The Mysterious Island Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 14 Captain Grant's Children (14)
Everyone walked out of the hut.It was completely dark at this time, and the dark night sky was so eerie.In the night, the stars in the sky are shining brightly, and the last quarter moon has not yet fully appeared in the night.In the darkness of night, the north and east peaks could not be seen, only the vague silhouettes of the tallest crags; these shadows loomed like ghosts.It sounded like the howling of a frightened beast.And the sound was getting louder and louder, it must have come from the dark high and low rocks.All these strange phenomena are really puzzling, what happened?It's easy to say, just when everyone was curious, there was another large group of things that seemed to be collapsing with overwhelming momentum.That sound was indeed not an avalanche, it should be the screams of a group of frightened beasts.The huge roar could shake the whole mountain.Everyone stood there thinking, there should be hundreds of thousands of wild beasts that ran out.In the thin mountain air environment, the sound of the running and roaring of the beast can still burst the eardrums.Everyone was thinking again, should the one running be a wild animal on the prairie, or an antelope or a llama that often appears in the mountains?Suddenly, the beasts picked up a gust of wind, blowing from a few feet above their heads.Sir Glenarvan, Robert Jr., McNabbs, Austin, and the two sailors reacted very quickly and quickly lay down on the ground.But Scholar Paganel was short-sighted. He kept standing, looking around, trying to see what happened, but unexpectedly, the gust of wind knocked him down to the ground.

Suddenly, the major fired a shot into the darkness ahead.Then he felt something fall a few steps away.But the whole herd was unaffected, and still rushed forward with overwhelming momentum; the noise became louder and louder, and finally disappeared on the hillside reflected by the volcano.

"Great, finally found it!" In the dark night sky, only one voice shouted, that was Paganel's joyful voice.

"What have you found?" asked Sir Glenarvan.

"Glasses! My lost spectacles! I'm lucky to have lost only my spectacles in all this confusion."

"You didn't hurt anything, did you..."

"No, everything is fine, it's just that I was stepped on, I don't know what it was..."

"This thing should have stepped on you!" The major said, grabbing a dead beast.

Everyone immediately returned to the small room. In the faint flames of the stove, everyone was carefully observing the prey hit by Major McNabbs' "one shot" just now.

This is really a beautiful game.Its head is small, its body is relatively flat, its legs are thin and long, its hair is brown and soft to the touch.Under the belly, there are circles of white spots, very much like a humless camel.As soon as Paganel saw it, he exclaimed:
"I know, it's a guanaco, a type of pack horse. Some zoologists think it evolved from camels.!"

"Guanaco, what is a guanaco?" asked Sir Glenarvan.

"Sir, you just know it's an edible beast, and that's all right," Paganel said.

"Can it be eaten?"

"Yes, the taste is really great! It's a rare delicacy! I said earlier that I must have a good meal tonight, and it seems to be right! Who is better to peel such good meat? !"

"Come on!" Wilson said first.

"That's fine, you peel it, and I'll bake it!" Paganel said happily.

"Dear Mr. Paganel, can you still cook?" Robert Jr. asked curiously.

"My child! You know, I'm a Frenchman? The French are born to be first-class cooks, don't I know that?"

About 5 minutes later, the venerable Mr. Paganel had already grilled a large piece of guanaco meat on the charcoal fire of "Lalmoss".Not long after, the smell of meat filled the hut.After about 10 minutes, Paganel made his portion of "guana meat" fragrant and tender, and then shared it with everyone.After the partners took it, they felt that there was no need to say polite words, so they ate it with big mouthfuls.

However, after everyone took the first bite, they spit it out with a bitter face and a "wow", which made Paganel extremely embarrassed.

"It's not good!" cried this one.

"I really can't eat it!" the one shouted.

Poor scholar Paganel, though displeased at hearing these arguments, had to admit that the meat was hard to swallow.But in order not to starve to death, he could only continue to swallow.At this time, everyone made fun of his cooking skills and made fun of these unpalatable delicacies!The venerable scholar also knew that everyone was laughing at him, so he crossed his arms and thought carefully what was going on?This is an excellent delicacy that no one in the world does not know - guanaco meat!How did it turn into such an unpalatable strange taste after he cooked it?Suddenly, as if he had gained an epiphany, he yelled loudly:

"By the way, I see, I really know the reason for this!"

"Did you overcook it?" Major McNabbs asked flatly.

"You picky major, you really didn't over-roast, but the guanaco really over-run. I don't understand myself, I didn't figure it out until now, why didn't I think of this?"

"Mr. Paganel, what is 'overrunning'!" Austin asked puzzled.

"You are asking about the meaning of 'overrunning'! It means that the meat of guanacos is only delicious if they are killed when they are resting! But after running for a long time, guanacos will be very tired. At this time If you hunt them again, the meat will not be edible. In fact, I can judge how far it has run based on the taste of the meat. I can say with certainty that the group of guanacos it is in must have been running for a long time It’s gone, and it’s still coming from far away!”

"You really think so?" asked Sir Glenarvan.

"Yes, that's right!"

"Then what happened, or what happened, to compel those animals to come out of their comfortable nests and run wild in panic?"

"My dear sir, I really can't answer this question," Paganel went on, "if you believe me, you should go to bed and stop asking, I am so sleepy that I can't bear it." Stay here. And the major, let's rest together!"

"Well, Paganel, then go to bed!"

At this point, all wrapped up their "canopies", lit a fire in the stove, and lay down to sleep.Not long after, high and low snoring echoed.Paganel's bass mingled with the snores of the others.

Of the party, only Sir Glenarvan could not sleep.He has been uneasy all the time, thinking in his mind: It should be a huge terrorist attack, making these animals must run in one direction, all the way to the deep pit of Andu Valley; What a panic.But what is it that makes them so alarmed?There are also those running guanacos, there are already a large number of them, shouldn't they be chased by some large group of beasts?Moreover, on this high mountain, there would not be a large group of ferocious beasts, and hunters were even rarer. What is this mysterious and terrifying thing?Thinking about it, Sir Glenarvan had a terrible ominous omen, and he was very worried that a big disaster would come.

However, he thought about it like this, and he was about to doze off. He hoped more, worried less, and his mind naturally calmed down.He imagined the beautiful scene of tomorrow.He thought, maybe tomorrow everyone will be able to successfully reach the great plain under the Andes.The visit and investigation can be carried out smoothly there, and clues may be obtained immediately, and success is achieved!He also imagined that Captain Grant and the two sailors, with their help, escaped the painful life of slavery and went back with them.These beautiful hopes kept flickering in Jazz's mind.However, the sound of crackling coals in the room, the red flames, the flickering shadows of the fire, the faces of his companions under the firelight, and the flickering shadows on the wall, all of these kept interrupting his hopeful thoughts.Soon, his heart was entangled by an ominous premonition again, and the entanglement became even more confusing.He heard a vague sound outside the house again. How did this sound come from this high mountain?Jazz became more and more puzzled.

At some point, he seemed to hear a threatening voice, which indeed rumbled from afar, like thunder.Generally speaking, this sound is only heard on the mountainside, only a few thousand feet from the summit, during a storm.Sir Glenarvan couldn't hold back any longer, and wanted to prove his judgment, so he put on his clothes and walked out of the house alone.

At this time, the last string of the moon rose.The air in the mountains is quiet and fresh.Looking from here, there are no clouds on the mountain or below.In the distant Andu Valley volcanoes, there are living, sparse fires flickering.Looking up at the sky, there is no wind, rain or lightning, only stars twinkling in the night.However, the rumbling thunder is still ringing non-stop, as if galloping here step by step from the Andes Mountains.Sir Glenarvan returned to the hut, still in a state of confusion, wondering whether the rumbling sound from the mountain had anything to do with the running of the guanacos?He noticed his watch at this moment, it was two o'clock in the morning.He wasn't sure that there would be danger, so he didn't try to wake up his partner. There was a blur in his mind, which remained in this state for several hours.

Suddenly, there was a violent bang that forced him to wake up from his dream.The sound was so deafening, as if tens of thousands of artillery vehicles were rumbling past on solid ground.Suddenly, he found that the ground he was standing on was sinking, and the hut he lived in was shaking and breaking rapidly...

"My friends, wake up and run!" Jazz called out loudly.

All the traveling companions were awakened by the shock. In the shock, everyone staggered, rolled left and right, huddled together, and rolled down together on a hillside.The dark sky brightened at this time, but it presented a terrifying scene.The appearance of the mountains in the Andes has undergone a major change at this time: the conical peaks are shaken, as if being bent at the waist, and the tall and sharp peaks are swaying and sinking to the ground, and they disappear without a trace. The ground at the foot of the mountain is opening its mouth to swallow the mountain peak.The whole mountain is moving to a wider ground, and sliding to the plain. In 1820, the same disaster happened on Mont Blanc, which caused great damage.Three local guides were also killed in the quake. ——Original note...

"Ah! There's an earthquake!" Paganel exclaimed in alarm.

This scholar was right, it was indeed a major earthquake.In the Chilean border area, such natural disasters often occur.In the history of this area, the city of Cobia was destroyed twice in the earthquake, and Santiago was destroyed twice in just 14 years.The frequent earthquakes in this place are due to the fact that the earth's crust under this mountain range is constantly burning fireworks; neither the Andu Valley volcano nor the nearby volcanoes can fully release the energy of the fireworks, so earthquakes occur frequently.

Jazz and his group of seven travelers are all holding on to the bare moss with their hands, and firmly holding on to the top of their heads, at the edge of the mountain.Everyone felt dizzy and didn't know what to do. They could only watch the originally tallest mountain slide down quickly like a fast pulley.In this environment, these travelers dare not shout loudly, let alone make any movements.Because in an earthquake, there is nowhere to escape, so there is no way to stop one's body from sliding down.Moreover, even if you shout for help, no one can hear you amidst the rumbling earthquake, and no one is willing to talk to you.The mountain slid down without any resistance during the earthquake, like a boat in the vast ocean, bumping from side to side, shaking back and forth, and vibrating from side to side.Readers can think about it, if an object of hundreds of millions of tons slides down an oblique angle of [-] degrees, and the speed keeps increasing, the momentum is so unstoppable.

None of the seven travelers knew how long this indescribable mountain slide would last.In a dark world, no one will know which abyss they will fall into.If the mountain slides to the ground, can everyone still be together, and will they still stand in the original place?Whether everyone can live safely and soundly, no one can answer these kinds of questions.In this terrifying mountain slide, everyone was frozen lifeless by the speed of the slide and the bone-chilling cold around them, and their faces looked like dead people.All we can do is rely on our survival instincts to cling to the emerging rocks.

Suddenly, a violent crash threw the travelers out of the fast-moving train on the mountain.Jazz and his party were all thrown to the front, and then they rolled vigorously on the slopes of several floors below the foot of the mountain.The conical mountain finally stopped shaking and sliding.

Minutes passed, and no one on the ground moved.After a while, only Major McNabbs stood up, dazed and staggering.Although I couldn't stand still and felt dizzy and at a loss, I was able to get up after all.He first wiped the dust from his squinted eyes, and then looked around, and saw that the companions of the group were all in a mountain nest, like bullets falling on the bottom of a bowl, all piled up and lying on the ground.

Major McNabbs counted the heads and found that one of his companions was missing, and this person was the youngest Robert Grant Jr.

God's help

At the eastern foot of the Andes Mountains, there is a large and long hillside that continues to the endless plain.The mountain peaks that fell during the earthquake stopped abruptly at the edge of the plain.On this plain, the vegetation is luxuriant, and there are luxuriant apple groves.Walking in the apple grove, you can see the apples covered with branches shining golden in the sun.The region feels like the fertile Normandy province of France.Travelers who come here will find that they step from the desolate plateau to the lush green fields; or from the cold snow peaks to the warm grasslands, or from the severe winter to the scorching summer.To be in normal circumstances, everyone must be ecstatic about this transition.

At this time, the earth stopped rumbling, showing a piece of peace and tranquility.The energy accumulated in the earth's crust is probably transferred to other places at this moment, or spread to farther places.In the Andes, earthquakes are commonplace. These travelers felt that the earthquake encountered this time was too strong, and changed the appearance of the mountains in this area.Looking around, there are some brand new mountains and peaks floating under the blue sky.Even for guides who are very familiar with the landscape of this area, it is difficult to find the signs of the old road.

It was another clear day, and once again the sun was rising over the Atlantic coast.The sun was shining brightly on the Argentinian steppes and into the sea on the other side of the Pacific Ocean.

It was eight o'clock in the morning, and Sir Glenarvan and his companions, under the rescue of Major McNabbs, gradually regained consciousness and regained consciousness.In this earthquake, everyone was only dizzy due to the shock, and did not suffer serious injuries, so they woke up not long, not long ago.Now, this group of people finally climbed over the "high mountain" and climbed down again.The excitement would have been great had it not been for the absence of young Robert Grant Jr.Because they can rely on the power of nature, they can climb the mountain without walking, and reach the foot of the plain, which is really a miracle!
Usually, Robert Jr.'s brave and kind character makes everyone like him sincerely.Especially our scholar Paganel felt that he could not live without him.Although the major has always been cold in character, he still likes this child very much in his heart.Sir Glenarvan treated him like his own child, and when he woke up and couldn't see little Robert, he looked very anxious.He knew that the poor boy had always regarded himself as his "second loving father", and now he might be in a deep hole on the mountain, calling for Jazz to help him at the top of his voice.

"My friends, my friends!" cried Sir Glenarvan, weeping and mournful, "we must find little Robert now, and we must not throw him away like this. What do we do by throwing him away?" Go face to his father! Search all the valleys, all the cliffs, and all the pits here. Even in the depths, tie me to a long rope and hang me down. For Rescue Captain Grant and lose his son, what is that?!"

Everyone listened to Sir's words, but they were all silent.Because they felt that Sir Glenarvan was looking at them, and was eager to find a glimmer of hope in their own eyes, they all lowered their eyes.

"What's the matter, what's the matter?!" Sir Glenarvan asked loudly again, "Didn't you hear me when I spoke too softly? Why are you so silent? Do you think there is no hope? Really Is it hopeless?"

There was another awkward silence. In the end, the major broke the situation first, and he asked:
"My friends, who still remembers when Robert Jr. started to disappear?"

There was another silence, and no one could answer.

"By the way, at least," the major continued to ask, "when the mountain falls down, there will always be someone who will remember who is this child with!?"

"It seems to be by my side." Wilson replied immediately.

"Okay! Then, think about it carefully and tell me, when did you realize that this child is still by your side?"

"Well, I remembered, I remember it like this, in the landslide, didn't it hit like this at the end? It was less than 2 minutes before the hit, and I remembered that Robert Grant Jr. was still around, and with both hands Holding on to the moss."

(End of this chapter)