切(伤)口；裂缝 | |
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73
avenged
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| v.为…复仇，报…之仇( avenge的过去式和过去分词 )；为…报复 | |
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74
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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geographers
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| 地理学家( geographer的名词复数 ) | |
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76
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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77
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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78
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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80
atlas
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| n.地图册，图表集 | |
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itinerary
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| n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划 | |
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delta
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| n.（流的）角洲 | |
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compilation
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| n.编译，编辑 | |
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84
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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latitudinal
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| adj.纬度的，纬度方向的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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predecessors
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| n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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