inca.gold-第4部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　like　wingless　birds　amid　the　rocks　and　corals　where　they　had　been　left　high　and　dry　by　the　retreating　sea。　Sharks；　squid；　and　a　rainbow　of　tropical　fish　all　mingled　together　in　their　death　throes。
　　　　A　constant　flow　of　tremors　moved　the　earth　as　the　submarine　quake　caused　crustal　fracturing；　collapsing　the　seafloor　and　creating　a　vast　depression。　Then　it　was　the　sea's　turn　to　go　crazy　as　it　swept　in　from　all　sides　to　fill　the　hole。　The　water　piled　up　in　a　gigantic　countersurge　with　incredible　speed。　Millions　of　tons　of　pure　destruction　rose　higher　and　higher　until　its　crest　reached　40　meters　（157　feet）　high；　a　phenomenon　that　would　later　bee　known　as　a　tsunami。
　　　　There　was　no　time　for　the　helpless　men　to　clutch　a　solid　object　for　support；　no　time　for　the　devout　to　pray。　Paralyzed　and　speechless　in　fear　of　the　green　and　frothwhite　mountain　of　water　rising　before　their　eyes；　they　could　only　stand　and　watch　it　rush　toward　them　with　the　ungodly　sounds　of　a　thousand　hells。　Only　Cuttill　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　run　under　the　protecting　deck　over　the　tiller　and　wrap　his　limbs　around　its　long　wooden　shaft。
　　　　Bow　on　to　the　colossal　wall　of　water；　the　Conception　arched　and　soared　vertically　toward　the　curling　crest。　Moments　later　she　was　engulfed　in　a　boiling　turbulence　as　nature　ran　berserk。
　　　　Now　that　the　mighty　torrent　had　the　Concepcion　in　its　grasp；　it　hurled　the　galleon　toward　the　devastated　shore　at　tremendous　speed。　Most　of　the　crew　on　the　open　decks　were　snatched　away　and　never　seen　again。　The　poor　souls　on　the　beach　and　those　struggling　to　free　themselves　from　the　wreckage　of　the　village　were　inundated　as　if　a　sudden　gush　of　water　had　rushed　over　an　ants'　nest。　One　second　they　were　there；　the　next　they　were　gone；　mere　bits　and　pieces　of　smashed　debris　being　hurled　toward　the　Andes。
　　　　Buried　under　the　towering　mass　of　water　for　what　seemed　an　incredible　length　of　time；　Cuttill　held　his　breath　until　his　lungs　turned　to　fire　and　gripped　the　tiller　as　if　he　were　a　mutated　branch　that　had　grown　from　it。　Then；　with　every　one　of　her　beams　howling　and　creaking　at　their　joints；　the　tough　old　ship　battled　her　way　back　to　the　surface。
　　　　How　long　she　was　swept　through　the　swirling　vortex；　Cuttill　could　not　remember。　The　violent　surge　totally　erased　what　was　left　of　the　village。　The　few　drenched　men　who　somehow　remained　alive　on　the　battered　Conception　were　even　further　terrorized　by　the　sight　of　centuries…dead　mummies　of　the　ancient　Incas　rising　to　the　surface　and　surrounding　the　ship。　Torn　by　the　wave　from　their　graves　in　some　long…forgotten　burial　ground；　the　amazingly　well…preserved　bodies　of　the　dead　stared　sightlessly　at　the　horrified　sailors；　who　were　certain　they　were　being　cursed　by　creatures　of　the　devil。
　　　　Cuttill　attempted　to　move　the　tiller　as　if　steering　the　ship。　His　was　a　useless　gesture　as　the　rudder　had　been　ripped　off　its　pintles　soon　after　the　wave　struck。　He　clung　tenaciously　to　life；　his　fear　heightened　by　the　mummies　that　swirled　around　the　galleon。
　　　　The　worst　was　far　from　over。　The　mad　swirl　of　the　tidal　current　caused　a　vortex　that　spun　the　galleon　with　such　force　the　masts　went　crashing　over　the　sides　and　the　two　guns　broke　their　lashings　and　tumbled　about　the　deck　in　a　wild　dance　of　destruction。　One　by　one　the　fear…crazed　seamen　were　swept　away　by　the　gyrating　avalanche　of　water　until　only　Cuttill　was　left。　The　enormous　surge　smashed　and　ravaged　its　way　8　kilometers　（5　miles）　inland；　uprooting　and　shredding　trees　until　over　100　square　kilometers　（36　square　miles）　were　utterly　devastated。　Massive　boulders　were　scattered　ahead　of　the　wave's　force　like　small　pebbles　thrown　by　a　boy's　sling。　Then　at　last；　as　the　leviathan　of　death　met　the　foothills　of　the　Andes　it　began　to　lose　momentum。　Its　fury　spent；　it　lapped　at　the　foot　of　the　mountains　and　finally　began　to　recede　with　a　great　sucking　sound；　leaving　in　its　wake　a　swath　of　destruction　unknown　in　recorded　history。
　　　　Cuttill　felt　the　galleon　bee　motionless。　He　stared　across　the　gun　deck　covered　with　fallen　rigging　and　timbers；　unable　to　see　another　living　soul。　For　nearly　an　hour　he　huddled　under　the　tiller；　fearing　a　return　of　the　murderous　wave；　but　the　ship　remained　still　and　silent。　Slowly；　stiffly；　he　made　his　way　to　the　top　of　the　quarterdeck　and　surveyed　the　scene　of　devastation。
　　　　Astoundingly；　the　Conception　sat　upright；　high　and　dry　in　a　flattened　jungle。　He　judged　her　to　be　almost　three　leagues　from　the　nearest　water。　Her　survival　was　due　to　her　rugged　construction　and　the　fact　she　was　sailing　into　the　wave　when　it　struck。　If　she　had　been　sailing　away　the　watery　force　would　have　smashed　into　her　high　sterncastle　and　ripped　her　to　kindling。　She　had　endured；　but　she　was　a　wreck　that　would　never　feel　the　sea　beneath　her　keel　again。
　　　　Far　in　the　distance；　the　village　had　disappeared。　All　that　remained　was　a　wide　beach　of　sand　swept　free　of　wreckage。　It　was　as　if　a　thousand　people　and　their　homes　had　never　existed。　Corpses　littered　the　drenched　jungle。　To　Cuttill　they　seemed　to　be　scattered　everywhere；　in　some　places　over　3　'meters　deep　（10　feet）。　Many　were　hanging　grotesquely　in　the　twisted　branches　of　the　trees。　Most　had　been　battered　into　almost　unrecognizable　shapes。
　　　　Cuttill　could　not　believe　he　was　the　only　human　to　survive　the　cataclysm；　and　yet　he　failed　to　see　another　living　soul。　He　thanked　God　for　his　deliverance　and　prayed　for　guidance。　Then　he　took　stock　of　his　situation。　Stranded　fourteen　thousand　nautical　miles　from　England；　deep　in　a　part　of　the　world　controlled　by　the　Spanish；　who　would　gladly　torture　and　execute　a　hated　English　pirate　should　they　lay　hands　on　him；　his　odds　of　living　a　long　life　were　slim　indeed。　Cuttill　saw　absolutely　no　hope　of　returning　home　by　sea。　He　decided　his　only　course；　one　with　little　probability　of　success；　was　to　trek　over　the　Andes　and　work　east。　Once　he　reached　the　Brazilian　coast　there　was　always　the　possibility　of　meeting　up　with　an　English　marauder　that　was　raiding　Portuguese　shipping。
　　　　The　following　morning　he　made　a　litter　for　his　sea　chest　and　filled　it　with　food　and　water　from　the　ship's　galley；　bedding；　two　pistols；　a　pound　of　gunpowder；　a　supply　of　shot；　flint；　and　steel；　a　sack　of　tobacco；　a　knife；　and　a　Spanish　Bible。　Then　with　nothing　else　but　the　clothes　on　his　back；　Cuttill　set　off　with　his　litter　for　the　mists　hovering　over　the　peaks　of　the　Andes；　taking　one　final　look　at　the　forlorn　Conception　and　wondering　if　perhaps　the　gods　of　the　Incas　were　somehow　responsible　for　the　catastrophe。
　　　　Now　they　had　their　sacred　relics　back；　he　thought；　and　they　were　damned　wele　to　them。　The　antique　jade　box　with　its　strange　lid　came　to　mind；　and　he　did　not　envy　the　next　men　who　came　to　steal　it。

　　　　Drake　returned　triumphantly　to　England；　arriving　at　Plymouth　on　September　26；　1580；　with　the　Golden　Hind's　holds　bulging　with　spoils。　But　he　found　no　sign　of　Thomas　Cuttill　and　the　Nuestra　Senora　de　la　Concepcion。　His　backers　received　a　4700　percent　profit　on　their　investment　and　the　queen's　share　became　the　foundation　for　future　British　expansion。　During　a　lavish　party　on　board　the　Hind　at　Greenwich；　Queen　Elizabeth　conferred　knighthood　on　Drake。
　　　　The　second　ship　to　circumnavigate　the　world　was　made　a　tourist　attraction。　For　three　generations　she　remained　on　view　until　finally　she　either　rotted　away　or　burned　to　the　waterline。　History　doesn't　know　for　certain　how　it　happened；　but　the　Golden　Hind　vanished　into　the　water　of　the　Thames。
　　　　Sir　Francis　Drake　continued　his　exploits　for　another　sixteen　years。　On　a　later　voyage；　he　seized　the　city　ports　of　Santo　Domingo　and　Cartagena　and　became　Her　Majesty's　Admiral…of…the…Seas。　He　also　served　as　mayor　of　Plymouth　and　a　member　of　Parliament。　And　then　there　was　his　bold　attack　on　the　great　Spanish　Armada　in　1588。　His　end　came　during　an　expedition　to　plunder　ports　and　shipping　on　the　Spanish　Main　in　1596。　After　succumbing　to　dysentery　he　was　sealed　in　a　lead　coffin　and　dropped　in　the　sea　near　Portobelo；　Panama。
　　　　Before　his　death；　hardly　a　day　passed　when　Drake　didn't　puzzle　over　the　disappearance　of　the　Conception　and　the　enigma　of　the　mysterious　jade　box　and　its　knotted　cords。



BONES　AND　THRONES
October　10；　1998
Andes　Mountains　of　Peru

　　　　The　skeleton　reclined　in　the　sediment　of　the　deep　pool　as　if　resting　on　a　soft　mattress；　the　cold　unwinking　eye　sockets　of　the　skull　staring　upward　through　the　liquid　gloom　toward　the　surface　36　meters　（120　feet）　away。　There　was　a　horrible　vindictive　grin　set　in　the　teeth　as　a　small　water　snake　thrust　its　evil　head　from　under　the　rib　cage；　and　then　slithered　away；　leaving　a　tiny　cloud　of　silt　to　smudge　its　trail。　One　arm　was　held　in　an　upright　position　by　an　elbow　imbedded　in　the　muck；　the　bony　fingers　of　the　hand　as　if　beckoning　the　unwary。
　　　　From　the　bottom　of　the　pool　to　the　sun　above；　the　water　gradually　lightened　from　a　dismal　gray…brown　to　a　pea…soup　green　from　the　pond　scum　that　flourished　under　the　tropical　heat。　The　circular　rim　stretched　30　meters　（98　feet）　across　and　the　sheer　walls　dropped　15　meters　（49　feet）　to　the　water。　Once　in；　there　was　no　way　a　human　or　animal　could　escape　without　help　from　above。
　　　　There　was　an　ugliness　about　the　deep　limestone　sinkhole；　or　cenote　as　it　was　technically　called；　a　repugnant　menace　that　animals　sensed；　refusing　to　approach　within　fifty　meters　of　its　perimeter。　A　grim　sense　of　death　hung　about　the　place；　and　rightly　so。　The　place　was　more　than　a　sacred　well　where　men；　women；　and　children　had　been　thrown　alive　into　the　dark　waters　as　sacrifices　during　times　of　drought　and　harsh　storms。　Ancient　legends　and　myths　called　it　a　house　of　evil　gods　where　strange　and　unspeakable　events　occurred。　There　were　also　tales　of　rare　artifacts；　handcrafted　and　sculpted；　along　with　jade；　gold；　and　precious　gemstones；　that　were　said　to　have　been　cast　into　the　forbidding　pool　to　appease　the　evil　gods　who　were　inflicting　bad　weather。　In　1964　two　divers　entered　the　depths　of　the　sinkhole　and　never　returned。　No　attempt　had　been　made　to　recover　their　bodies。
　　　　The　sinkhole's　early　history　began　in　the　Cambrian　era　when　the　region　was　part　of　an　ancient　sea。　Through　the　following　geological　eras；　thousands　of　generations　of　shellfish　and　coral　lived　a