Captain Grant's Children

Chapter 57
It was foggy and dark that day, and a group of them strayed into the Maori hut of the aborigines instead of a bunch of bushes.In the middle of the night, the natives arrested them all and locked them up in one place.After several days of struggle and everyone's ingenuity, he finally escaped from the tiger's mouth.The companions continued on.

Paganel led the way ahead.Everyone has to admire the geographer's sense of direction. Whether he is crossing mountains or beating around the bush, he can always maintain a specific direction.Especially his naturally good eyes can make out everything clearly in the dark.It was a blessing for everyone to have such a guide with them.

They walked for three hours straight on a big downhill.Everyone is chasing each other, no one cares about talking.

Paganel led his companions southeast in order to cross the canyon between the Kaimanawa Mountains and the Huashilian Mountains.

There is a road passing through this canyon, which is an important road between Auckland and Hawke's Bay.

Paganel planned to take a short cut through the desolate area after reaching the canyon and head straight for Barent Bay.So everyone try to speed up the pace of progress.

9:[-] am.

They walked almost continuously for 12 hours.

Looking at where we are now, it's about 12 miles away.It cannot but be said that this is quite a satisfactory number for them!At the same time, the two ladies have shown the greatest courage, and everyone is proud of them for having such courage.It's time to take a break now, too.

By this time they had reached the mouth of the canyon, and the road leading to Oakland was on the right.Paganel checked the directions on the map, and then led the group to the east again.

Another hour went on.They chose a sharp hill, at the foot of the hill, everyone ate dry food.

Even Mary and the Major ate with great relish, from fatigue and hunger--though they did not like the food--it seemed that there was no shortage of food.

After eating, everyone had a good rest.2 p.m.

They continued eastward again.At night, they camped on the plains.the next day.

They began to cross the land east of the Vahiti Mountains.However, there is hardly a straight road in this land that people can walk on.So everyone had to walk around and feel their way forward.This land is about 20 square miles. Due to special geological reasons, there are tens of millions of springs here, and they are of different sizes.The spring is surrounded by a layer of white alkali, shining crystal light in the sunlight.

In fact, there is infinite energy here, but it has been forgotten for many years.If the sulfur mines in Sicily were declared to be exhausted immediately, all nations of the world would pay attention to this rich land in New Zealand.Although this place can be called a treasure house, there are no birds or beasts.Everyone had to eat ferns to satisfy their hunger.If you don't eat well, the road will be more difficult to walk.Everyone was exhausted, eager to get out of this strange and uninhabited area as soon as possible.However, to get out of this area, it will take at least 4 days.

2 month 23 day.

If counting from Mt. Mengganamu, they have traveled more than 50 miles until now.

On this day, they arrived at the foot of a hill.From the map, the hill is marked, but it has no name.So, everyone spent the night at the foot of the hill.

Although everyone doesn't really want to rest in the deserted and barren land, because everyone is afraid of encountering Maori again, but thankfully, there is no sign of indigenous people here.We continue to head towards the Pacific coast.

On this day, they successfully passed a forest on the plain.According to the position of the sun and stars, John measured the direction and pointed out the way for the fugitives.Besides, the weather wasn't particularly hot, and there was no rain, so it was easy for everyone to walk.However, due to the long distance, everyone became more and more tired.So he slowed down a little.In order not to make everyone's journey too lonely, they began to chat with each other.In this way, chatting and chatting, the whole team becomes a group of three or a group of two.

Glenarvan walked alone, thinking of the Duncan and the people on board.Dangerous and difficult though the journey might be, and though he had many things to think about before he got to Oakland, the scene of the hijacking of his Duncan still haunted his mind.

John and Mary were whispering about Captain Grant.Although the rescue and search mentioned here and now are almost empty talk, the blood-linked emotion still stirs Mary's heart and thoughts.There is still that nostalgia and hope in her heart.John is an honest and loyal man, he is very understanding.He is still confident in finding Captain Grant, and he even assures Mary that Glenarvan will never give up halfway!He also believed in the content of the distress letter and believed that Grant was still alive.

Mary felt immense warmth and great encouragement after listening to what John had to say.The feeling of breathing and sharing fate made her identify John.Mrs. Helene also accosted the young couple from time to time, sympathizing with Mary very much, but she had no hope of finding the captain.In order not to dampen their enthusiasm, she didn't say this.McNabbs, Robert, Wilson, and Murady hunted while walking, and each of the four had their own harvest.Paganel, wrapped in his Maori cloak, looked thoughtful, walking alone and not talking to anyone else.Although it seemed that the fleeing team seemed a bit fragmented, they were tightly bound together in their hearts.Disasters, exhaustion, difficulties, and difficulties cannot separate them, and enthusiasm and friendship have already been poured into everyone's life. February 4.

They came to the Kukali River.Because the water level of the river varies from depth to depth, they found the shallowest place and swam over one by one.Then I walked on the plain for two days.The past two days have been peaceful, just a little tired.

By this time they had covered half the distance.A large forest appeared in front of everyone.At first glance, the forest looks a bit like an Australian eucalypt forest, but it's actually the "tall" pine endemic to New Zealand.The fugitive team walked for three days in this tall forest. March 3.Glenarvan and his companions walked through the ancient forest.That night they reached the foot of Mount Ikiranji.The mountain is 1 feet high.They camped at the foot of this mountain.

the next day.Everyone took advantage of the dawn and set off again.Arrive at the next destination - Mount Hardy.It is 3700 feet above sea level, and the road is fairly flat, but there are about 10 miles of bear willow woods.Bear willow is nicknamed "stalking people" because its branches are soft and long like vines.As the name suggests, when people walk in the bear willow forest, their legs, feet and arms will be entangled at any time, making it impossible to survive.We fought with Xiong Liu for two days.

The situation of these two days is conceivable.Those intricate branches are like thousands of strange snakes that make it difficult for you to move.At the same time, it was impossible to hunt for supplementary food at all, and all the dry food brought out before was eaten up, and there was not a drop of spring water to quench my thirst.They are really at the end of their rope.

Under the double blow of fatigue and hunger, these fugitives could only move forward by their survival instinct.

In the end, almost gritted their teeth and dragged their numb legs, they finally reached the tip of Laoting step by step and saw the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Is the willows and flowers blooming when you reach the coast?no.God's arrangements are not always smooth.In the distance, several empty thatched huts can be seen.But this is a small village that has just been devastated by the flames of war.

Just when they didn't know what to do, a group of Maori suddenly appeared a mile away.The Maori all held weapons, bared their teeth and claws, and rushed over aggressively.

What can I do?With the sea behind and the Maori in front, Glenarvan and his companions had nowhere to go.Only fight to the death!At this critical moment, John shouted loudly: "Boat! There's a boat!"

Only 20 steps away, there really was a small canoe docked on the beach with 6 oars.Perhaps there is no such thing as a unique path!Everyone ran over quickly, pushed the small canoe into the water with all their hands and feet, jumped on the boat and rowed quickly.

They are anxious, but not flustered.The boat quickly paddled out to sea.No one spoke, and the sea seemed very quiet.Suddenly, three canoes rowed from the direction of Laotingjiao!God, they came after them again!

"Paddle deep! Paddle deep! Better be drowned than caught!" John shouted to his companions.

So the four oarsmen rowed the boat vigorously towards the center of the sea.However, the three canoes also followed closely.Almost half an hour.The boats in front and behind kept a certain distance.However, John and the four of them were a little weak, and everyone was exhausted. Tiredness, hunger and thirst made them slow down.But the canoes behind were getting faster and faster.About to catch up!At a distance of two nautical miles, the Maori were about to shoot!The situation is dire.

Glenarvan stood in the stern of the boat, looking around anxiously and vexedly, as if looking for something.

At this critical moment, his eyes lit up. "There's a big ship!" He pointed to the sea ahead, almost screaming.

"Guys, there's a big boat! Row fast, we'll row as hard as we can!"

The four oarsmen could no longer turn their heads and rowed the boat with all their might.Paganel got up quickly and raised the binoculars.

"Yes! It's a big ship! A big ship! Oh, it's a steamboat! It seems to be going at full speed with all its strength, and it's coming towards us! It's great! Let's go, boys! Put all your strength into it." Take it out!" Paganel's voice trembled a little.Four oars rowed the boat very fast.Hope is motivating them.

The canoes behind were thrown off a bit.However, the pursuit of those Maori did not relax at all.

In this way, you chased me for another half an hour.The big steamer was clearly visible on the sea ahead.I saw thick black smoke rising from the ship, and the thick mast had fallen down from the sail.Glenarvan's heart was almost in his throat at this moment, he threw the rudder to Robert, took the geographer's telescope, and pointed it at the big steamer ahead.

But in an instant, Jazz's face turned pale, his muscles tensed up, and the telescope in his hand slipped down involuntarily.

When John and the others saw this scene, their hearts tensed up.what happened?Are the Jazz really disappointed?What happened? "The Duncan!" Glenarvan's voice changed, "It's the Duncan and the fugitives!" This really surprised everyone.

"What what? The Duncan?" John couldn't help crying, throwing down the oars, and standing upright with a jerk.

"That's right! That's right! We are now under attack from both sides, and we have nowhere to go! We can only wait to die!" Glenarvan said helplessly.

It's really a narrow road!Why did they meet these pirates again at such a time?The major cursed involuntarily--it seems so miserable!What else are you running away from?There is nowhere to escape!Just let the boat float and die!
Only a bang was heard.It was a shot from a canoe behind, and it hit Wilson's oar.

Wilson subconsciously rowed again, and the boat headed towards the Duncan again.The Duncan was already sailing towards this side, with full horsepower and a very heroic momentum.

The boat was only half a mile from the Duncan.John, this brave young man, is really at a loss at this time, to row or not to row?What a dilemma!Madam Helen and Mary even lost confidence, they just knelt in the boat and prayed again and again, hoping that a miracle would appear.The Maori were firing ferociously, and the bullets thudded the boat.

What a death!
At the moment when they were desperate, they only heard the sound of a cannon, and the shell passed over their heads.

Even the Duncan began firing shells.There was no hope of survival for those who were flanked by guns.John grabbed the ax sharply and was about to chop the boat gang.Yes, this is the last task, let the ship and people sink in the sea together.However, a cry from Robert made him stop.

"Tom Austin! Hey! It's Tom Austin!" The shouting boy reminded all the people on board at once. "He's in the big boat! I can see it. He's shaking his hat at us! He knows it's we!"

John stood there holding the ax in a daze.The Duncan then fired a second shell.The shell flew high in the air and fell right on the first canoe, which was blown in two.Cheers aboard the Duncan.Seeing this, the remaining Maori turned over the bow and fled towards the shore. "Come here! Come here, Tom!" cried John, in a mixture of surprise and surprise.

What an instant time turns!It never occurred to them that they would return to the Duncan safe and sound.

(End of this chapter)