a journey in other worlds-第22节

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As　the　monster　neared　the　lake；　the　water　at　the　edges　quivered；
showing　how　its　weight　shook　the　banks　at　each　stride；　while
stumps　and　tree…trunks　on　which　it　stepped　were　pressed　out　of
sight　in　the　ground。　　A　general　exodus　of　the　other　inhabitants
from　his　line　of　march　began；　the　moccasins　slid　into　the　water
with　a　low　splash；　while　the　boa…constrictors　and　the　tree…snakes
moved　off　along　the　ground　when　they　felt　it　tremble；　and　a
number　of　night　birds　retreated　into　the　denser　woods　with　loud
cries　at　being　so　rudely　disturbed。　　The　huge　beast　did　not　stop
till　he　reached　the　bank；　where　lie　switched　his　tail；　raised　his
proboscis；　and　sniffed　the　air　uneasily；　his　height　being　fully
thirty　feet　and　his　length　about　fifty。　　On　seeing　the　raft　and
its　occupants；　he　looked　at　them　stupidly　and　threw　back　his
head。
　　　
〃He　seems　to　be　turning　up　his　nose　at　us；〃　said　Bearwarden。　
〃All　the　same；　he　will　do　well　for　breakfast。〃
　　　
As　the　creature　moved；　his　chest　struck　a　huge　overhanging　palm；
tearing　it　off　as　though　it　had　been　a　reed。　　Brushing　it　aside
with　his　trunk；　he　was　about　to　continue　his　march；　when　two
rifle　reports　rang　out　together；　rousing　the　echoes　and　a　number
of　birds　that　screeched　loudly。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MASTODON　AND　WILL…O'…THE　WISPS。

Bearwarden's　bullet　struck　the　mammoth　in　the　shoulder；　while
Ayrault's　aim　was　farther　back。　　As　the　balls　exploded；　a
half…barrelful　of　flesh　and　hide　was　shot　from　each；　leaving　two
gaping　holes。　　Instantly　he　rushed　among　the　trees；　making　his
course　known　for　some　time　by　his　roars。　　As　he　turned；
Bearwarden　fired　again；　but　the　hall　flew　over　him；　blowing　off
the　top　of　a　tree。
　　　
〃Now　for　the　chase！〃　said　Ayrault。　　〃There　would　be　no　excuse　for
losing　him。〃
　　　
Quickly　pushing　their　raft　to　shore　and　securing　it　to　the　bank；
the　three　jumped　off。　　Thanks　to　their　rubber　boots　and　galvanic
outfits　which　automatically　kept　them　charged；　they　were　as　spry
as　they　would　have　been　on　earth。　　The　ground　all　about　them；　and
in　a　strip　twelve　feet　wide　where　the　mammoth　had　gone；　was　torn
up；　and　the　vegetation　trodden　down。　　Following　this　trail；　they
struck　back　into　the　woods；　where　in　places　the　gloom　cast　by　the
thick　foliage　was　so　dense　that　there　was　a　mere　twilight；
startling　as　they　went　numbers　of　birds　of　grey　and　sombre
plumage；　whose　necks　and　heads；　and　the　sounds　they　uttered；　were
so　reptilian　that　the　three　terrestrials　believed　they　must　also
possess　poison　fangs。
　　　
〃The　most　highly　developed　things　we　have　seen　here；〃　said
Bearwarden；　〃are　the　flowers　and　fireflies；　most　of　the　birds　and
amphibians　being　simply　loathsome。〃
　　　
As　they　proceeded　they　found　tracks　of　blood；　which　were　rapidly
attracting　swarms　of　the　reptile　birds　and　snakes；　which；
however；　as　a　rule；　fled　at　their　approach。
　　　
〃I　wonder　what　can　have　caused　that　mammoth　to　move　so　fast；　and
to　have　seemed　so　ill　at　ease？〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃His　motive
certainly　was　not　thirst；　for　he　did　not　approach　the　water　in　a
direct　line；　neither　did　he　drink　on　reaching　it。　　One　would
think　nothing　short　of　an　earthquake　or　a　land…slide　could
trouble　him。〃

〃There　can　be　no　land…slide　here；〃　said　Ayrault；　for　the　country
is　too　flat。〃
　　　
〃And　after　yesterday's　eruptions；〃　added　Bearwarden；　〃it　would
seem　as　though　the　volcanoes　could　have　scarcely　enough　steam
left　to　make　trouble。〃
　　　
The　blood…tracks；　continuing　to　become　fresher；　showed　them　they
were　nearing　the　game；　when　suddenly　the　trail　took　a　sharp　turn
to　the　right；　even　returning　towards　the　lake。　　A　little　farther
it　took　another　sharp　turn；　then　followed　a　series　of　doublings；
while　still　farther　the　ground　was　completely　denuded　of　trees；
its　torn…up　and　trampled　condition　and　the　enormous　amount　of
still　warm　blood　showing　how　terrific　a　battle　had　just　taken
place。
　　　
While　they　looked　about　they　saw　what　appeared　to　be　the　trunk　of
a　tree　about　four　feet　in　diameter　and　six　feet　long；　with　a
slight　crook。　　On　coming　closer；　they　recognized　in　it　one　of　the
forefeet　of　the　mammoth；　cut　as　cleanly　as　though　with　a　knife
from　the　leg　just　above　the　ankle；　and　still　warm。　　A　little
farther　they　found　the　huge　trunk　cut　to　slivers；　and；　just
beyond；　the　body　of　the　unfortunate　beast　with　three　of　its　feet
gone；　and　the　thick　hide　cut　and　slashed　like　so　much　paper。　　It
still　breathed；　and　Ayrault；　who　had　a　tender　heart；　sent　an
explosive　ball　into　its　skull；　which　ended　its　suffering。
　　　
The　three　hunters　then　surveyed　the　scene。　　The　largest　and　most
powerful　beast　they　had　believed　could　exist　lay　before　them
dead；　not　from　the　bite　of　a　snake　or　any　other　poison；　but　from
mechanical　injuries　of　which　those　they　had　inflicted　formed　but
a　very　small　part；　and　literally　cut　to　pieces。
　　　
〃I　am　curious　to　see　the　animal；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃capable　of
doing　this；　though　nothing　short　of　dynamite　bombs　would　protect
us　from　him。〃
　　　
〃As　he　has　not　stopped　to　eat　his　victim；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃it
is　fair　to　suppose　he　is　not　carnivorous；　and　so　must　have　had
some　other　motive　than　hunger　in　making　the　attack；　unless　we　can
suppose　that　our　approach　frightened　him　away；　which；　with　such
power　as　he　must　possess；　seems　unlikely。　　Let　us　see；〃　he
continued；　〃parts　of　two　legs　remain　unaccounted　for。　　Perhaps；
on　account　of　their　shape；　he　has　been　able　the　more　easily　to
carry　or　roll　them　off；　for　we　know　that　elephant　foot　makes　a
capital　dish。〃
　　　
〃From　the　way　you　talk；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃one　would　suppose　you
attributed　this　to　men。　　The　Goliath　we　picture　to　ourselves
would　be　a　child　compared　to　the　man　that　could　cut　through　these
legs；　though　the　necessity　of　believing　him　to　have　merely　great
size　does　not　disprove　his　existence　here。　　I　think　it　probable
we　shall　find　this　is　the　work　of　some　animal　with　incisors　of
such　power　as　it　is　difficult　for　us　to　conceive　of。〃
　　　
〃There　is　no　indication　here　of　teeth；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃each
foot　being　taken　off　with　a　clean　cut。　　Besides；　we　are　coming　to
believe　that　man　existed　on　earth　during　the　greater　part；　if　not
the　whole；　of　our　Carboniferous　period。〃
　　　
〃We　must　reserve　our　decision　pending　further　evidence；〃　said
Cortlandt。
　　　
〃I　vote　we　take　the　heart；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃and　cook　it；　since
otherwise　the　mammoth　will　be　devoured　before　our　eyes。〃
　　　
While　Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　delved　for　this；　Cortlandt；　with
some　difficulty；　parted　the　mammoth's　lips　and　examined　the
teeth。　　〃From　the　conical　projections　on　the　molars；〃　said　he；
〃this　should　be　classed　rather　as　a　mastodon　than　as　a　mammoth。〃
　　　
When　the　huge　heart　was　secured；　Bearwarden　arranged　slices　on
sharpened　sticks；　while　Ayrault　set　about　starting　a　fire。　　He
had　to　use　Cortlandt's　gun　to　clear　the　dry　wood　of　snakes；
which；　attracted　doubtless　by　the　dead　mastodon；　came　in　such
numbers　that　they　covered　the　ground；　while　huge　pterodactyls；
more　venomous…looking　than　the　reptiles；　hovered　about　the
opening　above。
　　　
Arranging　a　double　line　of　electric　wires　in　a　circle　about　the
mastodon　and　themselves；　they　sat　down　and　did　justice　to　the
meal；　with　appetites　that　might　have　dismayed　the　waiting　throng。　
Whenever　a　snake's　head　came　in　contact　with　one　wire；　while　his
tail　touched　the　other；　he　gave　a　spasmodic　leap　and　fell　back
dead。　　If　he　happened　to　fall　across　the　wires；　lie　immediately
began　to　sizzle；　a　cloud　of　smoke　arose；　and　lie　was　reduced　to
ashes。
　　　
〃Any　time　that　we　are　short　of　mastodon　or　other　good　game；〃　said
Ayrault；　〃we　need　not　hunger　if　we　are　not　above　grilled　snake。〃
　　　
All　laughed　at　this；　and　Bearwarden；　drawing　a　whiskey…flask　from
his　pocket；　passed　it　to　his　friends。
　　　
〃When　we　rig　our　fishing…tackle；〃　he　continued；　〃and　have　fresh
fish　for　dinner；　an　entree　of　rattlesnake；　roast　mastodon　for　the
piece　de　resistance；　and　begin　the　whole　with　turtle　soup　and
clams；　of　which　there　must　be　plenty　on　the　ocean　beach；　we　shall
want　to　stay　here　the　rest　of　our　lives。〃
　　　
〃I　suspect　we　shall　have　to；〃　replied　Ayrault　〃for　we　shall
become　so　like　Thanksgiving　turkeys　that　the　Callisto's　door　will
be　too　small　for　us。〃
　　　
While　they　sat　and　talked；　the　flowers　and　plants　about　them
softly　began　their　song；　and；　as　a　visual　accompaniment；　the
fire…flies　they　had　not　before　noticed　twinkled　through　the
forest。
　　　
〃My　goodness！　〃　exclaimed　Cortlandt；　〃how　time　goes　here！　　We
started　to　get　breakfast；　and　now　it's　growing　dark。〃
　　　
Hastily　cutting　some　thick　but　tender　slices　from　the　mastodon；
and　impaling　them　with　the　remains　of　the　heart　on　a　sharpened
stake；　they　took　up　the　wires；　and　the　battery　that　had　been
supplying　the　current；　and　retraced　their　steps　by　the　way　they
had　come。　　Their　rubber…lined　cowhide　boots　protected　them　from
all　but　the　largest　snakes；　and　as　these　were　for　the　most　part
already　enjoying　their　gorge；　they　trampled　with　impunity　on
those　that　remained　in　their　path。　　When　they　had　covered　about
half　the　distance　to　the　raft；　a　huge　boa…constrictor；　which　they
had　mistaken　for　a　branch；　fell　upon　Cortlandt；　pinioning