Part 21 (1/2)
”You'd have done better if you had harpooned him,” said Joe
”But how?”
”With one of our anchors It would have been a hook just big enough for such a rousing beast as that!”
”Humph!” ejaculated Kennedy, ”Joe really has an idea this ti of you not to put into execution,” interposed the doctor ”The anied us where we could not have done much to help ourselves, and where we have no business to be”
”Especially now since we've settled the question as to what kind of water there is in Lake Tchad Is that sort of fish good to eat, Dr Ferguson?”
”That fish, as you call it, Joe, is really a mammiferous animal of the pachydermal species Its flesh is said to be excellent and is an article of i the borders of the lake”
”Then I'e”
”The anihs dick's ball hasn't even round strike me as favorable, we shall halt at the northern end of the lake, where Kennedy will find hierie, and can make up for lost time”
”Well,” said Joe, ”I hope then that Mr Kennedy will hunt the hippopota beast It doesn't look exactly natural to get away into the centre of Africa, to feed on snipe and partridge, just as if ere in England”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SECOND
The Capital of Bornou-The Islands of the Biddiomahs-The Condors-The Doctor's Anxieties-His Precautions-An Attack in Mid-air-The Balloon Covering torn-The Fall-Sublime Self-Sacrifice-The Northern Coast of the Lake
Since its arrival at Lake Tchad, the balloon had struck a current that edged it farther to the ard A few clouds tempered the heat of the day, and, besides, a little air could be felt over this vast expanse of water; but about one o'clock, the Victoria, having slanted across this part of the lake, again advanced over the land for a space of seven or eight miles
The doctor, as soer thought of coht of the city of Kouka, the capital of Bornou He saw it for a moment, encircled by its walls of white clay, and a few rudely-constructed lo-dice, which fors, and on the public squares, grew pale more than one hundred feet in breadth Joe called attention to the fact that these immense parasols were in proper accordance with the intense heat of the sun, and made thereon some pious reflections which it were needless to repeat
Kouka really consists of two distinct towns, separated by the ”Dendal,” a large boulevard three hundred yards wide, at that hour croith horseers On one side, the rich quarter stands squarely with its airy and lofty houses, laid out in regular order; on the other, is huddled together the poor quarter, a miserable collection of low hovels of a conical shape, in which a poverty-stricken etate rather than live, since Kouka is neither a trading nor a co like Edinburgh, were that city extended on a plain, with its two distinct boroughs
But our travellers had scarcely the tilimpse of it, for, with the fickleness that characterizes the air-currents of this region, a contrary wind suddenly swept them some forty aled with a new spectacle They could count the numerous islets of the lake, inhabited by the Biddiomahs, a race of bloodthirsty and forhbors as are the Touaregs of Sahara
These estimable people were in readiness to receive the Victoria bravely with stones and arrows, but the balloon quickly passed their islands, fluttering over theantic beetle
At thisthe horizon, said to Kennedy: ”There, sir, as you are always thinking of good sport, yonder is just the thing for you!”
”What is it, Joe?”
”This ti”
”But what is it?”
”Don't you see that flock of big birdsfor us?”
”Birds?” exclailass
”I see them,” replied Kennedy; ”there are at least a dozen of therant that they may be of a kind sufficiently noxious for the doctor to letaway at them!”
”I should not object, but I would much rather see those birds at a distance from us!”
”Why, are you afraid of those fowls?”
”They are condors, and of the largest size Should they attack us-”
”Well, if they do, we'll defend ourselves We have a whole arsenal at our disposal I don't think those birds are so very formidable”
”Who can tell?” was the doctor's only reunshot, and were ht toward the Victoria, htened by her presence
”How they scream! What a noise!” said Joe
”Perhaps they don't like to see anybody poaching in their country up in the air, or daring to fly like theood look at thely, ferocious set, and I should think theh if they were armed with Purdy-Moore rifles,” admitted Kennedy
”They have no need of such weapons,” said Ferguson, looking very grave
The condors flew around theradually closer and closer to the balloon They swept through the air in rapid, fantastic curves, occasionally precipitating the their line of projection by an abrupt and daring angle
The doctor, erous proxien in his balloon, and it rapidly rose
But the condors mounted with him, apparently determined not to part company
”They see his rifle
And, in fact, they were swooping nearer, andthe fire-ar to let them have it!” exclaimed Kennedy
”No, dick; not now! Don't exasperate the them to attack us!”
”But I could soon settle those fellows!”
”You !”
”Why, we have a bullet for each of them!”