《The Mysterious Island 神秘岛》Book 2 Chapter 4（在线收听）

It was six o' clock in the morning when the settlers, after a hasty breakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way, the western coast of the island. And how long would it take to do this? Cyrus Harding had said two hours, but of course that depended on the nature of the obstacles they might meet with As it was probable that they would have to cut a path through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, they marched axe in hand, and with guns also ready, wisely taking warning from the cries of the wild beasts heard in the night.

The exact position of the encampment could be determined by the bearing of Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distance of less than three miles, they had only to go straight towards the southwest to reach the western coast. They set out, having first carefully secured the canoe. Pencroft and Neb carried sufficient provision for the little band for at least two days. It would not thus be necessary to hunt. The engineer advised his companions to refrain from firing, that their presence might not be betrayed to any one near the shore. The first hatchet blows were given among the brushwood in the midst of some mastic-trees, a little above the cascade; and his compass in his hand, Cyrus Harding led the way.

The forest here was composed for the most part of trees which had already been met with near the lake and on Prospect Heights. There were deodars, Douglas firs, casuarinas, gum trees, eucalypti, hibiscus, cedars, and other trees, generally of a moderate size, for their number prevented their growth.

Since their departure, the settlers had descended the slopes which constituted the mountain system of the island, on to a dry soil, but the luxuriant vegetation of which indicated it to be watered either by some subterranean marsh or by some stream. However, Cyrus Harding did not remember having seen, at the time of his excursion to the crater, any other watercourses but the Red Creek and the Mercy.

During the first part of their excursion, they saw numerous troops of monkeys who exhibited great astonishment at the sight of men, whose appearance was so new to them. Gideon Spilett jokingly asked whether these active and merry quadrupeds did not consider him and his companions as degenerate brothers.

And certainly, pedestrians, hindered at each step by bushes, caught by creepers, barred by trunks of trees, did not shine beside those supple animals, who, bounding from branch to branch, were hindered by nothing on their course. The monkeys were numerous, but happily they did not manifest any hostile disposition.

Several pigs, agoutis, kangaroos, and other rodents were seen, also two or three koalas, at which Pencroft longed to have a shot.

"But," said he, "you may jump and play just now; we shall have one or two words to say to you on our way back!"

At half-past nine the way was suddenly found to be barred by an unknown stream, from thirty to forty feet broad, whose rapid current dashed foaming over the numerous rocks which interrupted its course. This creek was deep and clear, but it was absolutely unnavigable.

"We are cut off!" cried Neb.

"No," replied Herbert, "it is only a stream, and we can easily swim over."

"What would be the use of that?" returned Harding. "This creek evidently runs to the sea. Let us remain on this side and follow the bank, and I shall be much astonished if it does not lead us very quickly to the coast. Forward!"

"One minute," said the reporter. "The name of this creek, my friends? Do not let us leave our geography incomplete."

"All right!" said Pencroft.

"Name it, my boy," said the engineer, addressing the lad.

"Will it not be better to wait until we have explored it to its mouth?" answered Herbert.

"Very well," replied Cyrus Harding. "Let us follow it as fast as we can without stopping."

"Still another minute!" said Pencroft.

"What's the matter?" asked the reporter.

"Though hunting is forbidden, fishing is allowed, I suppose," said the sailor.

"We have no time to lose," replied the engineer.

"Oh! five minutes!" replied Pencroft, "I only ask for five minutes to use in the interest of our breakfast!"

And Pencroft, lying down on the bank, plunged his arm into the water, and soon pulled up several dozen of fine crayfish from among the stones.

"These will be good!" cried Neb, going to the sailor's aid.

"As I said, there is everything in this island, except tobacco!" muttered Pencroft with a sigh.

The fishing did not take five minutes, for the crayfish were swarming in the creek. A bag was filled with the crustaceae, whose shells were of a cobalt blue. The settlers then pushed on.

They advanced more rapidly and easily along the bank of the river than in the forest. From time to time they came upon the traces of animals of a large size who had come to quench their thirst at the stream, but none were actually seen, and it was evidently not in this part of the forest that the peccary had received the bullet which had cost Pencroft a grinder.

In the meanwhile, considering the rapid current, Harding was led to suppose that he and his companions were much farther from the western coast than they had at first supposed. In fact, at this hour, the rising tide would have turned back the current of the creek, if its mouth had only been a few miles distant. Now, this effect was not produced, and the water pursued its natural course. The engineer was much astonished at this, and frequently consulted his compass, to assure himself that some turn of the river was not leading them again into the Far West.

However, the creek gradually widened and its waters became less tumultuous. The trees on the right bank were as close together as on the left bank, and it was impossible to distinguish anything beyond them; but these masses of wood were evidently uninhabited, for Top did not bark, and the intelligent animal would not have failed to signal the presence of any stranger in the neighborhood.

At half-past ten, to the great surprise of Cyrus Harding, Herbert, who was a little in front, suddenly stopped and exclaimed,--

"The sea!"

In a few minutes more, the whole western shore of the island lay extended before the eyes of the settlers.

But what a contrast between this and the eastern coast, upon which chance had first thrown them. No granite cliff, no rocks, not even a sandy beach. The forest reached the shore, and the tall trees bending over the water were beaten by the waves. It was not such a shore as is usually formed by nature, either by extending a vast carpet of sand, or by grouping masses of rock, but a beautiful border consisting of the most splendid trees. The bank was raised a little above the level of the sea, and on this luxuriant soil, supported by a granite base, the fine forest trees seemed to be as firmly planted as in the interior of the island.

The colonists were then on the shore of an unimportant little harbor, which would scarcely have contained even two or three fishing-boats. It served as a neck to the new creek, of which the curious thing was that its waters, instead of joining the sea by a gentle slope, fell from a height of more than forty feet, which explained why the rising tide was not felt up the stream. In fact, the tides of the Pacific, even at their maximum elevation, could never reach the level of the river, and, doubtless, millions of years would pass before the water would have worn away the granite and hollowed a practicable mouth.

It was settled that the name of Falls River should be given to this stream. Beyond, towards the north, the forest border was prolonged for a space of nearly two miles; then the trees became scarcer, and beyond that again the picturesque heights described a nearly straight line, which ran north and south. On the contrary, all the part of the shore between Falls River and Reptile End was a mass of wood, magnificent trees, some straight, others bent, so that the long sea-swell bathed their roots. Now, it was this coast, that is, all the Serpentine Peninsula, that was to be explored, for this part of the shore offered a refuge to castaways, which the other wild and barren side must have refused.

The weather was fine and clear, and from a height of a hillock on which Neb and Pencroft had arranged breakfast, a wide view was obtained. There was, however, not a sail in sight; nothing could be seen along the shore as far as the eye could reach. But the engineer would take nothing for granted until he had explored the coast to the very extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula.

Breakfast was soon despatched, and at half-past eleven the captain gave the signal for departure. Instead of proceeding over the summit of a cliff or along a sandy beach, the settlers were obliged to remain under cover of the trees so that they might continue on the shore.

The distance which separated Falls River from Reptile End was about twelve miles. It would have taken the settlers four hours to do this, on a clear ground and without hurrying themselves; but as it was they needed double the time, for what with trees to go round, bushes to cut down, and creepers to chop away, they were impeded at every step, these obstacles greatly lengthening their journey.

There was, however, nothing to show that a shipwreck had taken place recently. It is true that, as Gideon Spilett observed, any remains of it might have drifted out to sea, and they must not take it for granted that because they could find no traces of it, a ship had not been castaway on the coast.

The reporter's argument was just, and besides, the incident of the bullet proved that a shot must have been fired in Lincoln Island within three months.

It was already five o'clock, and there were still two miles between the settlers and the extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula. It was evident that after having reached Reptile End, Harding and his companions would not have time to return before dark to their encampment near the source of the Mercy. It would therefore be necessary to pass the night on the promontory. But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, for there were no animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary, abound--jacamars, couroucous, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants, pigeons, and a hundred others. There was not a tree without a nest, and not a nest which was not full of flapping wings.

Towards seven o'clock the weary explorers arrived at Reptile End. Here the seaside forest ended, and the shore resumed the customary appearance of a coast, with rocks, reefs, and sands. It was possible that something might be found here, but darkness came on, and the further exploration had to be put off to the next day.

Pencroft and Herbert hastened on to find a suitable place for their camp. Among the last trees of the forest of the Far West, the boy found several thick clumps of bamboos.

"Good," said he; "this is a valuable discovery."

"Valuable?" returned Pencroft.

"Certainly," replied Herbert. "I may say, Pencroft, that the bark of the bamboo, cut into flexible laths, is used for making baskets; that this bark, mashed into a paste, is used for the manufacture of Chinese paper; that the stalks furnish, according to their size, canes and pipes and are used for conducting water; that large bamboos make excellent material for building, being light and strong, and being never attacked by insects. I will add that by sawing the bamboo in two at the joint, keeping for the bottom the part of the transverse film which forms the joint, useful cups are obtained, which are much in use among the Chinese. No! you don't care for that. But--"

"But what?"

"But I can tell you, if you are ignorant of it, that in India these bamboos are eaten like asparagus."

"Asparagus thirty feet high!" exclaimed the sailor. "And are they good?"

"Excellent," replied Herbert. "Only it is not the stems of thirty feet high which are eaten, but the young shoots."

"Perfect, my boy, perfect!" replied Pencroft.

"I will also add that the pith of the young stalks, preserved in vinegar, makes a good pickle."

"Better and better, Herbert!"

"And lastly, that the bamboos exude a sweet liquor which can be made into a very agreeable drink."

"Is that all?" asked the sailor.

"That is all!"

"And they don't happen to do for smoking?"

"No, my poor Pencroft."

Herbert and the sailor had not to look long for a place in which to pass the night. The rocks, which must have been violently beaten by the sea under the influence of the winds of the southwest, presented many cavities in which shelter could be found against the night air. But just as they were about to enter one of these caves a loud roaring arrested them.

"Back!" cried Pencroft. "Our guns are only loaded with small shot, and beasts which can roar as loud as that would care no more for it than for grains of salt!" And the sailor, seizing Herbert by the arm, dragged him behind a rock, just as a magnificent animal showed itself at the entrance of the cavern.

It was a jaguar of a size at least equal to its Asiatic congeners, that is to say, it measured five feet from the extremity of its head to the beginning of its tail. The yellow color of its hair was relieved by streaks and regular oblong spots of black, which contrasted with the white of its chest. Herbert recognized it as the ferocious rival of the tiger, as formidable as the puma, which is the rival of the largest wolf!

The jaguar advanced and gazed around him with blazing eyes, his hair bristling as if this was not the first time he had scented men.

At this moment the reporter appeared round a rock, and Herbert, thinking that he had not seen the jaguar, was about to rush towards him, when Gideon Spilett signed to him to remain where he was. This was not his first tiger, and advancing to within ten feet of the animal he remained motionless, his gun to his shoulder, without moving a muscle. The jaguar collected itself for a spring, but at that moment a shot struck it in the eyes, and it fell dead.

Herbert and Pencroft rushed towards the jaguar. Neb and Harding also ran up, and they remained for some instants contemplating the animal as it lay stretched on the ground, thinking that its magnificent skin would be a great ornament to the hall at Granite House.

"Oh, Mr. Spilett, how I admire and envy you!" cried Herbert, in a fit of very natural enthusiasm.

"Well, my boy," replied the reporter, "you could have done the same."

"I! with such coolness!--"

"Imagine to yourself, Herbert, that the jaguar is only a hare, and you would fire as quietly as possible."

"That is," rejoined Pencroft, "that it is not more dangerous than a hare!"

"And now," said Gideon Spilett, "since the jaguar has left its abode, I do not see, my friends, why we should not take possession of it for the night."

"But others may come," said Pencroft.

"It will be enough to light a fire at the entrance of the cavern," said the reporter, "and no wild beasts will dare to cross the threshold."

"Into the jaguar's house, then!" replied the sailor, dragging after him the body of the animal.

While Neb skinned the jaguar, his companions collected an abundant supply of dry wood from the forest, which they heaped up at the cave.

Cyrus Harding, seeing the clump of bamboos, cut a quantity, which he mingled with the other fuel.

This done, they entered the grotto, of which the floor was strewn with bones, the guns were carefully loaded, in case of a sudden attack, they had supper, and then just before they lay down to rest, the heap of wood piled at the entrance was set fire to. Immediately, a regular explosion, or rather a series of reports, broke the silence! The noise was caused by the bamboos, which, as the flames reached them, exploded like fireworks. The noise was enough to terrify even the boldest of wild beasts.

It was not the engineer who had invented this way of causing loud explosions, for, according to Marco Polo, the Tartars have employed it for many centuries to drive away from their encampments the formidable wild beasts of Central Asia.

清晨六点钟，大家匆匆地吃完早饭，找一条捷径向荒岛的西岸出发了。多长的时间才能走到呢？赛勒斯·史密斯曾说过，需要两个钟头，可是这当然要看他们遇到的障碍性质如何。远西森林长满了一眼望不到边的各种灌木丛。他们可能要在荒草、灌木和爬藤之间开辟道路，因此手里拿着斧头。枪枝也准备好了，这是因为夜间听到野兽咆哮的缘故。

露宿的确实地点可以由富兰克林山的方位来决定，火山就在北而下到三英里的地方，他们只要笔直向西南走去就可以到达西岸了。他们把平底船小心地拴好，然后出发。潘克洛夫和纳布至少给小队准备了两三天的食粮。这样就不一定需要打猎了。工程师劝大家不要随便开枪，免得岸边知道这儿有人。他们第一次动用斧头的时候是在瀑布以上不远的一片乳香树丛里；赛勒斯·史密斯拿着指南针在前面引路。

附近森林里的树木大都在湖边和眺望岗上见到过。其中有喜马拉雅杉、洋松、柽柳、橡皮树、有加利树、木槿、杉树和其他树木，都是普通的大小，因为树木太密，妨碍了它们的生长，居民们需要一边开路一边走，因此不能走得很快。按照工程师的计划，打算在这里开一条路和红河的道路连接上。

出发以来，居民们已经从荒岛的高山斜坡地带来到了干燥的土地上。这里植物茂盛，说明它不是吸收了地下沼泽的水分，就是受过某些小河的灌溉。可是赛勒斯·史密斯记得在到火山口去的时候，除了红河和慈悲河以外，没有见过其他的水源。

在第一段行程中，他们遇到无数的猴子，这些猴子在看到它们从未见过的人类以后，都感到非常惊讶。吉丁·史佩莱打趣他说，也许这些活泼愉快的四足动物会把他们当作是自己的退化了的弟兄呢。

的确，这些徒步旅行的人每走一步都要受到灌木的阻碍，被爬藤勾住衣服，被树干拦住道路，而那些灵巧的动物，却能在树枝之间纵跳自如，通行无阻，和它们比较起来，人类显然逊色多了。幸亏这些猴子没有表示任何敌意。

他们还看见一些西瑞、刺鼠、袋鼠和其他的啮齿动物，潘克洛夫很想开枪打它们。

“你们现在跳吧，玩吧，”他说，“我们回来的时候再收拾你们！”

九点半的时候，突然有一条三四十英尺宽的不知名的河流拦住了前进的道路。湍急的河水冲击着河中央的岩石，溅起一片白沫。河水很深，也很清澈，但是完全不能通航。

“我们无路可走了！”纳布喊道。

“不，”赫伯特说，“这条小河算不了什么，我们可以很容易游过去。”

“那何必呢？”史密斯答道。“这条河显然是通向大海的。我们还是留在这边，沿着河岸走，要是不能马上到达海滨那才怪呢。前进！”

“等一会儿，”通讯记者说。“给这条河起个什么名字呢，朋友们？别在我们的地图上留下空白。”

“好！”潘克洛夫说。

“给它起个名字吧，孩子。”工程师对少年说。

“等我们到达河口以后再起不好吗？”赫伯特回答说。

“很好，”赛勒斯·史密斯说。“我们不要停顿，尽快地沿河前进吧。”

“再等一会儿！”潘克洛夫说。

“什么事？”通讯记者间道。

“虽然不许打猎，我想捕鱼总可以吧？”水手说。

“我们不能浪费时间。”工程师答道。

“哎！只要五分钟！”潘克洛夫接着说，“为了我们的早餐着想，我只要五分钟！”

于是潘克洛夫趴在岸上，把胳膊伸到水里去，马上就从岩石缝里抓起好几打活琵琶虾来。

“好！”纳布一面前去帮助水手，一面说。

“我说，岛上什么都有，就是没有烟草！”潘克洛夫叹了口气，喃喃地说。

捕鱼的时间还不到五分钟，因为满河都是琵琶虾。他们装满了一袋湛蓝色的带壳动物。然后又继续上路了。

他们在河岸上比在森林里走得更快、更容易。他们不时发现一种动物的足迹，这是一种巨大的野兽，大概是到河边来喝水的，可是实际上却一只也看不见，显然，那只西瑞不是在这一带林中被枪弹——潘克洛夫曾被它崩掉一颗牙——打中的。

同时，史密斯从这股急流看出，他和他的伙伴们离西岸比自己原先想象的要远得多。的确，假如河口离开这儿只有几英里的话，上涨的潮水这时候一定要把河水顶回来了。可是事实上并不是这样，河水还是自由自在地流着，工程师感到非常奇怪，他不时拿出指南针来，看看是不是河流拐了几个弯又把他们带回远西森林去了。

河面终于宽起来，河水也不那么湍急了。右岸的树木和左岸同样稠密，要想透过树林看见什么东西简直不可能，可是这一片森林里目前显然没有人，因为托普没有叫，——要是附近有陌生人的话，这只机警的狗决不会没有一点表示的。

十点半的时候，赛勒斯·史密斯突然听见赫伯特在前面不远的地方停下来喊道：

“海！”

几分钟以后，荒岛西海岸的全景就呈现在他们的面前了。

可是这和他们无意中着陆的东海岸显得多么不同啊！这里没有花岗石的峭壁，没有岩石，甚至连沙滩也没有。森林一直伸展到海边，高大的树木俯身在海面上，激起的浪花飞溅着枝叶。一般的海岸不是一片广阔的沙滩，就是成堆的乱石，可是这里的海岸却和别处不同，它是一道边缘，上面生长着美丽无比的树木。海岸比水平面稍微高一些，这片肥沃的土壤下有着花岗石的基层，风雅宜人的森林生长在上面，和生长在荒岛内陆上的一样牢固。

他们来到了一个不知名的港岸上，这个海港只能勉强容纳两三艘渔船。它是一条通向新河的海峡，这条新河不同于一般的是：它的河水不是缓缓地流向大海，而是从一个高达四十多英尺的地方倾泻下去的，这就是他们在河的上游感觉不到涨潮的原因。的确，即使太平洋的潮水达到了最高潮，也决不可能升得跟这个河面一样高，而且无疑的，即使再过几百万年，潮水也没法把花岗石侵蚀成一个真正和海水相接的河口。

大家同意把这条河命名为瀑布河，迎面往北，森林的边缘连续约有二英里长，然后树木稀疏了，再往外去，风景如画的山岗从北到南几乎形成一条直线，相反的，在瀑布河和爬虫角之间的海岸上则全是森林，美丽的树木，有的笔直冲天，有的弯腰拂水，汹涌的海浪冲刷着它们的根部。现在，他们就要在这片海滨，也就是在整个的盘蛇半岛上进行搜索了，因为这部分海岸正是遇难者天然的栖身之地，其他空旷而荒芜的海岸是不能供他们居住的，

这一天天朗气清，纳布和潘克洛夫在一块山石上准备着早饭，这里可以看到很远的地方。周围没有一只船，视线之内什么也没有。可是在没有搜查到盘蛇半岛的海岸尽头以前，工程师是不肯罢休的。

早饭很快就吃完了，十一点半的时候工程师下令动身。为了能继续循着海岸前进，他们没有到峭壁和沙滩上去，只在大树的浓荫下穿行。

从瀑布河到爬虫角大约有十二英里。假如有一条平坦的道路，只要四个钟头就可以走到了，他们也不必匆忙，可是现在却需要双倍的时间，因为要绕着大树走，遇见灌木还要砍伐，有了爬藤必须斩断，每走一步都受到阻碍，这些困难大大地延长了行程。

这里丝毫看不出最近有船遇险的迹象。吉丁·史佩莱说得对，遗留下来的东西可能被海水冲走了，因此他们不能因为找不到踪迹，就认为根本没有船只在海滨遇险。

通讯记者的论点是正确的，况且枪弹的事情也证明了过去三个月内一定有人在林肯岛上开过枪。

已经五点钟了，他们离开盘蛇半岛的尽头还有二英里。事实很清楚，史密斯和他的伙伴们到达爬虫角以后，想在天黑以前赶回他们在慈悲河发源处的营地是来不及了，因此必须在海角上过夜。好在他们并不缺少粮食，岸上虽然没有走兽，却有大量的飞禽——啄木鸟、锦鸡、角雉、松鸡、猩猩鹦鹉、鹦鹉、红鹦鹉、野鸡、鸽子，以及许许多多其他鸟类。每一棵树上都有鸟窝，每一个鸟窝里都住着飞鸟。

将近七点钟的时候，探险家们拖着疲倦的脚步到达了爬虫角。这里是海边森林的尽头，海岸又恢复了原来的面貌：散布着岩石、暗礁和泥沙。这里很可能找到一些东西，可是夜幕已经低垂，进一步的搜索只好等到明天了。

潘克洛夫和赫伯特急忙寻找适合露宿的地方。少年在远西森林的尽头发现了几丛密集在一起的竹子。

“好呵，”他说，“这个发现很有价值。”

“有什么价值？”潘克洛夫问道。

“当然，”赫伯特回答说。“我可以告诉你，潘克洛夫，把竹子削成柔软的竹蔑可以用来编篮子；把竹皮捣成糊浆可以制造中国纸；根据竹竿的粗细，可以把它们做成竹竿和竹管，用来输水；极大的竹子是上等的建筑材料，因为它们既轻便又结实，而且不怕虫蛀。还有，齐竹节锯成一段一段的，一头带节，可以当杯子用，这种杯子在中国非常流行，不过，你对这个是不会发生兴趣的。可是……”

“可是什么？”

“假如你不知道的话，我可以告诉你，印度人把竹子当芦笋吃。”

“三十英尺高的芦笋！”水手叫道。“好吃吗？”

“好吃极了，”赫伯特回答说。“可是吃的并不是三十英尺高的竹竿，而是嫩芽。”

“好极了，孩子，好极了！”潘克洛夫答道。

“我再补充一句，把嫩茎剥去皮泡在醋里就成了上等的调味品。”

“愈说愈好了，赫伯特！”

“最后，竹子里还有一种香甜的汁水，可以用来制造一种非常可口的饮料。’

“完了吗？”水手问道。

“完了！”

“能够拿来当烟抽吗？”

“不能，可怜的潘克洛夫。”

赫伯特和水手很快就找到可以过夜的地方了。岩石上有许多洞穴，这多半是被西南风激起的海浪冲击成的，在这些洞穴里栖身，就可以避免夜晚的凉风。可是他们正打算走进一个洞去，突然听见一声吼叫。

“往后退！”潘克洛夫喊道。“我们的枪里装的都是小粒子弹，这只野兽能叫得这么响，看样子它是决不在乎的！”于是水手抓住赫伯特的肩膀，把他拉到一块岩石后面，正在这时候，一只彩色斑斓的野兽在洞口出现了。

这是一只美洲豹，大小至少和亚洲种差不多，也就是说，整个身子有五英尺长。它那金黄色的毛片上有着黛眉似的条纹和整齐的卵形黑点，和雪白的胸膛形成鲜明的对比。赫伯特知道它是老虎的劲敌，和大豺狼的劲敌花豹一样，都是可怕的猛兽！

它往前迈了一步，目光炯炯地望着周围，毛发倒竖起来，好象这已经不是第一次闻到人味了。

这时候通讯记者从一块石头后面跑了出来，赫伯特以为他没有看见野兽，正打算冲过去拦他，吉丁·史佩莱对他做了一个手势，教他不要动。他已经有遇见老虎的经验了，他走到离野兽只有十英尺的地方，一动也不动地站在那里，把枪抵在肩窝上，使全身肌肉完全保持不动。野兽正打算纵身跳过来，就在这时候，一枪打在豹的两眼之间，它就倒毙在地上了。

赫伯特和潘克洛夫向它跑去。纳布和史密斯也跑过来，他们注视了一会倒在地上的野兽，不禁想到，用那美丽的兽皮把“花岗石宫”的大厅装饰起来真是太美了。

“啊，史佩莱先生，我真是既羡慕你又妒忌你！”赫伯特不禁热烈地喊道。

“好，孩子，”通讯记者答道，“你也能做到的。”

“我！这么沉着！……”

“赫伯特，你只当它是一只野兔子，就能非常沉着地开枪打它了。”

“对啊，”潘克洛夫答道，“它并不比兔子狡猾！”

“现在，”吉丁·史佩莱说，“它已经把窝让出来了，朋友们，我们干吗还不进去过夜呢？”

“也许还有别的野兽会来。”潘克洛夫说。

“在洞口燃起一堆火，”通讯记者说，“野兽就不敢进门了。”

“那么，到豹窝里去吧！”水手拖着野兽说。

于是，纳布留下来剥豹皮，他的同伴们到森林里捡了许多干柴来堆在洞口。

赛勒斯·史密斯看见那丛竹子以后，就砍下一些来，和木柴放在一堆。

做完这些事，他们就钻进洞去了，洞里到处都是白骨，他们准备好枪枝，以防突然遇到袭击；吃过晚饭，在临睡以前，他们把洞口的篝火点了起来。一阵阵的爆炸声（说得更确切些，是一连串的爆炸声）打破了周围的沉寂！这是竹子的声音，当火焰烧到它们的时候，它们就象炮仗似的爆炸起来。任何胆大的野兽听了这一片响声也要胆寒的。

这种产生巨响的爆炸法不是工程师发明的，据马可孛罗说，好几世纪以来，中亚细亚的鞑靼人都是用这种方法来驱散到他们的帐篷附近来的野兽。