a journey in other worlds-第22部分

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behind　with　their　knives。　　It　was　a　vicious…looking　brute；　and
had　a　huge　horny　beak；　with　which　it　bit　off　young　trees　that
stood　in　its　way　as　though　they　had　been　blades　of　grass。　　They
were　passing　through　a　valley　about　half　a　mile　wide；　bordered　on
each　side　by　woods；　when　Bearwarden　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃Here　we
have　it！〃　and；　looking　forward；　they　unexpectedly　saw　a　head　rise
and　remain　poised　about　fifteen　feet　from　the　ground。　　It　was　a
dinosaur；　and　belonged　to　the　scaled　or　armoured　species。　　In　a
few　moments　another　head　appeared；　and　towered　several　feet　above
the　first。　　The　head　was　obviously　reptilian；　but　had　a　beak
similar　to　that　of　their　tortoise。　　The　hind　legs　were　developed
like　those　of　a　kangaroo；　while　the　small　rudimentary　forepaws；
which　could　be　used　as　hands　or　for　going　quadruped…fashion；　now
hung　down。　　The　strong　thick　tail　was　evidently　of　great　use　to
them　when　standing　erect；　by　forming　a　sort　of　tripod。
　　　
〃How　I　wish　we　could　take　a　pair　of　those　creatures　with　us　when
we　return　to　the　earth！〃　said　Cortlandt。
　　　
〃They　would　be　trump　cards；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃in　a　zoological
garden　or　a　dime　museum；　and　would　take　the　wind　out　of　the　sails
of　all　the　other　freaks。〃
　　　
As　they　lay　flat　on　the　turtle's　back；　the　monsters　gazed　at　them
unconcernedly；　munching　the　palm…tree　fruit　so　loudly　that　they
could　be　heard　a　long　distance。
　　　
〃Having　nothing　to　fear　from　a　tortoise；〃　resumed　Cortlandt；
〃they　may　allow　us　to　stalk　them。　　We　are　in　their　eyes　like
hippocentaurs；　except　that　we　are　part　of　a　tortoise　instead　of
part　of　a　horse；　or　else　they　take　us　for　a　parasite　or　fibrous
growth　on　the　shell。〃
　　　
〃They　would　not　have　much　to　fear　from　us　as　we　really　are；〃
replied　Bearwarden；　〃were　it　not　for　our　explosive　bullets。〃
　　　
〃I　am　surprised；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃that　graminivorous　animals
should　be　so　heavily　armed　as　these；　since　there　can　be　no　great
struggle　in　obtaining　their　food。〃
　　　　
〃From　the　looks　of　their　jaws；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃I　should　say
they　are　omnivorous；　and　would　doubtless　prefer　meat　to　what　they
are　eating　now。　　Something　seems　to　have　gone　wrong　with　the
animal　creation　hereabouts　to…day。〃
　　　
Their　war…horse　clanked　along　like　a　badly　rusted　machine；
approaching　the　dinosaurs　obliquely。　　When　only　about　fifty　yards
intervened；　as　the　hunters　were　preparing　to　aim；　their　attention
was　diverted　by　a　tremendous　commotion　in　the　woods　on　their　left
and　somewhat　ahead。　　With　the　crunching　of　dead　branches　and
swaying　of　the　trees；　a　drove　of　monsters　made　a　hasty　exit　and
sped　across　the　open　valley。　　Some　showed　only　the　tops　of　their
backs　above　the　long　grass；　while　others　shambled　and　leaped　with
their　heads　nearly　thirty　feet　above　the　ground。　　The　dinosaurs
instantly　dropped　on　all…fours　and　joined　in　the　flight；　though
at　about　half…minute　intervals　they　rose　on　their　hind　legs　and
for　a　few　seconds　ran　erect。　　The　drove　passed　about　half　a　mile
before　the　travellers；　and　made　straight　for　the　woods　opposite；
but　hardly　had　the　monsters　been　out　of　sight　two　minutes　when
they　reappeared；　even　more　precipitately　than　before；　and　fled　up
the　valley　in　the　same　direction　as　the　tortoise。
　　　
〃The　animals　here；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃behave　as　though　they　were
going　to　catch　a　train；　only　our　friend　beneath　us　seems　superior
to　haste。〃
　　　
〃I　would　give　a　good　deal　to　know；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃what　is
pursuing　those　giants；　and　whether　it　is　identical　or　similar　to
the　mutilator　of　the　mastodon。　　Nothing　but　abject　terror　could
make　them　run　like　that。〃
　　　
〃I　have　a　well…formed　idea；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃that　a　hunt　is
going　on；　with　no　doubt　two　parties；　one　in　the　woods　on　either
side；　and　that　the　hunters　may　be　on　a　scale　commensurate　with
that　of　their　victims。〃
　　　
〃If　the　excitement　is　caused　by　men；〃　replied　Cortlandt；　〃our
exploration　may　turn　out　to　be　a　far　more　difficult　undertaking
than　we　anticipated。　　But　why；　if　there　are　men　in　those　woods；
do　they　not　show　themselves？for　they　could　certainly　keep　pace
with　the　game　more　easily　in　the　open　than　among　the　trees。〃
　　　
〃Because；〃　replied　Bearwarden；　〃the　men　in　the　woods　are
doubtless　the　beaters；　whose　duty　it　is　to　drive　the　game　into
and　up　the　valley；　at　the　end　of　which　the　killing　will　be　done。〃
　　　
〃We　may　have　a　chance　to　see　it；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃or　to　take　a
hand；　for　we　are　travelling　straight　in　that　direction；　and　shall
be　able　to　give　a　good　account　ourselves　if　our　rights　are
challenged。〃
　　　
〃Why；〃　asked　Cortlandt；　〃if　the　hunting　parties　that　have　been　in
our　vicinity　were　only　beaters；　should　they　have　mutilated　the
mastodon　in　such　it　way　that　he　could　not　walk？　　And　how　were
they　able　to　take　themselves　off　so　quicklyfor　man　in　his
natural　state　has　never　been　a　fast　mover？　　I　repeat；　it　will
upset　my　theories　if　we　find　men。〃
　　　
It　was　obvious　to　them　that　tortoises　were　not　much　troubled　by
the　apparently　general　foe；　for　the　specimen　in　which　they　were
just　then　interested　continued　his　course　entirely　unconcerned。　
Soon；　however；　he　seemed　to　feel　fatigue；　for　he　drew　his　feet
and　head　within　his　shell；　which　he　tightly　closed；　and　after
that　no　poking　or　prodding　had　the　desired　effect。
　　　
〃I　suspect　we　must　depend　on　shank's　mares　for　a　time；〃　said
Bearwarden；　cheerfully；　as　they　scrambled　down。
　　　
〃We　can　now　see；〃　said　Cortlandt；　〃why　our　friend　was　so
unconcerned；　since　he　has　but　to　draw　himself　within　himself　to
become　invulnerable　to　anything　short　of　a　stroke　of　lightning；
for　no　bird　could　have　power　enough　to　raise　and　drop　him　from　a
great　height　upon　rocks；　as　the　eagles　do　on　earth。〃
　　　
〃I　suspect；　if　anxious　for　turtle　soup；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃we
must　attach　a　lightningrod；　and　wait　for　a　thunderstorm　to
electrocute　him。〃



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SPORTSMEN'S　REVERIES。

Feeling　grateful　to　the　huge　tortoise　for　the　good　service　he　had
rendered；　they　shot　a　number　of　the　great　snakes　that　were
gliding　about　on　the　ground；　and　placed　them　where　he　would　find
them　on　awaiting。　　They　then　picked　their　way　carefully　towards
stretches　on　which　the　grass　was　shortest。　　When　they　had　gone
about　two　miles；　and　had　already　reached　higher　ground；　they　came
to　a　ridge　of　rock　running　at　right　angles　to　their　course。　　This
they　climbed；　and　on　looking　over　the　edge　of　the　crest　beheld　a
sight　that　made　their　hearts　stand　still。　　A　monster；　somewhat
resembling　an　alligator；　except　that　the　back　was　arched；　was
waddling　about　perhaps　seventy…　five　yards　from　them。　　It　was
sixty　feet　long；　and　to　the　top　of　its　scales　was　at　least
twenty…five　feet　high。　　It　was　constantly　moving；　and　the
travellers　noticed　with　some　dismay　that　its　motion　was　far　more
rapid　than　they　would　have　supposed　it　could　be。
　　　
〃It　is　also　a　dinosaur；〃　said　the　professor；　watching　it　sharply；
〃and　very　closely　resembles　the　Stegosaurus　ungulatus　restored　in
the　museums。　　The　question　is；　What　shall　we　do　with　the　living
specimen；　now　that　we　have　it？〃
　　　
〃Our　chairman；〃　said　Ayrault；　〃must　find　a　way　to　kill　it；　so
that　we　may　examine　it　closely。〃
　　　
〃The　trouble　is；〃　said　Bearwarden；　〃our　bullets　will　explode
before　they　penetrate　the　scales。　　In　the　absence　of　any　way　of
making　a　passage　for　an　explosive　ball　by　means　of　a　solid　one；
we　must　strike　a　vital　spot。　　His　scales　being　no　harder　than　the
trunk　of　a　tree；　we　can　wound　him　terribly　by　touching　him
anywhere；　but　there　is　no　object　in　doing　this　unless　we　can　kill
him；　especially　as　there　is　no　deep　stream；　such　as　would　have
delayed　the　mastodon　in　reaching　us；　to　protect　us　here。　　We　must
spread　out　so　as　to　divert　his　attention　from　one　to　another。〃
　　　
After　some　consultation　it　was　decided　that　Cortlandt；　who　had
only　a　shot…gun；　should　remain　where　they　were；　while　Bearwarden
and　Ayrault　moved　some　distance　to　the　right　and　left。　　At　a
signal　from　Cortlandt；　who　was　to　attract　the　monster's
attention；　the　wings　were　to　advance　simultaneously。　　These
arrangements　they　carried　out　to　the　letter。　　When　Bearwarden　and
Ayrault　had　gone　about　twenty…five　yards　on　either　side；　the
doctor　imitated　the　peculiar　grunting　sound　of　an　alligator；　at
which　the　colossal　monster　turned　and　faced　him；　while　Bearwarden
and　Ayrault　moved　to　the　attack。　　The　plan　of　this　was　good；　for；
with　his　attention　fixed　on　three　objects；　the　dinosaur　seemed
confused；　and　though　Bearwarden　and　Ayrault　had　good　angles　from
which　to　shoot；　there　was　no　possibility　of　their　hitting　each
other。　　They　therefore　advanced　steadily　with　their　rifles　half
up。　　Though　their　own　danger　increased　with　each　step；　in　the
event　of　their　missing；　the　chance　of　their　shooting　wild
decreased；　the　idea　being　to　reach　the　brain　through　the　eye。　
Cortlandt's　part　had　also　its　risks；　for；　being　entirely
defenceless　with　his　shot…gun　against　the　large　creature；　whose
attention　it　was　his　duty　to　attract；　he　staked　all　on　the
marksmanship　of　his　friends。　　Not　considering　this；　however；　he
stood　his　ground；　having　the　thumb…piece　on　his　Winchester
magazine　shoved　up　and　ready　to　make　a　noisy　diversion　if
necessary　in　behalf　of　either　wing。　　Having　aroused　the　monster's
curiosity；　Cortlandt　sprang　up；　waving　his　arms　and　his　gun。　　The
dinosaur　lowered　his　head　as　if　to　charge；　thereby　bringing　it　to
a　level　with　the　rifles；　either　of　which　could　have　given　it　the
fatal　shot。　　But　as　their　fingers　pressed　the　triggers　the
reptile　soared　up　thirty　feet　in　the　air。　　Ayrault　pulled　for　his
first　sight；　shooting　through　the　lower　jaw；　and　shivering　that
member；　while　Bearwarden　changed　his　aim　and　sighted　straight　for
the　heart。　　In　an　instant　the　monster　was　down　again；　just
missing　Ayrault's　head　as　he　stepped　back；　and　Bearwarden's　rifle
poured　a　stream　of　explosive　balls　against　its　side；　rending　and
blowing　away　the　heavy　scales。　　Having　drawn　the　dinosaur's
attention　to　himself；　he　retreated；　while　Ayrault　renewed　the
attack。　　Cortlandt；　seeing　that　the　original　plan　had　miscarried；
poured　showers　of　small　shot　against　the　huge　beast's　face。　
Finally；　one　of　Ayrault's　balls　explod