the virgin of the sun-第30章

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Once；　too；　on　the　bank　of　a　great　river；　I　saw　such　a　snake　that　at
the　sight　of　it　my　knees　knocked　together。　By　St。　Hubert；　the　beast
was　sixty　feet　or　more　in　length；　its　head　was　of　the　bigness　of　a
barrel；　and　its　skin　was　of　all　the　colours　of　the　rainbow。　Moreover；
it　seemed　to　hold　me　with　its　eyes；　for　till　it　slipped　away　into　the
river　I　could　not　move　a　foot。

Month　after　month　we　travelled　thus；　covering　a　matter　of　perhaps　five
miles　a　day；　since　sometimes　the　country　was　open　and　we　crossed　it
with　speed。　Yet　although　our　dangers　were　so　many；　strangely　enough；
during　all　this　time；　even　in　that　heat　neither　of　us　fell　sick；　as　I
think　because　of　the　herb　which　Kari　carried　in　his　bag；　that　I　found
was　named　/Coca/；　whereof　we　obtained　more　as　we　went　and　ate　from
time　to　time。　Nor　did　we　ever　really　suffer　from　starvation；　since
when　we　were　hungry　we　took　more　of　this　herb　which　supported　us　until
we　could　find　food。　These　mercies　I　set　down　to　the　good　offices　of
St。　Hubert　watching　from　Heaven　over　me；　his　poor　namesake　and　godson；
though　perhaps　the　skill　and　courage　of　Kari　which　provided　against
everything　had　something　to　do　with　them。

At　length；　in　the　ninth　month　of　our　travelling；　as　Kari　reckoned　it
by　means　of　knots　which　he　tied　on　pieces　of　native　string；　for　I　had
long　lost　count　of　time；　we　came　to　the　borders　of　a　great　desert　that
the　natives　said　stretched　southwards　for　a　hundred　leagues　and　more
and　was　without　water。　Moreover；　to　the　east　of　this　desert　rose　a
chain　of　mountains　bordered　by　precipices　up　which　no　man　could　climb。
Here；　therefore；　it　seemed　as　though　our　journey　must　end；　since　Kari
had　no　knowledge　of　how　he　crossed　or　went　round　this　desert　in　his
madness　of　bygone　years；　if　indeed　he　ever　travelled　that　road　at　all；
a　matter　of　which　I　was　not　certain。

For　a　week　or　more　we　remained　among　the　tribe　that　lived　in　a
beautiful　watered　valley　upon　the　borders　of　this　desert；　wondering
what　we　should　do。　For　my　part　I　was　by　now　so　tired　of　travelling
upon　an　endless　quest　that　I　should　have　been　glad　to　stay　among　that
tribe；　a　very　gentle　and　friendly　people；　who　like　all　the　rest
believed　me　to　be　a　god；　and　make　my　home　there　till　I　died。　But　this
was　not　Kari's　mind；　which　was　set　fiercely　upon　winning　back　to　his
own　country　that　he　believed　to　lie　towards　the　south。

Day　by　day　we　sat　there　regaining　our　strength　upon　the　good　food　of
that　valley；　and　staring　first　at　the　desert　to　the　south；　then　at　the
precipices　on　our　left　hand；　and　lastly　at　the　ocean　upon　our　right。
Now　this　people；　I　should　say；　drew　their　wealth　from　the　sea　as　well
as　from　the　land；　since　they　were　great　fishermen　and　went　out　upon　it
in　rude　boats　or　rafts　made　of　a　wooden　frame　to　which　were　lashed
blown…up　skins　and　bundles　of　dried　reeds。　Upon　these　boats；　frail　as
they　seemed；　such　as　further　south　were　called　balsas；　they　made
considerable　journeys　to　distant　islands　where　they　caught　vast
quantities　of　fish；　some　of　which　they　used　to　manure　their　land。
Moreover；　besides　the　oars；　they　rigged　a　square　cotton　sail　upon　the
balsas　which　enabled　them　to　run　before　the　wind　without　labour；
steering　the　craft　by　means　of　a　paddle　at　the　stern。

While　we　were　there　I　observed　that　on　the　springing　up　of　a　wind　from
the　north；　although　it　was　of　no　great　strength；　the　/balsas/　all　came
to　shore　and　were　drawn　up　out　of　reach　of　the　waves。　When　I　inquired
why　through　Kari；　the　answer　given　was　because　the　fishing　season　was
over；　since　that　wind　from　the　north　would　blow　for　a　long　time
without　changing　and　those　who　went　out　in　it　upon　the　sea　might　be
driven　southwards　to　return　no　more。　They　stated；　indeed；　that　often
this　had　happened　to　venturesome　men　who　had　vanished　away　and　been
lost。

〃If　you　wish　to　travel　south；　there　is　a　way　of　doing　so；〃　I　said　to
Kari。

At　the　time　he　made　no　answer；　but　on　the　following　day　asked　me
suddenly　if　I　dared　attempt　such　a　journey。

〃Why　not？〃　I　answered。　〃It　is　as　easy　to　die　in　the　water　as　on　land
and　I　weary　of　journeying　through　endless　swamps　and　forests　or　of
crossing　torrents　and　climbing　mountain　ridges。〃

The　end　of　it　was　that　for　a　knife　and　a　few　nails　Kari　purchased　the
largest　/balsa/　that　these　people　had；　provisioning　it　with　as　much
dried　fish；　corn　and　water　in　earthenware　jars　as　it　would　carry
together　with　ourselves；　and　such　of　our　remaining　goods　as　we　wished
to　take　with　us。　Then　we　announced　that　I；　the　god　who　had　come　out　of
the　sea；　desired　to　return　into　the　sea　with　himself；　my　servant。

So　on　a　certain　fine　morning　when　the　wind　was　blowing　steadily　but
not　too　strongly　from　the　north；　we　embarked　upon　that　/balsa/　while
the　simple　savages　made　obeisance　with　wonder　in　their　eyes；　hoisted
the　square　canvas；　and　sailed　away　upon　what　I　suppose　was　one　of　the
maddest　voyages　ever　made　by　man。

Although　it　was　so　clumsy　the　/balsa/　moved　through　the　water　at　a
good　rate；　covering　quite　two　leagues　the　hour；　I　should　say；　before
that　strong　and　steady　wind。　Soon　the　village　that　we　had　left
vanished；　then　the　mountains　behind　it　grew　dim　and　in　time　vanished
also；　and　there　remained　nothing　but　the　great　wilderness　upon　our
left　and　the　vast　sea　around。　Steering　clear　of　the　land　so　as　to
avoid　sunken　rocks；　we　sailed　on　all　that　day　and　all　the　night　that
followed；　and　when　the　light　came　again　perceived　that　we　were　running
past　a　coastline　that　was　backed　by　high　mountains　on　some　of　which
lay　snow。　By　the　second　evening　these　mountains　had　become　tremendous；
and　between　them　I　saw　valleys　down　which　ran　streams　of　water。

Thus　we　went　on　for　three　days　and　nights；　the　wind　from　the　north
blowing　all　the　while　and　the　/balsa/　taking　no　hurt；　by　the　end　of
which　time　I　reckon　that　we　had　travelled　as　far　along　the　coast　as　we
had　done　in　six　months　when　we　journeyed　over　land；　at　which　I
rejoiced。　Kari　rejoiced　also；　because　he　said　that　the　shape　and
greatness　of　the　mountains　we　were　passing　reminded　him　of　those　of
his　own　country；　to　which　he　believed　that　we　were　drawing　near。

On　the　fourth　morning；　however；　our　troubles　began；　since　the　friendly
wind　from　the　north　grew　steadily　stronger；　till　at　length　it　rose　to
a　gale。　Soon　our　little　rag　of　canvas　was　torn　away；　but　still　we
rushed　on　before　the　following　seas　at　a　very　great　speed。

Now　I　thought　of　trying　to　make　the　land；　but　found　that　we　could　not
do　so　with　the　oars；　because　of　the　current　that　set　out　towards　the
ocean　against　which　it　was　impossible　to　urge　our　clumsy　craft。
Therefore　we　must　content　ourselves　with　trying　to　keep　her　head
straight　with　the　steering　oar；　but　even　then　we　were　often　whirled
round　and　round。

About　two　hours　after　noon　the　sky　clouded　over；　and　there　burst　upon
us　a　great　thunder…storm　with　torrents　of　rain；　also　the　wind　grew
stronger　and　stronger。

Now　we　could　no　longer　steer　or　do　anything　except　lie　flat　upon　the
bottom　of　the　/balsa/；　gripping　the　cords　with　which　it　was　tied
together；　to　save　ourselves　from　being　washed　overboard；　since　often
the　foaming　crests　of　the　waves　broke　upon　us。　Indeed；　it　was
marvellous　that　this　frail　craft　should　hang　together　at　all；　but
owing　to　the　lightness　of　the　reeds　and　the　blown…up　skins　that　were
tied　in　them；　still　she　floated　and；　whirling　round　and　round；　sped
upon　her　southward　path。　Yet　I　knew　that　this　could　not　endure　for
very　long；　and　committed　my　soul　to　God　as　well　as　I　was　able　in　my
half…drowned　state；　wishing　that　my　miseries　were　ended。

The　darkness　came　down；　but　still　the　thunder　roared　and　the　lightning
blazed；　and　by　the　flare　of　it　I　caught　sight　of　snow…capped　mountains
far　away　upon　the　coast；　also　of　Kari　clinging　to　the　reeds　of　the
/balsa/　at　my　side；　and　from　time　to　time　kissing　the　golden　image　of
Pachacamac　which　hung　about　his　neck。　Presently　he　set　his　lips
against　my　ear　and　shouted：

〃Be　bold！　Our　gods　are　still　with　us　in　storm。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃and　soon　we　shall　be　with　our　godsin　peace。〃

After　this　I　heard　no　more　of　him；　and　fell　to　thinking　with　such　wits
as　were　left　to　me　of　how　many　perils