The Celestial Bottle.--The Fig-Palms.--The Mammoth Trees.--The Tree of War.--The Winged Team.--Two Native Tribes in Battle.--A Massacre.--An Intervention from above.
The wind had become violent and irregular; the balloon was running the gantlet through the air. Tossed at one moment toward the north, at another toward the south, it could not find one steady current.
"We are moving very swiftly without advancing much," said Kennedy, remarking the frequent oscillations of the needle of the compass.
"The balloon is rushing at the rate of at least thirty miles an hour. Lean over, and see how the country is gliding away beneath us!" said the doctor.
"See! that forest looks as though it were precipitating itself upon us!"
"The forest has become a clearing!" added the other.
"And the clearing a village!" continued Joe, a moment or two later. "Look at the faces of those astonished darkys!"
"Oh! it's natural enough that they should be astonished," said the doctor. "The French peasants, when they first saw a balloon, fired at it, thinking that it was an aerial monster. A Soudan negro may be excused, then, for opening his eyes VERY wide!"
"Faith!" said Joe, as the Victoria skimmed closely along the ground, at scarcely the elevation of one hundred feet, and immediately over a village, "I'll throw them an empty bottle, with your leave, doctor, and if it reaches them safe and sound, they'll worship it; if it breaks, they'll make talismans of the pieces."
So saying, he flung out a bottle, which, of course, was broken into a thousand fragments, while the negroes scampered into their round huts, uttering shrill cries.
A little farther on, Kennedy called out: "Look at that strange tree! The upper part is of one kind and the lower part of another!"
"Well!" said Joe, "here's a country where the trees grow on top of each other."
"It's simply the trunk of a fig-tree," replied the doctor, "on which there is a little vegetating earth. Some fine day, the wind left the seed of a palm on it, and the seed has taken root and grown as though it were on the plain ground."
"A fine new style of gardening," said Joe, "and I'll import the idea to England. It would be just the thing in the London parks; without counting that it would be another way to increase the number of fruit-trees. We could have gardens up in the air; and the small house-owners would like that!"
At this moment, they had to raise the balloon so as to pass over a forest of trees that were more than three hundred feet in height--a kind of ancient banyan.
"What magnificent trees!" exclaimed Kennedy. "I never saw any thing so fine as the appearance of these venerable forests. Look, doctor!"
"The height of these banyans is really remarkable, my dear Dick; and yet, they would be nothing astonishing in the New World."
"Why, are there still loftier trees in existence?"
"Undoubtedly; among the 'mammoth trees' of California, there is a cedar four hundred and eighty feet in height. It would overtop the Houses of Parliament, and even the Great Pyramid of Egypt. The trunk at the surface of the ground was one hundred and twenty feet in circumference, and the concentric layers of the wood disclosed an age of more than four thousand years."
"But then, sir, there was nothing wonderful in it! When one has lived four thousand years, one ought to be pretty tall!" was Joe's remark.
Meanwhile, during the doctor's recital and Joe's response, the forest had given place to a large collection of huts surrounding an open space. In the middle of this grew a solitary tree, and Joe exclaimed, as he caught sight of it:
"Well! if that tree has produced such flowers as those, for the last four thousand years, I have to offer it my compliments, anyhow," and he pointed to a gigantic sycamore, whose whole trunk was covered with human bones. The flowers of which Joe spoke were heads freshly severed from the bodies, and suspended by daggers thrust into the bark of the tree.
"The war-tree of these cannibals!" said the doctor; "the Indians merely carry off the scalp, but these negroes take the whole head."
"A mere matter of fashion!" said Joe. But, already, the village and the bleeding heads were disappearing on the horizon. Another place offered a still more revolting spectacle--half-devoured corpses; skeletons mouldering to dust; human limbs scattered here and there, and left to feed the jackals and hyenas.
"No doubt, these are the bodies of criminals; according to the custom in Abyssinia, these people have left them a prey to the wild beasts, who kill them with their terrible teeth and claws, and then devour them at their leisure.
"Not a whit more cruel than hanging!" said the Scot; "filthier, that's all!"
"In the southern regions of Africa, they content themselves," resumed the doctor, "with shutting up the criminal in his own hut with his cattle, and sometimes with his family. They then set fire to the hut, and the whole party are burned together. I call that cruel; but, like friend Kennedy, I think that the gallows is quite as cruel, quite as barbarous."
Joe, by the aid of his keen sight, which he did not fail to use continually, noticed some flocks of birds of prey flitting about the horizon.
"They are eagles!" exclaimed Kennedy, after reconnoitring them through the glass, "magnificent birds, whose flight is as rapid as ours."
"Heaven preserve us from their attacks!" said the doctor, "they are more to be feared by us than wild beasts or savage tribes."
"Bah!" said the hunter, "we can drive them off with a few rifle-shots."
"Nevertheless, I would prefer, dear Dick, not having to rely upon your skill, this time, for the silk of our balloon could not resist their sharp beaks; fortunately, the huge birds will, I believe, be more frightened than attracted by our machine."
"Yes! but a new idea, and I have dozens of them," said Joe; "if we could only manage to capture a team of live eagles, we could hitch them to the balloon, and they'd haul us through the air!"
"The thing has been seriously proposed," replied the doctor, "but I think it hardly practicable with creatures naturally so restive."
"Oh! we'd tame them," said Joe. "Instead of driving them with bits, we'd do it with eye-blinkers that would cover their eyes. Half blinded in that way, they'd go to the right or to the left, as we desired; when blinded completely, they would stop."
"Allow me, Joe, to prefer a favorable wind to your team of eagles. It costs less for fodder, and is more reliable."
"Well, you may have your choice, master, but I stick to my idea."
It now was noon. The Victoria had been going at a more moderate speed for some time; the country merely passed below it; it no longer flew.
Suddenly, shouts and whistlings were heard by our aeronauts, and, leaning over the edge of the car, they saw on the open plain below them an exciting spectacle.
Two hostile tribes were fighting furiously, and the air was dotted with volleys of arrows. The combatants were so intent upon their murderous work that they did not notice the arrival of the balloon; there were about three hundred mingled confusedly in the deadly struggle: most of them, red with the blood of the wounded, in which they fairly wallowed, were horrible to behold.
As they at last caught sight of the balloon, there was a momentary pause; but their yells redoubled, and some arrows were shot at the Victoria, one of them coming close enough for Joe to catch it with his hand.
"Let us rise out of range," exclaimed the doctor; "there must be no rashness! We are forbidden any risk."
Meanwhile, the massacre continued on both sides, with battle-axes and war-clubs; as quickly as one of the combatants fell, a hostile warrior ran up to cut off his head, while the women, mingling in the fray, gathered up these bloody trophies, and piled them together at either extremity of the battle-field. Often, too, they even fought for these hideous spoils.
"What a frightful scene!" said Kennedy, with profound disgust.
"They're ugly acquaintances!" added Joe; "but then, if they had uniforms they'd be just like the fighters of all the rest of the world!"
"I have a keen hankering to take a hand in at that fight," said the hunter, brandishing his rifle.
"No! no!" objected the doctor, vehemently; "no, let us not meddle with what don't concern us. Do you know which is right or which is wrong, that you would assume the part of the Almighty? Let us, rather, hurry away from this revolting spectacle. Could the great captains of the world float thus above the scenes of their exploits, they would at last, perhaps, conceive a disgust for blood and conquest."
The chieftain of one of the contending parties was remarkable for his athletic proportions, his great height, and herculean strength. With one hand he plunged his spear into the compact ranks of his enemies, and with the other mowed large spaces in them with his battle-axe. Suddenly he flung away his war-club, red with blood, rushed upon a wounded warrior, and, chopping off his arm at a single stroke, carried the dissevered member to his mouth, and bit it again and again.
"Ah!" ejaculated Kennedy, "the horrible brute! I can hold back no longer," and, as he spoke, the huge savage, struck full in the forehead with a rifle-ball, fell headlong to the ground.
Upon this sudden mishap of their leader, his warriors seemed struck dumb with amazement; his supernatural death awed them, while it reanimated the courage and ardor of their adversaries, and, in a twinkling, the field was abandoned by half the combatants.
"Come, let us look higher up for a current to bear us away. I am sick of this spectacle," said the doctor.
But they could not get away so rapidly as to avoid the sight of the victorious tribe rushing upon the dead and the wounded, scrambling and disputing for the still warm and reeking flesh, and eagerly devouring it.
"Faugh!" uttered Joe, "it's sickening."
The balloon rose as it expanded; the howlings of the brutal horde, in the delirium of their orgy, pursued them for a few minutes; but, at length, borne away toward the south, they were carried out of sight and hearing of this horrible spectacle of cannibalism.
The surface of the country was now greatly varied, with numerous streams of water, bearing toward the east. The latter, undoubtedly, ran into those affluents of Lake Nu, or of the River of the Gazelles, concerning which M. Guillaume Lejean has given such curious details.
At nightfall, the balloon cast anchor in twenty-seven degrees east longitude, and four degrees twenty minutes north latitude, after a day's trip of one hundred and fifty miles.
空中扔下瓶子——棕榈无花果树——“巨人树”——“战争树”——长翅膀的“辕马”——两个部落间的厮杀——屠杀——神的干涉
风越来越大，而且极不规律。“维多利亚号”真正是见风使舵。它一会儿向北飘，一会儿往南飞，怎么也碰不到一股方向稳定的气流。
“我们飞得很快，就是没走出去多少路。”肯尼迪说。他注意到磁针在频频晃动。“‘维多利亚号’现在飞行的速度至少每小时30法里①。”弗格森·弗格森回答，“你们欠欠身往下看看，原野在我们脚下消失得多快。喏！这片树林好像正急急忙忙向我们迎过来！”
①法国古长度单位，1法里约合4公里。
“现在树林已经变成空地了。”猎人回答。
“现在空地变成村子了。”几分钟后，乔说，“快瞧！下面那些黑人的表情显得多惊讶！”
“这很正常。”博士答道，“过去，法国的农民第一次看见气球时，就曾经对气球开过枪。他们当时把气球当成了空中怪物，因此，现在苏丹的黑人第一次看见气球时惊得睁大了眼，也是可以理解的。”
“确实如此！”乔附和道，接着又提议：“主人，如果您许可的话，在‘维多利亚号’ 贴着村子上空100尺高飞行的时候，我打算扔个空瓶子给他们。要是瓶子落地后完好无损，他们一定会把瓶子供奉起来；如果瓶子碎了，他们也会把碎片捡起当护身符的！”
说话间，乔扔下一个瓶子。瓶子一落地，立即摔成了无数碎片。然而，出乎乔的意料，土著人却大叫一声，扭头往他们的圆茅屋里跑去。
离开村子上空不久，肯尼迪突然叫了一声：
“你们快看！这棵树多奇怪！上半截一种树，下半截是另一种树。”
“真是不错！”乔颇为感慨地说，“竟还有这么一个地方，甚至树都是一棵接在另一棵上面长。”
“其实，这只是棵很普通的无花果树。”博士解释说，“树干上面落了点儿肥土，不知哪天，风把一粒棕榈树种子带到了上面，而这粒种子就像是在大田里一样发芽长起来了。”
“这个办法倒少见！”乔颇有兴趣地说，“我一定记住带回英国去，最好能把它用在伦敦的公园里。更何况这还是繁殖果树的一个好法子。到那时，就会有些高空花园了。这法子一定会受到小花园主的欢迎。”
“维多利亚号” 这时必须升高了，因为前面要飞过一片大树林。林中全是300多尺高的上百年老菩提树。
“多么出类拔萃的树！”肯尼迪又嚷了起来，“我真不知道，哪儿还有比这片老林子的树更美的了。弗格森，你看看吧。”
“亲爱的肯尼迪，这些菩提树高的确实令人赞叹。不过，如果在美洲新大陆的森林中，这么高的树可就没什么值得大惊小怪的了。”
“怎么！那儿还有比这更高的树？”
“当然有啦。我们称为‘巨人树’的树，其中就有不少比这片树高。还有，在加利福尼亚， 人们曾发现一棵高450尺的雪松，就是说比议会大厦的塔楼还要高，甚至高过了埃及的大金字塔。 树干的底部一圈就有120尺。树的年轮显示这棵树已活了4000多年。”
“噢！先生，这么说是没什么值得大惊小怪的。活了4000年，长这么高的个，这不很正常吗！”
就在博士和乔一说一答的时候，下面的树林已经过去。现在，出现的是一个大居民中心。一座座茅屋成环状围绕在一个广场的四周。广场的中间长着一棵孤零零的树。乔看了一眼树，立即叫了起来：
“啊呀！如果那棵树4000年都开这样的花，我可不敢恭维！”
说完，他指了指一棵高大的埃及无花果树。这棵树的树干被一堆人骨整个遮住了。乔说的那些花，原来是些刚砍下不久，用匕首钉在树枝上的人头。
“这就是那些吃人肉的家伙的‘战争树’！”博士说，“印地安人是剥头皮，非洲人却要整个头。”
“只是方式不同罢了。”乔说。
说话间，这个挂着血淋淋头颅的村子已经渐渐消失在地平线上。但是，前边又呈现出另一种令人恶心的场面：被吃掉一半的尸体，倒在尘埃中的骷髅，到处散落的四肢。它们都遗留在那儿成了鬣狗和豹的食物。
“这些肯定是罪犯的尸体，就像阿比西尼亚地区的做法一样。那儿的人把罪犯扔到荒郊野外喂野兽。野兽把他们一口咬死后，再舒舒服服地吃掉。”
“这不比绞刑残忍多少，”苏格兰人说，“只是更脏罢了。”
“在非洲南部，是把罪犯连同他的家畜，也许还有家人一起关在他自己的茅屋里，”博士接着说，“然后点着茅屋，一把火烧光。我认为这么做才残忍呢。不过，和肯尼迪一样，我承认，虽然绞刑不那么残忍，但也是很野蛮的。”
乔用他那超乎常人的视力看到成群结队的猛禽正在空中翱翔。
“是些鹰。”肯尼迪拿望远镜辨认以后，说道，“这些了不起的鸟，飞起来能和我们一样快呢。”
“但愿上帝保佑我们别遭它们的攻击！”博士说，“对我们来说，鹰比猛兽或野人更可怕。”
“啊，有这么可怕？放几枪就会把它们赶走的。”猎人说。
“别开枪！亲爱的肯尼迪，我宁可不用你准确的枪法，也不愿招惹它们。我们气球上的塔夫绸可经不起它们的嘴啄一下。好在这种令人生畏的鸟可能被我们的气球吓住了，而不是吸引住了。”
“对了，我倒有个主意。”乔突然说，“请原谅我的冒昧，因为今天我满脑子的主意，一不留神就蹦出一个来。我想，如果我们能想办法把这些鹰活捉几只过来，把它们系在吊篮上，它们就可以在空中拉着我们飞了！”
“这个方法倒真有人一本正经地提出过，”博士答道，“可是，我认为用这种生性十分倔强的鸟干这种事，恐怕不管用。”
“可以训练它们呀。”乔又说，“咱们不用嚼子，就用眼罩遮住它们的视线来指挥它们。叫它们向左转或向右转时，可蒙住它们的一只眼；两只眼都蒙住，就是叫它们停下。”
“可爱的乔，比起驱使你那长翅膀的鹰来，我还是愿意利用顺风，因为这么做便宜，牢靠，而且不用喂食。”
“先生，你当然可以用风了。可是，我仍然不愿放弃我的想法。”
中午时分，“维多利亚号”的行进速度早已缓了下来。现在它不快不慢地飘着，大地已不是在气球下面飞跑，而只是走了。
突然， 旅行家们的耳朵里传来阵阵厮杀声、叫喊声。3人俯身往下看，只见一片开阔地上在进行着一场惊心动魄的大搏杀：
两个部落的人舞刀动斧，激战正酣；箭如雨点般飞来飞去，武士们个个杀红了眼， 根本没觉察到“维多利亚号”飞来了。他们大约有300人。双方纠缠在一起，拼得你死我活，互相毫不留情，大多数人已是鲜血淋淋；他们扭杀着，在伤者堆里滚来滚去，毫不理会伤者的哀嚎。整个场面让人看了极其厌恶。
一看到“维多利亚号”在战场上空出现，双方的残杀顿时停下。不过，最初的震惊过后，嚎叫声更响了。一些箭开始向吊篮射来，其中一支甚至离吊篮非常近，乔一把就抓住了。
“我们升高点，到箭射不到的地方去！”弗格森博士连忙吩咐，“千万大意不得！我们可不能冒险。”
发现气球逐渐离去后，双方接着又相互屠杀起来；斧子连连劈下，标枪根根投出；只要敌人一倒地，对手就急忙扑过去割下他的头颅。一些妇女也参加了这场战斗，她们夹杂在战士中，到处收集血淋淋的人头，捡起堆放在战场的前沿。为了争夺这种令人作呕的战利品，她们常常厮打起来。
“多么可怕的场面呀！”肯尼迪极度厌恶地喊道。
“这些可恶的家伙，真不是人！”乔说，“这场残杀后，如果给他们穿上套军装，他们和世界上所有当兵的没什么区别。”
“我真恨不得干涉这场残杀。”猎人挥动着他的马枪，愤愤地说。
“千万别干涉！”博士急忙制止，“与我们无关的事，我们干嘛搅和进去！你知道他们谁对谁错？你想充当上帝的角色吗？我们尽快离开吧！别去管这让人恶心的事了。如果那些大军事家们能像我们这样居高临下看看他们建功立业的场面，或许他们最终会对流血和战利品失去兴趣。”
这些野蛮的人中有位酋长，他身材魁梧，力大无穷，格外引人注目。只见他一只手持矛不断刺向敌人堆，另一只手挥斧，在人群中砍来砍去，所到之处，无人能挡。抓住机会，他突然把他那只被鲜血染红了的长矛远远投了出去。紧跟着，他扑向一位伤者，一斧子劈下那人的胳膊，随后伸手抓住胳膊，张开大嘴，津津有味地啃了起来。
“啊！”肯尼迪被震惊了，“这个万恶的畜生！我再也看不下去了！”
说完，肯尼迪举枪就射。子弹击中了酋长的额头。只见他，一仰头倒在了地上。
看到酋长死去，他的战士们一下子惊呆了。这种神奇的死亡使他们惊骇万分，不知所措。而他们的敌人却深受鼓舞，勇气倍增。转眼间，战场的形式发生了逆转。酋长的士兵们顿时死伤过半，剩下的立即溃逃了。
“我们再升高点儿，找股气流带我们走吧。”博士说，“这一幕实在让我厌恶透了。”
但是，他们走得不可能那么快，仍然看见了胜利者们急急忙忙扑到死伤者身上，你争我夺，贪婪地吞食留有余热的人肉的场面。
“呸！”乔厌恶地说，“真叫人恶心死了！”
“维多利亚号”一边膨胀，一边上升。这群狂徒的嚎叫声好大一会儿才渐渐从他们耳边消失。终于，风又把气球往南送去。三位旅行家离开了这个相互残食的场面。
地面渐渐起伏不定，变化极大。无数溪流向东流去。这些河流无疑注入努湖和羚羊湖。纪尧姆·勒让先生曾对这两个湖作过极其详尽的描述。
夜幕降临了。 “维多利亚号”在东经27度，北纬4度20分的地方停了下来。这一天，气球飞了150英里。