The Mountains of the Moon.--An Ocean of Verdure.--They cast Anchor.--The Towing Elephant.--A Running Fire.--Death of the Monster.--The Field-Oven.--A Meal on the Grass.--A Night on the Ground.
About four in the morning, Monday, the sun reappeared in the horizon; the clouds had dispersed1, and a cheery breeze refreshed the morning dawn.
The earth, all redolent with fragrant2 exhalations, reappeared to the gaze of our travellers. The balloon, whirled about by opposing currents, had hardly budged3 from its place, and the doctor, letting the gas contract, descended4 so as to get a more northerly direction. For a long while his quest was fruitless; the wind carried him toward the west until he came in sight of the famous Mountains of the Moon, which grouped themselves in a semicircle around the extremity5 of Lake Tanganayika; their ridges6, but slightly indented7, stood out against the bluish horizon, so that they might have been mistaken for a natural fortification, not to be passed by the explorers of the centre of Africa. Among them were a few isolated8 cones9, revealing the mark of the eternal snows.
"Here we are at last," said the doctor, "in an unexplored country! Captain Burton pushed very far to the westward10, but he could not reach those celebrated11 mountains; he even denied their existence, strongly as it was affirmed by Speke, his companion. He pretended that they were born in the latter's fancy; but for us, my friends, there is no further doubt possible."
"Shall we cross them?" asked Kennedy.
"Not, if it please God. I am looking for a wind that will take me back toward the equator. I will even wait for one, if necessary, and will make the balloon like a ship that casts anchor, until favorable breezes come up."
But the foresight12 of the doctor was not long in bringing its reward; for, after having tried different heights, the Victoria at length began to sail off to the northeastward with medium speed.
"We are in the right track," said the doctor, consulting his compass, "and scarcely two hundred feet from the surface; lucky circumstances for us, enabling us, as they do, to reconnoitre these new regions. When Captain Speke set out to discover Lake Ukereoue, he ascended14 more to the eastward13 in a straight line above Kazeh."
"Shall we keep on long in this way?" inquired the Scot.
"Perhaps. Our object is to push a point in the direction of the sources of the Nile; and we have more than six hundred miles to make before we get to the extreme limit reached by the explorers who came from the north."
"And we shan't set foot on the solid ground?" murmured Joe; "it's enough to cramp15 a fellow's legs!"
"Oh, yes, indeed, my good Joe," said the doctor, reassuring16 him; "we have to economize17 our provisions, you know; and on the way, Dick, you must get us some fresh meat."
"Whenever you like, doctor."
"We shall also have to replenish18 our stock of water. Who knows but we may be carried to some of the dried-up regions? So we cannot take too many precautions."
At noon the Victoria was at twenty-nine degrees fifteen minutes east longitude19, and three degrees fifteen minutes south latitude20. She passed the village of Uyofu, the last northern limit of the Unyamwezi, opposite to the Lake Ukereoue, which could still be seen.
The tribes living near to the equator seem to be a little more civilized21, and are governed by absolute monarchs22, whose control is an unlimited23 despotism. Their most compact union of power constitutes the province of Karagwah.
It was decided24 by the aeronauts that they would alight at the first favorable place. They found that they should have to make a prolonged halt, and take a careful inspection25 of the balloon: so the flame of the cylinder26 was moderated, and the anchors, flung out from the car, ere long began to sweep the grass of an immense prairie, that, from a certain height, looked like a shaven lawn, but the growth of which, in reality, was from seven to eight feet in height.
The balloon skimmed this tall grass without bending it, like a gigantic butterfly: not an obstacle was in sight; it was an ocean of verdure without a single breaker.
"We might proceed a long time in this style," remarked Kennedy; "I don't see one tree that we could approach, and I'm afraid that our hunt's over."
"Wait, Dick; you could not hunt anyhow in this grass, that grows higher than your head. We'll find a favorable place presently."
In truth, it was a charming excursion that they were making now--a veritable navigation on this green, almost transparent27 sea, gently undulating in the breath of the wind. The little car seemed to cleave28 the waves of verdure, and, from time to time, coveys of birds of magnificent plumage would rise fluttering from the tall herbage, and speed away with joyous29 cries. The anchors plunged30 into this lake of flowers, and traced a furrow31 that closed behind them, like the wake of a ship.
All at once a sharp shock was felt--the anchor had caught in the fissure32 of some rock hidden in the high grass.
"We are fast!" exclaimed Joe.
These words had scarcely been uttered when a shrill33 cry rang through the air, and the following phrases, mingled34 with exclamations35, escaped from the lips of our travellers:
"What's that?"
"A strange cry!"
"Look! Why, we're moving!"
"The anchor has slipped!"
"No; it holds, and holds fast too!" said Joe, who was tugging37 at the rope.
"It's the rock, then, that's moving!"
An immense rustling38 was noticed in the grass, and soon an elongated39, winding40 shape was seen rising above it.
"A serpent!" shouted Joe.
"A serpent!" repeated Kennedy, handling his rifle.
"No," said the doctor, "it's an elephant's trunk!"
"An elephant, Samuel?"
And, as Kennedy said this, he drew his rifle to his shoulder.
"Wait, Dick; wait!"
"That's a fact! The animal's towing us!"
"And in the right direction, Joe--in the right direction."
The elephant was now making some headway, and soon reached a clearing where his whole body could be seen. By his gigantic size, the doctor recognized a male of a superb species. He had two whitish tusks41, beautifully curved, and about eight feet in length; and in these the shanks of the anchor had firmly caught. The animal was vainly trying with his trunk to disengage himself from the rope that attached him to the car.
"Get up--go ahead, old fellow!" shouted Joe, with delight, doing his best to urge this rather novel team. "Here is a new style of travelling!--no more horses for me. An elephant, if you please!"
"But where is he taking us to?" said Kennedy, whose rifle itched43 in his grasp.
"He's taking us exactly to where we want to go, my dear Dick. A little patience!"
"'Wig-a-more! wig-a-more!' as the Scotch44 country folks say," shouted Joe, in high glee. "Gee-up! gee-up there!"
The huge animal now broke into a very rapid gallop45. He flung his trunk from side to side, and his monstrous46 bounds gave the car several rather heavy thumps47. Meanwhile the doctor stood ready, hatchet48 in hand, to cut the rope, should need arise.
"But," said he, "we shall not give up our anchor until the last moment."
This drive, with an elephant for the team, lasted about an hour and a half; yet the animal did not seem in the least fatigued49. These immense creatures can go over a great deal of ground, and, from one day to another, are found at enormous distances from there they were last seen, like the whales, whose mass and speed they rival.
"In fact," said Joe, "it's a whale that we have harpooned50; and we're only doing just what whalemen do when out fishing."
But a change in the nature of the ground compelled the doctor to vary his style of locomotion51. A dense52 grove53 of calmadores was descried54 on the horizon, about three miles away, on the north of the prairie. So it became necessary to detach the balloon from its draught-animal at last.
Kennedy was intrusted with the job of bringing the elephant to a halt. He drew his rifle to his shoulder, but his position was not favorable to a successful shot; so that the first ball fired flattened55 itself on the animal's skull56, as it would have done against an iron plate. The creature did not seem in the least troubled by it; but, at the sound of the discharge, he had increased his speed, and now was going as fast as a horse at full gallop.
"The deuce!" ejaculated Kennedy.
"What a solid head!" commented Joe.
"We'll try some conical balls behind the shoulder-joint," said Kennedy, reloading his rifle with care. In another moment he fired.
The animal gave a terrible cry, but went on faster than ever.
"Come!" said Joe, taking aim with another gun, "I must help you, or we'll never end it." And now two balls penetrated57 the creature's side.
The elephant halted, lifted his trunk, and resumed his run toward the wood with all his speed; he shook his huge head, and the blood began to gush58 from his wounds.
"Let us keep up our fire, Mr. Kennedy."
"And a continuous fire, too," urged the doctor, "for we are close on the woods."
Ten shots more were discharged. The elephant made a fearful bound; the car and balloon cracked as though every thing were going to pieces, and the shock made the doctor drop his hatchet on the ground.
The situation was thus rendered really very alarming; the anchor-rope, which had securely caught, could not be disengaged, nor could it yet be cut by the knives of our aeronauts, and the balloon was rushing headlong toward the wood, when the animal received a ball in the eye just as he lifted his head. On this he halted, faltered59, his knees bent60 under him, and he uncovered his whole flank to the assaults of his enemies in the balloon.
"A bullet in his heart!" said Kennedy, discharging one last rifle-shot.
The elephant uttered a long bellow61 of terror and agony, then raised himself up for a moment, twirling his trunk in the air, and finally fell with all his weight upon one of his tusks, which he broke off short. He was dead.
"His tusk42's broken!" exclaimed Kennedy--"ivory too that in England would bring thirty-five guineas per hundred pounds."
"As much as that?" said Joe, scrambling62 down to the ground by the anchor-rope.
"What's the use of sighing over it, Dick?" said the doctor. "Are we ivory merchants? Did we come hither to make money?"
Joe examined the anchor and found it solidly attached to the unbroken tusk. The doctor and Dick leaped out on the ground, while the balloon, now half emptied, hovered63 over the body of the huge animal.
"What a splendid beast!" said Kennedy, "what a mass of flesh! I never saw an elephant of that size in India!"
"There's nothing surprising about that, my dear Dick; the elephants of Central Africa are the finest in the world. The Andersons and the Cummings have hunted so incessantly64 in the neighborhood of the Cape36, that these animals have migrated to the equator, where they are often met with in large herds65."
"In the mean while, I hope," added Joe, "that we'll taste a morsel66 of this fellow. I'll undertake to get you a good dinner at his expense. Mr. Kennedy will go off and hunt for an hour or two; the doctor will make an inspection of the balloon, and, while they're busy in that way, I'll do the cooking."
"A good arrangement!" said the doctor; "so do as you like, Joe."
"As for me," said the hunter, "I shall avail myself of the two hours' recess67 that Joe has condescended68 to let me have."
"Go, my friend, but no imprudence! Don't wander too far away."
"Never fear, doctor!" and, so saying, Dick, shouldering his gun, plunged into the woods.
Forthwith Joe went to work at his vocation69. At first he made a hole in the ground two feet deep; this he filled with the dry wood that was so abundantly scattered70 about, where it had been strewn by the elephants, whose tracks could be seen where they had made their way through the forest. This hole filled, he heaped a pile of fagots on it a foot in height, and set fire to it.
Then he went back to the carcass of the elephant, which had fallen only about a hundred feet from the edge of the forest; he next proceeded adroitly71 to cut off the trunk, which might have been two feet in diameter at the base; of this he selected the most delicate portion, and then took with it one of the animal's spongy feet. In fact, these are the finest morsels72, like the hump of the bison, the paws of the bear, and the head of the wild boar.
When the pile of fagots had been thoroughly73 consumed, inside and outside, the hole, cleared of the cinders74 and hot coals, retained a very high temperature. The pieces of elephant-meat, surrounded with aromatic75 leaves, were placed in this extempore oven and covered with hot coals. Then Joe piled up a second heap of sticks over all, and when it had burned out the meat was cooked to a turn.
Then Joe took the viands76 from the oven, spread the savory77 mess upon green leaves, and arranged his dinner upon a magnificent patch of greensward. He finally brought out some biscuit, some coffee, and some cognac, and got a can of pure, fresh water from a neighboring streamlet.
The repast thus prepared was a pleasant sight to behold78, and Joe, without being too proud, thought that it would also be pleasant to eat.
"A journey without danger or fatigue," he soliloquized; "your meals when you please; a swinging hammock all the time! What more could a man ask? And there was Kennedy, who didn't want to come!"
On his part, Dr. Ferguson was engrossed79 in a serious and thorough examination of the balloon. The latter did not appear to have suffered from the storm; the silk and the gutta percha had resisted wonderfully, and, upon estimating the exact height of the ground and the ascensional force of the balloon, our aeronaut saw, with satisfaction, that the hydrogen was in exactly the same quantity as before. The covering had remained completely waterproof80.
It was now only five days since our travellers had quitted Zanzibar; their pemmican had not yet been touched; their stock of biscuit and potted meat was enough for a long trip, and there was nothing to be replenished81 but the water.
The pipes and spiral seemed to be in perfect condition, since, thanks to their india-rubber jointings, they had yielded to all the oscillations of the balloon. His examination ended, the doctor betook himself to setting his notes in order. He made a very accurate sketch82 of the surrounding landscape, with its long prairie stretching away out of sight, the forest of calmadores, and the balloon resting motionless over the body of the dead elephant.
At the end of his two hours, Kennedy returned with a string of fat partridges and the haunch of an oryx, a sort of gemsbok belonging to the most agile83 species of antelopes84. Joe took upon himself to prepare this surplus stock of provisions for a later repast.
"But, dinner's ready!" he shouted in his most musical voice.
And the three travellers had only to sit down on the green turf. The trunk and feet of the elephant were declared to be exquisite85. Old England was toasted, as usual, and delicious Havanas perfumed this charming country for the first time.
Kennedy ate, drank, and chatted, like four; he was perfectly86 delighted with his new life, and seriously proposed to the doctor to settle in this forest, to construct a cabin of boughs87 and foliage88, and, there and then, to lay the foundation of a Robinson Crusoe dynasty in Africa.
The proposition went no further, although Joe had, at once, selected the part of Man Friday for himself.
The country seemed so quiet, so deserted89, that the doctor resolved to pass the night on the ground, and Joe arranged a circle of watch-fires as an indispensable barrier against wild animals, for the hyenas90, cougars91, and jackals, attracted by the smell of the dead elephant, were prowling about in the neighborhood. Kennedy had to fire his rifle several times at these unceremonious visitors, but the night passed without any untoward92 occurrence.
月亮山——绿色的海洋——扔下锚——牵引气球的大象——猛烈开火——厚皮动物之死——原野间搭烤炉——草地上就餐——陆地上过夜
星期一，早上6点左右，太阳跃出了地平线。乌云四散，柔风吹拂着熹微晨光，空气格外凉爽。
散发着清香的大地重新映入了几位旅行家的眼帘。一直在对流气团中转来转去的气球几乎没有离开老地方。博士一边让氢气收缩，一边降低气球，以企找到往北去的气流。他费了很长的时间，仍没有结果。风吹动“维多利亚号”向西飞去，一直到了望见月亮山的地方。月亮山呈半环状，怀抱着半个坦噶尼喀湖。远方近似青色的地平线上，清楚地显现出较为平缓的山峦。可以说，它是到非洲中部去的探险家们难以逾越的一条天然屏障。一些孤峰披着长年不化的积雪。
“我们现在到了一个从未有人勘察过的地区。”弗格森博士开口说道，“伯顿上尉向西行进了很远，但是没能抵达这座名山下。他甚至否认有这么一座山，尽管他的同伴斯皮克向他肯定过。他断言这是斯皮克想象出来的。诸位朋友，对我们来说，这座山的存在不会再有任何疑问了。”
“我们飞过去吗？”肯尼迪来了兴致。
“但愿别飞过去。我想找到一股能把我们再带向赤道的顺风。如果需要的话，我甚至打算等一等。事实上，我将把‘维多利亚号’当作一艘船来操纵，逆风时就把锚抛下去。”
不过，博士的预言很快成为现实。在试了各种不同的高度后，“维多利亚号”终于以不快不慢的速度向东北飘去。
“我们的方向正对头。 ”博士查了查罗盘说，“现在我们离地面将近200尺，考察这个地区再合适不过了。斯皮克上尉去寻找乌克雷维湖时，是更靠东些沿着卡泽赫北面的直线走的。”
“我们要这样飞很长时间吗？”肯尼迪问。
“也许吧，我们的目标是要推进到尼罗河源头的岸边。这样算来，要到达由北方出发的探险家到过的最远点，我们还必须飞600多英里。”
“那么，我们不能着陆，活动一下腿脚再飞吗？”乔问。
“是要着陆的，再说，我们必须节省食物。喂，勇敢的肯尼迪，途中你可要给我们提供些新鲜肉哟。”
“弗格森老友，只要你想要，随时供应！”
“我们还要把水箱的水补充一下。谁知道我们会不会被带到没水的地方去？有备无患总好些。”
中午时分， “维多利亚号”飞到东经29度15分，南纬3度15分的地方。气球穿过乌约夫村的上空。该村是乌尼央维基最北的边界，离乌克雷维湖不远。不过，在气球上还看不见该湖。
靠近赤道居住的部落好像比较开化些。这些部落分别由一些权力无边的独裁君王统治着。部落最稠密的地区构成了卡拉瓜省①的地盘。
①位于现在的刚果境内。
三位旅行家决定下来，一遇到合适的空地就着陆。他们准备多停些时候。再说，气球也需要仔细检查一下。氢氧喷嘴的火头调小了。从吊篮里抛出的锚很快就掠着了茫茫草原上的阔叶高草。凭高俯瞰，草原就像是一块平展展的草坪，但实际上，这块草坪上的草足有七八尺深。
“维多利亚号”如同一只巨大的蝴蝶，擦着草地轻轻飞过，甚至连草都没压弯。一眼望去，地上没有任何障碍物，真像一片岩礁不存的绿色海洋。
“看来，我们得这样飞很久了。”肯尼迪说，“瞅不见哪儿有树能挂住锚。我想，打猎恐怕也要落空了。”
“等一下吧，亲爱的肯尼迪。草比你还高，你是不可能在这种地方打猎的。我们最终会找到一块好地方。”
这确实是一次愉快的漫游，一次十足的海上航行。这片大海是那么的绿，几乎透明，在风的吹拂下时时漾起微微的波浪。吊篮似乎成了名副其实的划艇，正在这片海洋中劈波斩浪。一群色彩艳丽、欢快地歌唱着的飞鸟，从阔叶高草中不时惊起。垂下的锚隐没在这片花海中，犁出一道浅浅的痕迹。如同水上泛舟激起的微波一样，这道浅痕在锚的后面转眼消失了。
突然，气球猛地震动了一下。锚显然勾住了这片大草坪遮盖下的一块石头的缝隙。
“勾住了！”乔欢呼道。
“好极了！快放绳梯。”猎人迫不及待地吩咐。
话音未落，下面传来一声尖叫。紧接着，3位旅行家情不自禁地失声惊呼起来。
“这是什么？”
“叫声好奇怪！”
“瞧！我们在往前进！”
“脱锚了吗？”
“啊，不对！锚还勾着呢。”乔拉了拉锚索，说。
“莫非石头会走？”
草丛中，的确出现一大片骚动。不多久，一个长长的弯弯曲曲的东西从草丛里露了出来。
“蛇！”乔叫道。
“蛇！”肯尼迪一边喊，一边给他的马枪上膛。
“不对！是象的鼻子。”博士更正道。
“什么，弗格森？是一只象？”肯尼迪思忖着，端起了武器。
“等一等，肯尼迪，等一等！”博士连忙叫住猎人。
“的确不错！这个蠢货拖着我们走呢。”
“而且，它的方向正对。乔，它正往我们要去的方向拖。”
大象快步往前移动，不多久到了一块空地上。这一来可以看清大象的整个身躯了。博士从它巨大的个头辨认出这是一只优种公象。它的嘴上长着两颗曲线优美的白牙。这对牙可能有8尺长。锚的爪正好牢牢地钩在两颗象牙之间。
大象试图用鼻子弄断把它与吊篮连在一起的锚索，然而，一切努力均无济于事。
“前进！勇敢点！”乔欣喜若狂地大呼小叫，使劲吆喝着这只奇特的“辕马”，“这又是一种新的旅行方式！比用马强多了！有象听您的使唤呢。”
“可是，它在把我们往哪儿带呀？”肯尼迪挥了挥手中的枪问。他真想放上一枪。
“亲爱的肯尼迪，它正带我们去我们想去的地方。耐心点儿吧！”
“就像苏格兰农民说的：‘Wig a more！Wig a more！’”乔兴高采烈地叫道，“走啊！走啊！”
大象发疯似地奔跑起来，鼻子左右甩动着，特别是它往前跳的时候，总要扯得吊篮猛地乱晃一阵。博士手里拿着斧子准备着，如果有必要，马上砍断锚索。
“不过，不到最后时刻，我们不把锚丢下。”他说。
大象拖着气球跑了一个半小时，仍没显出丝毫疲惫的样子。这种厚度的庞然大物很能跑。它就像块头和行进速度都差不多的鲸一样，一夜之间可以跑很远很远的路。
“其实，”乔说，“它就是我们用鱼叉叉住的一条鲸，所以，我们只要学着用捕鲸人捕鲸时用的手段就行了。”
可是，地面自然条件的改变迫使博士不得不改变移动的方式了。
在草原北面约3英里的地方出现了一片“卡马尔多” 树密林。现在使气球与它的“司机”分手，成了当务之急。
肯尼迪理所当然担负起使大象在奔跑中停下来的任务。他端起了马枪。要想成功地击中大象，他处的位置可不大有利。第一枪打到了象的颅骨上，可是子弹就像打在钢板上似的给撞扁了。大象看上去没有丝毫反应，听到子弹的射击声，它的步伐反而更快了，速度变得像飞驰的赛马一样。
“真见鬼！”肯巴迪愤愤地说。
“多硬的脑袋！”乔惊讶地叹道。
“我们再来试试打几粒尖头子弹。”肯尼迪说着，仔细地往他的马枪里装上子弹，接着开了一枪。
大象发出一声可怕的叫声，但跑得更快了。
“好吧，”乔说着拿起一支枪来，“肯尼迪先生，我该来帮您一把，要不然，完不了。”
两粒子弹同时击中了大象的双肋。
大象停了下来，扬了扬长鼻，接着又飞速向树林跑去。它晃着大脑袋，鲜血开始泉涌般从伤口流出来。
“肯尼迪先生，咱们接着打吧。”
“不仅接着打，而且要不停地打。”博士补充说，“我们离树林只有20托瓦兹远了！”
又响了十几枪。大象拼命一窜，吊篮和气球噼啪乱响像散了架似的。博士手中的斧子也被这一晃，撞得跌落到了地上。
这时，情况变得十分危急。牢牢固定在吊篮里的锚索解也解不开，用旅行刀又割不断。就在气球靠近树林，大象扬头的一刹那间，眼睛挨了一枪。它停下来，身子摇晃一下，跪倒在地上。这一下，它的肋部正好朝着猎人。
“再给心脏来一枪。”猎人说着，射出了马枪里最后一粒子弹。
大象发出了垂死的哀嚎。它又挺起身子站了一会儿，甩了甩长鼻子，然后重重地倒了下去。它那对好看的象牙，有一根在它倒地时拖断了。大象终于死了。
“它的象牙断了一根！ ”肯尼迪叫道，“在英国，100斤重的象牙值35畿尼①呢！”“那么值钱吗？”乔一边问，一边顺着锚索滑到地上。
①英国旧时金币名，1畿尼等于21先令。
“亲爱的肯尼迪，惋惜有什么用。”弗格森博士说，“我们是象牙商吗？我们来这儿是发财的吗？”
乔查看了一下锚。它仍然牢牢地卡在那颗完好无损的象牙上。弗格森和肯尼迪跳到了地上，膨胀一半的气球在大象的躯体上方摇来摆去。
“多出色的大象！”肯尼迪欣赏地说，“多大的块头！我在印度还从来没见过这么大的象呢！”
“亲爱的肯尼迪，这没有什么值得大惊小怪的。非洲中部的象是世界上最漂亮的象了。由于安德森和卡明两伙人在开普敦周围地区乱杀滥捕，大象都迁移到了赤道地区。以后我们在赤道附近会经常遇到成群成群的大象。”
“我想，我们暂且品尝一点儿大象肉，怎么样？”乔建议，“我保证用这只大象身上的东西给你们收拾出一顿美味佳肴来。肯尼迪先生去打一二个小时的猎。弗格森先生去检查‘维多利亚号’。我呢，就趁这段时间来烧菜。”
“安排得挺不错。”博士赞同地说，“就这么办。你爱怎么烧就怎么烧吧。”
“至于我嘛，”猎人开玩笑地说，“我就去用掉这两个小时的自由支配时间吧。这可是承蒙乔俯允我支配的哟。”
“朋友，去吧，不过要多加小心，别走远了。”
“放心吧。”
于是，肯尼迪带着枪，一头扎进了林子。
这时， 乔动手忙起他的事来。他首先在地上挖了一个2尺深的坑，里面填上枯树枝。这东西地上到处都有，其中许多都是大象在林中经过时弄断的。这一点从那些大象脚印上可以看出来。坑填满后，他在坑上面堆起两英尺高的一个柴垛，把火点着。然后，他转身走到距树林10托瓦兹远的地方。大象的尸体就倒在那儿。他灵巧地切下靠近象鼻根部这一段最粗的象鼻。这一部分象鼻约2尺宽，是肉质最嫩的。另外，他又切下一只象掌。他选的这些，其实都是大象身上最好吃的东西，就像野牛里脊、熊掌或野猪头一样。
当柴堆烧完后，乔把坑里的灰烬和木炭扒出来。这时，坑里的温度很高。他用有芳香气味的树叶把象鼻和象掌分别精心包好，放入这个临时烤炉中，埋上热灰。随后，他在上面又堆起一个柴垛。等到这堆柴烧尽后，肉正好烤熟了。
乔从他的烤炉中掏出烧好的晚餐。他把这些香味扑鼻的肉放在绿叶上，摆到一块优美宜人的草坪中。之后，他又从吊篮里拿来了饼干、烈酒、咖啡，还从旁边的小溪里舀来些凉爽清澈的溪水。
摆放整齐的这“桌”盛宴让人赏心悦目。但是，乔并没因此得意忘形，他认为吃起来才会更加令人高兴呢。
“既不累，又安全。这趟旅行太美了！”他满意地唠叨着，“饭按钟点开；吊床随时可睡，还想要什么？可是，这位亲爱的肯尼迪先生竟然还不想来！”
旁边，弗格森博士正专心致志地细心检查气球。“维多利亚号”看上去没有受到暴风骤雨的损害。塔夫绸和球囊外表涂的马来橡胶都出色地经受住了考验。测过所在地区的海拔高度，并计算了气球的升力之后，博士满意地发现氢气一点没少，气球外壳至今仍然一点不透水。
算来，旅行家们离开桑给巴尔才五天。干肉饼还没有动，饼干和罐头肉也足够维持一段日子的。剩下的只有储备水需补充。直管和蛇形管看上去没任何问题。幸亏中间装了橡胶接头，这些管子才能经得起气球来回摆动的折腾。
博士检查完后，就忙着整理笔记。他把周围原野的景致画成一幅相当不错的草图：上面有一望无垠的草原，“卡马尔多”树林和飘浮在巨象尸体上空一动不动的气球。
2个钟头后， 肯尼迪回来了，随身带回一串肥肥的山鹑和一条直角大羚羊腿。这种大羚羊是羚羊中最灵活的一种。乔马上去收拾，准备再把这几道菜添上。
“晚餐准备好了。”不大会儿，乔扯着他那付好嗓子，高声招呼道。
这时，3位旅行家才在绿草如茵的草地上坐了下来。象掌和象鼻的确鲜美可口，得到了大家的一致认可。 像往常一样，3人首先为英国干了杯。之后，这片世外桃源上空第一次散发出了芬芳的哈瓦那雪茄的香味。
肯尼迪吃得多，喝得也多，话更是比谁都多。他有些忘乎所以了。他一本正经地向博士朋友建议，在这片林中用树枝搭间小屋定居下来，开创一个非洲鲁滨逊王朝。
尽管乔自告奋勇，愿意充当星期五的角色，可是建议再也没有了下文。
整个原野显得那么祥和，那么僻静，博士决定在陆地上过夜。乔绕宿营地用枯树枝围了一个大火圈。这道火篱就成了抵御猛兽袭击的屏障，因为，受到大象肉香的吸引，鬣狗、美洲狮、豺一直在附近转来转去。夜里，肯尼迪好几次不得不抓起他的马枪，向这些胆大包天的来访者开枪。不过，这一夜最终还是平安无事地过去了。
收听单词发音 |
1
dispersed
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| adj. 被驱散的, 被分散的, 散布的 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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budged
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| v.（使）稍微移动( budge的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）改变主意，（使）让步 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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extremity
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| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
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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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indented
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| adj.锯齿状的，高低不平的；缩进排版 | |
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isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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cones
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| n.（人眼）圆锥细胞；圆锥体( cone的名词复数 )；球果；圆锥形东西；（盛冰淇淋的）锥形蛋卷筒 | |
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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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celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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foresight
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| n.先见之明，深谋远虑 | |
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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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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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cramp
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| n.痉挛；[pl.](腹)绞痛；vt.限制，束缚 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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economize
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| v.节约，节省 | |
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replenish
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| vt.补充；(把…)装满；(再)填满 | |
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longitude
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| n.经线，经度 | |
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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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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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monarchs
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| 君主，帝王( monarch的名词复数 ) | |
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unlimited
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| adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的 | |
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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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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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transparent
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| adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的 | |
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cleave
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| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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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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furrow
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| n.沟；垄沟；轨迹；车辙；皱纹 | |
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fissure
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| n.裂缝；裂伤 | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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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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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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41
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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tusk
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| n.獠牙，长牙，象牙 | |
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itched
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| v.发痒( itch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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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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47
thumps
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| n.猪肺病；砰的重击声( thump的名词复数 )v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48
hatchet
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| n.短柄小斧；v.扼杀 | |
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49
fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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50
harpooned
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| v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
locomotion
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| n.运动，移动 | |
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52
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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53
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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54
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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55
flattened
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| [医]（水）平扁的，弄平的 | |
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56
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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57
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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58
gush
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| v.喷，涌；滔滔不绝(说话)；n.喷，涌流；迸发 | |
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59
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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60
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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61
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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62
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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63
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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64
incessantly
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| ad.不停地 | |
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65
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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66
morsel
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| n.一口，一点点 | |
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67
recess
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| n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处） | |
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68
condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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69
vocation
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| n.职业，行业 | |
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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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71
adroitly
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| adv.熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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72
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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73
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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74
cinders
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| n.煤渣( cinder的名词复数 )；炭渣；煤渣路；煤渣跑道 | |
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75
aromatic
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| adj.芳香的，有香味的 | |
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76
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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77
savory
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| adj.风味极佳的，可口的，味香的 | |
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78
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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79
engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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80
waterproof
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| n.防水材料；adj.防水的；v.使...能防水 | |
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81
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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82
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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83
agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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84
antelopes
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| 羚羊( antelope的名词复数 )； 羚羊皮革 | |
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85
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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86
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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87
boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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88
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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89
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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90
hyenas
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| n.鬣狗( hyena的名词复数 ) | |
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91
cougars
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| n.美洲狮( cougar的名词复数 ) | |
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92
untoward
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| adj.不利的，不幸的，困难重重的 | |
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