In Search of the Castaways [103]
wreck, but since they have not found their way to the English settlement, nor been seen any where, I have no doubt that their fate has been similar to my own, and that they are prisoners in the hands of some of the native tribes." "That's exactly what I have always argued," said Paganel. "The shipwrecked men were taken prisoners, as they feared. But must we conclude without question that, like yourself, they have been dragged away north of the 37th parallel?" "I should suppose so, sir; for hostile tribes would hardly remain anywhere near the districts under the British rule." "That will complicate our search," said Glenarvan, somewhat disconcerted. "How can we possibly find traces of the captives in the heart of so vast a continent?" No one replied, though Lady Helena's questioning glances at her companions seemed to press for an answer. Paganel even was silent. His ingenuity for once was at fault. John Mangles paced the cabin with great strides, as if he fancied himself on the deck of his ship, evidently quite nonplussed. "And you, Mr. Ayrton," said Lady Helena at last, "what would you do?" "Madam," replied Ayrton, readily enough, "I should re-embark in the DUNCAN, and go right to the scene of the catastrophe. There I should be guided by circumstances, and by any chance indications we might discover." "Very good," returned Glenarvan; "but we must wait till the DUNCAN is repaired." "Ah, she has been injured then?" said Ayrton. "Yes," replied Mangles. "To any serious extent?" "No; but such injuries as require more skilful workmanship than we have on board. One of the branches of the screw is twisted, and we cannot get it repaired nearer than Melbourne." "Well, let the ship go to Melbourne then," said Paganel, "and we will go without her to Twofold Bay." "And how?" asked Mangles. "By crossing Australia as we crossed America, keeping along the 37th parallel." "But the DUNCAN?" repeated Ayrton, as if particularly anxious on that score. "The DUNCAN can rejoin us, or we can rejoin her, as the case may be. Should we discover Captain Grant in the course of our journey, we can all return together to Melbourne. If we have to go on to the coast, on the contrary, then the DUNCAN can come to us there. Who has any objection to make? Have you, Major?" "No, not if there is a practicable route across Australia." "So practicable, that I propose Lady Helena and Miss Grant should accompany us." "Are you speaking seriously?" asked Glenarvan. "Perfectly so, my Lord. It is a journey of 350 miles, not more. If we go twelve miles a day it will barely take us a month, just long enough to put the vessel in trim. If we had to cross the continent in a lower latitude, at its wildest part, and traverse immense deserts, where there is no water and where the heat is tropical, and go where the most adventurous travelers have never yet ventured, that would be a different matter. But the 37th parallel cuts only through the province of Victoria, quite an English country, with roads and railways, and well populated almost everywhere. It is a journey you might make, almost, in a chaise, though a wagon would be better. It is a mere trip from London to Edinburgh, nothing more." "What about wild beasts, though?" asked Glenarvan, anxious to go into all the difficulties of the proposal. "There are no wild beasts in Australia." "And how about the savages?" "There are no savages in this latitude, and if there were, they are not cruel, like the New Zealanders." "And the convicts?" "There are no convicts in the southern provinces, only in the eastern colonies. The province of Victoria not only refused to admit them, but passed a law to prevent any ticket-of-leave men from other provinces from entering her territories. This very year the Government threatened to withdraw its subsidy from the Peninsular Company if their vessels continued to take in coal in those western parts of Australia where convicts are admitted. What! Don't you know that, and you an Englishman?" "In the first place, I beg leave to say I am not an Englishman," replied Glenarvan. "What M.