The Forest of Gum-Trees.--The Blue Antelope1.--The Rallying-Signal. --An Unexpected Attack.--The Kanyeme.--A Night in the Open Air.--The Mabunguru.--Jihoue-la-Mkoa.--A Supply of Water.--Arrival at Kazeh.
The country, dry and parched2 as it was, consisting of a clayey soil that cracked open with the heat, seemed, indeed, a desert: here and there were a few traces of caravans3; the bones of men and animals, that had been half-gnawed away, mouldering4 together in the same dust.
After half an hour's walking, Dick and Joe plunged5 into a forest of gum-trees, their eyes alert on all sides, and their fingers on the trigger. There was no foreseeing what they might encounter. Without being a rifleman, Joe could handle fire-arms with no trifling6 dexterity7.
"A walk does one good, Mr. Kennedy, but this isn't the easiest ground in the world," he said, kicking aside some fragments of quartz8 with which the soil was bestrewn.
Kennedy motioned to his companion to be silent and to halt. The present case compelled them to dispense9 with hunting-dogs, and, no matter what Joe's agility10 might be, he could not be expected to have the scent11 of a setter or a greyhound.
A herd12 of a dozen antelopes13 were quenching14 their thirst in the bed of a torrent15 where some pools of water had lodged16. The graceful17 creatures, snuffing danger in the breeze, seemed to be disturbed and uneasy. Their beautiful heads could be seen between every draught18, raised in the air with quick and sudden motion as they sniffed19 the wind in the direction of our two hunters, with their flexible nostrils20.
Kennedy stole around behind some clumps21 of shrubbery, while Joe remained motionless where he was. The former, at length, got within gunshot and fired.
The herd disappeared in the twinkling of an eye; one male antelope only, that was hit just behind the shoulder-joint, fell headlong to the ground, and Kennedy leaped toward his booty.
It was a blauwbok, a superb animal of a pale-bluish color shading upon the gray, but with the belly22 and the inside of the legs as white as the driven snow.
"A splendid shot!" exclaimed the hunter. "It's a very rare species of the antelope, and I hope to be able to prepare his skin in such a way as to keep it."
"Indeed!" said Joe, "do you think of doing that, Mr. Kennedy?"
"Why, certainly I do! Just see what a fine hide it is!"
"But Dr. Ferguson will never allow us to take such an extra weight!"
"You're right, Joe. Still it is a pity to have to leave such a noble animal."
"The whole of it? Oh, we won't do that, sir; we'll take all the good eatable parts of it, and, if you'll let me, I'll cut him up just as well as the chairman of the honorable corporation of butchers of the city of London could do."
"As you please, my boy! But you know that in my hunter's way I can just as easily skin and cut up a piece of game as kill it."
"I'm sure of that, Mr. Kennedy. Well, then, you can build a fireplace with a few stones; there's plenty of dry dead-wood, and I can make the hot coals tell in a few minutes."
"Oh! that won't take long," said Kennedy, going to work on the fireplace, where he had a brisk flame crackling and sparkling in a minute or two.
Joe had cut some of the nicest steaks and the best parts of the tenderloin from the carcass of the antelope, and these were quickly transformed to the most savory23 of broils24.
"There, those will tickle25 the doctor!" said Kennedy.
"Do you know what I was thinking about?" said Joe.
"Why, about the steaks you're broiling26, to be sure!" replied Dick.
"Not the least in the world. I was thinking what a figure we'd cut if we couldn't find the balloon again."
"By George, what an idea! Why, do you think the doctor would desert us?"
"No; but suppose his anchor were to slip!"
"Impossible! and, besides, the doctor would find no difficulty in coming down again with his balloon; he handles it at his ease."
"But suppose the wind were to sweep it off, so that he couldn't come back toward us?"
"Come, come, Joe! a truce27 to your suppositions; they're any thing but pleasant."
"Ah! sir, every thing that happens in this world is natural, of course; but, then, any thing may happen, and we ought to look out beforehand."
At this moment the report of a gun rang out upon the air.
"What's that?" exclaimed Joe.
"It's my rifle, I know the ring of her!" said Kennedy.
"A signal!"
"Yes; danger for us!"
"For him, too, perhaps."
"Let's be off!"
And the hunters, having gathered up the product of their expedition, rapidly made their way back along the path that they had marked by breaking boughs28 and bushes when they came. The density30 of the underbrush prevented their seeing the balloon, although they could not be far from it.
A second shot was heard.
"We must hurry!" said Joe.
"There! a third report!"
"Why, it sounds to me as if he was defending himself against something."
"Let us make haste!"
They now began to run at the top of their speed. When they reached the outskirts31 of the forest, they, at first glance, saw the balloon in its place and the doctor in the car.
"What's the matter?" shouted Kennedy.
"Good God!" suddenly exclaimed Joe.
"What do you see?"
"Down there! look! a crowd of blacks surrounding the balloon!"
And, in fact, there, two miles from where they were, they saw some thirty wild natives close together, yelling, gesticulating, and cutting all kinds of antics at the foot of the sycamore. Some, climbing into the tree itself, were making their way to the topmost branches. The danger seemed pressing.
"My master is lost!" cried Joe.
"Come! a little more coolness, Joe, and let us see how we stand. We hold the lives of four of those villains32 in our hands. Forward, then!"
They had made a mile with headlong speed, when another report was heard from the car. The shot had, evidently, told upon a huge black demon33, who had been hoisting34 himself up by the anchor-rope. A lifeless body fell from bough29 to bough, and hung about twenty feet from the ground, its arms and legs swaying to and fro in the air.
"Ha!" said Joe, halting, "what does that fellow hold by?"
"No matter what!" said Kennedy; "let us run! let us run!"
"Ah! Mr. Kennedy," said Joe, again, in a roar of laughter, "by his tail! by his tail! it's an ape! They're all apes!"
"Well, they're worse than men!" said Kennedy, as he dashed into the midst of the howling crowd.
It was, indeed, a troop of very formidable baboons35 of the dog-faced species. These creatures are brutal36, ferocious37, and horrible to look upon, with their dog-like muzzles38 and savage39 expression. However, a few shots scattered40 them, and the chattering41 horde42 scampered43 off, leaving several of their number on the ground.
In a moment Kennedy was on the ladder, and Joe, clambering up the branches, detached the anchor; the car then dipped to where he was, and he got into it without difficulty. A few minutes later, the Victoria slowly ascended44 and soared away to the eastward45, wafted46 by a moderate wind.
"That was an attack for you!" said Joe.
"We thought you were surrounded by natives."
"Well, fortunately, they were only apes," said the doctor.
"At a distance there's no great difference," remarked Kennedy.
"Nor close at hand, either," added Joe.
"Well, however that may be," resumed Ferguson, "this attack of apes might have had the most serious consequences. Had the anchor yielded to their repeated efforts, who knows whither the wind would have carried me?"
"What did I tell you, Mr. Kennedy?"
"You were right, Joe; but, even right as you may have been, you were, at that moment, preparing some antelope-steaks, the very sight of which gave me a monstrous47 appetite."
"I believe you!" said the doctor; "the flesh of the antelope is exquisite48."
"You may judge of that yourself, now, sir, for supper's ready."
"Upon my word as a sportsman, those venison-steaks have a gamy flavor that's not to be sneezed at, I tell you."
"Good!" said Joe, with his mouth full, "I could live on antelope all the days of my life; and all the better with a glass of grog to wash it down."
So saying, the good fellow went to work to prepare a jorum of that fragrant49 beverage50, and all hands tasted it with satisfaction.
"Every thing has gone well thus far," said he.
"Very well indeed!" assented51 Kennedy.
"Come, now, Mr. Kennedy, are you sorry that you came with us?"
"I'd like to see anybody prevent my coming!"
It was now four o'clock in the afternoon. The Victoria had struck a more rapid current. The face of the country was gradually rising, and, ere long, the barometer52 indicated a height of fifteen hundred feet above the level of the sea. The doctor was, therefore, obliged to keep his balloon up by a quite considerable dilation53 of gas, and the cylinder54 was hard at work all the time.
Toward seven o'clock, the balloon was sailing over the basin of Kanyeme. The doctor immediately recognized that immense clearing, ten miles in extent, with its villages buried in the midst of baobab and calabash trees. It is the residence of one of the sultans of the Ugogo country, where civilization is, perhaps, the least backward. The natives there are less addicted55 to selling members of their own families, but still, men and animals all live together in round huts, without frames, that look like haystacks.
Beyond Kanyeme the soil becomes arid56 and stony57, but in an hour's journey, in a fertile dip of the soil, vegetation had resumed all its vigor58 at some distance from Mdaburu. The wind fell with the close of the day, and the atmosphere seemed to sleep. The doctor vainly sought for a current of air at different heights, and, at last, seeing this calm of all nature, he resolved to pass the night afloat, and, for greater safety, rose to the height of one thousand feet, where the balloon remained motionless. The night was magnificent, the heavens glittering with stars, and profoundly silent in the upper air.
Dick and Joe stretched themselves on their peaceful couch, and were soon sound asleep, the doctor keeping the first watch. At twelve o'clock the latter was relieved by Kennedy.
"Should the slightest accident happen, waken me," said Ferguson, "and, above all things, don't lose sight of the barometer. To us it is the compass!"
The night was cold. There were twenty-seven degrees of difference between its temperature and that of the daytime. With nightfall had begun the nocturnal concert of animals driven from their hiding-places by hunger and thirst. The frogs struck in their guttural soprano, redoubled by the yelping59 of the jackals, while the imposing60 bass61 of the African lion sustained the accords of this living orchestra.
Upon resuming his post, in the morning, the doctor consulted his compass, and found that the wind had changed during the night. The balloon had been bearing about thirty miles to the northwest during the last two hours. It was then passing over Mabunguru, a stony country, strewn with blocks of syenite of a fine polish, and knobbed with huge bowlders and angular ridges62 of rock; conic masses, like the rocks of Karnak, studded the soil like so many Druidic dolmens; the bones of buffaloes63 and elephants whitened it here and there; but few trees could be seen, excepting in the east, where there were dense64 woods, among which a few villages lay half concealed65.
Toward seven o'clock they saw a huge round rock nearly two miles in extent, like an immense tortoise.
"We are on the right track," said Dr. Ferguson. "There's Jihoue-la-Mkoa, where we must halt for a few minutes. I am going to renew the supply of water necessary for my cylinder, and so let us try to anchor somewhere."
"There are very few trees," replied the hunger.
"Never mind, let us try. Joe, throw out the anchors!"
The balloon, gradually losing its ascensional force, approached the ground; the anchors ran along until, at last, one of them caught in the fissure66 of a rock, and the balloon remained motionless.
It must not be supposed that the doctor could entirely67 extinguish his cylinder, during these halts. The equilibrium68 of the balloon had been calculated at the level of the sea; and, as the country was continually ascending69, and had reached an elevation70 of from six to seven hundred feet, the balloon would have had a tendency to go lower than the surface of the soil itself. It was, therefore, necessary to sustain it by a certain dilation of the gas. But, in case the doctor, in the absence of all wind, had let the car rest upon the ground, the balloon, thus relieved of a considerable weight, would have kept up of itself, without the aid of the cylinder.
The maps indicated extensive ponds on the western slope of the Jihoue-la-Mkoa. Joe went thither71 alone with a cask that would hold about ten gallons. He found the place pointed72 out to him, without difficulty, near to a deserted73 village; got his stock of water, and returned in less than three-quarters of an hour. He had seen nothing particular excepting some immense elephant-pits. In fact, he came very near falling into one of them, at the bottom of which lay a half-eaten carcass.
He brought back with him a sort of clover which the apes eat with avidity. The doctor recognized the fruit of the "mbenbu"-tree which grows in profusion74, on the western part of Jihoue-la-Mkoa. Ferguson waited for Joe with a certain feeling of impatience75, for even a short halt in this inhospitable region always inspires a degree of fear.
The water was got aboard without trouble, as the car was nearly resting on the ground. Joe then found it easy to loosen the anchor and leaped lightly to his place beside the doctor. The latter then replenished76 the flame in the cylinder, and the balloon majestically77 soared into the air.
It was then about one hundred miles from Kazeh, an important establishment in the interior of Africa, where, thanks to a south-southeasterly current, the travellers might hope to arrive on that same day. They were moving at the rate of fourteen miles per hour, and the guidance of the balloon was becoming difficult, as they dared not rise very high without extreme dilation of the gas, the country itself being at an average height of three thousand feet. Hence, the doctor preferred not to force the dilation, and so adroitly78 followed the sinuosities of a pretty sharply-inclined plane, and swept very close to the villages of Thembo and Tura-Wels. The latter forms part of the Unyamwezy, a magnificent country, where the trees attain79 enormous dimensions; among them the cactus80, which grows to gigantic size.
About two o'clock, in magnificent weather, but under a fiery81 sun that devoured82 the least breath of air, the balloon was floating over the town of Kazeh, situated83 about three hundred and fifty miles from the coast.
"We left Zanzibar at nine o'clock in the morning," said the doctor, consulting his notes, "and, after two days' passage, we have, including our deviations84, travelled nearly five hundred geographical85 miles. Captains Burton and Speke took four months and a half to make the same distance!"
桉树林——蓝羚羊——集合信号——突然袭击——卡涅梅——空中过夜——马班古鲁——吉乌拉姆考——储备水——抵达卡泽赫
这个地区干旱少水，粘土质的土地在太阳的烘烤下龟裂出条条缝缝，看上去分外荒凉。零零落落可以发现骆驼商队走过的一些痕迹。一堆堆人和牲畜的骸骨被蛀噬得七零八散，与尘土混在一起。
往前走了半个钟头后，肯尼迪和乔钻进一片桉树林。他们目光戒备，手指扳着枪机，仔细搜索着，谁也不知会和什么样的人打交道。乔虽不是位枪手，但拿起枪来倒也运用自如。
“肯尼迪先生，走一走倒挺不错。只不过这个鬼地方太不好走了。”乔跌跌撞撞地踩着满地的石英石碎块，说。
肯尼迪向他打了个手势让他站住别出声。要知道，打猎不带狗，需多费许多气力。不管乔多么灵巧，也不可能有短毛垂耳猎犬或猎兔狗那么灵敏的鼻子。
在一条尚剩下几洼死水的河床里，十几只大羚羊正在饮水。这群温雅的动物仿佛预感到有危险，显得十分不安。每饮一口水，它们都要敏捷地昂起美丽的头，掀动鼻孔，顺着猎人站的风向，使劲闻闻空气。
乔站在那儿一动不动，肯尼迪绕过几簇树丛，走到射程之内开了火。转眼间，羚羊群消失得无影无踪，惟独一只公羚羊肩部挨了一枪，倒下死了。肯尼迪急促奔向猎获物。
这是一只南非大羚羊，身子是近似发灰的浅蓝色，肚子和大腿内侧的颜色雪一样白，真是头漂亮的动物。
“这一枪打得真是地方！”猎人欢呼道，“这是一种十分罕见的动物。我要把皮好好剥下保存起来。”
“啊！您真想这么做吗，肯尼迪先生？”
“当然啦！瞧瞧，多好的毛啊！”
“但是，弗格森博士决不会答应带这么个额外负担的。”
“说的对，乔！不过把一只这么漂亮的动物整个扔掉，实在让人心里不痛快。”
“整个扔掉？不，肯尼迪先生，不是全扔掉。我们要取下它身上最有营养的好肉。如果您允许的话，我来干完这活，保证干得和令人尊敬的伦敦屠宰行业工会会员一样好。”
“朋友，你喜欢干就干吧。不过你要知道，我作为猎人，剥张猎物的皮不比杀它难。”
“肯尼迪先生， 我完全相信这点。好吧，如果不使您为难的话，请捡3块石子搭个灶，再捡点儿好枯树枝。几分钟后，我就得用您烧红的木炭了。”
“放心吧，用不了多大一会儿。”肯尼迪应道。
他立即着手搭灶。几分钟后，灶里就燃起熊熊烈火。
乔从羚羊身上弄下一打排骨和几块最嫩的里脊肉。它们很快就变成了美味可口的烤肉。
“塞缪尔·弗格森会对这些东西感到高兴的。”猎人说。
“肯尼迪先生，您知道我现在在想什么吗？”
“当然是想你干的事，想你的烤羚羊排啦。”
“完全不是的！我在想，如果我们回去找不到气球了，该是什么样子。”
“瞧你说的！想哪儿去了！你想要博士扔下我们吗？”
“当然不想啦。但是如果不巧气球脱锚了呢？”
“不可能。再说，弗格森不会没有办法再把气球降下的。他操纵气球相当有一手。”
“但是，如果风把气球吹跑了呢？如果气球没法回到咱们这儿来呢？”
“得了，乔，别再胡思乱想了。你那些乌七八糟的假设尽让人扫兴。”
“嗳，先生。这个世上发生什么事都很正常。既然什么都可能发生，还是应该多想想……”
乔的话音刚落，空中传来一声枪响。
“哎呀！”乔失声大叫。
“是我的马枪！我听得出它的声音。”
“是信号！”
“我们有危险。”
“也许是他。”乔猜测道。
“快走！”
两位猎手急忙收拾起烤好的猎物，沿着来时肯尼迪一路上做的记号往回赶。密密的矮树丛挡住了视线，他们无法看到“维多利亚号”，不过，他们知道不会离得太远。
这时，传来了第二响枪声。
“事情紧急了。”乔说。
“听！又响了一枪！”
“看样子，他像在自卫。”
“快点！”
他们拼命奔跑。一出树林，他们首先看到“维多利亚号”还在原来的地方停着，博士仍然待在吊篮里。
“到底出了什么事？”肯尼迪问。
“我的老天呀！”乔大叫一声。
“你看见了什么？”
“那边，一群黑人在袭击气球呢！”
果然， 2英里之外的地方，30个左右身影正挤在埃及无花果树下，指手画脚，又是叫喊，又是蹦跳，有几位已上了大树，正往树顶上爬。看来危在旦夕。
“我的主人性命难保了。”乔叫道。
“喂，乔，冷静点。瞅准喽，我们得干掉这其中的4个黑家伙。上！”
他们以惊人的速度跑了一英里。这时，吊篮里又响了一枪。这一枪击中了一个爬上错索的家伙。一具失去性命的躯体从一个树枝掉到另一个树枝，最后挂在离地面20尺高的地方，四肢在空中摇来摆去。
“喔唷！”乔停下脚步，惊讶地说，“这个畜生挂在哪儿了，怎么会掉不下来呀？”
“管它呢，”肯尼迪答道，“快跑！快跑！”
“喂！肯尼迪先生。”乔放声大笑地说，“它是用尾巴挂住的，确实是用尾巴！原来是只猴子！这不过是群猴子！”
“总比是人好多了。”肯尼迪边回话，边向吱吱乱叫的猴群冲了过去。
这是群令人生畏的狒狒，凶猛而粗暴。他们的鼻子和嘴像狗，看上去很可怕。不过，几声枪响就轻而易举地制服了它们。这帮鬼脸模样的畜生很快四处逃窜，地上留下了好几具它们同类的尸体。
转眼间，肯尼迪攀牢了绳梯。乔爬到埃及无花果树上，摘掉了锚。吊篮一直降到他跟前。乔毫不费力地爬了进去。几分钟后，“维多利亚号”升到空中，在和风的吹动下向东驶去。
“真是一场突然袭击！”乔说。
“我们还以为你遭到土人的围攻了呢。”
“幸好只是一群猴子！”博士答道。
“亲爱的弗格森，从远处可看不大出来。”
“近处看区别也不大。”乔附和道。
“不管怎样，”博士接着说，“猴子的这种攻击也可以造成严重的后果。如果在猴子的反复摇晃下，锚被拉了出来，谁知道风会把我带到哪儿去？”
“肯尼迪先生，还记得我当时怎么给您说的吗？”
“乔，你说的对。不过，对是对，当时你正在烤羚羊排。我呢，看见它就已经嘴馋了。”
“这我完全相信，”博士答道，“羚羊肉确实美味可口。”
“您可以品尝品尝，先生，桌子摆好了。”
“肯定品尝。”猎人说，“这些肉片有种特别的野香味，可不能忽略了哟。”
“噢，那我就吃一辈子羚羊肉，最好再能有杯掺糖水的烈酒助助消化。”乔嘴里塞得满满的，说。
他马上去准备那种刚刚提到的饮料，因为，大家都喜欢品尝。
“直到现在，一切都还相当不错。”他满意地说。
“何止不错，是非常好。”肯尼迪更正道。
“哦，肯尼迪先生，您还后悔陪我们来吗？”
“我本想看看谁阻止得了我！”猎人神情坚定地答道。
已经是下午4点。 “维多利亚号”遇到了一股较强气流。地势不知不觉间升高了。气压柱标明气球在海拔1500尺的高度上。这时间里，博士不得不把氢气膨胀得相当厉害，以保持气球的高度不变，氢氧喷嘴因此就得不停地喷着火焰。
将近7点钟， “维多利亚号”漂浮到了卡涅梅盆地的上空。在猴面包树和葫芦树的树丛中隐藏着一个个村庄，博士立即认出这块方圆10英里大小的广阔开垦地。乌戈戈国一位苏丹①的王宫就在这儿。乌戈戈国的文明发展也许不那么滞后，很少有卖自己家庭成员的。但是人畜仍然同住，一起生活在没有框架的圆形茅屋里。这种茅屋活像个干草垛。
①伊斯兰教国家的君主。
过了卡涅梅，大地逐渐干燥起来，地面净是石子。但一小时后，在离姆达布鲁有段距离的一块肥沃的洼地里，草木又恢复了勃勃生机。随着夜晚的到来，风平息了，大气层仿佛睡着了。博士徒劳地在不同的高度寻找气流。最后，看到大自然这般寂静，他决定在空中过夜。为安全起见，他索性把气球上升1000尺左右。“维多利亚号”纹丝不动地停在了空中。静说中，美妙的繁星之夜来临了。
狄克·肯尼迪和乔安稳地躺在自己的铺上，很快坠入了梦乡。博士依然值第一班。午夜时分，苏格兰人替换了他。
“哪怕出现一点小意外，也要喊醒我。”博士向肯尼迪交待说，“尤其是眼睛别离开气压表，它可是我们的罗盘！”
夜里冷了起来，白天和夜晚的温度差达到27度（14摄氏度）。
随着夜幕的降临，动物们的音乐晚会开始了；饥渴把它们从洞穴赶了出来。青蛙亮出它那女高音般的嗓子，声音大的比豺的尖叫声还要高一倍；与此同时，狮子那庄严的男高音支撑住了这支富有生气的乐队的和音。
清晨返回工作位置后，弗格森博士马上查看了他的‘罗盘’。他发现，风在夜间变了方向。 大约2个小时的时间里，“维多利亚号”向东北偏航了30英里左右。现在，它正经过马班古鲁的上空。马班古鲁是个多石的国家，到处是大块大块美丽光滑的黑花岗岩石。高高隆起的岩石使地面凸凹不平。许多相似于卡纳克①峭石的圆锥状山包星罗棋布，犹如一座座德洛伊教祭司的石桌坟。水牛和大象的堆堆白骨到处可见。树木很少，东边才有片黑森森的树林。林中隐藏着几个村落。
①古埃及底比斯的阿蒙神神庙，是一综合性的巨大建筑群。
7点钟左右，下面显现一块面积约2英里大小的圆形岩石。它的形状像一个大乌龟壳。
“我们没走错路。”博士说，“这儿就是吉乌拉姆考，我们去那儿歇一会儿。我打算把储备水更换一下。它可是用来供给氢氧喷嘴的，是不可缺少的。试试看，我们能勾住哪儿。”
“树太少了。”猎人答道。
“我们试试。乔，把锚扔下去。”
升力逐渐减小，气球接近了地面。锚在地上迅速地移动，不久，一只爪子卡进一条岩石缝里。“维多利亚号”停下不动了。
不要以为博士会在停歇时把火完全熄掉。气球的平衡是以海拔高度为零时计算的。海拔高度不同，气球的平衡条件就要发生变化。既然地势一直抬高，最后达海拔600至700尺，如果气球的平衡条件仍按海拔零度时计算，它就要越飞越低，最后比地面还要低得多。因此，需要依靠把氢气膨胀到一定程度，才能维持气球在空中掉不下来。只有在完全无风时，博士才让吊篮降到地面上。这时，气球因少了大量压重的重物，可以不靠氢氧喷嘴的帮助而停在空中。
地图标明，在吉乌拉姆考的西坡上有一些大水潭。乔拿着桶独自去了那里。这个桶可以盛10加仑水。他毫不困难地找到了水潭。那地方距一个荒废了的小村庄不远。他把桶盛满水，马上返回了气球。整个过程不到三刻钟。一路上，他除了遇上几个大的捕象陷阱外，没见到任何不平常的事。他甚至险些掉进一个捕象陷饼中。那里面躺着一具已经被蛀噬一半的大象骨骼。
他这次出去带回一种猴子特别喜欢吃的欧楂模样的果实。博士认出这是姆邦布树上的果实。这种树在吉乌拉姆考西部很常见。乔外出期间，弗格森一直有些忐忑不安，因为，在这个不怎么好客的地方哪怕停留几分钟也会让他一直提心吊胆的。吊篮降得几乎挨着了地面，水毫不费劲就送了上去。乔取下锚后，轻快地钻进吊篮，回到主人的跟前。博士立即把火力加大，很快，“维多利亚号”又回到空中的航线，继续飞行了。
现在，气球距卡泽赫约100英里。卡泽赫是非洲内地的一个重镇。由于是东风，旅行家们有指望在天黑前抵达那儿。他们以每小时14英里的速度往前进发。这时，气球已相当难以驾驭；不使氢气大大膨胀，气球就无法上升很高，因为，这一地区的地面平均高度已达海拔3000英尺。只要有可能，博士就不想使氢气膨胀，他因此不得不异常灵巧地操纵着气球，沿着相当陡峭的山坡时升时降，低低擦过坦波村和图拉·威尔斯村上空。图拉·威尔斯村是乌尼央维基地区的一部分。这个地区美丽如画，棵棵树木高耸入云，种种植物枝大叶茂，仙人掌更是长成了庞然大物。
将近下午2点， 天气晴好，似火骄阳仿佛吞噬了哪怕最微小的气流，整个空气都凝固了。此时，“维多利亚号”漫游到了距海岸350英里的卡泽赫城上空。
“我们是早上9点钟从桑给巴尔启程的， ”弗格森博士翻看着笔记说，“由于绕道， 我们两天里已经飞了约500地理里。要知道，伯顿上尉和斯皮克上尉走这么长的路竟花了四个半月啊！”
收听单词发音 |
1
antelope
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| n.羚羊；羚羊皮 | |
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parched
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| adj.焦干的；极渴的；v.（使）焦干 | |
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caravans
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| （可供居住的）拖车（通常由机动车拖行）( caravan的名词复数 )； 篷车； （穿过沙漠地带的）旅行队（如商队） | |
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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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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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trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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quartz
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| n.石英 | |
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dispense
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| vt.分配，分发；配(药)，发(药)；实施 | |
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agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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quenching
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| 淬火，熄 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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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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belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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savory
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| adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的 | |
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broils
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| v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的第三人称单数 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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tickle
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| v.搔痒，胳肢；使高兴；发痒；n.搔痒，发痒 | |
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broiling
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| adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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bough
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| n.大树枝，主枝 | |
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density
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| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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villains
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| n.恶棍( villain的名词复数 )；罪犯；（小说、戏剧等中的）反面人物；淘气鬼 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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baboons
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| n.狒狒( baboon的名词复数 ) | |
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brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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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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muzzles
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| 枪口( muzzle的名词复数 )； （防止动物咬人的）口套； （四足动物的）鼻口部； （狗）等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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41
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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scampered
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| v.蹦蹦跳跳地跑，惊惶奔跑( scamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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wafted
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| v.吹送，飘送，（使）浮动( waft的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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monstrous
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| adj.巨大的；恐怖的；可耻的，丢脸的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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beverage
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| n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料 | |
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51
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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dilation
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| n.膨胀，扩张，扩大 | |
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54
cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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vigor
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| n.活力，精力，元气 | |
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yelping
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| v.发出短而尖的叫声( yelp的现在分词 ) | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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bass
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| n.男低音(歌手)；低音乐器；低音大提琴 | |
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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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buffaloes
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| n.水牛（分非洲水牛和亚洲水牛两种）( buffalo的名词复数 )；（南非或北美的）野牛；威胁；恐吓 | |
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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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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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equilibrium
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| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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profusion
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| n.挥霍；丰富 | |
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impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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76
replenished
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| 补充( replenish的过去式和过去分词 )； 重新装满 | |
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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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adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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cactus
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| n.仙人掌 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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82
devoured
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| 吞没( devour的过去式和过去分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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84
deviations
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| 背离，偏离( deviation的名词复数 )； 离经叛道的行为 | |
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85
geographical
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| adj.地理的；地区(性)的 | |
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