michael crichton.congo-第31部分

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　Despite　their　obese；　rather　humorous　appearance；　hippos　were　capable　of　unusual　violence。　The　bull　hippopotamus　was　a　formidable　creature；　fourteen　feet　long　and　weighing　nearly　ten　thousand　pounds。　Charging；　he　moved　with　extraordinary　speed　for　such　a　large　animal；　and　his　four　stubby　blunted　tusks　were　actually　razor　sharp　on　the　sides。　A　hippo　attacked　by　slashing；　moving　his　cavernous　mouth　from　side　to　side；　rather　than　biting。　And；　unlike　most　animals；　a　fight　between　bulls　often　resulted　in　the　death　of　one　animal　from　deep　slashing　wounds。　There　was　nothing　symbolic　about　a　hippopotamus　fight。
　The　animal　was　dangerous　to　man；　as　well。　In　river　areas　where　herds　were　found；　half　of　native　deaths　were　attributed　to　hippos；　elephants　and　predatory　cats　accounted　for　the　remainder。　The　hippopotamus　was　vegetarian；　and　at　night　the　animals　came　onto　the　land；　where　they　ate　enormous　quantities　of　grass　to　sustain　their　great　bulk。　A　hippo　separated　from　the　water　was　especially　dangerous；　anyone　finding　himself　between　a　landed　hippo　and　the　river　he　was　rushing　to　return　to　did　not　generally　survive　the　experience。
　But　the　hippo　was　essential　to　Africa's　river　ecology。　His　fecal　matter；　produced　in　prodigious　quantities；　fertilized　the　river　grasses；　which　in　turn　allowed　river　fish　and　other　creatures　to　live。　Without　the　hippopotamus　African　rivers　would　be　sterile；　and　where　they　had　been　driven　away；　the　rivers　died。
　This　much　was　known；　and　one　thing　more。　The　hippopotamus　was　fiercely　territorial。　Without　exception；　the　male　defended　his　river　against　any　intruder。　And　as　had　been　recorded　on　many　occasions；　intruders　included　other　hippos；　crocodiles；　and　passing　boats。　And　the　people　in　them。
　
　
　
　DAY　7：　MUKENKO
　June　19；　1979
　
　1。　Kiboko
　
　MUNRO'S　INTENTION　IN　CONTINUING　THROUGH　the　night　was　two…fold。　First；　he　hoped　to　make　up　precious　time；　for。　all　the　puter　projections　assumed　that　they　would　stop　each　night。　But　it　took　no　effort　to　ride　the　river　in　the　moonlight；　most　of　the　party　could　sleep；　and　they　would　advance　themselves　another　fifty　or　sixty　miles　by　dawn。
　But　more　important；　he　hoped　to　avoid　the　Ragora　hippos；　which　could　easily　destroy　their　flimsy　rubber　boats。　During　the　day；　the　hippos　were　found　in　pools　beside　the　riverbanks；　and　the　bulls　would　certainly　attack　any　passing　boat。　At　night；　when　the　animals　went　ashore　to　forage；　the　expedition　could　slip　down　the　river　and　avoid　a　confrontation　entirely。
　It　was　a　clever　plan；　but　it　ran　into　trouble　for　an　unexpected　reason…their　progress　on　the　Ragora　was　too　rapid。　It　was　only　nine　o'clock　at　night　when　they　reached　the　first　hippo　areas；　too　early　for　the　animals　to　be　eating。　The　hippos　would　attack　the　boats…but　they　would　attack　in　the　dark。
　The　river　twisted　and　turned　in　a　series　of　curves。　At　each　curve　there　was　a　still　pool；　which　Kahega　pointed　out　as　the　kind　of　quiet　water　that　hippos　liked　to　inhabit。　And　he　pointed　to　the　grass　on　the　banks；　cut　short　as　if　the　banks　had　been　mown。
　〃Soon　now；〃　Kahega　said。
　They　heard　a　low　grunting；　〃Raw…huh…huh…huh。〃　It　sounded　like　an　old　man　trying　to　clear　his　throat　of　phlegm。　Munro　tensed　in　the　lead　boat。　They　drifted　around　another　curve；　carried　smoothly　in　the　flow　of　current。　The　two　boats　were　now　about　ten　yards　apart。　Munro　held　his　loaded　shotgun　ready。
　The　sound　came　again；　this　time　in　a　chorus：　〃Haw…huh…huh…huh。〃
　Kahega　plunged　his　paddle　into　the　water。　It　struck　bottom　quickly。　He　pulled　it　out；　only　three　feet　of　it　was　wet。　〃Not　deep；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head。
　〃Is　that　bad？〃　Ross　said。
　〃Yes；　I　think　it　is　bad。〃
　They　came　around　the　next　bend；　and　Elliot　saw　a　half…dozen　partially　submerged　black　rocks　near　the　shore；　gleaming　in　the　moonlight。　Then　one　of　the　〃rocks〃　crashed　upward　and　he　saw　an　enormous　creature　lift　entirely　out　of　the　shallow　water　so　that　he　could　see　the　four　stubby　legs；　and　the　hippo　churned　forward　toward　Munro's　boat。
　Munro　fired　a　low　magnesium　flare　as　the　animal　charged；　in　the　harsh　white　light　Elliot　saw　a　gigantic　mouth；　four　huge　glistening　blunted　teeth；　the　head　lifted　upward　as　the　animal　roared。　And　then　the　hippo　was　engulfed　in　a　cloud　of　pale　yellow　gas。　The　gas　drifted　back；　and　stung　their　eyes。
　〃He's　using　tear　gas；〃　Ross　said。
　Munro's　boat　had　already　moved　on。　With　a　roar　of　pain　the　male　hippo　had　plunged　down　into　the　water　and　disappeared　from　sight。　In　the　second　boat；　they　blinked　back　tears　and　watched　for　him　as　they　approached　the　pool。　Overhead；　the　magnesium　flare　sizzled　and　descended；　lengthening　sharp　shadows；　glaring　off　the　water。
　〃Perhaps　he's　given　up；〃　Elliot　said。　They　could　not　see　the　hippo　anywhere。　They　drifted　in　silence。
　And　suddenly　the　front　of　the　boat　bucked　up；　and　the　hippo　roared　and　Ross　screamed。　Kahega　toppled　backward；　discharging　his　gun　into　the　air。　The　boat　slapped　down　with　a　wrenching　crash　and　a　spray　of　water　over　the　sides；　and　Elliot　scrambled　to　his　feet　to　check　Amy　and　found　himself　staring　into　a　huge　pink　cavernous　mouth　and　hot　breath。　The　mouth　came　down　with　a　lateral　slash　on　the　side　of　the　rubber　boat；　and　the　air　began　to　hiss　and　sizzle　in　the　water。
　The　mouth　opened　again；　and　the　hippo　grunted；　but　by　then　Kahega　had　got　to　his　feet　and　flied　a　stinging　cloud　of　gas。　The　hippo　backed　off　and　splashed　down；　rocking　the　boat　and　propelling　them　onward；　down　the　river。　The　whole　right　side　of　the　boat　was　collapsing　swiftly　as　the　air　leaked　out　of　the　huge　cuts　in　the　rubber。　Elliot　tried　to　pull　them　shut　with　his　hands；　the　hissing　continued　unabated。　They　would　sink　within　a　minute。
　Behind　them；　the　bull　hippo　charged；　racing　down　the　shallow　river　like　a　powerboat；　churning　water　in　a　wake　from　both　sides　of　his　body；　bellowing　in　anger。
　〃Hold　on；　bold　on！〃　Kahega　shouted；　and　fired　again。　The　hippo　disappeared　behind　a　cloud　of　gas；　and　the　boat　drifted　around　another　curve。　When　the　gas　cleared　the　animal　was　gone。　The　magnesium　flare　sputtered　into　the　water　and　they　were　plunged　into　darkness　again。　Elliot　grabbed　Amy　as　the　boat　sank；　and　they　found　themselves　standing　knee…deep　in　the　muddy　water。
　They　managed　to　beach　the　Zodiac　on　the　dark　riverbank。　In　the　lead　boat；　Munro　paddled　over；　surveyed　the　damage；　and　announced　that　they　would　inflate　another　boat　and　go　on。　He　called　for　a　rest；　and　they　all　lay　in　the　moonlight　on　the　river's　edge　swatting　mosquitoes　away。
　Their　reverie　was　interrupted　by　the　screaming　whine　of　ground…to…air　rockets；　blossoming　explosions　in　the　sky　overhead。　With　each　explosion；　the　riverbank　glowed　bright　red；　casting　long　shadows；　then　fading　black　once　more。
　〃Muguru's　men　firing　from　the　ground；〃　Munro　said；　reaching　for　his　field　glasses。
　〃What're　they　shooting　at？〃　Elliot　said；　staring　up　into　the　sky。
　〃Beats　me；〃　Munro　said。
　Amy　touched　Munro's　arm；　and　signed；　Bird　e。　But　they　heard　no　sound　of　an　aircraft；　only　the　bursting　of　rockets　in　the　sky。
　Munro　said；　〃You　think　she　hears　something？〃
　〃Her　hearing　is　very　acute。〃
　And　then　they　heard　the　drone　of　a　distant　aircraft；　approaching　from　the　south。　As　it　came　into　view；　they　saw　it　twist；　maneuvering　among　the　brilliant　yellow…red　explosions　that　burst　in　the　moonlight　and　glinted　off　the　metal　body　of　the　aircraft。
　〃Those　poor　bastards　are　trying　to　make　time；〃　Munro　said；　scanning　the　plane　through　field　glasses。　〃That's　a　C…130　transport　with　Japanese　markings　on　the　tail。　Supply　plane　for　the　consortium　base　camp…if　it　makes　it　through。〃
　As　they　watched；　the　transport　twisted　left　and　right；　running　a　zigzag　course　through　the　bursting　fireballs　of　exploding　missiles。
　〃Breaking　a　snake's　back；〃　Munro　said。　〃The　crew　must　be　terrified；　they　didn't　buy　into　this。〃
　Elliot　felt　a　sudden　sympathy　for　the　crew；　he　imagined　them　staring　out　the　windows　as　the　fireballs　exploded　with　brilliant　light；　illuminating　the　interior　of　the　plane。　Were　they　chattering　in　Japanese？　Wishing　they　had　never　e？
　A　moment　later；　the　aircraft　droned　onward　to　the　north；　out　of　sight；　a　final　missile　with　a　red…hot　tail　chasing　after　it；　but　it　was　gone　over　the　jungle　trees；　and　he　listened　to　the　distant　explosion　of　the　missile。
　〃Probably　got　through；〃　Munro　said；　standing。　〃We'd
　better　move　on。〃　And　he　shouted　in　Swahili　for　Kahega　to　put　the　men　on　the　river　once　more。
　
　2。Mukenko
　
　ELLIOT　SHIVERED；　ZIPPED　HIS　PARKA　TIGHTER；　AND　waited　for　the　hailstorm　to　stop。　They　were　huddled　beneath　a　stand　of　evergreen　trees　above　8；000　feet　on　the　alpine　slopes　of　Mount　Mukenko。　It　was　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　the　air　temperature　was　38　degrees。　Five　hours　before；　they　had　left　the　river　behind　and　begun　their　pre…dawn　climb　in　100…degree　steaming　jungle。
　Alongside　him；　Amy　watched　the　golf　ball…sized　white　pellets　bounce　on　the　grass　and　slap　the　branches　of　the　tree　over　their　heads。　She　had　never　seen　hail　before。
　She　signed；　What　name？
　〃Hail；〃　he　told　her。
　Peter　make　stop。
　〃I　wish　I　could；　Amy。〃
　She　watched　the　hail　for　a　moment；　then　signed；　Amy　want　go　home。
　She　had　begun　talking　about　going　home　the　night　before。　Although　the　Thoralen　had　worn　off；　she　remained　depressed　and　withdrawn。　Elliot　had　offered　her　some　food　to　cheer　her　up。　She　signed　that　she　wanted　milk。　When　he　told　her　they　…had　none　（which　she　knew。　perfectly　well）；　she　signed　that　she　wanted　a　banana。　Kahega　had　produced　a　bunch　of　small；　slightly　sour　jungle　bananas。　Amy　had　eaten　them　without　objection　on　previous　days。　but　she　now　threw　them　into　the　water　contemptuously；　signing　she　wanted　〃real　bananas。〃
　When　Elliot　told　her　that　they　had　no　real　bananas；　she　signed；　Amy　want　go　home。
　〃We　can't　go　home　now；　Amy。〃
　Amy　good　gorilla　Peter　take　Amy　home。
　She　had　only　known　him　as　the　person　in　charge；　the　final　arbiter　of　her　daily　life　in　the　experimental　setting　of　Project　Amy。　He　could　think　of　no　way　to　make　clear　to　her　that　he　was　no　longer　in　charge；　and　'that　he　was　not　punishing　her　by　keeping　her　here。
　In　fact；　they　were　all　discouraged。　Each　of　the　expedition　members　had　looked　forward　to　escaping　the　oppressive　heat　of　the　rain　forest；