the crusade of the excelsior-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



and　if　we'd　calculated　to　be　mean　enough　to　run　away　from　the

womenwhere　would　we　escape　to？〃　asked　Banks　curtly。　　〃Hold　on　at

least　until　we　get　an　ultimatum　from　that　commodious　ass　at　the

Presidio！　　Then　we'll　anticipate　the　fool…killer；　if　you　like。　　My

opinion　is；　they　aren't　in　any　great　hurry　to　try　ANYTHING　on　us

just　yet。〃



〃And　I　say；　lie　low　and　keep　dark　until　they　show　their　hand；〃

added　Winslow；　who　had　no　relish　for　an　indiscriminate　scrimmage；

and　had　his　own　ideas　of　placating　their　captors。



Nevertheless；　by　degrees　they　fell　into　a　silence；　partly　the

effect　of　the　strangely　enervating　air。　　The　fog　had　completely

risen　from　the　landscape；　and　hung　high　in　mid…air；　through　which

an　intense　sun；　shorn　of　its　fierceness；　diffused　a　lambent　warmth；

and　a　yellowish；　unctuous　light；　as　if　it　had　passed　through　amber。

The　bay　gleamed　clearly　and　distinctly；　not　a　shadow　flecked　its

surface　to　the　gray　impenetrable　rampart　of　fog　that　stretched　like

a　granite　wall　before　its　entrance。　　On　one　side　of　the　narrow　road

billows　of　monstrous　grain　undulated　to　the　crest　of　the　low　hills；

that　looked　like　larger　undulations　of　the　soil；　furrowed　by　bosky

canadas　or　shining　arroyos。　　Banks　was　startled　into　a　burst　of

professional　admiration。



〃There's　enough　grain　there　to　feed　a　thousand　Todos　Santos；　and

raised；　too；　with　tools　like　that；〃　he　continued；　pointing　to　a

primitive　plow　that　lay　on　the　wayside；　formed　by　a　single　forked

root。　　A　passing　ox…cart；　whose　creaking　wheels　were　made　of　a

solid　circle　of　wood；　apparently　sawn　from　an　ordinary　log；　again

plunged　him　into　cogitation。　　Here　and　there　little　areas　of　the

rudest　cultivation　broke　into　a　luxuriousness　of　orange；　lime；　and

fig　trees。　　The　joyous　earth　at　the　slightest　provocation　seemed　to

smile　and　dimple　with　fruit　and　flowers。　　Everywhere　the　rare

beatitudes　of　Todos　Santos　revealed　and　repeated　its　simple　story。

The　fructifying　influence　of　earth　and　sky；　the　intervention　of　a

vaporous　veil　between　a　fiery　sun　and　fiery　soil；　the　combination

of　heat　and　moisture；　purified　of　feverish　exhalations；　and　made

sweet　and　wholesome　by　the　saline　breath　of　the　mighty　sea；　had

been　the　beneficent　legacy　of　their　isolation；　the　munificent

compensation　of　their　oblivion。



A　gradual　and　gentle　ascent　at　the　end　of　two　hours　brought　the

cavalcade　to　a　halt　upon　a　rugged　upland　with　semi…tropical

shrubbery；　and　here　and　there　larger　trees　from　the　tierra　templada

in　the　evergreens　or　madrono。　　A　few　low　huts　and　corrals；　and　a

rambling　hacienda；　were　scattered　along　the　crest；　and　in　the　midst

arose　a　little　votive　chapel；　flanked　by　pear…trees。　　Near　the

roadside　were　the　crumbling　edges　of　some　long…forgotten　excavation。

Crosby　gazed　at　it　curiously。　　Touching　the　arm　of　the　officer；　he

pointed　to　it。



〃Una　mina　de　plata；〃　said　the　officer　sententiously。



〃A　mine　of　some　kindsilver；　I　bet！〃　said　Crosby；　turning　to　the

others。　　〃Is　it　goodbuenoyou　know？〃　he　continued　to　the

officer；　with　vague　gesticulations。



〃En　tiempos　pasados；〃　returned　the　officer　gravely。



〃I　wonder　what　that　means？〃　said　Winslow。



But　before　Crosby　could　question　further；　the　subaltern　signaled　to

them　to　dismount。　　They　did　so；　and　their　horses　were　led　away　to　a

little　declivity；　whence　came　the　sound　of　running　water。　　Left　to

themselves；　the　Americans　looked　around　them。　　The　cavalcade　seemed

to　have　halted　near　the　edge　of　a　precipitous　ridge；　the　evident

termination　of　the　road。　　But　the　view　that　here　met　their　eyes　was

unexpected　and　startling。



The　plateau　on　which　they　stood　seemed　to　drop　suddenly　away；

leaving　them　on　the　rocky　shore　of　a　monotonous　and　far…stretching

sea　of　waste　and　glittering　sand。　　Not　a　vestige　nor　trace　of

vegetation　could　be　seen；　except　an　occasional　ridge　of　straggling

pallid　bushes；　raised　in　hideous　simulation　of　the　broken　crest　of

a　ghostly　wave。　　On　either　side；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　the

hollow　empty　vision　extendedthe　interminable　desert　stretched　and

panted　before　them。



〃It's　the　jumping…off　place；　I　reckon；〃　said　Crosby；　〃and　they've

brought　us　here　to　show　us　how　small　is　our　chance　of　getting　away。

But；〃　he　added；　turning　towards　the　plateau　again；　〃what　are　they

doing　now？　　'Pon　my　soul！　　I　believe　they're　going　offand　leaving

us。〃



The　others　turned　as　he　spoke。　　It　was　true。　　The　dragoons　were

coolly　galloping　off　the　way　they　came；　taking　with　them　the　horses

the　Americans　had　just　ridden。



〃I　call　that　cool；〃　said　Crosby。　　〃It　looks　deuced　like　as　if　we

were　to　be　left　here　to　graze；　like　cattle。〃



〃Perhaps　that's　their　idea　of　a　prison　in　this　country；〃　said

Banks。　　〃There's　certainly　no　chance　of　our　breaking　jail　in　that

direction；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　desert；　〃and　we　can't　follow

them　without　horses。〃



〃And　I　dare　say　they've　guarded　the　pass　in　the　road　lower　down；〃

said　Winslow。



〃We　ought　to　be　able　to　hold　our　own　here　until　night；〃　said　Brace；

〃and　then　make　a　dash　into　Todos　Santos；　get　hold　of　some　arms；　and

join　the　ladies。〃



〃The　women　are　all　right；〃　said　Crosby　impatiently；　〃and　are　better

treated　than　if　we　were　with　them。　　Suppose；　instead　of　maundering

over　them；　we　reconnoitre　and　see　what　WE　can　do　here。　　I'm　getting

devilishly　hungry；　they　can't　mean　to　starve　us；　and　if　they　do；　I

don't　intend　to　be　starved　as　long　as　there　is　anything　to　be　had

by　buying　or　stealing。　　Come　along。　　There's　sure　to　be　fruit　near

that　old　chapel；　and　I　saw　some　chickens　in　the　bush　near　those

huts。　　First；　let's　see　if　there's　any　one　about。　　I　don't　see　a

soul。〃



The　little　plateau；　indeed；　seemed　deserted。　　In　vain　they　shouted；

their　voices　were　lost　in　the　echoless　air。　　They　examined　one　by

one　the　few　thatched　huts：　they　were　open；　contained　one　or　two

rude　articles　of　furniturea　bed；　a　bench；　and　tablewere

scrupulously　cleanand　empty。　　They　next　inspected　the　chapel；　it

was　tawdry　and　barbaric　in　ornament；　but　the　candlesticks　and

crucifix　and　the　basin　for　holy　water　were　of　heavily　beaten

silver。　　The　same　thought　crossed　their　mindsthe　abandoned　mine

at　the　roadside！



Bananas；　oranges；　and　prickly…pears　growing　within　the　cactus…hedge

of　the　chapel　partly　mollified　their　thirst　and　hunger；　and　they

turned　their　steps　towards　the　long；　rambling；　barrack…looking

building；　with　its　low　windows　and　red…tiled　roof；　which　they　had

first　noticed。　　Here；　too；　the　tenement　was　deserted　and　abandoned；

but　there　was　evidence　of　some　previous　and　more　ambitious

preparation：　in　a　long　dormitory　off　the　corridor　a　number　of

scrupulously　clean　beds　were　ranged　against　the　whitewashed　walls；

with　spotless　benches　and　tables。　　To　the　complete　astonishment　and

bewilderment　of　the　party　another　room；　fitted　up　as　a　kitchen；

with　the　simpler　appliances　of　housekeeping；　revealed　a　larder

filled　with　provisions　and　meal。　　A　shout　from　Winslow；　who　had

penetrated　the　inner　courtyard；　however；　drew　them　to　a　more

remarkable　spectacle。　　Their　luggage　and　effects　from　the　cabins　of

the　Excelsior　were　there；　carefully　piled　in　the　antique　ox…cart

that　had　evidently　that　morning　brought　them　from　Todos　Santos！



〃There's　no　mistake；〃　said　Brace；　with　a　relieved　look；　after　a

hurried　survey　of　the　trunks。　　〃They　have　only　brought　our　baggage。

The　ladies　have　evidently　had　the　opportunity　of　selecting　their

own　things。〃



〃Crosby　told　you　they'd　be　all　right；〃　said　Banks；　〃and　as　for

ourselves；　I　don't　see　why　we　can't　be　pretty　comfortable　here；　and

all　the　better　for　our　being　alone。　　I　shall　take　an　opportunity　of

looking　around　a　bit。　　It　strikes　me　that　there　are　some　resources

in　this　country　that　might　pay　to　develop。〃



〃And　I　shall　have　a　look　at　that　played…out　mine；〃　said　Crosby；　〃if

it's　been　worked　as　they　work　the　land；　they've　left　about　as　much

in　it　as　they've　taken　out。〃



〃