Works of Jules Verne/Five Weeks in a Balloon/Chapter 37
CHAPTER XXXVII
A NIGHT NEAR AGHADES
The wind dropped during the night, and the "Victoria" remained quietly at the summit of a large sycamore; the doctor and Kennedy watched in turn, and Joe profited by this arrangement to sleep soundly and uninterruptedly for twenty-four hours.
"That is what he wanted to set him up," said Ferguson; "Nature has taken upon herself to cure him."
At daylight the wind again blew pretty strongly, but in gusts: it first came from the north, then from the south; but at length the "Victoria " was driven to the westward.
The doctor, map in hand, noted the kingdom of Damaghou, an undulating region of wonderful fertility, with its villages built of long reeds, entwined with branches of the asclepia; corn ricks were raised up in the small cultivated fields upon little platforms, to preserve them from the attacks of mice and ants. The balloon soon reached the town of Zinder, recognizable by its vast square used for executions—in the center of which is the "death-tree." At the foot of this tree the executioner watches, and whosoever passes beneath its shade is immediately hanged.
On consulting the barometer, Kennedy could not help saying: "Why, we are going towards the north!"
"What does that matter? If we get to Timbuctoo we shall have no reason to complain. Never has a happier journey been accomplished under more pleasant circumstances."
"Nor in better health," said Joe, who just then popped his cheery face between the curtains of the awning.
"Here is our brave friend," cried Kennedy; "our preserver. How do you feel now?"
"Much as usual, Mr. Dick, much as usual, thank you, and as well as ever. There is nothing to set a man up like a little pleasant traveling after a bath in Lake Tchad; is it not so, sir?"
"You are indeed a noble fellow," replied Ferguson, as he shook Joe by the hand. "What anxiety and fear you have caused us!"
"Well, and you too. Can you believe that I was easy about you? You can boast of having given me a fine fright."
"We shall never understand each other, Joe, if you take things in that way."
"I see that his fall has not changed him a bit," said Kennedy.
"Your devotion has been sublime, my lad; you have saved us, for had the 'Victoria' fallen into the lake, nothing could have extricated her."
"But if my devotion, as you are pleased to call my somersault, has preserved you, have you not also saved me? Since here we are, all three in good health, consequently we have none of us any reason to reproach each other, after all."
"The fellow is just as impossible as ever he was," said the Scot.
"The best way to understand each other," said Joe, "is not to talk about it. What is done, is done. Good or bad, it can never be recalled."
"Mad as ever," said the doctor, laughing. "At least, will you tell us your adventures?"
"If you really desire it. But first I must get this plump goose ready for cooking, for I perceive that Mr. Dick has not been idle lately."
"Do as you say, Joe."
"Well, then we shall see how African game suits the European stomach." The goose was quickly grilled over the flame of the blow-pipe and soon afterwards eaten. Joe took his share like a man who had eaten nothing for many days. After the usual tea and grog he related his adventures. He spoke with visible emotion, while he looked the incidents in the face with his habitual philosophy.
The doctor could not refrain from pressing him by the hand frequently when he perceived that the faithful servant had been more concerned about his master's safety than his own; and referring to the phenomenon in the isle of the Biddiomahs, the doctor explained its frequent occurrence on Lake Tchad.
At length Joe, continuing his recital, reached the time, when, plunged in the marsh, he uttered that despairing cry for assistance. "I believed myself lost, sir," he said, "and my thoughts went forth to you. I began to struggle to rise, how, I will not tell you. I had decided not to be swallowed up without an effort, when at two paces from me I perceived the end of a newly-severed cord. I made a last attempt, and by good luck reached the cable. I pulled, it resisted. I hauled myself along it, and finally reached terra firma. At the other end of the cord was an anchor."
"Ah, sir, I have indeed the right to call it the Anchor of Hope. I recognized an anchor of the 'Victoria.' You had, then landed at this place. I followed the direction of the cord which told me your route and after much exertion I drew myself out of the slough. I recovered my strength with my courage, and I walked during part of the night away from the lake. I arrived at length on the border of an immense forest. There, in an enclosure, some horses were feeding, unaware of my approach. There are some moments when everyone can ride, is it not so? I did not lose time in reflecting. I jumped on the back of one of the animals, and we were soon flying towards the north with great speed. I will not tell you about the towns I did not see, nor the villages which I avoided. No. I crossed cultivated fields, I cleared the bushes, I leaped palisades, I pushed my horse to his speed. I got excited, my spirits rose. I reached the border of the desert. Good; that suited me. I could see before me more plainly. Hoping always to catch sight of the 'Victoria' waiting for me. But no! About three hours after I fell in, like a fool, with an Arab encampment. Ah, what a chase that was! You see, Mr. Kennedy, a hunter never knows what a hunt is till he has been chased himself; and if you will take my advice do not try it. My horse fell from fatigue, the Arabs were close upon me, I tumbled down, but soon jumped behind an Arab horseman. I did not intend it, and I hope he bears me no malice for having throttled him. But I had seen you—you know the rest. The 'Victoria' followed me closely, and you picked me up flying like a knight, playing at the quintain and bearing off the ring. Was I not right to depend upon you, eh, Mr. Samuel? So that was easy enough Nothing is more natural. I am ready to begin again if you will be in any way benefited; and so, as I said, sir, it is not worth speaking about."
"My brave Joe," replied the doctor, with emotion, "we were not wrong in trusting to your intelligence and pluck."
"Bah! sir, one has only to follow events, and you will be all right. The surest way is to take whatever comes as it comes."
During Joe's narrative, the balloon had rapidly passed over a large extent of country. Kennedy remarked a collection of huts on the horizon, and the doctor, referring to the map, declared that it was the small town of Tagelel, in the Damerghou.
"Here," he said, we shall strike Barth's route. Here he left his two companions, Richardson and Overweg. The first followed the route to Zanzibar, the second to Maradi; and you recollect that Barth was the only one who returned to Europe."
"Thus," said the Scot, tracing the course of the "Victoria" on the map, "we are going to the north."
"Due north, my dear Dick."
"And are you not disturbed by so doing?"
"Why?"
"That direction leads to Tripoli and the Great Desert."
"Oh! we shall not go so far, my friend; at least, I hope not."
"But where do you expect to stop?"
"Well, Dick, have you no curiosity to visit Timbuctoo?"
"Timbuctoo!"
"Certainly," replied Joe, "it would be absurd to come upon a journey to Africa without seeing Timbuctoo!"
"You will then be the fifth or sixth European who has visited this mysterious town."
"Let us go to Timbuctoo."
"Then we must get between the 17th and 18th degrees of latitude, and there find a favorable breeze to carry us to the west."
"Good," replied Kennedy, "but have we not still a long journey to make to the north?"
"About 150 miles."
"In that case," said Kennedy, "I shall get a little sleep."
"Do you also sleep, sir," said Joe to the doctor, "you have need of repose, for I have given you an immense amount of watching."
Kennedy lay down in the tent, but the doctor, who was little affected by fatigue, remained at his post.
After about three hours the "Victoria" was passing very rapidly over a stony tract of land with high mountains of granitic formation. Some isolated peaks were 4,000 feet high. Giraffes, antelopes, and ostriches, bounded with surprising agility amongst the acacias, mimosas, "sonahs," and date-trees. After the sterility of the desert, vegetation was regaining the upper-hand. It was the country of the Kailouas, who conceal their faces by a cotton bandage like their dangerous neighbors, the Touaregs.
At ten o'clock at night, after a splendid "run" of 250 miles, the "Victoria "halted above an important town. By the moonlight they could perceive that it was half in ruins, some of the mosques were interlaced here and there with broad bands of white light. The doctor made an observation by the stars, and found he was within the latitude of Aghades.
This town, formerly a great commercial center, had already fallen into ruins at the time Doctor Barth visited it.
The "Victoria," unperceived, took the ground two miles beyond Aghades, in a large field of millet. The night was quiet, and day broke at five o'clock, when a gentle wind began to impel the balloon towards the west and even a little southwards. Ferguson was very anxious to profit by this good fortune. He rose rapidly and fled away along the extended beams of the rising sun.