a journey in other worlds-第23节

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had　mistaken　for　a　branch；　fell　upon　Cortlandt；　pinioning　his
arms　and　bearing　him　to　the　ground。　　Dropping　their　loads；
Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　threw　themselves　upon　the　monster　with
their　hunting…knives　with　such　vim　that　in　a　few　seconds　it　beat
a　hasty　retreat；　leaving；　as　it　did　so；　a　wake　of　phosphorescent
light。
　　　
〃Are　you　hurt？〃　asked　Bearwarden；　helping　him　up。
　　　
〃Not　in　the　least；〃　replied　Cortlandt。　　〃What　surprises　me　is
that　I　am　not。　　The　weight　of　that　boa…constrictor　would　be　very
great　on　earth；　and　here　I　should　think　it　would　be　simply
crushing。〃
　　　
Groping　their　way　through　the　rapidly　growing　darkness；　they
reached　the　raft　without　further　adventure；　and；　once　on　the
lake；　had　plenty　of　light。　　Two　moons；　one　at　three　quarters　and
the　other　full；　shone　brightly；　while　the　water　was　alive　with
gymnotuses　and　other　luminous　creatures。　　Sitting　and　living　upon
the　cross…timbers；　they　looked　up　at　the　sky。　　The　Great　Bear　and
the　north　star　had　exactly　the　same　relation　to　each　other　as
when　seen　from　the　earth；　while　the　other　constellations　and　the
Milky　Way　looked　identically　as　when　they　had　so　often　gazed　at
them　before；　and　some　idea　of　the　immensity　of　space　was　conveyed
to　them。　　Here　was　no　change；　though　they　had　travelled　three
hundred　and　eighty　million　miles；　there　was　no　more　perceptible
difference　than　if　they　had　not　moved　a　foot。　　Perhaps；　they
thought；　to　the　telescopesif　there　are　anyamong　the　stars；
the　sun　was　seen　to　be　accompanied　by　two　small；　dark　companions；
for　Jupiter　and　Saturn　might　be　visible；　or　perhaps　it　seemed
merely　as　a　slightly　variable　star；　in　years　when　sun…spots　were
numerous；　or　as　the　larger　planets　in　their　revolutions
occasionally　intercepted　a　part　of　its　light。　　As　they　floated
along　they　noticed　a　number　of　what　they　took　to　be
Will…o'…the…wisps。　　Several　of　these　great　globules　of　pale　flame
hovered　about　them　in　the　air；　near　the　surface　of　the　water；　and
anon　they　rose　till　they　hung　above　the　trees；　apparently　having
no　forward　or　horizontal　motion　except　when　taken　by　the　gentle
breeze；　merely　sinking　and　rising。
　　　
〃How　pretty　they　are！〃　said　Cortlandt；　as　they　watched　them。　
〃For　bodies　consisting　of　marsh　gas；　they　hold　together
wonderfully。〃
　　　
Presently　one　alighted　on　the　water　near　them。　　It　was
considerably　brighter　than　any　glow…worm；　and　somewhat　larger
than　an　arc　lamp；　being　nearly　three　feet　in　diameter；　it　did　not
emit　much　light；　but　would　itself　have　been　visible　from　a
considerable　distance。　　Cortlandt　tried　to　touch　it　with　a
raft…pole；　but　could　not　reach　far　enough。　　Presently　a　large
fish　approached　it；　swimming　near　the　surface　of　the　water。　　When
it　was　close　to　the　Jack…o'…lantern；　or　whatever　it　was；　there
was　a　splash；　the　fish　turned　up　its　white　under　side；　and；　the
breeze　being　away　from　the　raft；　the　fire…ball　and　its　victim
slowly　floated　off　together。　　There　were　frequently　a　dozen　of
these　great　globules　in　sight　at　once；　rising　and　descending；　the
observers　noticing　one　peculiarity；　viz。；　that　their　brightness
increased　as　they　rose；　and　decreased　as　they　sank。
　　
About　two　and　a　half　hours　after　sunset；　or　midnight　according　to
Jupiter　time；　they　fell　asleep；　but　about　an　hour　later　Cortlandt
was　awakened　by　a　weight　on　his　chest。　　Starting　up；　he　perceived
a　huge　white…faced　bat；　with　its　head　but　a　few　inches　from　his。　
Its　outstretched　wings　were　about　eight　feet　across；　and　it
fastened　its　sharp　claws　upon　him。　　Seizing　it　by　the　throat；　he
struggled　violently。　　His　companions；　awakened　by　the　noise；
quickly　came　to　his　rescue；　grasping　him　just　as　he　was　in　danger
of　being　dragged　off　the　raft；　and　in　another　moment　Bearwarden's
knife　had　entered　the　creature's　spine。
　　　
〃This　evidently　belongs　to　the　blood…sucking　species；〃　said
Cortlandt。　　〃I　seem　to　be　the　target　for　all　these　beasts；　and
henceforth　shall　keep　my　eyes　open　at　night。〃
　　　
As　day　would　break　in　but　little　over　an　hour；　they　decided　to
remain　awake；　and　they　pushed　the　dead　bat　overboard；　where　it
was　soon　devoured　by　fishes。　　A　chill　had　come　upon　the　air；　and
the　incessant　noise　of　the　forms　of　life　about　them　had　in　a
measure　ceased。
　　　
Cortlandt　passed　around　a　box　of　quinine　as　a　preventive　against
malaria；　and　again　they　lay　back　and　looked　at　the　stars。　　The
most　splendid　sight　in　their　sky　now　was　Saturn。　　At　the
comparatively　short　distance　this　great　planet　was　from　them；　it
cast　a　distinct　shadow；　its　vast　rings　making　it　appear　twice　its
real　size。　　With　the　first　glimmer　of　dawn；　the　fire…balls
descended　to　the　surface　of　the　water　and　disappeared　within　it；
their　lights　going　out。　　With　a　suddenness　to　which　the　explorers
were　becoming　accustomed；　the　sun　burst　upon　them；　rising　as
perpendicularly　as　at　the　earth's　equator；　and　more　than　twice　as
fast；　having　first　tinged　the　sky　with　the　most　brilliant　hues。
　　　
The　stream　had　left　the　forest　and　swamp；　and　was　now　flowing
through　open　country　between　high　banks。　　Pushing　the　raft
ashore；　they　stepped　off　on　the　sand；　and；　warming　up　the　remains
of　the　mastodon's　heart；　ate　a　substantial　breakfast。
　　　
While　washing　their　knives　in　the　stream　preparatory　to　leaving
itfor　they　wished　to　return　to　the　Callisto　by　completing　the
circle　they　had　begunthey　noticed　a　huge　flat　jelly…fish　in
shallow　water。　　It　was　so　transparent　that　they　could　see　the
sandy　bottom　through　it。　　As　it　seemed　to　be　asleep；　Bearwarden
stirred　up　the　water　around　it　and　poked　it　with　a　stick。　　The
jelly…　fish　first　drew　itself　together　till　it　touched　the
surface　of　the　water；　being　nearly　round；　then　it　slowly　left　the
stream　and　rose　till　it　was　wholly　in　the　air；　and；
notwithstanding　the　sunlight；　it　emitted　a　faint　glow。
　　　
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Bearwarden；　〃here　we　have　one　of　our
Jack…o'…lanterns。　　Let　us　see　what　it　is　going　to　do。〃
　　　
〃It　is　incomprehensible　to　me；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃how　it　maintains
itself；　for　it　has　neither　wings　nor　visible　means　of　support；
yet；　as　it　was　able　to　immerse　itself　in　the　stream；　thereby
displacing　a　volume　of　liquid　equivalent　to　its　bulk；　it　must　be
at　least　as　heavy　as　water。〃
　　　
The　jelly…fish　remained　poised　in　the　air　until　directly　above
them；　when　it　began　to　descend。
　　　
〃Stand　from　under！〃　cried　Bearwarden；　stepping　back。　〃I；　for　one；
should　not　care　to　be　touched。〃
　　　
The　great　soft　mass　came　directly　over　the　spot　on　which　they　had
been　standing；　and　stopped　its　descent　about　three　feet　from　the
ground；　parallel　to　which　it　was　slowly　carried　by　the　wind。　　A
few　yards　off；　in　the　direction　in　which　it　was　moving；　lay　a
long　black　snake　asleep　on　the　sand。　　When　directly　over　its
victim　the　jelly　globule　again　sank　till　it　touched　the　middle　of
the　reptile's　back。　　The　serpent　immediately　coiled　itself　in　a
knot；　but　was　already　dead。　　The　jellyfish　did　not　swallow；　but
completely　surrounded　its　prey；　and　again　rose　in　the　air；　with
the　snake's　black　body　clearly　visible　within　it。
　　　
〃Our　Will…o'…the…wisp　is　prettier　by　night　than　by　day；〃　said
Bearwarden。　　〃I　suggest　that　we　investigate　this　further。〃
　　　
〃How？〃　asked　Cortlandt。
　　　
〃By　destroying　its　life；〃　replied　Bearwarden。　　〃Give　it　one
barrel　from　your　gun；　doctor；　and　see　if　it　can　then　defy
gravitation。〃
　　　
Accordingly　Cortlandt　took　careful　aim　at　the　object；　about
twenty…yards　away；　and　fired。　　The　main　portion　of　the　jellyfish；
with　the　snake　still　in　its　embrace；　sailed　away；　but　many　pounds
of　jelly　fell　to　the　ground。　　Most　of　this　remained　where　it　had
fallen；　but　a　few　of　the　larger　pieces　showed　a　faint　luminosity
and　rose　again。
　　　
〃You　cannot　kill　that　which　is　simply　a　mass　of　protoplasm；〃　said
Cortlandt。　　〃Doubtless　each　of　those　pieces　will　form　a　new
organism。　　This　proves　that　there　are　ramifications　and
developments　of　life　which　we　never　dreamed　of。〃


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AN　UNSEEN　HUNTER。

They　calculated　that　they　had　come　ten　or　twelve　miles　from　the
place　at　which　they　built　the　raft；　while　the　damp　salt　breeze
blowing　from　the　south　showed　them　they　were　near　the　ocean。　
Concluding　that　large　bodies　of　water　must　be　very　much　alike　on
all　planets；　they　decided　to　make　for　a　range　of　hills　due　north
and　a　few　miles　off；　and　to　complete　the　circuit　of　the　square　in
returning　to　the　Callisto。　　The　soft　wet　sand　was　covered　with
huge　and　curious　tracks；　doubtless　made　by　creatures　that　had
come　to　the　stream　during　the　night　to　drink；　and　they　noticed
with　satisfaction　as　they　set　out　that　the　fresher　ones　led　off
in　the　direction　in　which　they　were　going。　　For　practice；　they
blew　off　the　heads　of　the　boa…constrictors　as　they　hung　from　the
trees；　and　of　the　other　huge　snakes　that　moved　along　the　ground；
with　explosive　bullets；　in　every　thicket　through　which　they
passed；　knowing　that　the　game；　never　having　been　shot　at；　would
not　take　fright　at　the　noise。　　Sometimes　they　came　upon　great
masses　of　snakes；　intertwined　and　coiled　like　worms；　in　these
cases　Cortlandt　brought　his　gun　into　play；　raking　them　with
duck…shot　to　his　heart's　content。　　〃As　the　function　of　these
re