Works of Jules Verne/Five Weeks in a Balloon/Chapter 13
CHAPTER XIII
TRAVELING BY LAND
The night was calm: nevertheless, upon the following morning (Saturday), Kennedy, on waking, complained of lassitude and shivering. The weather began to change, and the sky became covered with heavy clouds, as if preparing for a second deluge. Zungomero is a very "weeping" region indeed, for in that delightful locality it rains all the year round except perhaps for about fifteen days in January.
The heavy rain was not slow to assail the travelers. Below them the paths, intersected by "nullahs," the beds of mountain torrents, became impassable, choked as they were besides with bindweed and prickly plants. The travelers distinctly perceived the odor of sulphuretted hydrogen spoken of by Captain Burton.
"As he declared," said the doctor, "and he was right, one can almost believe that a dead body is hidden beneath each bush."
"A villainous country, certainly," said Joe, "and it seems to me that Mr. Kennedy is none the better for having passed the night in it."
"Well, to tell the truth, I have got a pretty strong touch of fever," said the Scot.
"My dear Dick, that is nothing wonderful; we are now in one of the most unhealthy spots in Africa. But we shall not be here long. Let us go."
Thanks to a rapid maneuver of Joe's, the grapnel was detached, and by means of the ladder he regained the car. The doctor at once expanded the gas and the "Victoria" resumed her voyage, impelled by a fairly strong breeze.
Some huts were scarcely visible in the pestilential mist beneath, but the country began soon to change its aspect. It is often the case in Africa that malarious regions of small extent border upon the most perfectly healthy districts.
Kennedy was suffering, and the fever prostrated him.
"This is scarcely the place to be laid up in," said he, as he wrapped himself in his rug and lay down.
"Just a little patience, Dick," replied the doctor, "and you will recover rapidly."
"Recover! By Jove, my dear Samuel, if you have any drug that will set me up, let me have it at once. I will swallow it with my eyes shut."
"I know something better than that, friend Dick. I will give you a dose that will cost nothing."
"How?"
"It is very simple. I am about to mount right over these clouds which are drowning us, and get free from this pestilential atmosphere. I only ask ten minutes to expand the gas."
The ten minutes had scarcely elapsed, when the balloon had passed out of the wet zone.
"Now, wait a little, Dick, and you will soon feel the benefit of the pure air and sunshine."
"There is indeed a remedy," cried Joe. "It is really wonderful!"
"Not at all—only natural."
"Oh! I don't doubt it is perfectly natural!"
"I only send Dick into purer air, as people are sent every day in Europe."
"Ah!" cried Kennedy, who already was beginning to feel better. "This balloon is really 'paradise.'"
"In any case it leads there," said Joe seriously.
The view beneath the balloon at that moment was a curious spectacle; the masses of cloud were piled up in magnificent array, moving one above the other, and tinged with the glorious rays of the sun. The "Victoria" had attained an altitude of 4,000 feet, and the thermometer indicated a fall in the temperature. The earth was invisible. About fifty miles westward, Mount Rubeho raised its sparkling head, which indicated the limit of the country of Ugogo, in 36° 20' longitude. The wind had the force of twenty miles an hour, but the travelers felt nothing of this rapid movement; they experienced no inconvenience whatever, indeed they were scarcely aware of the progress they made. Three hours later, the prediction of Doctor Ferguson was verified. Kennedy's fever had departed, and he breakfasted with a good appetite.
"This is better than sulphate of quinine," said he, with evident satisfaction.
"Decidedly," cried Joe. "I shall come up here when I grow old."
About six o'clock in the morning the atmosphere cleared. They perceived an opening in the clouds; the earth reappeared, and the "Victoria" insensibly approached it. Doctor Ferguson was on the look-out for a current to carry the balloon towards the northeast, and at about 600 feet from the ground he fell in with it. The country became uneven, and even hilly. The district of Zongomero was lost in the east, and with it the last cocoa-nut trees of that latitude.
The mountains soon began to assume a more decided form. Some peaks shot up here and there. It was necessary to keep a watchful eye upon the sharp peaks, which appeared to rise up in an unexpected manner. "We are amongst the breakers," said Kennedy.
"All right, Dick. Don't be uneasy, we shall not touch them," said the doctor.
"This is a first-rate way to travel, all the same," said Joe.
The doctor managed his balloon with a wonderful dexterity, certainly.
"If we had been obliged to go on foot over that marshy ground," said the doctor, "we should have had to crawl slowly along in a regular slimy morass. Since our departure from Zanzibar, in that case, half our beasts of burthen would have been now dead with fatigue. We should have been looking like ghosts, and despair would have been gnawing at our hearts. We should have had incessant disputes with our guides and porters, and exposed to their attacks. During the day we should have suffered from a damp steamy air insupportable, and altogether enervating. At night there is frequently an almost intolerable coldness in the atmosphere, and the bites of a species of fly, which can pierce the stoutest cloth, would drive us mad. All these little enjoyments we should have had, without counting wild beasts and ferocious people."
"I vote we don't try it," said Joe simply.
"I am not exaggerating in the least," said the doctor, "for at the recitals of travelers who have had the pluck to venture into these latitudes, the tears would actually come into your eyes."
About eleven o'clock they passed over the basin of the Imengé; the natives scattered about upon the hills vainly threatened the "Victoria" with their weapons, and the balloon soon arrived above the last spurs of the high ground which leads to the Rubeho, which forms the third chain, and highest mountain of the ranges of Usagara.
The travelers took careful notes of the orographical features of the country. The three ramifications, of which the Duthumi forms the first line, are separated by vast plains. The lofty ridges are rounded off at the summit, and the ground is strewn with large blocks of stone at intervals, amid the shingle. The steepest side of these mountains is towards Zanzibar, the western declivity being merely a gentle slope. The more level portions of the plain are covered with a black and fertile soil, where vegetation is luxuriant. Numerous watercourses run towards the east and flow into the Kingani in the neighborhood of gigantic clumps of sycamores, tamarinds, gourds, and palms.
"Listen," said Doctor Ferguson. "We are now approaching the Rubeho mountains, whose name being translated, means 'Passage of Winds.' We shall do well to cross the sharp peaks at a considerable altitude. If my map be correct, we must ascend to 5,000 feet."
"Shall we have to attain such an altitude frequently?" asked Kennedy.
"No; very seldom. The height of the African mountains appears to be relatively small compared to the European and Asian peaks. But, in any case, the 'Victoria' will have no difficulty to overcome them."
In a short time the gas was dilated and the balloon took a very decided upward course. The expansion of the hydrogen had nothing dangerous in its character either, for the vast balloon was not filled to more than three-quarters its capacity. The barometer now, by a depression of eight inches, showed they had attained an elevation of 6,000 feet.
"Shall we travel like this long?" asked Joe.
"The terrestrial atmosphere extends to a distance of 6,000 fathoms from the earth," replied the doctor. "With a very large balloon we could go a great height. Messrs. Brioschi and Gay-Lussac did so, but the blood gushed from their ears and mouth. The air could not be breathed. Some years ago two hardy Frenchmen, Banel and Bixio, also made an expedition into the higher regions, but their balloon split."
"And they fell down?" demanded Kennedy anxiously.
"Certainly; but, as scientific men ought to fall, without sustaining any injury."
"Well, gentlemen," said Joe, "you are quite at liberty to begin your tumbling; but, for my part, as I am merely a commonplace person, I prefer to remain in the happy medium, neither too high nor too low. There is no use in being ambitious!"
At 6,000 feet elevation the density of the air became sensibly diminished, sounds were with difficulty transmitted, and speaking was not distinctly heard. Views of objects became confused, the vision could not distinguish anything more than confused masses. Men and other animals became absolutely invisible. The roads became threads, and the lakes ponds.
The doctor and his companions were in a very abnormal state. An atmospheric current of great violence carried them over the mountains, upon whose summits the large snow-fields caused them some astonishment. The appearance of these mountains betokened some convulsion of the sea during the first ages of the world's existence. The sun shone in the zenith, and his rays fell directly upon these deserted summits. The doctor made an exact plan of these mountains, which are formed of four distinct elevations almost in a straight line, and of which the most northern is the longest.
The "Victoria" soon descended on the farther side of the Rubeho, and passed over a wooded region in which trees of a peculiarly dark green were freely scattered. Then came crests and ravines in a sort of desert, which approaches the territory of Ugogo. Lower down they sailed over yellow plains, scorched, fissured, and here and there amongst the desolation appeared saline plants and thorny bushes. Some coppices, not far removed from actual forests, studded the horizon. The doctor now approached the ground, the grapnels were cast out, and one of them soon got fixed in the branches of an immense sycamore.
Joe, sliding quickly into the tree, fixed the grapnel with great care. The doctor left his blow-pipe sufficiently active to ensure a certain ascensional force in the balloon, which would keep it upright. The wind had rather suddenly dropped.
"Now," said Ferguson, "take a couple of take a couple of guns, friend Dick, for yourself and Joe, and see if you two cannot bring back some prime slices of antelope for dinner."
"Hurrah for the chase!" cried Kennedy.
They descended. Joe let himself slide from branch to branch, as if he wished to dislocate his limbs. The doctor, relieved of the weight of his companions, was enabled to reduce his blow-pipe altogether.
"Don't you fly away, sir, please," cried Joe.
"Be quite easy, my lad; I am firmly fixed here. I am about to put my notes in order. Good sport to you, and be prudent. Meantime, from my post I shall keep a good look-out, and at the least suspicious incident I will fire a shot. That shall be the signal for return."
"All right," replied the sportsmen.