voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第35节
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all paths and trails； feeling it best to avoid meeting any Indians for the
present。
But she and Chee…Chee were good guides and splendid jungle…hunters；
and the two of them set to work at once looking for food for us。 In a very
short space of time they had found quite a number of different fruits and
nuts which made excellent eating； though none of us knew the names of
any of them。 We discovered a nice clean stream of good water which came
down from the mountains； so we were supplied with something to drink as
well。
We followed the stream up towards the heights。 And presently we
came to parts where the woods were thinner and the ground rocky and
steep。 Here we could get glimpses of wonderful views all over the island；
with the blue sea beyond。 While we were admiring one of these the Doctor
suddenly said； 〃Sh！A Jabizri！Don't you hear it？〃
We listened and heard； somewhere in the air about us； an
extraordinarily musical hum…like a bee； but not just one note。 This hum
rose and fell； up and downalmost like some one singing。
〃No other insect but the Jabizri beetle hums like that；〃 said the Doctor。
〃I wonder where he isquite near； by the sound flying among the trees
probably。 Oh； if I only had my butterfly…net！ Why didn't I think to strap
that around my waist too。 Confound the storm： I may miss the chance of a
lifetime now of getting the rarest beetle in the worldOh look！ There he
goes！〃
A huge beetle； easily three inches long I should say； suddenly flew by
our noses。 The Doctor got frightfully excited。 He took off his hat to use as
a net； swooped at the beetle and caught it。 He nearly fell down a precipice
on to the rocks below in his wild hurry； but that didn't bother him in the
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least。 He knelt down； chortling； upon the ground with the Jabizri safe
under his hat。 From his pocket he brought out a glass…topped box； and into
this he very skillfully made the beetle walk from under the rim of the hat。
Then he rose up； happy as a child； to examine his new treasure through the
glass lid。
It certainly was a most beautiful insect。 It was pale blue underneath；
but its back was glossy black with huge red spots on it。
〃There isn't an entymologist in the whole world who wouldn't give all
he has to be in my shoes to…day；〃 said the Doctor〃Hulloa！ This Jabizri's
got something on his legDoesn't look like mud。 I wonder what it is。〃
He took the beetle carefully out of the box and held it by its back in his
fingers； where it waved its six legs slowly in the air。 We all crowded about
him peering at it。 Rolled around the middle section of its right foreleg was
something that looked like a thin dried leaf。 It was bound on very neatly
with strong spider…web。
It was marvelous to see how John Dolittle with his fat heavy fingers
undid that cobweb cord and unrolled the leaf； whole； without tearing it or
hurting the precious beetle。 The Jabizri he put back into the box。 Then he
spread the leaf out flat and examined it。
You can imagine our surprise when we found that the inside of the leaf
was covered with signs and pictures； drawn so tiny that you almost needed
a magnifying…glass to tell what they were。 Some of the signs we couldn't
make out at all； but nearly all of the pictures were quite plain； figures of
men and mountains mostly。 The whole was done in a curious sort of
brown ink。
For several moments there was a dead silence while we all stared at
the leaf； fascinated and mystified。
〃I think this is written in blood；〃 said the Doctor at last。 〃It turns that
color when it's dry。 Somebody pricked his finger to make these pictures。
It's an old dodge when you're short of ink but highly unsanitaryWhat
an extraordinary thing to find tied to a beetle's leg！ I wish I could talk
beetle language； and find out where the Jabizri got it from。〃
〃But what is it？〃 I asked〃Rows of little pictures and signs。 What do
you make of it； Doctor？〃
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〃It's a letter；〃 he said〃a picture letter。 All these little things put
together mean a messageBut why give a message to a beetle to carry
and to a Jabizri； the rarest beetle in the world？ What an extraordinary
thing！〃
Then he fell to muttering over the pictures。
〃I wonder what it means： men walking up a mountain； men walking
into a hole in a mountain； a mountain falling downit's a good drawing；
that； men pointing to their open mouths； barsprison…bars； perhaps； men
praying； men lying downthey look as though they might be sick； and last
of all； just a mountaina peculiar…shaped mountain。〃
All of a sudden the Doctor looked up sharply at me； a wonderful smile
of delighted understanding spreading over his face。
〃LONG ARROW！〃 he cried； 〃don't you see； Stubbins？Why； of
course！ Only a naturalist would think of doing a thing like this： giving his
letter to a beetlenot to a common beetle； but to the rarest of all； one that
other naturalists would try to catchWell； well！ Long Arrow！A picture…
letter from Long Arrow。 For pictures are the only writing that he knows。〃
〃Yes； but who is the letter to？〃 I asked。
〃It's to me very likely。 Miranda had told him； I know； years ago； that
some day I meant to come here。 But if not for me； then it's for any one
who caught the beetle and read it。 It's a letter to the world。〃
〃Well； but what does it say？ It doesn't seem to me that it's much good
to you now you've got it。〃
〃Yes； it is；〃 he said； 〃because； look； I can read it now。 First picture：
men walking up a mountainthat's Long Arrow and his party； men going
into a hole in a mountainthey enter a cave looking for medicine…plants or
mosses； a mountain falling downsome hanging rocks must have slipped
and trapped them； imprisoned them in the cave。 And this was the only
living creature that could carry a message for them to the outside worlda
beetle； who could BURROW his way into the open air。 Of course it was
only a slim chance that the beetle would be ever caught and the letter read。
But it was a chance； and when men are in great danger they grab at any
straw of hope。 。 。 。 All right。 Now look at the next picture： men pointing to
their open mouths they are hungry； men prayingbegging any one who
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finds this letter to come to their assistance； men lying downthey are sick；
or starving。 This letter； Stubbins； is their last cry for help。〃
He sprang to his feet as he ended； snatched out a note…book and put the
letter between the leaves。 His hands were trembling with haste and
agitation。
〃Come on！〃 he cried〃up the mountainall of you。 There's not a
moment to lose。 Bumpo； bring the water and nuts with you。 Heaven only
knows how long they've been pining underground。 Let's hope and pray
we're not too late！〃
〃But where are you going to look？〃 I asked。 〃Miranda said the island
was a hundred miles long and the mountains seem to run all the way down
the centre of it。〃
〃Didn't you see the last picture？〃 he said； grabbing up his hat from the
ground and cramming it on his head。 〃It was an oddly shaped mountain
looked like a hawk's head。 Well； there's where he is if he's still alive。 First
thing for us to do； is to get up on a high peak and look around the island
for a mountain shaped like a hawks' headjust to think of it！ There's a
chance of my meeting Long Arrow； the son of Golden Arrow； after all！
Come on！ Hurry！ To delay may mean death to the greatest naturalist ever
born！〃
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
HAWK'S…HEAD MOUNTAIN
WE all agreed afterwards that none of us had ever worked so hard in
our lives before as we did that day。 For my part； I know I was often on the
point of dropping exhausted with fatigue； but I just kept on goinglike a
machinedetermined that； whatever happened； I would not be the first to
give up。
When we had scrambled to the top of a high peak； almost instantly we
saw the strange mountain pictured in the letter。 In shape it was the perfect
image of a hawk's head； and was； as far as we
