a journey in other worlds-第26节

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march。　　The　wires　of　course　did　not　protect　them　from　creatures
having　wings；　and　they　ran　some　risk　of　a　visitation　from　the
blood…sucking　bats。　　The　far…away　volcanoes　occasionally　sent　up
sheets　of　flame；　which　in　the　distance　were　like　summer
lightning；　the　torrents　of　lava　and　crashes　that　had　sounded　so
thunderous　when　near；　were　now　like　the　murmur　of　the　ocean's　ebb
tide；　lulling　the　terrestrials　to　deeper　sleep。　　The　pale　moons
were　at　intervals　momentarily　obscured　by　the　rushing　clouds　in
the　upper　air；　only　to　reappear　soon　afterwards　as　serene　as
before。　　All　Nature　seemed　at　rest。
　　　
Shortly　before　dawn　there　was　an　unusually　heavy　step。　　A　moment
later　the　ever…vigilant　batteries　poured　forth　their　current；　and
the　clang　of　the　alarm…bell　made　the　still　night　ring。　　In　an
instant　the　three　men　were　awake；　each　resting　on　one　knee；　with
their　backs　towards　the　centre　and　their　polished　barrels　raised。　
It　was　not　long　before　they　perceived　the　intruder　by　the
moonlight。　　A　huge　monster　of　the　Triceratops　prorsus　species　had
entered　the　camp。　　It　was　shaped　something　like　an　elephant；　but
had　ten　or　twelve　times　the　bulk；　being　over　forty　feet　in
length；　not　including　the　long；　thick　tail。　　The　head　carried　two
huge　horns　on　the　forehead　and　one　on　the　nose。
　　　
〃A　plague　on　my　shot…gun！〃　said　Cortlandt。　　〃Had　I　known　how　much
of　this　kind　of　game　we　should　see；　I　too　should　have　brought　a
rifle。〃
　　　
The　monster　was　entangled　in　the　wires；　and　in　another　second
would　have　stepped　on　the　batteries　that　were　still　causing　the
bell　to　ring。
　　　
〃Aim　for　the　heart；〃　said　Bearwarden　to　Ayrault。　　〃When　you　show
me　his　ribs；　I　will　follow　you　in　the　hole。〃
　　　
Ayrault　instantly　fired　for　a　point　just　back　of　the　left
foreleg。　　The　explosion　had　the　same　effect　as　on　the　mastodon；
removing　a　half…barrel　of　hide；　etc；　and　the　next　second
Bearwarden　sent　a　bullet　less　than　an　inch　from　where　Ayrault's
had　stopped。　　Before　the　colossus　could　turn；　each　had　caused
several　explosions　in　close　proximity　to　the　first。　　The　creature
was　of　course　terribly　wounded；　and　several　ribs　were　cracked；
but　no　ball　had　gone　through。　　With　a　roar　it　made　straight　for
the　woods；　and　with　surprising　agility；　running　fully　as　fast　as
an　elephant。　　Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　kept　up　a　rapid　fire　at　the
left　hind　leg；　and　soon　completely　disabled　it。　　The　dinosaur；
however；　supported　itself　with　its　huge　tail；　and　continued　to
make　good　time。　　Knowing　they　could　not　give　it　a　fatal　wound　at
the　intervening　distance；　in　the　uncertain　light；　they　stopped
firing　and　set　out　in　pursuit。　　Cortlandt　paused　to　stop　the　bell
that　still　rang；　and　then　put　his　best　foot　foremost　in　regaining
his　friends。　　For　half　a　mile　they　hurried　along；　until；　seeing
by　the　quantity　of　blood　on　the　ground　that　they　were　in　no
danger　of　losing　the　game；　they　determined　to　save　their
strength。　　The　trail　entered　the　woods　by　a　narrow　ravine；　passed
through　what　proved　to　be　but　a　belt　of　timber；　and　then　turned
north　to　the　right。　　Presently　in　the　semi…darkness　they　saw　the
monster's　head　against　the　sky。　　He　was　browsing　among　the　trees；
tearing　off　the　young　branches；　and　the　hunters　succeeded　in
getting　within　seventy…five　yards　before　being　discovered。　　Just
as　he　began　to　run；　the　two　rifles　again　fired；　this　time　at　the
right　hind　leg；　which　they　succeeded　in　hamstringing。　　After　that
the　Triceratops　prorsus　was　at　their　mercy；　and　they　quickly　put
an　end　to　its　suffering。　　
　　
〃The　sun　is　about　to　rise；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃in　a　few　minutes　we
shall　have　enough　light。〃
　　　
They　cut　out　a　dozen　thick　slices　of　tenderloin　steak；　and　soon
were　broiling　and　eating　a　substantial　breakfast。
　　　
〃There　are　not　as　many　spectators　to　watch　us　eat　here；〃　said
Cortlandt；　〃as　in　the　woods。　　I　suggest　that；　after　returning　to
camp　for　our　blankets　and　things；　we　steer　for　the　Callisto；　via
this　Triceratops；　to　see　what　creatures　have　been　attracted　by
the　body。〃　　　　

On　finishing　their　meal　they　returned　to　the　place　at　which　they
had　passed　the　night。　　Having　straightened　the　protection…wires；
which　had　become　twisted；　and　arranged　their　impedimenta；　they
set　out；　and　were　soon　once　more　beside　their　latest　victim。



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　HONEY　OF　DEATH。

At　first　nothing　seemed　to　have　been　disturbed；　when　they
suddenly　perceived　that　both　forelegs　were　missing。　　On　further
examination　they　found　that　the　ponderous　tail；　seven　feet　in
diameter；　was　cut　through　in　two　places；　the　thicker　portion
having　disappeared；　and　that　the　heavy　bones　in　this　extremity　of
the　vertebral　column　had　been　severed　like　straws。　　The　cut
surfaces　were　but　little　cooler　than　the　interior　of　the　body；
showing　how　recently　the　mutilation　had　been　effected。
　　　
〃By　all　the　gods！〃　exclaimed　Bearwarden；　〃it　is　easy　to　see　the
method　in　this；　the　hunters　have　again　cut　off　only　those　parts
that　could　be　easily　rolled。　　These　Jovian　fellows　must　have
weapons　compared　with　which　the　old　scythe　chariots　would　be　but
toys；　with　which　they　amputate　the　legs　of　their　victims。　　We
must　see　to　it　that　their　scimitars　do　not　come　too　near　to　us；
and　I　venture　to　hope　that　in　our　bullets　they　will　find　their
match。　　What　say　you；　doctor？〃
　　　
〃I　see　no　depression　such　as　such　heavy　bodies　would　necessarily
have　made　had　they　been　rolled　along　the　ground；　neither　does　it
seem　to　me　that　these　curious　tracks　in　the　sand　are　those　of
men。〃
　　　
The　loose　earth　looked　as　if　the　cross…ties　of　some　railroad　had
been　removed；　the　space　formerly　occupied　having　been　but　partly
filled；　and　these　depressions　were　across　the　probable　direction
of　motion。
　　　
〃Whatever　was　capable　of　chasing　mastodons　and　carrying　such
weights；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃will；　I　suspect；　have　little　to　fear
from　us。　　Probably　nothing　short　of　light　artillery　would　leave
much　effect。〃
　　　
〃I　dare　say；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃we　had　better　give　the　unknown
quantity　a　wide　berth；　though　I　would　give　a　year's　salary　to　see
what　it　is　like。　　The　absence　of　other　tracks　shows　that　his
confreres　leave　'Scissor…　jaw'　alone。〃
　　　
Keeping　a　sharp　lookout　in　all　directions；　they　resumed　their
march　along　the　third　side　of　the　square　which　was　to　bring　them
back　to　the　Callisto。　　Their　course　was　parallel　to　the　stream；
and　on　comparatively　high　ground。　　Cortlandt's　gun　did　good
service；　bringing　down　between　fifty　and　sixty　birds　that　usually
allowed　them　to　get　as　near　as　they　pleased；　and　often　seemed
unwilling　to　leave　their　branches。　　By　the　time　they　were　ready
for　luncheon　they　saw　it　would　be　dark　in　an　hour。　　As　the
rapidity　of　the　planet's　rotation　did　not　give　them　a　chance　to
become　tired；　they　concluded　not　to　pitch　their　camp；　but　to
resume　the　march　by　moonlight；　which　would　be　easy　in　the　high；
open　country　they　were　traversing。
　　　
While　in　quest　of　fire…wood；　they　came　upon　great　heaps　of　bones；
mostly　those　of　birds；　and　were　attracted　by　the　tall；
bell…shaped　flowers　growing　luxuriantly　in　their　midst。　　These
exhaled　a　most　delicious　perfume；　and　at　the　centre　of　each
flower　was　a　viscous　liquid；　the　colour　of　honey。
　　　
〃If　this　tastes　as　well　as　it　looks；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃it　will
come　in　well　for　dessert〃；　saying　which　he　thrust　his　finger　into
the　recesses　of　the　flower；　intending　to　taste　the　essence。　
Quietly；　but　like　a　flash；　the　flower　closed；　his　hand　being
nearly　caught　and　badly　scratched　by　the　long；　sharp　thorns　that
now　appeared　at　the　edges。
　　　
〃Ha！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃a　sensitive　and　you　may　almost　say　a
man…eating　plant。　　This　doubtless　has　been　the　fate　of　these
birds；　whose　bones　now　lie　bleaching　at　its　feet　after　they　have
nourished　its　lips　with　their　lives。　　No　doubt　the　plant　has　use
for　them　still；　since　their　skeletons　may　serve　to　fertilize　its
roots。〃
　　　
Wishing　to　investigate　further；　Bearwarden　placed　one　of　the
birds　they　had　shot　within　the　bell　of　another　flower；　which
immediately　contracted　with　such　force　that　they　saw　drops　of
blood　squeezed　out。　　After　some　minutes　the　flower　opened；　as
beautiful　as　ever；　and　discharged　an　oblong　ball　compressed　to
about　the　size　of　a　hen's　egg；　though　the　bird　that　was　placed
within　it　had　been　as　large　as　a　small　duck。　　Towards　evening
these　flowers　sent　up　their　most　beautiful　song；　to　hear　which
flocks　of　birds　came　from　far　and　near；　alighting　on　the　trees；
and　many　were　lured　to　death　by　the　siren　strains　and　the　honey。
　　　
Before　resuming　their　journey；　the　travellers　paid　a　parting
visit　to　the　bell…shaped　lilies　on　their　pyramids　of　bones。　　The
flowers　were　closed　for　the　night；　and　the　travellers　saw　by　the
moonlight　that　the　white　mounds　were　simply　alive　with
diamond…headed　snakes。　　These　coiled　themselves；　flattened　their
heads；　and　set　up　such　a　hissing　on　the　explorers'　approach　that
they　were　glad　to　retire；　and　leave　this　curious　contrast　of
hideousness　and　beauty　to　the　fire…flies　and　the　moons。　　Marching
along　in　Indian　file；　the　better　to　avoid　treading　on　the
writhing　serpents　that　strewed　the　ground；　they　kept　on　for　about
two　hours。　　They　freque