inca.gold-第41部分

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　　　　〃Guaranteed；　honey；〃　the　old　waitress　cackled；　〃or　your　money　back。〃
　　　　Ragsdale　drained　his　wine　and　poured　another　glass。　〃I　can　hear　your　mind　clicking　from　here。　Where　are　you　headed？〃
　　　　〃Whoever　mitted　the　robbery　didn't　do　it　to　gain　a　higher　price　from　another　black　market　collector；〃　Gaskill　replied。　〃I　did　some　research　on　the　golden　body　suit　encasing　the　mummy。　Reportedly；　it　was　covered　with　engraved　hieroglyphs；　illustrating　a　long　voyage　by　a　fleet　of　Inca　ships　carrying　a　vast　treasure；　including　a　huge　golden　chain。　I　believe　the　thieves　took　it　so　they　can　trace　a　path　to　the　mother　lode。〃
　　　　〃Does　the　suit　tell　what　happened　to　the　treasure？〃
　　　　〃Legend　says　it　was　buried　on　an　island　of　an　inland　sea。　How's　your　salmon？〃
　　　　〃The　best　I've　ever　eaten；〃　said　Ragsdale　happily。　〃And　believe　you　me；　that's　a　pliment。　So　where　do　you　go　from　here？〃
　　　　〃The　engravings　on　the　suit　have　to　be　translated。　The　Inca　did　not　have　a　method　of　writing　or　illustrating　events　like　the　Mayans；　but　photographs　of　the　suit　taken　before　its　earlier　theft　from　Spain　show　definite　indications　of　a　pictorial　graphic　system。　The　thieves　will　need　the　services　of　an　expert　to　decode　these　glyphs。　Interpretation　of　ancient　pictographs　is　not　exactly　an　overcrowded　field。〃
　　　　〃So　you're　going　to　chase　down　whoever　gets　the　job？〃
　　　　〃Hardly　a　major　effort。　There　are　only　five　leading　specialists。　Two　of　them　are　a　husband　and　wife　team　by　the　name　of　Moore。　They're　considered　the　best　in　the　field。〃
　　　　〃You've　done　your　homework。〃
　　　　Gaskill　shrugged。　〃The　greed　of　the　thieves　is　the　only　lead　I've　got。〃
　　　　〃If　you　require　the　services　of　the　bureau；〃　Ragsdale　said；　〃you　have　only　to　call　me。〃
　　　　〃I　appreciate　that；　Francis；　thank　you。〃
　　　　〃There's　one　other　thing。〃
　　　　〃Yes？〃
　　　　〃Can　you　introduce　me　to　the　chef？　I'd　like　an　inside　track　on　a　table　for　Saturday　night。〃

　　　　After　a　short　layover　at　the　Lima　airport　to　pick　up　the　EG&G　magnetometer　that　was　flown　in　from　the　Deep　Fathom　by　a　U。S。　Embassy　helicopter；　Pitt；　Giordino；　and　Gunn　boarded　a　mercial　flight　to　Quito；　the　capital　of　Ecuador。　It　was　after　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　they　landed　in　the　middle　of　a　thunderstorm。　As　soon　as　they　stepped　through　the　gate　they　were　met　by　a　representative　of　the　state　oil　pany；　who　was　acting　on　behalf　of　the　managing　director　Gunn　had　negotiated　with　for　a　helicopter。　He　quickly　herded　them　into　a　limousine　that　drove　to　the　opposite　side　of　the　field；　followed　by　a　small　van　carrying　their　luggage　and　electronic　equipment。　The　two…vehicle　convoy　stopped　in　front　of　a　fully　serviced　McDonnell　Douglas　Explorer　helicopter。　As　they　exited　the　limo；　Rudi　Gunn　turned　to　express　his　appreciation；　but　the　oil　pany　official　had　rolled　up　the　window　and　ordered　the　driver　to　move　on。
　　　　〃Makes　one　want　to　lead　a　clean　life；〃　Giordino　muttered　at　the　efficiency　of　it　all。
　　　　〃They　owed　us　bigger　than　I　thought；〃　said　Pitt；　ignoring　the　downpour　and　staring　blissfully　at　the　big；　red；　twin…engined　helicopter　with　no　tail　rotor。
　　　　〃Is　it　a　good　aircraft？〃　asked　Gunn　naively。
　　　　〃Only　the　finest　rotorcraft　in　the　sky　today；〃　replied　Pitt。　〃Stable；　reliable；　and　smooth　as　oil　on　water。　Costs　about　two　point　seven…five　million。　We　couldn't　have　asked　for　a　better　machine　to　conduct　a　search　and　survey　project　from　the　air。〃
　　　　〃How　far　to　the　Bay　of　Caraquez？〃
　　　　〃About　two　hundred　and　ten　kilometers。　We　can　make　it　in　less　than　an　hour　with　this　machine。〃
　　　　〃I　hope　you　don't　plan　to　fly　over　strange　terrain　in　the　dark　during　a　tropical　storm；〃　Gunn　said　uneasily；　holding　a　newspaper　over　his　head　as　a　shield　against　the　rain。
　　　　Pitt　shook　his　head。　〃No；　we'll　wait　for　first　light。〃
　　　　Giordino　nodded　toward　the　helicopter。　〃If　I　know　only　one　thing；　it's　not　to　take　a　shower　with　my　clothes　on。　I　remend　we　throw　our　baggage　and　electronic　gear　on　board　and　get　a　few　hours　sleep　before　dawn。〃
　　　　〃That's　the　best　idea　I've　heard　all　day；〃　Pitt　agreed　heartily。
　　　　Once　their　equipment　was　stowed；　Giordino　and　Gunn　reclined　the　backrests　of　two　passenger　seats　and　fell　asleep　within　minutes。　Pitt　sat　in　the　pilot's　seat　under　a　small　lamp　and　studied　the　data　accumulated　by　Perlmutter　and　Yaeger。　He　was　too　excited　to　be　tired；　certainly　not　on　the　eve　of　a　shipwreck　search。　Most　men　turn　from　Jekyll　to　Hyde　whenever　the　thought　of　a　treasure　hunt　floods　their　brain。　But　Pitt's　stimulant　was　not　greed　but　the　challenge　of　entering　the　unknown　to　pursue　a　trail　laid　down　by　adventurous　men　like　him；　who　lived　and　died　in　another　era；　men　who　left　a　mystery　for　later　generations　to　unravel。
　　　　What　kind　of　men　walked　the　decks　of　sixteenth…century　ships；　he　wondered。　Besides　the　lure　of　adventure　and　the　remote　prospect　of　riches；　what　possessed　them　to　sail　on　voyages　sometimes　lasting　three　or　more　years　on　ships　not　much　larger　than　a　modest　suburban；　two…story　house？　Out　of　sight　of　land　for　months　at　a　time；　their　teeth　falling　out　from　the　ravages　of　scurvy；　the　crews　were　decimated　by　malnutrition　and　disease。　Many　were　the　voyages　pleted　by　only　ship's　officers；　who　had　survived　on　more　abundant　rations　than　the　mon　seamen。　Of　the　eighty…eight　men　on　board　the　Golden　Hind　when　Drake　battled　through　the　Strait　of　Magellan　into　the　Pacific；　only　fifty…six　were　left　when　he　entered　Plymouth　Harbor。
　　　　Pitt　turned　his　attention　to　the　Nuestra　Senora　de　la　Concepcion。　Perlmutter　had　included　illustrations　and　cutaway　plans　of　atypical　Spanish　treasure　galleon　that　sailed　the　seas　during　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries。　Pitt's　primary　interest　was　in　the　amount　of　iron　that　was　on　board　for　the　magnetometer　to　detect。　Perlmutter　was　certain　the　two　cannon　she　reportedly　carried　were　bronze　and　would　not　register　on　an　instrument　that　measures　the　intensity　of　the　magnetic　field　produced　by　an　iron　mass。
　　　　The　galleon　carried　four　anchors。　Their　shanks；　arms；　and　flukes　were　cast　from　iron；　but　their　stocks　were　wood　and　they　were　secured　to　hemp　lines；　not　chains。　If　she　had　been　riding　on　two　anchors；　the　force　of　the　wave；　suddenly　striking　the　ship　and　hurling　it　ashore；　would　have　probably　snapped　the　lines。　That　left　a　small　chance　her　two　spare　anchors　might　have　survived　intact　and　still　be　somewhere　in　the　wreckage。
　　　　He　totaled　up　the　rest　of　the　iron　that　might　have　been　on　board。　The　fittings；　ship's　hardware；　the　big　gudgeons　and　pintles　that　held　the　rudder　and　allowed　it　to　turn。　The　trusses　（iron　brackets　that　helped　support　the　yards　or　spars）；　any　shackles　or　grappling　irons。　The　cook's　kettle；　carpenter's　tools；　maybe　a　keg　of　nails；　small　firearms；　swords；　and　pikes。　Shot　for　the　cannon。
　　　　It　was　an　exercise　in　the　dark。　Pitt　was　hardly　an　authority　on　sixteenth…century　sailing　ships。　He　could　only　rely　on　Perlmutter's　best　guess　as　to　the　total　iron　mass　on　board　the　Concepcion。　The　best　estimate　ran　between　one　and　three　tons。　Enough；　Pitt　fervently　hoped；　for　the　magnetometer　to　detect　the　galleon's　anomaly　from　50　to　75　meters　in　the　air。
　　　　Anything　less；　and　they'd　stand　about　as　much　chance　of　locating　the　galleon　as　they　would　of　finding　a　floating　bottle　with　a　message　in　the　middle　of　the　South　Pacific。

　　　　It　was　about　five　in　the　morning；　with　a　light　blue　sky　turning　orange　over　the　mountains　to　the　east；　as　Pitt　swung　the　McDonnell　Douglas　Explorer　helicopter　over　the　waters　of　the　Bay　of　Caraquez。　Fishing　boats　were　leaving　the　bay　and　heading　out　to　sea　for　the　day's　catch。　The　crewmen　paused　as　they　readied　their　nets；　looked　up　at　the　low…flying　aircraft　and　waved。　Pitt　waved　back　as　the　shadow　of　the　Explorer　flickered　over　the　little　fishing　fleet　and　darted　toward　the　coastline。　The　dark；　radiant　blue　of　deep　water　soon　altered　to　a　turquoise　green　streaked　by　long　lines　of　breaking　surf　that　materialized　as　the　seafloor　rose　to　meet　the　sandy　beach。
　　　　The　long　arms　of　the　bay　circled　and　stopped　short　of　each　other　at　the　entrance　to　the　Chone　River。　Giordino；　who　was　sitting　in　the　copilot's　seat；　pointed　down　to　the　right　at　a　small　town　with　tiny　streets　and　colorfully　painted　boats　drawn　up　on　the　beach。　The　town　was　surrounded　by　numerous　farms　no　larger　than　three　or　four　acres；　with　little　whitewashed　adobe　houses　next　to　corrals　holding　goats　and　a　few　cows。　Pitt　followed　the　river　upstream　for　two　kilometers　where　it　foamed　white　with　rapids。　Then　suddenly　the　dense　rain　forest　rose　like　an　impenetrable　wall　and　stretched　eastward　as　far　as　they　could　see。　Except　for　the　river；　no　opening　beneath　the　trees　could　be　seen。
　　　　〃We're　approaching　the　lower　half　of　our　grid；〃　Pitt　said　over　his　shoulder　to　Gunn；　who　was　hunched　over　the　proton　magnetometer。
　　　　〃Circle　around　for　a　couple　of　minutes　while　I　set　up　the　system；〃　Gunn　replied。　〃Al；　can　you　drop　the　tow　bird　for　me？〃
　　　　〃As　you　wish。〃　Giordino　nodded；　moving　from　his　seat　to　the　rear　of　the　cabin。
　　　　Pitt　said；　〃I'll　head　toward　the　starting　point　for　our　first　run　and　hang　around　until　you're　ready。〃
　　　　Giordino　lifted　the　sensor。　It　was　shaped　like　an　air…to…air　missile。　He　lowered　it　through　a　floor　hatch　of　the　helicopter。　Then　he　unreeled　the　sensor　on　its　umbilical　cable。　〃Tow　bird　out　about　thirty　meters；〃　he　announced。
　　　　〃I'm　picking　up　interference　from　the　helicopter；〃　said　Gunn。　〃Give　me　another　twenty　meters。〃
　　　　Giordino　plied。　〃How's　that？〃
　　　　〃Good。　Now　hold　on　while　I　set　the　digital　and　analog　recorders。〃
　　　　〃What　about　the　camera　and　data　acquisition　systems？〃
　　　　〃Them　too。〃
　　　　〃No　need　to　hurry；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I'm　still　programming　my　grid　lane　data　into　the　satellite　navigation　puter。〃
　　　　〃First　time　with　a　Geometrics　G…8136？〃　Giordino　asked　Gunn。
　　　　Gunn　nodded。　〃I've　used　the　model　G…801　for　marine　and　ocean　survey；　but　this　is　my　introduction　to　the　aerial　unit。〃
　　　　〃Dirk　and　I　used　a　G…8136　to　locate　a　Chinese　airliner　that　crashed　off　Japan　last　year。　Worked　like　a　woman　of　virtue…sensitive；　reliable；　never　drifted；　and　required　no　calibration　adjustments。　Obviously；　my　ideal　for　a　mate。〃
　　　　Gunn　looked　at　him　strangely。　〃You　have　odd　taste　when　it　es　to　women。〃
　　　　〃He　has　this　thing　for　robots；〃　Pitt　joked。