a journey in other worlds-第24节

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！


cases　Cortlandt　brought　his　gun　into　play；　raking　them　with
duck…shot　to　his　heart's　content。　　〃As　the　function　of　these
reptiles；〃　he　explained；　〃is　to　form　a　soil　on　which　higher　life
may　grow；　we　may　as　well　help　along　their　metamorphosis　by
artificial　means。〃　　They　were　impressed　by　the　tremendous
cannon…like　reports　of　their　firearms；　which　they　perceived　at
once　resulted　from　the　great　density　of　the　Jovian　atmosphere。　
And　this　was　also　a　considerable　aid　to　them　in　making　muscular
exertion；　for　it　had　just　the　reverse　effect　of　rarefied　mountain
air；　and　they　seldom　had　to　expand　their　lungs　fully　in　order　to
breathe。
　　　
The　ground　continued　to　be　marked　with　very　large　footprints。　
Often　the　impressions　were　those　of　a　biped　like　some　huge　bird；
except　that　occasionally　the　creature　had　put　down　one　or　both
forefeet；　and　a　thick　tail　had　evidently　dragged　nearly　all　the
time　it　walked　erect。　　Presently；　coming　to　something　they　had
taken　for　a　large　flat　rock；　they　were　surprised　to　see　it　move。　
It　was　about　twelve　feet　wide　by　eighteen　feet　long；　while　its
shell　seemed　at　least　a　foot　thick；　and　it　was　of　course　the
largest　turtle　they　had　ever　seen。
　　　
〃Twenty…four　people　could　dine　at　a　table　of　this　size　with
ease；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃while　it　would　make　soup　for　a　regiment。　
I　wonder　if　it　belongs　to　the　snapping　or　diamond…backed
species。〃
　　　
At　this　juncture　the　monster　again　moved。
　　　
〃As　it　is　heading　in　our　direction；〃　resumed　Bearwarden；　〃I　vote
we　strike　for　a　free　pass；〃　and；　taking　a　run；　he　sprang　with　his
spiked　boots　upon　the　turtle's　shell　and　clambered　upon　the　flat
top；　which　was　about　six　feet　from　the　ground。　　He　was　quickly
followed　by　Ayrault；　who　was　not　much　ahead　of　Cortlandt；　for；
notwithstanding　his　fifty　years；　the　professor　was　very　spry。　
The　tortoise　was　almost　the　exact　counterpart　of　the　Glyptodon
asper　that　formerly　existed　on　earth；　and　shambled　along　at　a
jerky　gait；　about　half　as　fast　again　as　they　could　walk；　and
while　it　continued　to　go　in　their　direction　they　were　greatly
pleased。　　They　soon　found　that　by　dropping　the　butts　of　their
rifles　sharply　and　simultaneously　on　either　side；　just　back　of
the　head；　they　could　direct　their　course；　by　making　their　steed
swerve　away　from　the　stamping。
　　　
〃It　is　strange；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃that；　with　the
exception　of　the　mastodon　and　this　tortoise；　we　have　seen
none　of　the　monsters　that　seem　to　appear　at　the　close　of
Carboniferous　periods；　although　the　ground　is　covered
with　their　tracks。〃
　　　
〃Probably　we　did　not　reach　the　grounds　at　the　right　time　of　day；〃
replied　Bearwarden。　　〃The　large　game　doubtless　stays　in　the　woods
and　jungles　till　night。〃
　　　
〃I　fancy；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃we　shall　find　representatives　of　all
the　species　that　once　lived　upon　the　earth。　　In　the　case　of　the
singing　flowers　and　the　Jack…o'…lantern　jelly…fish；　we　have；　in
addition；　seen　developments　the　existence　of　which　no　scientist
has　ever　before　even　suspected。〃
　　　
Occasionally　the　tortoise　stopped；　whereupon　they　poked　it　from
behind　with　their　knives。　　It　was　a　vicious…looking　brute；　and
had　a　huge　horny　beak；　with　which　it　bit　off　young　trees　that
stood　in　its　way　as　though　they　had　been　blades　of　grass。　　They
were　passing　through　a　valley　about　half　a　mile　wide；　bordered　on
each　side　by　woods；　when　Bearwarden　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃Here　we
have　it！〃　and；　looking　forward；　they　unexpectedly　saw　a　head　rise
and　remain　poised　about　fifteen　feet　from　the　ground。　　It　was　a
dinosaur；　and　belonged　to　the　scaled　or　armoured　species。　　In　a
few　moments　another　head　appeared；　and　towered　several　feet　above
the　first。　　The　head　was　obviously　reptilian；　but　had　a　beak
similar　to　that　of　their　tortoise。　　The　hind　legs　were　developed
like　those　of　a　kangaroo；　while　the　small　rudimentary　forepaws；
which　could　be　used　as　hands　or　for　going　quadruped…fashion；　now
hung　down。　　The　strong　thick　tail　was　evidently　of　great　use　to
them　when　standing　erect；　by　forming　a　sort　of　tripod。
　　　
〃How　I　wish　we　could　take　a　pair　of　those　creatures　with　us　when
we　return　to　the　earth！〃　said　Cortlandt。
　　　
〃They　would　be　trump　cards；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃in　a　zoological
garden　or　a　dime　museum；　and　would　take　the　wind　out　of　the　sails
of　all　the　other　freaks。〃
　　　
As　they　lay　flat　on　the　turtle's　back；　the　monsters　gazed　at　them
unconcernedly；　munching　the　palm…tree　fruit　so　loudly　that　they
could　be　heard　a　long　distance。
　　　
〃Having　nothing　to　fear　from　a　tortoise；〃　resumed　Cortlandt；
〃they　may　allow　us　to　stalk　them。　　We　are　in　their　eyes　like
hippocentaurs；　except　that　we　are　part　of　a　tortoise　instead　of
part　of　a　horse；　or　else　they　take　us　for　a　parasite　or　fibrous
growth　on　the　shell。〃
　　　
〃They　would　not　have　much　to　fear　from　us　as　we　really　are；〃
replied　Bearwarden；　〃were　it　not　for　our　explosive　bullets。〃
　　　
〃I　am　surprised；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃that　graminivorous　animals
should　be　so　heavily　armed　as　these；　since　there　can　be　no　great
struggle　in　obtaining　their　food。〃
　　　　
〃From　the　looks　of　their　jaws；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃I　should　say
they　are　omnivorous；　and　would　doubtless　prefer　meat　to　what　they
are　eating　now。　　Something　seems　to　have　gone　wrong　with　the
animal　creation　hereabouts　to…day。〃
　　　
Their　war…horse　clanked　along　like　a　badly　rusted　machine；
approaching　the　dinosaurs　obliquely。　　When　only　about　fifty　yards
intervened；　as　the　hunters　were　preparing　to　aim；　their　attention
was　diverted　by　a　tremendous　commotion　in　the　woods　on　their　left
and　somewhat　ahead。　　With　the　crunching　of　dead　branches　and
swaying　of　the　trees；　a　drove　of　monsters　made　a　hasty　exit　and
sped　across　the　open　valley。　　Some　showed　only　the　tops　of　their
backs　above　the　long　grass；　while　others　shambled　and　leaped　with
their　heads　nearly　thirty　feet　above　the　ground。　　The　dinosaurs
instantly　dropped　on　all…fours　and　joined　in　the　flight；　though
at　about　half…minute　intervals　they　rose　on　their　hind　legs　and
for　a　few　seconds　ran　erect。　　The　drove　passed　about　half　a　mile
before　the　travellers；　and　made　straight　for　the　woods　opposite；
but　hardly　had　the　monsters　been　out　of　sight　two　minutes　when
they　reappeared；　even　more　precipitately　than　before；　and　fled　up
the　valley　in　the　same　direction　as　the　tortoise。
　　　
〃The　animals　here；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃behave　as　though　they　were
going　to　catch　a　train；　only　our　friend　beneath　us　seems　superior
to　haste。〃
　　　
〃I　would　give　a　good　deal　to　know；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃what　is
pursuing　those　giants；　and　whether　it　is　identical　or　similar　to
the　mutilator　of　the　mastodon。　　Nothing　but　abject　terror　could
make　them　run　like　that。〃
　　　
〃I　have　a　well…formed　idea；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　a　hunt　is
going　on；　with　no　doubt　two　parties；　one　in　the　woods　on　either
side；　and　that　the　hunters　may　be　on　a　scale　commensurate　with
that　of　their　victims。〃
　　　
〃If　the　excitement　is　caused　by　men；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃our
exploration　may　turn　out　to　be　a　far　more　difficult　undertaking
than　we　anticipated。　　But　why；　if　there　are　men　in　those　woods；
do　they　not　show　themselves？for　they　could　certainly　keep　pace
with　the　game　more　easily　in　the　open　than　among　the　trees。〃
　　　
〃Because；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃the　men　in　the　woods　are
doubtless　the　beaters；　whose　duty　it　is　to　drive　the　game　into
and　up　the　valley；　at　the　end　of　which　the　killing　will　be　done。〃
　　　
〃We　may　have　a　chance　to　see　it；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃or　to　take　a
hand；　for　we　are　travelling　straight　in　that　direction；　and　shall
be　able　to　give　a　good　account　ourselves　if　our　rights　are
challenged。〃
　　　
〃Why；〃　asked　Cortlandt；　〃if　the　hunting　parties　that　have　been　in
our　vicinity　were　only　beaters；　should　they　have　mutilated　the
mastodon　in　such　it　way　that　he　could　not　walk？　　And　how　were
they　able　to　take　themselves　off　so　quicklyfor　man　in　his
natural　state　has　never　been　a　fast　mover？　　I　repeat；　it　will
upset　my　theories　if　we　find　men。〃
　　　
It　was　obvious　to　them　that　tortoises　were　not　much　troubled　by
the　apparently　general　foe；　for　the　specimen　in　which　they　were
just　then　interested　continued　his　course　entirely　unconcerned。　
Soon；　however；　he　seemed　to　feel　fatigue；　for　he　drew　his　feet
and　head　within　his　shell；　which　he　tightly　closed；　and　after
that　no　poking　or　prodding　had　the　desired　effect。
　　　
〃I　suspect　we　must　depend　on　shank's　mares　for　a　time；〃　said
Bearwarden；　cheerfully；　as　they　scrambled　down。
　　　
〃We　can　now　see；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃why　our　friend　was　so
unconcerned；　since　he　has　but　to　draw　himself　within　himself　to
become　invulnerable　to　anything　short　of　a　stroke　of　lightning；
for　no　bird　could　have　power　enough　to　raise　and　drop　him　from　a
great　height　upon　rocks；　as　the　eagles　do　on　earth。〃
　　　
〃I　suspect；　if　anxious　for　turtle　soup；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃we
must　attach　a　lightningrod；　and　wait　for　a　thunderstorm　to
electrocute　him。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SPORTSMEN'S　REVERIES。

Feeling　grateful　to　the　huge　tortoise　for　the　good　service　he　had
rendered；　they　shot　a　number　of　the　great　snakes　that　were
gliding　about　on　the　ground；　and　placed　them　where　he　would　find
them　on　awaiti