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第40节

voyages of dr[1]. doolittle(都利特尔的航行)-第40节


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jumping      through    the  waves。    The    Doctor    hailed   them   and   they   came 

inshore。 



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     He asked them how far we were from the South Polar Continent。 

     About   a   hundred   miles;   they  told   him。 And   then   they  asked   why   he 

wanted to know。 

     〃Because      this   floating   island   we    are   on;〃   said   he;   〃is  drifting 

southward all the time in a current。 It's an island that ordinarily  belongs 

somewhere in the tropic zonereal sultry weather; sunstrokes and all that。 

If it doesn't stop going southward pretty soon everything on it is going to 

perish。〃 

     〃Well;〃 said the porpoises; 〃then the thing to do is to get it back into a 

warmer climate; isn't it?〃 

     〃Yes; but how?〃 said the Doctor。 〃We can't ROW it back。〃 

     〃No;〃 said they; 〃but whales could push itif you only got enough of 

them。〃 

     〃What a splendid idea!Whales; the very thing!〃 said the Doctor。 〃Do 

you think you could get me some?〃 

     〃Why; certainly;〃 said the porpoises; 〃we passed one herd of them out 

there;   sporting   about   among   the   icebergs。   We'll   ask   them   to   come   over。 

And if they aren't enough; we'll try and hunt up some more。 Better have 

plenty。〃 

     〃Thank you;〃 said the Doctor。 〃You are very kindBy the way; do you 

happen to know how this island came to be a floating island? At least half 

of it; I notice; is made of stone。 It is very odd that it floats at all; isn't it?〃 

     〃It is unusual;〃 they said。 〃But the explanation is quite simple。 It used 

to be a mountainous part of South America an overhanging partsort of 

an    awkward      corner;   you   might    say。   Way    back    in  the   glacial   days; 

thousands   of   years   ago;   it   broke   off   from   the   mainland;   and   by   some 

curious accident the inside of it; which is hollow; got filled with air as it 

fell into the ocean。 You can only see less than half of the island: the bigger 

half is under water。 And in the middle of it; underneath; is a huge rock air… 

chamber; running right up inside the mountains。 And that's what keeps it 

floating。〃 

     〃What a pecurious phenometer!〃 said Bumpo。 

     〃It is indeed;〃 said the Doctor。 〃I must make a note of that。〃 And out 

came the everlasting note…book。 



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     The porpoises went bounding off towards the icebergs。 And not long 

after; we saw the sea heaving and frothing as a big herd of whales came 

towards us at full speed。 

     They certainly were enormous creatures; and there must have been a 

good two hundred of them。 

     〃Here   they   are;〃   said   the   porpoises;   poking   their   heads   out   of   the 

water。 

     〃Good!〃 said the Doctor。 〃Now just explain to them; will you please? 

that this is a very serious   matter for  all the  living creatures in this   land。 

And ask them if they will be so good as to go down to the far end of the 

island;   put   their  noses   against   it  and  push   it  back  near   the  coast  of 

Southern Brazil。〃 

     The porpoises evidently succeeded in persuading the whales to do as 

the Doctor asked; for presently we saw them thrashing through the seas; 

going off towards the south end of the island。 

     Then we lay down upon the beach and waited。 

    After about an hour the Doctor got up and threw a stick into the water。 

For   a   while   this   floated   motionless。   But   soon   we   saw   it   begin   to   move 

gently down the coast。 

     〃Ah!〃   said   the   Doctor;   〃see   that?The   island   is   going   North   at   last。 

Thank goodness!〃 

    Faster   and   faster   we   left   the   stick   behind;   and   smaller   and   dimmer 

grew the icebergs on the skyline。 

     The Doctor took out his watch; threw more sticks into the water and 

made a rapid calculation。 

     〃Humph!Fourteen and a half knots an hour;〃 he murmured〃A very 

nice speed。 It should take us about five days to get back near Brazil。 Well; 

that's that Quite a load off my mind。 I declare I feel warmer already。 Let's 

go and get something to eat。〃 



                          THE FIFTH CHAPTER 



                                          WAR! 



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     ON our way back to the village the Doctor began discussing natural 

history   with   Long   Arrow。   But   their   most   interesting   talk;   mainly   about 

plants;   had   hardly   begun   when   an   Indian   runner   came   dashing   up   to   us 

with a message。 

     Long Arrow   listened   gravely   to   the   breathless;   babbled   words;   then 

turned to the Doctor and said in eagle tongue; 

     〃Great   White   Man;   an   evil   thing   has   befallen   the   Popsipetels。   Our 

neighbors to the southward; the thievish Bag…jagderags; who for so long 

have cast envious eyes on our stores of ripe corn; have gone upon the war… 

path; and even now are advancing to attack us。〃 

     〃Evil   news   indeed;〃   said   the   Doctor。   〃Yet   let   us   not   judge   harshly。 

Perhaps it is that they are desperate for food; having their own crops frost… 

killed   before   harvest。   For   are   they   not   even   nearer   the   cold   South   than 

you?〃 

     〃Make no excuses for any man of the tribe of the Bag…jagderags;〃 said 

Long Arrow shaking his head。 〃They are an idle shiftless race。 They do but 

see a chance to get corn without the labor of husbandry。 If it were not that 

they are   a   much bigger   tribe   and hope to defeat their   neighbor by  sheer 

force of numbers; they would not have dared to make open war upon the 

brave Popsipetels。〃 

     When we reached the village we found it in a great state of excitement。 

Everywhere men were seen putting their bows in order; sharpening spears; 

grinding   battle…axes   and   making   arrows   by   the   hundred。   Women   were 

raising   a   high   fence   of   bamboo   poles   all   round   the   village。   Scouts   and 

messengers kept   coming and going; bringing news of the movements of 

the enemy。 While high up in the trees and hills about the village we could 

see look…outs watching the mountains to the southward。 

     Long Arrow brought another Indian; short but enormously broad; and 

introduced      him   to  the   Doctor    as  Big    Teeth;   the  chief   warrior    of  the 

Popsipetels。 

     The Doctor volunteered to go and see the enemy and try to argue the 

matter out peacefully with them instead of fighting; for war; he said; was 

at best a stupid wasteful business。 But the two shook their heads。 Such a 

plan    was    hopeless;    they   said。  In  the   last  war   when     they   had   sent  a 



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messenger to do peaceful arguing; the enemy had merely hit him with an 

ax。 

     While the Doctor was asking Big Teeth how he meant to defend the 

village against attack; a cry of alarm was raised by the look…outs。 

     〃They're coming!The Bag…jagderags…swarming down the mountains 

in thousands!〃 

     〃Well;〃 said the Doctor; 〃it's all in the day's work; I suppose。 I don't 

believe in war; but if the village is attacked we must help defend it。〃 

     And   he   picked   up   a   club   from   the   ground   and   tried   the   heft   of   it 

against a stone。 

     〃This;〃 he said; 〃seems like a pretty good tool to me。〃 And he walked 

to the bamboo fence and took his place among the other waiting fighters。 

     Then we all got hold of some kind of weapon with which to help our 

friends;   the   gallant   Popsipetels:   I   borrowed   a   bow   and   a   quiver   full   of 

arrows; Jip was content to rely upon his old; but still strong teeth; Chee… 

Chee took a bag of rocks and climbed a palm where he could throw them 

down upon the enemies'   heads; and Bumpo   marched   after the Doctor   to 

the fence armed with a young tree in one hand and a door…post in the other。 

     When the enemy drew near enough to be seen from where we stood 

we all gasped with astonishment。 The hillsides were actually covered with 

them thousands upon thousands。 They made our small army within the 

village look like a mere handful。 

     〃Saints alive!〃 muttered Polynesia; 〃our little lot will stand no chance 

against that swarm。 This will never do。 I'm going off to get some help。〃 

Where she  was   going and   what kind of   help she meant to get; I had   no 

idea。   She   just   disappeared   from   my   side。   But   Jip;   who   had   heard   her; 

poked his nose between the bamboo bars of the fence 

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