the lost continent-第6部分

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Delcarte's　buoyance　was　entirely　unruffled。　　He　came　from　under　the　tiger　with　a　broad　grin　on　his　handsome　face；　nor　could　I　perceive　that　a　muscle　trembled　or　that　his　voice　showed　the　least　indication　of　nervousness　or　excitement。

With　the　termination　of　the　adventure；　we　began　to　speculate　upon　the　explanation　of　the　presence　of　this　savage　brute　at　large　so　great　a　distance　from　its　native　habitat。　　My　readings　had　taught　me　that　it　was　practically　unknown　outside　of　Asia；　and　that；　so　late　as　the　twentieth　century；　at　least；　there　had　been　no　savage　beasts　outside　captivity　in　England。

As　we　talked；　Snider　joined　us；　and　I　returned　his　rifle　to　him。　　Taylor　and　Delcarte　picked　up　the　slain　deer；　and　we　all　started　down　toward　the　launch；　walking　slowly。　Delcarte　wanted　to　fetch　the　tiger's　skin；　but　I　had　to　deny　him　permission；　since　we　had　no　means　to　properly　cure　it。


Upon　the　beach；　we　skinned　the　deer　and　cut　away　as　much　meat　as　we　thought　we　could　dispose　of；　and　as　we　were　again　embarking　to　continue　up　the　river　for　fresh　water　and　fuel；　we　were　startled　by　a　series　of　screams　from　the　bushes　a　short　distance　away。

〃Another　Felis　tigris；〃　said　Taylor。

〃Or　a　dozen　of　them；〃　supplemented　Delcarte；　and；　even　as　he　spoke；　there　leaped　into　sight；　one　after　another；　eight　of　the　beasts；　full　grownmagnificent　specimens。

At　the　sight　of　us；　they　came　charging　down　like　infuriated　demons。　　I　saw　that　three　rifles　would　be　no　match　for　them；　and　so　I　gave　the　word　to　put　out　from　shore；　hoping　that　the　〃tiger；〃　as　the　ancients　called　him；　could　not　swim。

Sure　enough；　they　all　halted　at　the　beach；　pacing　back　and　forth；　uttering　fiendish　cries；　and　glaring　at　us　in　the　most　malevolent　manner。

As　we　motored　away；　we　presently　heard　the　calls　of　similar　animals　far　inland。　　They　seemed　to　be　answering　the　cries　of　their　fellows　at　the　water's　edge；　and　from　the　wide　distribution　and　great　volume　of　the　sound　we　came　to　the　conclusion　that　enormous　numbers　of　these　beasts　must　roam　the　adjacent　country。

〃They　have　eaten　up　the　inhabitants；〃　murmured　Snider；　shuddering。

〃I　imagine　you　are　right；〃　I　agreed；　〃for　their　extreme　boldness　and　fearlessness　in　the　presence　of　man　would　suggest　either　that　man　is　entirely　unknown　to　them；　or　that　they　are　extremely　familiar　with　him　as　their　natural　and　most　easily　procured　prey。〃

〃But　where　did　they　come　from？〃　asked　Delcarte。　　〃Could　they　have　traveled　here　from　Asia？〃

I　shook　my　head。　　The　thing　was　a　puzzle　to　me。　　I　knew　that　it　was　practically　beyond　reason　to　imagine　that　tigers　had　crossed　the　mountain　ranges　and　rivers　and　all　the　great　continent　of　Europe　to　travel　this　far　from　their　native　lairs；　and　entirely　impossible　that　they　should　have　crossed　the　English　Channel　at　all。　　Yet　here　they　were；　and　in　great　numbers。

We　continued　up　the　Tamar　several　miles；　filled　our　casks；　and　then　landed　to　cook　some　of　our　deer　steak；　and　have　the　first　square　meal　that　had　fallen　to　our　lot　since　the　Coldwater　deserted　us。　　But　scarce　had　we　built　our　fire　and　prepared　the　meat　for　cooking　than　Snider；　whose　eyes　had　been　constantly　roving　about　the　landscape　from　the　moment　that　we　left　the　launch；　touched　me　on　the　arm　and　pointed　to　a　clump　of　bushes　which　grew　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　away。

Half　concealed　behind　their　screening　foliage　I　saw　the　yellow　and　black　of　a　big　tiger；　and；　as　I　looked；　the　beast　stalked　majestically　toward　us。　　A　moment　later；　he　was　followed　by　another　and　another；　and　it　is　needless　to　state　that　we　beat　a　hasty　retreat　to　the　launch。

The　country　was　apparently　infested　by　these　huge　Carnivora；　for　after　three　other　attempts　to　land　and　cook　our　food　we　were　forced　to　abandon　the　idea　entirely；　as　each　time　we　were　driven　off　by　hunting　tigers。

It　was　also　equally　impossible　to　obtain　the　necessary　ingredients　for　our　chemical　fuel；　and；　as　we　had　very　little　left　aboard；　we　determined　to　step　our　folding　mast　and　proceed　under　sail；　hoarding　our　fuel　supply　for　use　in　emergencies。

I　may　say　that　it　was　with　no　regret　that　we　bid　adieu　to　Tigerland；　as　we　rechristened　the　ancient　Devon；　and；　beating　out　into　the　Channel；　turned　the　launch's　nose　southeast；　to　round　Bolt　Head　and　continue　up　the　coast　toward　the　Strait　of　Dover　and　the　North　Sea。

I　was　determined　to　reach　London　as　soon　as　possible；　that　we　might　obtain　fresh　clothing；　meet　with　cultured　people；　and　learn　from　the　lips　of　Englishmen　the　secrets　of　the　two　centuries　since　the　East　had　been　divorced　from　the　West。

Our　first　stopping　place　was　the　Isle　of　Wight。　　We　entered　the　Solent　about　ten　o'clock　one　morning；　and　I　must　confess　that　my　heart　sank　as　we　came　close　to　shore。　　No　lighthouse　was　visible；　though　one　was　plainly　indicated　upon　my　map。　Upon　neither　shore　was　sign　of　human　habitation。　　We　skirted　the　northern　shore　of　the　island　in　fruitless　search　for　man；　and　then　at　last　landed　upon　an　eastern　point；　where　Newport　should　have　stood；　but　where　only　weeds　and　great　trees　and　tangled　wild　wood　rioted；　and　not　a　single　manmade　thing　was　visible　to　the　eye。

Before　landing；　I　had　the　men　substitute　soft　bullets　for　the　steel…jacketed　projectiles　with　which　their　belts　and　magazines　were　filled。　　Thus　equipped；　we　felt　upon　more　even　terms　with　the　tigers；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　the　tigers；　and　I　decided　that　they　must　be　confined　to　the　mainland。

After　eating；　we　set　out　in　search　of　fuel；　leaving　Taylor　to　guard　the　launch。　　For　some　reason　I　could　not　trust　Snider　alone。　　I　knew　that　he　looked　with　disapproval　upon　my　plan　to　visit　England；　and　I　did　not　know　but　what　at　his　first　opportunity；　he　might　desert　us；　taking　the　launch　with　him；　and　attempt　to　return　to　Pan…America。

That　he　would　be　fool　enough　to　venture　it；　I　did　not　doubt。

We　had　gone　inland　for　a　mile　or　more；　and　were　passing　through　a　park…like　wood；　when　we　came　suddenly　upon　the　first　human　beings　we　had　seen　since　we　sighted　the　English　coast。

There　were　a　score　of　men　in　the　party。　　Hairy；　half…naked　men　they　were；　resting　in　the　shade　of　a　great　tree。　　At　the　first　sight　of　us　they　sprang　to　their　feet　with　wild　yells；　seizing　long　spears　that　had　lain　beside　them　as　they　rested。

For　a　matter　of　fifty　yards　they　ran　from　us　as　rapidly　as　they　could；　and　then　they　turned　and　surveyed　us　for　a　moment。　　Evidently　emboldened　by　the　scarcity　of　our　numbers；　they　commenced　to　advance　upon　us；　brandishing　their　spears　and　shouting　horribly。

They　were　short　and　muscular　of　build；　with　long　hair　and　beards　tangled　and　matted　with　filth。　　Their　heads；　however；　were　shapely；　and　their　eyes；　though　fierce　and　warlike；　were　intelligent。

Appreciation　of　these　physical　attributes　came　later；　of　course；　when　I　had　better　opportunity　to　study　the　men　at　close　range　and　under　circumstances　less　fraught　with　danger　and　excitement。　　At　the　moment　I　saw；　and　with　unmixed　wonder；　only　a　score　of　wild　savages　charging　down　upon　us；　where　I　had　expected　to　find　a　community　of　civilized　and　enlightened　people。

Each　of　us　was　armed　with　rifle；　revolver；　and　cutlass；　but　as　we　stood　shoulder　to　shoulder　facing　the　wild　men　I　was　loath　to　give　the　command　to　fire　upon　them；　inflicting　death　or　suffering　upon　strangers　with　whom　we　had　no　quarrel；　and　so　I　attempted　to　restrain　them　for　the　moment　that　we　might　parley　with　them。

To　this　end　I　raised　my　left　hand　above　my　head　with　the　palm　toward　them　as　the　most　natural　gesture　indicative　of　peaceful　intentions　which　occurred　to　me。　　At　the　same　time　I　called　aloud　to　them　that　we　were　friends；　though；　from　their　appearance；　there　was　nothing　to　indicate　that　they　might　understand　Pan…American；　or　ancient　English；　which　are　of　course　practically　identical。

At　my　gesture　and　words　they　ceased　their　shouting　and　came　to　a　halt　a　few　paces　from　us。　　Then；　in　deep　tones；　one　who　was　in　advance　of　the　others　and　whom　I　took　to　be　the　chief　or　leader　of　the　party　replied　in　a　tongue　which　while　intelligible　to　us；　was　so　distorted　from　the　English　language　from　which　it　evidently　had　sprung；　that　it　was　with　difficulty　that　we　interpreted　it。

〃Who　are　you；〃　he　asked；　〃and　from　what　country？〃

I　told　him　that　we　were　from　Pan…America；　but　he　only　shook　his　head　and　asked　where　that　was。　　He　had　never　heard　of　it；　or　of　the　Atlantic　Ocean　which　I　told　him　separated　his　country　from　mine。

〃It　has　been　two　hundred　years；〃　I　told　him；　〃since　a　Pan…　American　visited　England。〃

〃England？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　is　England？〃

〃Why　this　is　a　part　of　England！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃This　is　Grubitten；〃　he　assured　me。　　〃I　know　nothing　about　England；　and　I　have　lived　here　all　my　life。〃

It　was　not　until　long　after　that　the　derivation　of　Grubitten　occurred　to　me。　　Unquestionably　it　is　a　corruption　of　Great　Britain；　a　name　formerly　given　to　the　large　island　comprising　England；　Scotland　and　Wales。　　Subsequently　we　heard　it　pronounced　Grabrittin　and　Grubritten。

I　then　asked　the　fellow　if　he　could　direct　us　to　Ryde　or　Newport；　but　again　he　shook　his　head；　and　said　that　he　never　had　heard　of　such　countries。　　And　when　I　asked　him　if　there　were　any　cities　in　this　country　he　did　not　know　what　I　meant；　never　having　heard　the　word　cities。

I　explained　my　meaning　as　best　I　could　by　stating　that　by　city　I　referred　to　a　place　where　many　people　lived　together　in　houses。

〃Oh；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃you　mean　a　camp！　　Yes；　there　are　two　great　camps　here；　East　Camp　and　West　Camp。　　We　are　from　East　Camp。〃

The　use　of　the　word　camp　to　describe　a　collection　of　habitations　naturally　suggested　war　to　me；　and　my　next　question　was　as　to　whether　the　war　was　over；　and　who　had　been　victorious。

〃No；〃　he　replied　to　this　question。　　〃The　war　is　not　yet　over。　　But　it　soon　will　be；　and　it　will　end；　as　it　always　does；　with　the　Westenders　running　away。　　We；　the　Eastenders；　are　always　victorious。〃

〃No；〃　I　said；　seeing　that　he　referred　to　the　petty　tribal　wars　of　his　little　island；　〃I　mean　the　Great　War；　the　war　with　Germany。　　Is　it　endedand　who　was　victorious？〃

He　shook　his　head　impatiently。

〃I　never　heard；〃　he　said；　〃of　any　of　these　strange　countries　of　which　you　speak。〃

It　seemed　incredible；　and　yet　it　was　true。　　These　people　livin