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

Chapter 17 Captain Grant's Children (17)
It is the morning of October 10th.This is also the tenth day since the Jazz and his party set off from Talcahuano.Here, they were still about 24 miles from the junction of the Colorado River and 37°, so they still had to walk for three days.During the journey, Sir Glenarvan paid special attention to whether he could meet the aborigines, hoping to find out from them the whereabouts of Captain Grant.At this time, Paganel was already proficient in Spanish, and he was able to converse fluently with Takaf.During the chat, the two got to know each other.Tarcaf also said that he could learn about the indigenous people through his translator.However, Jazz and his group did not take the usual route of Indians.The route they took was on the south side of the road from the Argentine Republic on the grasslands to the high and low rocky mountains, so of course they ran counter to the local indigenous Indians. Naturally, they did not meet nomadic Indians or Indians who settled in the chief kingdom along the way.Only occasionally, some shepherds on horseback would be seen from a distance, but travelers could not find them when they tried to get closer. Maybe they were unwilling to meet any strangers, so they fled quickly.Moreover, the appearance of the eight Jazz and his party in full armor made all the people who travel alone on the grassland feel very strange when they saw it.When the robbers saw them, they didn't dare to offend them, so they fled immediately.Ordinary passers-by on the grassland will mistakenly think it is some robbers wandering in the wilderness when they see it.In short, with their appearance, it is difficult to talk to good guys or bad guys and robbers!This is very unfavorable for them to inquire about any news!But this desolate path also provided an unexpected evidence for their interpretation of Captain Grant's letter!

Among the paths traveled by the jazz, there are several paths that directly traverse the grassland.One of the small roads is an important route from Carmen to Mendoza.Travelers saw the trails strewn with the remains of livestock, pecked clean by vultures.After being eroded by the wind, these wreckages are blooming in the sun.With these thousands of wreckages, it feels certain that someone's bones are mixed in.

Tarcafe has been watching the Jazz's team, and until now, has been walking in a straight line.In this regard, he did not make any comments.He saw clearly that if he went on like this, he would not see any towns, villages, or Argentine settlements.Because this straight road does not intersect with other roads.He had been working as a guide here, and it seemed inconceivable to him that this group of travelers should not invite him to lead the way, but always lead him on.But, curious as he is, he is a Patagonian of style, so he always restrains himself, keeps silent, and maintains an elegant and reserved attitude.But on this day, when the team reached the intersection with a straight road, Tarcaf couldn't bear it anymore.Then he reined in, dismounted and said to Paganel:
"Sir, this is the way to Carmen."

"No," replied Paganel.

"The direction we are going is east..."

"Yes, all the way to the east..."

"But go east, there's nowhere to go!" Tarcaf questioned.

"Who knows that?"

At this moment Tarcaf fell silent.He looked at Paganel in surprise, observing that the scholar did not appear to be joking.The Patagonian has always been serious, so he doesn't imagine anyone else throwing a joking remark.

"Isn't the place you went to Carmen?" Takaf broke the silence and asked again.

"Not here," replied Paganel.

"Aren't you going to Mendolesa, too?"

"um, yes."

Seeing this, Sir Glenarvan came up and asked Paganel, what was Tarcaf asking, and why did he stop?

"Well, Tarcaf was asking if we wanted to go to Carmen or Mendolesa. I said no to those places. He was surprised."

"Well, that's true. It's surprising that we've taken this path." Sir Glenarvan added.

"Yes, I think so too. In fact, if we continue along this road, we will not get anywhere!"

"In order to clear up the guest's doubts, my dear Paganel, can you tell him the purpose of our trip? Just tell us what our intention is to go east along this road."

"I find it difficult to communicate," Paganel said, "Patagonians don't understand the latitude and longitude of European science. And tell him the whole process of discovering the captain's letter, maybe he will think We were lying and making up stories."

"Actually, my esteemed scholar, I would like to ask you," interposed the major, "is our story incomprehensible; or is it that the person who conveyed it did not speak clearly so that he could not understand it?"

"My God, Major McNabbs!" Paganel exclaimed, "Until now, you still suspect that I can't speak Spanish well?!"

"Then since your Spanish is already very good, my dear friend, you should explain it to him!"

"I'll give it a try!"

So Paganel went up to Tarcaf again, and tried his best to tell the origin and process of this bizarre incident in Spanish.Sometimes the scholar couldn't find the right words, or couldn't explain some details clearly, so he stuttered and sometimes got stuck when he spoke.When he couldn't continue speaking, he gestured and even drew pictures. As he talked, he actually drew a big map on the sandy ground.On the map, the scholar compared where is latitude and where is longitude, and then how latitude and longitude intersect, and then pointed out where is the Pacific Ocean, where is the Atlantic Ocean, which road Carmen is on, and where they are now.Tarcaf on the side listened calmly to Paganel, sometimes talking, sometimes drawing, and sometimes talking and drawing.But Paganel didn't care whether Tarcaf understood it or not, and just kept talking.After speaking for half an hour, the venerable scholar stopped tired, wiped the sweat from his brow, and watched the Patagonian's reaction.

"Now, does he understand?" asked Sir Glenarvan.

"Wait," said Paganel. "Well, if you really don't understand, there's really nothing I can do!"

Takaf focused his attention on the "sand" map on the ground that was slowly being flattened by the wind, and stood without saying a word.

"Friend, do you understand?" Paganel asked Tarcaf.

Tarcaf didn't seem to hear his query.At this moment, Paganel saw that the major curled his lips in disdain, knowing that the major wanted to laugh at him, he was very unconvinced, and planned to explain to Tarcaf, but the other party signaled him to stop with gestures.

"So, are you looking for a captive?" Takaf asked.

"Yes!" Paganel replied hastily.

"Is the route you are looking for along the direction from sunset to sunrise?" Tarcaf asked in Patagonian custom, pointing to the direction of the route from west to east.

"Yes, that's right, it's true!"

"It seems that God has entrusted the captive's secret to the waves of the ocean?"

"Yes, and then God delivered their secrets to us!"

"Then let's go and fulfill God's will!" Tarcaf said solemnly, "Let's go east now, and if necessary, we can go to the sunset of the sun."

When the scholar Paganel saw that his student could understand everything he said, he was immediately overjoyed, and couldn't help translating everything Tarcaf said to his companions, dancing while talking.

"It seems that the Patagonians are really a clever people!" Paganel added joyfully, "In our country, if I tell this story to twenty peasants, ten of them will surely Nine is the same as playing the piano against a cow."

Sir Glenarvan ordered Paganel to ask Natakaf if he knew any news that Europeans were kidnapped and captured by Indians in the grasslands.

Paganel then translated the sir's meaning to Tarcafe, and quietly observed his reply.

"Oh, I think I've heard of that," replied the Patagonian.

Paganel translated this reply to his companions, and they immediately gathered around Tarcaf, asking questions with their eyes, and waiting for the Patagonian's further answer.

Paganel was so excited that he was almost speechless.According to this question, he continued to question Tarcave, and kept his eyes on him; when the Patagonian uttered a Spanish word, Paganel immediately translated it into English, and that quick movement seemed to be It is to dig out the other party's answers alive.He did this so that his companions could quickly understand what Tarcaf meant.

"What was this prisoner like?" asked Paganel.

"Well, a foreigner," Tarcaf replied, "and, moreover, a European!"

"That friend, have you seen him?"

"No, I have never seen it. I just heard it from the Indians nearby. They said that the European is a tough guy with the heart of an old bull!"

"Ah, you have the heart of an old bull!" Paganel couldn't help praising repeatedly, "My friends, do you understand?! This Patagonian language is so beautiful! These words means 'a brave man!'”

"They're talking about my father!" cried little Robert excitedly.

Afterwards, Robert Jr. said to Paganel,

"How do you say 'That's my father' in Spanish?!"

"Ace—Mio—Butler."

Little Robert immediately seized Tarcalf's hand, and said excitedly:
"Ace—Mio—Butler."

"Suao——Butler (his father!)" Tarcaf also replied excitedly, his eyes shining with excitement.

He threw little Robert into his arms, lifted him from the horse, and looked at the boy with a mixture of sympathy and wonder.On Takaf's clever face, there was a calmness that suppressed excitement.

But our scholar Paganel's inquiries are not over yet!He continued to ask Tarcaf, where is the European captive now, and what was he doing at that time?And when did Tarcaf hear about it?This series of questions immediately appeared in Takaf's mind.

Paganel's questions were quickly answered.Tarcafe told him that the European was a slave in a tribe of Indians.This tribe is located in a tribe between the Colorado River and the Negro River Valley.

"Well, where is the European now?" Paganel asked again.

"It should be at Chief Kafgula's house," Takaf said.

"Is it in the direction of this straight line?"

"Yes, it is."

"Who is the chief?"

"He is the leader of the Indian Baoush tribe, and he is a man with two tongues and two hearts."

"How do you say this? Does this mean that he has no promises and is often capricious? According to this, is there any hope for us to rescue our friend?" When asking the other party, Paganel also expressed his question Tell the companion.

"If they just fall into the hands of the Indians, then I think there's hope."

"When did you hear about this?"

"Oh, it's been a long, long time. Since I heard this, the grassland has gone through two more summers!"

Sir Glenarvan on the side was very happy, because Tarcaf's answer coincided with the date mentioned in the letter.But there is still a question to be clarified, so Paganel continued to ask in Spanish:
"From what you heard, there should be three prisoners at the same time!"

"Well, I'm really not sure!" Takaf said.

"How much do you know about the situation of the captives? Don't you know at all?"

"Yes, I really don't know."

After all these questions were asked, the jazz and his companions thought that the three prisoners might have been separated.However, the information provided by Tarcaf, a Patagonian, is sufficient to prove that a European once fell into the hands of the Indian tribe on this grassland.Tarcave provided the time and place where the captive was captured, as well as the Patagonian language that indicated the captive's bravery, all proved that the European must be Captain Harry Grant!
On the second day, that is, October 10, the traveling team of the Jazz embarked on a journey eastward full of good expectations.They arrived at a plain called "Travisia" by the local aborigines.This "Travisia" in the local language means "the endless empty land".The plains in this area are indeed as described in the words, the scenery is very empty and desolate, and the travelers feel very monotonous.There was a vast expanse of land without any grass, and the land was blown bare by the wind.Under the sun, one ditch on the left was exposed.Dotted on the land, there are only sparse and distant bushes.Occasionally, you can also see a cassia tree with pods on it, and in the pods are slightly sweet pulp, which tastes refreshing and delicious.In addition, there are some chanal trees, acacia trees, wild gorse trees, and a variety of dwarf brambles.Looking at the short stalks of these thorns, you can know how barren the land here is!

On the 26th, in order to get to the bank of the Colorado River for the night, the team kept speeding up the horses, letting the horses run as hard as they could.Finally, that night, the jazz team reached the west longitude 69°45′, that is, the most beautiful river on the prairie—the Colorado River.In the language of the Indians, this river is called "Gobilebi", which means big river.The river has a long basin and eventually flows into the Atlantic Ocean on the other side.What is strange to scientists is that the water flow of the Colorado River will gradually decrease in the section that is about to reach the Atlantic Ocean, for reasons that scientists have not been able to study.Some scholars believe that this is the reason why the soft river bed under the river gradually sucks the river water.Some scholars also believe that this is caused by the gradual evaporation of the river water by the scorching sun of the grassland.

As soon as the travelers reached the river, the scholar Paganel couldn't wait, and immediately jumped into the river, which was stained red by the red loam.But what surprised him was that the river was actually very deep.Perhaps this is because the early summer sun melted the snow on the mountains, causing the river to increase dramatically.The river was so wide that even a horse could not get to the other side.Fortunately, they found that about a few hundred Torvalds upstream of the river, there was a wooden grid bridge suspended on the river, and the planks on the bridge were tied with leather strips.The jazz traveling party led the horses across the bridge, reached the left bank of the river, and camped for the night.

Before going to sleep, our venerable scholar Paganel conducted a detailed survey of the Colorado River's topography, and carefully drew it on the map he carried with him.Because he was thinking that he had missed the Yarlung Zangbo River, but the Colorado River must not be missed, so he must seriously measure the river accurately.

During the two days of the 27th and 28th, there is nothing to say during the trip.The nearby scenery rarely changes, and the terrain has no major ups and downs.What appeared in front of the passengers was still the endless barrenness and dull monotony.What has changed is that the soil has become moist.Passengers must go through large areas of "Kanado" (flooded depressions) and "Ostro" (full of aquatic plants, never-drying swamps).On the night of the 28th, they reached the edge of a large lake and camped by the lake to rest.This large lake is called "Lankun Lake", which means "bitter lake" in Indian.This is because the water in this lake has a strong mineral water smell, which is very unpleasant. In 1862, by this lake, the Argentine army used brutal and brutal means to massacre the indigenous Indians on a large scale.When Sir Glenarvan and his companions lay down, they found it difficult to sleep here.Difficult to get a good night's sleep as there were so many monkeys and wild dogs making trouble.The animals were yelling loudly.Tafka said that this is the local animals playing a natural symphony to express their welcome to the guests.It's a pity that Europeans like jazz can't get used to the charm of these music...

Pampas
Between 34° and 40° south latitude is the Argentine pampas.In the local Aroganian language, "Pampas" means grassland.This area is named after the prairie, which can be said to be worthy of the name and very appropriate.The area has a special topography, with many types of dense grasses growing in the east and woody mimosas growing in the west.In this vast expanse of grassland, beneath the thick soil where these plants grow, is a reddish and yellowish soil.If geologists come here to investigate, they will find unexpected gains in the Tertiary strata here.Because here, there are a large number of animal bone fossils, which were all formed in the pre-flood period.In the eyes of Indians today, these fossils are the remains of the extinct giant armadillo.All these prove that under the vast green grass and sandy soil of the prairie, the entire history of this area in the primitive era is hidden.

(End of this chapter)