the surprising adventures of baron munchausen-第24节

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h　a　devil　of　a　plunge；　that　she　dashed　him　in　one　jerk　over　her　head；　and　he　fell　precipitately　into　the　water　before　her。　It　was　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay；　all　the　world　knows　a　very　boisterous　sea；　and　Sphinx；　fearing　he　would　be　drowned；　never　turned　to　the　left　or　the　right　out　of　her　way；　but　advancing　furious；　just　stooped　her　head　a　little；　and　supped　the　poor　count　off　the　water；　into　her　mouth；　together　with　the　quantity　of　two　or　three　tuns　of　water；　which　she　must　have　taken　in　along　with　him；　but　which　were；　to　such　an　enormous　creature　as　Sphinx；　nothing　more　than　a　spoonful　would　be　to　any　of　you　or　me。　She　swallowed　him；　but　when　she　had　got　him　in　her　stomach；　his　long　spurs　so　scratched　and　tickled　her；　that　they　produced　the　effect　of　an　emetic。　No　sooner　was　he　in；　but　out　he　was　squirted　with　the　most　horrible　impetuosity；　like　a　ball　or　a　shell　from　the　calibre　of　a　mortar。　Sphinx　was　at　this　time　quite　sea…　sick；　and　the　unfortunate　count　was　driven　forth　like　a　sky…rocket；　and　landed　upon　the　peak　of　Teneriffe；　plunged　over　head　and　ears　in　the　snow/requiescat　in　pace！/

I　perceived　all　this　mischief　from　my　seat　in　the　ark；　but　was　in　such　a　convulsion　of　laughter　that　I　could　not　utter　an　intelligible　word。　And　now　Sphinx；　deprived　of　her　postillion；　went　on　in　a　zigzag　direction；　and　gambolled　away　after　a　most　dreadful　manner。　And　thus　had　everything　gone　to　wreck；　had　I　not　given　instant　orders　to　Gog　and　Magog　to　sally　forth。　They　plunged　into　the　water；　and　swimming　on　each　side；　got　at　length　right　before　the　animal；　and　then　seized　the　reins。　Thus　they　continued　swimming　on　each　side；　like　tritons；　holding　the　muzzle　of　Sphinx；　while　I；　sallying　forth　astride　upon　the　creature's　back；　steered　forward　on　our　voyage　to　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。

Arriving　at　the　Cape；　I　immediately　gave　orders　to　repair　my　former　chariot　and　machines；　which　were　very　expeditiously　performed　by　the　excellent　artists　I　had　brought　with　me　from　Europe。　And　now　everything　being　refitted；　we　launched　forth　upon　the　water：　perhaps　there　never　was　anything　seen　more　glorious　or　more　august。　'Twas　magnificent　to　behold　Sphinx　make　her　obeisance　on　the　water；　and　the　crickets　chirp　upon　the　bulls　in　return　of　the　salute；　while　Gog　and　Magog；　advancing；　took　the　reins　of　the　great　John　Mowmowsky；　and　leading　towards　us　chariot　and　all；　instantly　disposed　of　them　to　the　forepart　of　the　ark　by　hooks　and　eyes；　and　tackled　Sphinx　before　all　the　bulls。　Thus　the　whole　had　a　most　tremendous　and　triumphal　appearance。　In　front　floated　forwards　the　mighty　Sphinx；　with　Gog　and　Magog　on　each　side；　next　followed　in　order　the　bulls　with　crickets　upon　their　heads；　and　then　advanced　the　chariot　of　Queen　Mab；　containing　the　curious　seat　and　orrery　of　heaven；　after　which　appeared　the　boat　and　ark　of　council；　overtopped　with　two　balloons；　which　gave　an　air　of　greater　lightness　and　elegance　to　the　whole。　I　placed　in　the　galleries　under　the　balloons；　and　on　the　backs　of　the　bulls；　a　number　of　excellent　vocal　performers；　with　martial　music　of　clarionets　and　trumpets。　They　sung　the　〃Watery　Dangers；〃　and　the　〃Pomp　of　Deep　Cerulean！〃　The　sun　shone　glorious　on　the　water　while　the　procession　advanced　toward　the　land；　under　five　hundred　arches　of　ice；　illuminated　with　coloured　lights；　and　adorned　in　the　most　grotesque　and　fanciful　style　with　sea…weed；　elegant　festoons；　and　shells　of　every　kind；　while　a　thousand　water…spouts　danced　eternally　before　and　after　us；　attracting　the　water　from　the　sea　in　a　kind　of　cone；　and　suddenly　uniting　with　the　most　fantastical　thunder　and　lightning。

Having　landed　our　whole　retinue；　we　immediately　began　to　proceed　toward　the　heart　of　Africa；　but　first　thought　it　expedient　to　place　a　number　of　wheels　under　the　ark　for　its　greater　facility　of　advancing。　We　journeyed　nearly　due　north　for　several　days；　and　met　with　nothing　remarkable　except　the　astonishment　of　the　savage　natives　to　behold　our　equipage。

The　Dutch　Government　at　the　Cape；　to　do　them　justice；　gave　us　every　possible　assistance　for　the　expedition。　I　presume　they　had　received　instruction　on　that　head　from　their　High　Mightinesses　in　Holland。　However；　they　presented　us　with　a　specimen　of　some　of　the　most　excellent　of　their　Cape　wine；　and　showed　us　every　politeness　in　their　power。　As　to　the　face　of　the　country；　as　we　advanced；　it　appeared　in　many　places　capable　of　every　cultivation；　and　of　abundant　fertility。　The　natives　and　Hottentots　of　this　part　of　Africa　have　been　frequently　described　by　travellers；　and　therefore　it　is　not　necessary　to　say　any　more　about　them。　But　in　the　more　interior　parts　of　Africa　the　appearance；　manners；　and　genius　of　the　people　are　totally　different。

We　directed　our　course　by　the　compass　and　the　stars；　getting　every　day　prodigious　quantities　of　game　in　the　woods；　and　at　night　encamping　within　a　proper　enclosure　for　fear　of　the　wild　beasts。　One　whole　day　in　particular　we　heard　on　every　side；　among　the　hills；　the　horrible　roaring　of　lions；　resounding　from　rock　to　rock　like　broken　thunder。　It　seemed　as　if　there　was　a　general　rendezvous　of　all　these　savage　animals　to　fall　upon　our　party。　That　whole　day　we　advanced　with　caution；　our　hunters　scarcely　venturing　beyond　pistol　shot　from　the　caravan　for　fear　of　dissolution。　At　night　we　encamped　as　usual；　and　threw　up　a　circular　entrenchment　round　our　tents。　We　had　scarce　retired　to　repose　when　we　found　ourselves　serenaded　by　at　least　one　thousand　lions；　approaching　equally　on　every　side；　and　within　a　hundred　paces。　Our　cattle　showed　the　most　horrible　symptoms　of　fear；　all　trembling；　and　in　cold　perspiration。　I　directly　ordered　the　whole　company　to　stand　to　their　arms；　and　not　to　make　any　noise　by　firing　till　I　should　command　them。　I　then　took　a　large　quantity　of　tar；　which　I　had　brought　with　our　caravan　for　that　purpose；　and　strewed　it　in　a　continued　stream　round　the　encampment；　within　which　circle　of　tar　I　immediately　placed　another　train　or　circle　of　gunpowder；　and　having　taken　this　precaution；　I　anxiously　waited　the　lions'　approach。　These　dreadful　animals；　knowing；　I　presume；　the　force　of　our　troop；　advanced　very　slowly；　and　with　caution；　approaching　on　every　side　of　us　with　an　equal　pace；　and　growling　in　hideous　concert；　so　as　to　resemble　an　earthquake；　or　some　similar　convulsion　of　the　world。　When　they　had　at　length　advanced　and　steeped　all　their　paws　in　the　tar；　they　put　their　noses　to　it；　smelling　it　as　if　it　were　blood；　and　daubed　their　great　bushy　hair　and　whiskers　with　it　equal　to　their　paws。　At　that　very　instant；　when；　in　concert；　they　were　to　give　the　mortal　dart　upon　us；　I　discharged　a　pistol　at　the　train　of　gunpowder；　which　instantly　exploded　on　every　side；　made　all　the　lions　recoil　in　general　uproar；　and　take　to　flight　with　the　utmost　precipitation。　In　an　instant　we　could　behold　them　scattered　through　the　woods　at　some　distance；　roaring　in　agony；　and　moving　about　like　so　many　Will…o'…the…Wisps；　their　paws　and　faces　all　on　fire　from　the　tar　and　the　gun…powder。　I　then　ordered　a　general　pursuit：　we　followed　them　on　every　side　through　the　woods；　their　own　light　serving　as　our　guide；　until；　before　the　rising　of　the　sun；　we　followed　into　their　fastnesses　and　shot　or　otherwise　destroyed　every　one　of　them；　and　during　the　whole　of　our　journey　after　we　never　heard　the　roaring　of　a　lion；　nor　did　any　wild　beast　presume　to　make　another　attack　upon　our　party；　which　shows　the　excellence　of　immediate　presence　of　mind；　and　the　terror　inspired　into　the　savage　enemies　by　a　proper　and　well…timed　proceeding。

We　at　length　arrived　on　the　confines　of　an　immeasurable　desertan　immense　plain；　extending　on　every　side　of　us　like　an　ocean。　Not　a　tree；　nor　a　shrub；　nor　a　blade　of　grass　was　to　be　seen；　but　all　appeared　an　extreme　fine　sand；　mixed　with　gold…dust　and　little　sparkling　pearls。

The　gold…dust　and　pearls　appeared　to　us　of　little　value；　because　we　could　have　no　expectation　of　returning　to　England　for　a　considerable　time。　We　observed；　at　a　great　distance；　something　like　a　smoke　arising　just　over　the　verge　of　the　horizon；　and　looking　with　our　telescopes　we　perceived　it　to　be　a　whirlwind　tearing　up　the　sand　and　tossing　it　about　in　the　heavens　with　frightful　impetuosity。　I　immediately　ordered　my　company　to　erect　a　mound　around　us　of　a　great　size；　which　we　did　with　astonishing　labour　and　perseverance；　and　then　roofed　it　over　with　certain　planks　and　timber；　which　we　had　with　us　for　the　purpose。　Our　labour　was　scarcely　finished　when　the　sand　came　rolling　in　like　the　waves　of　the　sea；　'twas　a　storm　and　river　of　sand　united。　It　continued　to　advance　in　the　same　direction；　without　intermission；　for　three　days；　and　completely　covered　over　the　mound　we　had　erected；　and　buried　us　all　within。　The　intense　heat　of　the　place　was　intolerable；　but　guessing；　by　the　cessation　of　the　noise；　that　the　storm　was　passed；　we　set　about　digging　a　passage　to　the　light　of　day　again；　which　we　effected　in　a　very　short　time；　and　ascending；　perceived　that　the　whole　had　been　so　completely　covered　with　the　sand；　that　there　appeared　no　hills；　but　one　continued　plain；　with　inequalities　or　ridges　on　it　like　the　waves　of　the　sea。　We　soon　extricated　our　vehicle　and　retinue　from　the　burning　sands；　but　not　without　great　danger；　as　the　heat　was　very　violen