The Talabas.--The Pursuit.--A Devastated1 Country.--The Wind begins to fall.--The Victoria sinks.--The last of the Provisions.--The Leaps of the Balloon.--A Defence with Fire-arms.--The Wind freshens.--The Senegal River.--The Cataracts2 of Gouina.--The Hot Air.--The Passage of the River.
"Had we not taken the precaution to lighten the balloon yesterday evening, we should have been lost beyond redemption," said the doctor, after a long silence.
"See what's gained by doing things at the right time!" replied Joe. "One gets out of scrapes then, and nothing is more natural."
"We are not out of danger yet," said the doctor.
"What do you still apprehend3?" queried4 Kennedy. "The balloon can't descend5 without your permission, and even were it to do so--"
"Were it to do so, Dick? Look!"
They had just passed the borders of the forest, and the three friends could see some thirty mounted men clad in broad pantaloons and the floating bournouses. They were armed, some with lances, and others with long muskets6, and they were following, on their quick, fiery7 little steeds, the direction of the balloon, which was moving at only moderate speed.
When they caught sight of the aeronauts, they uttered savage8 cries, and brandished9 their weapons. Anger and menace could be read upon their swarthy faces, made more ferocious10 by thin but bristling11 beards. Meanwhile they galloped12 along without difficulty over the low levels and gentle declivities that lead down to the Senegal.
"It is, indeed, they!" said the doctor; "the cruel Talabas! the ferocious marabouts of Al-Hadji! I would rather find myself in the middle of the forest encircled by wild beasts than fall into the hands of these banditti."
"They haven't a very obliging look!" assented14 Kennedy; "and they are rough, stalwart fellows."
"Happily those brutes15 can't fly," remarked Joe; "and that's something."
"See," said Ferguson, "those villages in ruins, those huts burned down--that is their work! Where vast stretches of cultivated land were once seen, they have brought barrenness and devastation16."
"At all events, however," interposed Kennedy, "they can't overtake us; and, if we succeed in putting the river between us and them, we are safe."
"Perfectly17, Dick," replied Ferguson; "but we must not fall to the ground!" and, as he said this, he glanced at the barometer18.
"In any case, Joe," added Kennedy, "it would do us no harm to look to our fire-arms."
"No harm in the world, Mr. Dick! We are lucky that we didn't scatter19 them along the road."
"My rifle!" said the sportsman. "I hope that I shall never be separated from it!"
And so saying, Kennedy loaded the pet piece with the greatest care, for he had plenty of powder and ball remaining.
"At what height are we?" he asked the doctor.
"About seven hundred and fifty feet; but we no longer have the power of seeking favorable currents, either going up or coming down. We are at the mercy of the balloon!"
"That is vexatious!" rejoined Kennedy. "The wind is poor; but if we had come across a hurricane like some of those we met before, these vile20 brigands21 would have been out of sight long ago."
"The rascals22 follow us at their leisure," said Joe. "They're only at a short gallop13. Quite a nice little ride!"
"If we were within range," sighed the sportsman, "I should amuse myself with dismounting a few of them."
"Exactly," said the doctor; "but then they would have you within range also, and our balloon would offer only too plain a target to the bullets from their long guns; and, if they were to make a hole in it, I leave you to judge what our situation would be!"
The pursuit of the Talabas continued all morning; and by eleven o'clock the aeronauts had made scarcely fifteen miles to the westward23.
The doctor was anxiously watching for the least cloud on the horizon. He feared, above all things, a change in the atmosphere. Should he be thrown back toward the Niger, what would become of him? Besides, he remarked that the balloon tended to fall considerably24. Since the start, he had already lost more than three hundred feet, and the Senegal must be about a dozen miles distant. At his present rate of speed, he could count upon travelling only three hours longer.
At this moment his attention was attracted by fresh cries. The Talabas appeared to be much excited, and were spurring their horses.
The doctor consulted his barometer, and at once discovered the cause of these symptoms.
"Are we descending26?" asked Kennedy.
"Yes!" replied the doctor.
In the lapse28 of fifteen minutes the Victoria was only one hundred and fifty feet above the ground; but the wind was much stronger than before.
The Talabas checked their horses, and soon a volley of musketry pealed29 out on the air.
"Too far, you fools!" bawled30 Joe. "I think it would be well to keep those scamps at a distance."
And, as he spoke31, he aimed at one of the horsemen who was farthest to the front, and fired. The Talaba fell headlong, and, his companions halting for a moment, the balloon gained upon them.
"They are prudent32!" said Kennedy.
"Because they think that they are certain to take us," replied the doctor; "and, they will succeed if we descend much farther. We must, absolutely, get higher into the air."
"What can we throw out?" asked Joe.
"All that remains33 of our stock of pemmican; that will be thirty pounds less weight to carry."
"Out it goes, sir!" said Joe, obeying orders.
The car, which was now almost touching34 the ground, rose again, amid the cries of the Talabas; but, half an hour later, the balloon was again falling rapidly, because the gas was escaping through the pores of the covering.
Ere long the car was once more grazing the soil, and Al-Hadji's black riders rushed toward it; but, as frequently happens in like cases, the balloon had scarcely touched the surface ere it rebounded36, and only came down again a mile away.
"So we shall not escape!" said Kennedy, between his teeth.
"Throw out our reserved store of brandy, Joe," cried the doctor; "our instruments, and every thing that has any weight, even to our last anchor, because go they must!"
Joe flung out the barometers37 and thermometers, but all that amounted to little; and the balloon, which had risen for an instant, fell again toward the ground.
The Talabas flew toward it, and at length were not more than two hundred paces away.
"Throw out the two fowling-pieces!" shouted Ferguson.
"Not without discharging them, at least," responded the sportsman; and four shots in quick succession struck the thick of the advancing group of horsemen. Four Talabas fell, amid the frantic38 howls and imprecations of their comrades.
The Victoria ascended39 once more, and made some enormous leaps, like a huge gum-elastic ball, bounding and rebounding40 through the air. A strange sight it was to see these unfortunate men endeavoring to escape by those huge aerial strides, and seeming, like the giant Antaeus, to receive fresh strength every time they touched the earth. But this situation had to terminate. It was now nearly noon; the Victoria was getting empty and exhausted41, and assuming a more and more elongated42 form every instant. Its outer covering was becoming flaccid, and floated loosely in the air, and the folds of the silk rustled43 and grated on each other.
"Heaven abandons us!" said Kennedy; "we have to fall!"
Joe made no answer. He kept looking intently at his master.
"No!" said the latter; "we have more than one hundred and fifty pounds yet to throw out."
"What can it be, then?" said Kennedy, thinking that the doctor must be going mad.
"The car!" was his reply; "we can cling to the network. There we can hang on in the meshes44 until we reach the river. Quick! quick!"
And these daring men did not hesitate a moment to avail themselves of this last desperate means of escape. They clutched the network, as the doctor directed, and Joe, holding on by one hand, with the other cut the cords that suspended the car; and the latter dropped to the ground just as the balloon was sinking for the last time.
"Hurrah45! hurrah!" shouted the brave fellow exultingly46, as the Victoria, once more relieved, shot up again to a height of three hundred feet.
The Talabas spurred their horses, which now came tearing on at a furious gallop; but the balloon, falling in with a much more favorable wind, shot ahead of them, and was rapidly carried toward a hill that stretched across the horizon to the westward. This was a circumstance favorable to the aeronauts, because they could rise over the hill, while Al-Hadji's horde47 had to diverge48 to the northward49 in order to pass this obstacle.
The three friends still clung to the network. They had been able to fasten it under their feet, where it had formed a sort of swinging pocket.
Suddenly, after they had crossed the hill, the doctor exclaimed: "The river! the river! the Senegal, my friends!"
And about two miles ahead of them, there was indeed the river rolling along its broad mass of water, while the farther bank, which was low and fertile, offered a sure refuge, and a place favorable for a descent.
"Another quarter of an hour," said Ferguson, "and we are saved!"
But it was not to happen thus; the empty balloon descended50 slowly upon a tract25 almost entirely51 bare of vegetation. It was made up of long slopes and stony52 plains, a few bushes and some coarse grass, scorched53 by the sun.
The Victoria touched the ground several times, and rose again, but her rebound35 was diminishing in height and length. At the last one, it caught by the upper part of the network in the lofty branches of a baobab, the only tree that stood there, solitary54 and alone, in the midst of the waste.
"It's all over," said Kennedy.
"And at a hundred paces only from the river!" groaned55 Joe.
The three hapless aeronauts descended to the ground, and the doctor drew his companions toward the Senegal.
At this point the river sent forth56 a prolonged roaring; and when Ferguson reached its bank, he recognized the falls of Gouina. But not a boat, not a living creature was to be seen. With a breadth of two thousand feet, the Senegal precipitates57 itself for a height of one hundred and fifty, with a thundering reverberation58. It ran, where they saw it, from east to west, and the line of rocks that barred its course extended from north to south. In the midst of the falls, rocks of strange forms started up like huge ante-diluvian animals, petrified59 there amid the waters.
The impossibility of crossing this gulf60 was self-evident, and Kennedy could not restrain a gesture of despair.
But Dr. Ferguson, with an energetic accent of undaunted daring, exclaimed--
"All is not over!"
"I knew it," said Joe, with that confidence in his master which nothing could ever shake.
The sight of the dried-up grass had inspired the doctor with a bold idea. It was the last chance of escape. He led his friends quickly back to where they had left the covering of the balloon.
"We have at least an hour's start of those banditti," said he; "let us lose no time, my friends; gather a quantity of this dried grass; I want a hundred pounds of it, at least."
"For what purpose?" asked Kennedy, surprised.
"I have no more gas; well, I'll cross the river with hot air!"
"Ah, doctor," exclaimed Kennedy, "you are, indeed, a great man!"
Joe and Kennedy at once went to work, and soon had an immense pile of dried grass heaped up near the baobab.
In the mean time, the doctor had enlarged the orifice of the balloon by cutting it open at the lower end. He then was very careful to expel the last remnant of hydrogen through the valve, after which he heaped up a quantity of grass under the balloon, and set fire to it.
It takes but a little while to inflate61 a balloon with hot air. A head of one hundred and eighty degrees is sufficient to diminish the weight of the air it contains to the extent of one-half, by rarefying it. Thus, the Victoria quickly began to assume a more rounded form. There was no lack of grass; the fire was kept in full blast by the doctor's assiduous efforts, and the balloon grew fuller every instant.
It was then a quarter to four o'clock.
At this moment the band of Talabas reappeared about two miles to the northward, and the three friends could hear their cries, and the clatter62 of their horses galloping63 at full speed.
"In twenty minutes they will be here!" said Kennedy.
"More grass! more grass, Joe! In ten minutes we shall have her full of hot air."
"Here it is, doctor!"
The Victoria was now two-thirds inflated64.
"Come, my friends, let us take hold of the network, as we did before."
"All right!" they answered together.
In about ten minutes a few jerking motions by the balloon indicated that it was disposed to start again. The Talabas were approaching. They were hardly five hundred paces away.
"Hold on fast!" cried Ferguson.
"Have no fear, master--have no fear!"
And the doctor, with his foot pushed another heap of grass upon the fire.
With this the balloon, now completely inflated by the increased temperature, moved away, sweeping65 the branches of the baobab in her flight.
"We're off!" shouted Joe.
A volley of musketry responded to his exclamation66. A bullet even ploughed his shoulder; but Kennedy, leaning over, and discharging his rifle with one hand, brought another of the enemy to the ground.
Cries of fury exceeding all description hailed the departure of the balloon, which had at once ascended nearly eight hundred feet. A swift current caught and swept it along with the most alarming oscillations, while the intrepid67 doctor and his friends saw the gulf of the cataracts yawning below them.
Ten minutes later, and without having exchanged a word, they descended gradually toward the other bank of the river.
There, astonished, speechless, terrified, stood a group of men clad in the French uniform. Judge of their amazement68 when they saw the balloon rise from the right bank of the river. They had well-nigh taken it for some celestial69 phenomenon, but their officers, a lieutenant70 of marines and a naval71 ensign, having seen mention made of Dr. Ferguson's daring expedition, in the European papers, quickly explained the real state of the case.
The balloon, losing its inflation little by little, settled with the daring travellers still clinging to its network; but it was doubtful whether it would reach the land. At once some of the brave Frenchmen rushed into the water and caught the three aeronauts in their arms just as the Victoria fell at the distance of a few fathoms72 from the left bank of the Senegal.
"Dr. Ferguson!" exclaimed the lieutenant.
"The same, sir," replied the doctor, quietly, "and his two friends."
The Frenchmen escorted our travellers from the river, while the balloon, half-empty, and borne away by a swift current, sped on, to plunge73, like a huge bubble, headlong with the waters of the Senegal, into the cataracts of Gouina.
"The poor Victoria!" was Joe's farewell remark.
The doctor could not restrain a tear, and extending his hands his two friends wrung74 them silently with that deep emotion which requires no spoken words.
塔利巴人——追逐——被破坏的地区——风势减弱——“维多利亚号”下降——扔掉最后的储备粮——“维多利亚号”往前蹦跳——开枪自卫——风变凉爽了——塞内加尔河——圭纳瀑布——热气流——飞越塞内加尔河
“如果我们昨天晚上没做准备，减轻气球负重的话，现在就全完了，连一点救都没有。”弗格森舒了一口气说。
“这就是做事情及时的好处，”乔接过博士的话说，“所以，我们才逃出了性命。一切顺理成章。”
“我们并没有脱离危险。”博士提醒同伴。
“你怕什么，弗格森？”肯尼迪问，“反正你不愿意‘维多利亚号’是无法降落的。况且，即使落下去，又能怎样？”
“要是落下去，麻烦就大了！”博士答道，“肯尼迪，你瞧！”
这时， 气球刚刚飞出林子边，3位旅行家看见大约30来个骑马的人。他们下身穿着肥大的裤子，上身披着随风飘动的斗篷，有的手执长矛，有的肩背土枪，正策动坐下生龙活虎般的烈马跑着朝“维多利亚号”飞的方向追赶。而这时，气球正不快不慢地飞着。
一看到吊篮里的3位旅行家，这帮强盗挥动着手中的武器。发出野蛮的叫喊声。他们露出愤怒和凶狠的表情，稀稀疏疏，但根根竖起的络腮胡使黑森森的面孔显得更加残暴。他们骑着马，在这片逐渐向塞内加尔河倾斜的高原上毫不费力地跑着。
“正是他们！”博士说，“他们就是那些凶残的塔利巴人，阿尔—哈吉的野蛮信徒！我宁可迷失在大森林里，与野兽打交道，也不愿落在这帮强盗手里。”
“他们的样子一看就不是善良之辈！”肯尼迪说，“不过，倒是些精壮的家伙！”
“幸好这些畜生飞不起来。”乔插嘴道，“这总算不错的了。”
“你们看，”弗格森招呼道，“这些村庄都给毁了！这些草棚全被烧了！都是他们干的好事！哪里有大片的耕地，他们就给哪儿带去荒芜和破坏。”
“毕竟，他们无法追上我们。”肯尼迪信心十足地说，“况且，我们过了塞内加尔河后就彻底安全了。”
“的确如此，肯尼迪。不过有一点，气球不能掉下去。”博士边说，边把目光转向气压表。
“乔，不管怎么样，”肯尼迪又说，“把枪准备好没错。”
“是的，肯尼迪先生，这么做起码没有害处。路上没有把枪扔了，真是件幸事。”
“我的马枪啊！”猎人感慨道，“但愿你永远别离开我。”
说完，肯尼迪非常仔细地往枪里装上子弹。他现在剩下的弹药足够用了。
“我们现在的高度如何？”他问弗格森。
“750尺左右。 不过我们已经做不到随意升降，无法寻找合适的气流了。我们现在只有听凭气球的摆布。”
“真让人恼火。”肯尼迪说，“风嘛，又不够大。要是我们能遇上像前几天刮的那种飓风，早就把这些可恶的强盗甩得不见影了。”
“这帮混蛋跟在我们后面一点儿不难为情。”乔愤愤地说，“他们只要让马碎步跑就行了，简直和散步没什么两样！”
“要是在我们的有效射程内的话，”肯尼迪跃跃欲试地说，“我就和他们玩玩，把他们挨个地打下马。”
“可不是嘛！”弗格森说，“不过这样的话，他们也能开枪打到我们啦。要知道，用他们那种土枪打‘维多利亚号’再容易不过了。气球是最好的靶子。如果他们把气球打破，你想想看，我们的处境会怎么样？”
塔利巴人不紧不慢地追了一个上午。 将近11点时，3位旅行家往西才勉强飞了15英里。
博士一直密切注意着地平线上的每一块云，连最小的也不放过。他总是担心气流发生变化。万一气球又被往尼日尔河方向刮，他们怎么办呢？再说，他发觉气球正在明显降低。从早上出发以来，“维多利亚号”已经下降了30 0多英尺，而塞内加尔河远在12英里之外呢。照眼前这个速度，气球还需要飞3个小时才能到那里。
就在这时，呐喊声又起。它引起了弗格森的注意，只见那伙塔利巴人晃着身子，拼命催动胯下的马。
博士查看了一下气压表，马上明白了怎么回事。
“气球在下降吗？”肯尼迪问。
“是的。”弗格森回答。
“真见鬼！”乔想。
一刻钟后，吊篮离地面不到150尺高了。恰巧这时风力加大了些。
塔利巴人见状，策马飞奔，很快空中响起了枪声。
“你们打不到的，蠢货！”乔对着他们嚷道，“不过，我还是觉得最好离这帮无赖远点儿。”
说完，他举起枪，瞄准跑在最前面的一个家伙开了火。那人应声落马，滚到了地上。他的同伴立即停了下来。“维多利亚号”暂时占了上风。
“他们倒还挺小心的。”肯尼迪说。
“那是因为他们自信能抓住我们。”博士答道，“要是我们继续下降的话，他们会成功的！因此我们无论如何必须升上去！”
“没东西可扔啦。”乔说。
“剩下的干肉饼全扔了！这样我们还能减轻30斤的重量。”
“遵命，先生！”乔边答应，边执行主人的吩咐。
几乎触到地面的吊篮在塔利巴人的喊叫声中重新升了上去。 但是半小时后，“维多利亚号”又急促降下来了。显然氢气正从气囊的细孔中不断向外泄漏。很快，吊篮擦着了地面。阿尔—哈吉的黑喽罗们快马冲了过来。但是像上次一样，气球刚一着地，马上弹起，再次落地时已是1英里以外了。
“我们不逃啦！”肯尼迪狂怒地大叫。
“乔，把储备的酒扔了！”博士又吩咐，“把仪器和任何有重量的东西全扔了！还有最后的那只锚也扔了！现在只有这样！”
乔扯下气压表和温度计扔了出去。但是这些东西太微不足道，气球刚升起一会儿，很快又向地面降落。塔利巴人寻迹飞奔而来，高气球只有200尺了。
“把那两条枪扔了！”博士叫道。
“那也要把枪里的子弹打完再扔。”猎人有些不甘心。
随即，连珠似的4枪射向骑马的人群。狂呼乱叫中，4个塔利巴人相继滚落马下。
少了2条枪， “维多利亚号”又一次升上去。就像拍在地上的一个大皮球，它连跳几下， 又往前进了一大截。3位可怜的旅行家如此拼命逃跑的场面可真少见。他们如同大地之子安泰①，似乎一接触地面马上便恢复了力量！然而，这种情况该到头了。临近中午，“维多利亚号”再也没有了活力：氢气已漏得差不多；球体逐渐拉长；球囊变得松松垮垮，轻飘飘的；松弛下来的塔夫绸皱皱巴巴，摩得哗哗作响。
①希腊神化中地神的儿子。只要与地接触，他就能不断从大地母亲身上吸取力量，因此所向无敌。
“老天爷把我们抛弃啦，”肯尼迪绝望了，“这一次非掉下去不可！”
乔望着主人没有作答。
“不会的！”弗格森坚定地说，“我们还有150斤的东西没扔呢！”
“哪里有东西了？”肯尼迪问。他以为朋友疯了。
“吊篮嘛！”弗格森答道，“我们可以抓住网子，紧紧抠住网眼飞到河边去！快，快！”
3位勇敢的人毫不犹豫地抓住这一线生机。 他们按博士说的，双手紧紧抠住网眼，身体悬在空中。乔一只手攀住网眼，另一只手砍断了吊篮与气球相连的绳索。气球即将彻底落地时，吊篮掉了下去。气球减轻负重后，重新升到300尺高的空中。
“太棒了！太棒了！”乔欣喜若狂。
塔利巴人频频催马飞奔。 那些马蹄下生风， 跑得肚皮都快贴地了。但这时，“维多利亚号”遇上了一阵较大的风。气球抛开他们，向横在西边地平线的一座山丘急速飞去。 目前的形势对3位旅行家极为有利，因为他们可以飞越小山，而阿尔—哈吉的喽罗们却不得不向北绕过这个障碍。
3位朋友紧紧抓住网绳。 他们已经把身子下面的网绳连在一起，形成一个随风飘浮的网袋。
气球飞过小山后，博士突然喊道：
“河！河！塞内加尔河！”
果然，在距他们两英里的地方，一条大河翻卷着大团水花，滚滚流动。河的对岸，地势低缓，土壤肥沃。那里可以给他们提供安全庇护，也有适合气球降落的场地。
“再坚持一刻钟，我们就有救了！”弗格森说。
然而事与愿违，这时气球里的氢气已快漏光了。“维多利亚号”在一块几乎寸草不生的地面上空越飞越低。它掠过长长的坡地和多石的平原。那上面稀稀落落长着几簇灌木和几乎被骄阳晒干枯的荒草。
“维多利亚号”好几次触到地面，又弹了起来。但是它蹦得越来越低，每次落地的距离越来越短，最后，气球上方的网眼勾在了一棵猴面包树的树枝上。在这片荒凉的土地上，只有这一棵孤零零的树。现在气球完全停在地上不动了。
“全完了！”猎人说。
“真可惜，离河只剩下百十步远了。”乔遗憾地说。
3位不幸的人下了气球，博士带领两位同伴向塞内加尔河跑去。
远远地就听到了河水奔腾的喧闹声。 3人来到河边，博士发现这儿竟是圭纳瀑布！岸边一条独木舟也没有，也不见一个人影。
塞内加尔河的这一段河面宽达2000尺， 河水挟着雷霆万钧之势从150尺高处倾泻而下，响声震耳。这条河由东向西流淌。一排岩石由北向南延伸，拦住了水流的宣泄。瀑布中耸立着一些奇形怪状的岩石，活像一大群椰亚时代大洪水之前的远古动物化石在水中。
很显然，要想涉水渡过这条深渊是不可能的。肯尼迪不由得做了个绝望的动作。但弗格森博士语气果断有力地说：
“还没有全完呢！”
“我就知道不会完。”乔说。他始终对主人无比信赖。
“看到地上的这些枯草，博士的脑子里产生了一个大胆的想法。这是他们唯一的逃生机会。他立即带着同伴，急冲冲向气球跑去。”
“我们至少比那帮强盗抢先了一个小时。”他说，“朋友们，我们不能浪费时间了。赶快把这些干草收集一些来，越多越好，起码得有100斤。”
“要干草做什么用？”肯尼迪问。
“既然没有氢气了，我们就利用热空气渡河！”
“啊！好样的，弗格森！”肯尼迪叫道，“你真是个伟人！”
乔和肯尼迪马上于了起来。一会儿的功夫，一大堆干草堆到了猴面包树树下。
趁这个时间，博士通过活门小心翼翼地把气球中剩余的氢气放掉。然后把下面的气门切开，把口子割成个大洞。做完这些后，他把许多枯草堆到气球下面，点着了火。
用热空气来膨胀气球不需要许多时间。华氏180度（摄氏100度）的高温足可以使灌进气球中的空气变稀薄，而重量却比氢气减少一半。因此，“维多利亚号”又明显地在恢复原来的模样。有的是枯草。在博士的照料下，火烧得很旺。气球眼看着鼓起来了。
这时，差一刻钟不到1点。
一切都在顺利进行中。 但这时北边2英里的地方露出了塔利巴人的身影。他们的呐喊声和急速飞奔的马蹄声已经听得见了。
“再过20分钟，他们就到这儿了。”肯尼迪说。
“拿草来！乔，快拿草来！再有10分钟，我们就能飞上天了。”
“先生，草来了。”
“维多利亚号”已经鼓起了三分之二。
“朋友们，过来！像刚才做过的那样，紧紧抓住网眼！”
“好了。”猎人答到。
10分钟后，气球晃了几晃，又要飞起来。这时，塔利巴人已经逼近，离“维多利亚号”几乎不到500步远了。
“抓紧了。”弗格森喊道。
“主人，别担心！”
于是，博士用脚又往火里踢了些枯草。
随着温度上升，气球完全膨胀起来。它擦着猴面包树的树叶往上飞去。
“上路了！”乔喊道。
他的叫声引来一阵枪声。一颗子弹擦着他的肩膀飞过。肯尼迪见状，欠下身子，一只手举枪还击。又一个敌人被击中掉在了地上。
这帮强盗怒不可遏，暴躁地狂呼乱叫，眼睁睁地看着气球渐渐离去。“维多利亚号” 几乎上升了800尺。这时，一阵疾风裹住了它。气球令人担忧地摆动几下，接着摇摇晃晃向河对岸飘去。无畏的博士和他的同伴们紧紧抓住网绳，注视眼下奔腾咆哮的飞流瀑布。朝久已向往的目的地飞去。
10分钟过去了。三位无畏的旅行家一句话没说。他们现在对着河的彼岸渐渐降落。
那里站着十来位身穿法国军服的人。他们的脸上流露出意外、奇怪和惊恐的表情。当他们看到这只气球在河对岸升起时，不难想象他们是多么地吃惊。他们几乎认定这是个奇异的天体现象。但是，他们的长官，一位海军上尉和中尉已从欧洲报纸上知道有关弗格森博士的这次英勇壮举。他们立刻意识到发生了什么事。
气球一点点瘪了下去。它带着紧紧抓住网眼的3位勇敢的航空家一起缓缓下落。但是，从距离来看，他们能否落在陆地上，很值得怀疑。于是，这几位法国人急忙奔向塞内加尔河。当“维多利亚号”落在离左岸几托瓦兹远的水里时，他们马上救起了这3位英国人。
“是弗格森博士吗？”上尉大声询问。
“正是本人和他的两位朋友。”博士从容答道。
法国人把旅行家从河里救了出来。而瘪下去一半的气球却被迅猛的水流卷走。它像一个巨大的气泡很快淹没在塞内加尔河水里，最后在圭纳瀑布中消失得无影无踪。
“可怜的‘维多利亚号’！”乔叹息道。
博士忍不住热泪盈眶。他张开了双臂，两位朋友激动不已，按捺不住地投到他的怀中。
收听单词发音 |
1
devastated
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| v.彻底破坏( devastate的过去式和过去分词)；摧毁；毁灭；在感情上（精神上、财务上等）压垮adj.毁坏的；极为震惊的 | |
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2
cataracts
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| n.大瀑布( cataract的名词复数 )；白内障 | |
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3
apprehend
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| vt.理解，领悟，逮捕，拘捕，忧虑 | |
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queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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muskets
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| n.火枪，（尤指）滑膛枪( musket的名词复数 ) | |
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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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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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brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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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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bristling
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| a.竖立的 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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13
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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14
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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16
devastation
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| n.毁坏；荒废；极度震惊或悲伤 | |
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17
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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19
scatter
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| vt.撒，驱散，散开；散布/播；vi.分散，消散 | |
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20
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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21
brigands
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| n.土匪，强盗( brigand的名词复数 ) | |
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22
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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23
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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24
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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tract
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| n.传单，小册子，大片(土地或森林) | |
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26
descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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27
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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28
lapse
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| n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效 | |
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29
pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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31
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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32
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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33
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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34
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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35
rebound
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| v.弹回；n.弹回，跳回 | |
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36
rebounded
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| 弹回( rebound的过去式和过去分词 )； 反弹； 产生反作用； 未能奏效 | |
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37
barometers
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| 气压计，晴雨表( barometer的名词复数 ) | |
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38
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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39
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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40
rebounding
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| 蹦跳运动 | |
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41
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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42
elongated
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| v.延长，加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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43
rustled
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| v.发出沙沙的声音( rustle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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44
meshes
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| 网孔( mesh的名词复数 )； 网状物； 陷阱； 困境 | |
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45
hurrah
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| int.好哇，万岁，乌拉 | |
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46
exultingly
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| 兴高采烈地，得意地 | |
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47
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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48
diverge
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| v.分叉，分歧，离题，使...岔开，使转向 | |
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49
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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50
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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51
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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52
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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53
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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54
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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55
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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56
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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57
precipitates
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| v.（突如其来地）使发生( precipitate的第三人称单数 )；促成；猛然摔下；使沉淀 | |
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58
reverberation
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| 反响； 回响； 反射； 反射物 | |
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59
petrified
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| adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词) | |
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60
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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61
inflate
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| vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价） | |
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62
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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63
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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64
inflated
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| adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨 | |
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65
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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66
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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67
intrepid
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| adj.无畏的，刚毅的 | |
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68
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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69
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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70
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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71
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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72
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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73
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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74
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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