Cinq semaines en ballon. English Read online

  CHAPTER FIFTH.

  Kennedy's Dreams.--Articles and Pronouns in the Plural.--Dick'sInsinuations.--A Promenade over the Map of Africa.--What is containedbetween two Points of the Compass.--Expeditions now on foot.--Speke andGrant.--Krapf, De Decken, and De Heuglin.

  Dr. Ferguson energetically pushed the preparations for his departure,and in person superintended the construction of his balloon, withcertain modifications; in regard to which he observed the most absolutesilence. For a long time past he had been applying himself to the studyof the Arab language and the various Mandingoe idioms, and, thanks tohis talents as a polyglot, he had made rapid progress.

  In the mean while his friend, the sportsman, never let him out of hissight--afraid, no doubt, that the doctor might take his departure,without saying a word to anybody. On this subject, he regaled him withthe most persuasive arguments, which, however, did NOT persuade SamuelFerguson, and wasted his breath in pathetic entreaties, by which thelatter seemed to be but slightly moved. In fine, Dick felt that thedoctor was slipping through his fingers.

  The poor Scot was really to be pitied. He could not look upon the azurevault without a sombre terror: when asleep, he felt oscillations thatmade his head reel; and every night he had visions of being swung aloftat immeasurable heights.

  We must add that, during these fearful nightmares, he once or twice fellout of bed. His first care then was to show Ferguson a severe contusionthat he had received on the cranium. "And yet," he would add, withwarmth, "that was at the height of only three feet--not an inchmore--and such a bump as this! Only think, then!"

  This insinuation, full of sad meaning as it was, did not seem to touchthe doctor's heart.

  "We'll not fall," was his invariable reply.

  "But, still, suppose that we WERE to fall!"

  "We will NOT fall!"

  This was decisive, and Kennedy had nothing more to say.

  What particularly exasperated Dick was, that the doctor seemedcompletely to lose sight of his personality--of his--Kennedy's--and tolook upon him as irrevocably destined to become his aerial companion.Not even the shadow of a doubt was ever suggested; and Samuel made anintolerable misuse of the first person plural:

  "'We' are getting along; 'we' shall be ready on the----; 'we' shallstart on the----," etc., etc.

  And then there was the singular possessive adjective:

  "'Our' balloon; 'our' car; 'our' expedition."

  And the same in the plural, too:

  "'Our' preparations; 'our' discoveries; 'our' ascensions."

  Dick shuddered at them, although he was determined not to go; but hedid not want to annoy his friend. Let us also disclose the fact that,without knowing exactly why himself, he had sent to Edinburgh for acertain selection of heavy clothing, and his best hunting-gear andfire-arms.

  One day, after having admitted that, with an overwhelming run ofgood-luck, there MIGHT be one chance of success in a thousand, hepretended to yield entirely to the doctor's wishes; but, in orderto still put off the journey, he opened the most varied series ofsubterfuges. He threw himself back upon questioning the utility of theexpedition--its opportuneness, etc. This discovery of the sources of theNile, was it likely to be of any use?--Would one have really laboredfor the welfare of humanity?--When, after all, the African tribes shouldhave been civilized, would they be any happier?--Were folks certainthat civilization had not its chosen abode there rather than inEurope?--Perhaps!--And then, couldn't one wait a little longer?--Thetrip across Africa would certainly be accomplished some day, and in aless hazardous manner.--In another month, or in six months before theyear was over, some explorer would undoubtedly come in--etc., etc.

  These hints produced an effect exactly opposite to what was desired orintended, and the doctor trembled with impatience.

  "Are you willing, then, wretched Dick--are you willing, falsefriend--that this glory should belong to another? Must I then be untrueto my past history; recoil before obstacles that are not serious;requite with cowardly hesitation what both the English Government andthe Royal Society of London have done for me?"

  "But," resumed Kennedy, who made great use of that conjunction.

  "But," said the doctor, "are you not aware that my journey is to competewith the success of the expeditions now on foot? Don't you know thatfresh explorers are advancing toward the centre of Africa?"

  "Still--"

  "Listen to me, Dick, and cast your eyes over that map."

  Dick glanced over it, with resignation.

  "Now, ascend the course of the Nile."

  "I have ascended it," replied the Scotchman, with docility.

  "Stop at Gondokoro."

  "I am there."

  And Kennedy thought to himself how easy such a trip was--on the map!

  "Now, take one of the points of these dividers and let it rest upon thatplace beyond which the most daring explorers have scarcely gone."

  "I have done so."

  "And now look along the coast for the island of Zanzibar, in latitudesix degrees south."

  "I have it."

  "Now, follow the same parallel and arrive at Kazeh."

  "I have done so."

  "Run up again along the thirty-third degree of longitude to the openingof Lake Oukereoue, at the point where Lieutenant Speke had to halt."

  "I am there; a little more, and I should have tumbled into the lake."

  "Very good! Now, do you know what we have the right to suppose,according to the information given by the tribes that live along itsshores?"

  "I haven't the least idea."

  "Why, that this lake, the lower extremity of which is in two degreesand thirty minutes, must extend also two degrees and a half above theequator."

  "Really!"

  "Well from this northern extremity there flows a stream which mustnecessarily join the Nile, if it be not the Nile itself."

  "That is, indeed, curious."

  "Then, let the other point of your dividers rest upon that extremity ofLake Oukereoue."

  "It is done, friend Ferguson."

  "Now, how many degrees can you count between the two points?"

  "Scarcely two."

  "And do you know what that means, Dick?"

  "Not the least in the world."

  "Why, that makes scarcely one hundred and twenty miles--in other words,a nothing."

  "Almost nothing, Samuel."

  "Well, do you know what is taking place at this moment?"

  "No, upon my honor, I do not."

  "Very well, then, I'll tell you. The Geographical Society regard as veryimportant the exploration of this lake of which Speke caught a glimpse.Under their auspices, Lieutenant (now Captain) Speke has associated withhim Captain Grant, of the army in India; they have put themselves atthe head of a numerous and well-equipped expedition; their mission is toascend the lake and return to Gondokoro; they have received a subsidyof more than five thousand pounds, and the Governor of the Cape of GoodHope has placed Hottentot soldiers at their disposal; they set outfrom Zanzibar at the close of October, 1860. In the mean while JohnPetherick, the English consul at the city of Karthoum, has receivedabout seven hundred pounds from the foreign office; he is to equip asteamer at Karthoum, stock it with sufficient provisions, and make hisway to Gondokoro; there, he will await Captain Speke's caravan, and beable to replenish its supplies to some extent."

  "Well planned," said Kennedy.

  "You can easily see, then, that time presses if we are to take part inthese exploring labors. And that is not all, since, while some are thusadvancing with sure steps to the discovery of the sources of the Nile,others are penetrating to the very heart of Africa."

  "On foot?" said Kennedy.

  "Yes, on foot," rejoined the doctor, without noticing the insinuation."Doctor Krapf proposes to push forward, in the west, by way of the Djob,a river lying under the equator. Baron de Decken has already set outfrom Monbaz, has reconnoitred the mountains of Kenaia and Kilimandjaro,and is now plunging in toward the centre."

  "But
all this time on foot?"

  "On foot or on mules."

  "Exactly the same, so far as I am concerned," ejaculated Kennedy.

  "Lastly," resumed the doctor, "M. de Heuglin, the Austrian vice-consulat Karthoum, has just organized a very important expedition, the firstaim of which is to search for the traveller Vogel, who, in 1853, wassent into the Soudan to associate himself with the labors of Dr. Barth.In 1856, he quitted Bornou, and determined to explore the unknowncountry that lies between Lake Tchad and Darfur. Nothing has been seenof him since that time. Letters that were received in Alexandria, in1860, said that he was killed at the order of the King of Wadai; butother letters, addressed by Dr. Hartmann to the traveller's father,relate that, according to the recital of a felatah of Bornou, Vogel wasmerely held as a prisoner at Wara. All hope is not then lost. Hence,a committee has been organized under the presidency of the Regent ofSaxe-Cogurg-Gotha; my friend Petermann is its secretary; a nationalsubscription has provided for the expense of the expedition, whosestrength has been increased by the voluntary accession of severallearned men, and M. de Heuglin set out from Massowah, in the month ofJune. While engaged in looking for Vogel, he is also to explore allthe country between the Nile and Lake Tchad, that is to say, to knittogether the operations of Captain Speke and those of Dr. Barth, andthen Africa will have been traversed from east to west."*

  * After the departure of Dr. Ferguson, it was ascertained that M. de Heuglin, owing to some disagreement, took a route different from the one assigned to his expedition, the command of the latter having been transferred to Mr. Muntzinger.

  "Well," said the canny Scot, "since every thing is getting on so well,what's the use of our going down there?"

  Dr. Ferguson made no reply, but contented himself with a significantshrug of the shoulders.