In Search of the Castaways [21]
luck. At the Canary Islands, I saw myself anticipated by Humboldt, and here by M. Charles Sainte-Claire Deville, a geologist." "Impossible!" "It is too true," replied Paganel, in a doleful voice. "Monsieur Deville was on board the government corvette, La Decidee, when she touched at the Cape Verde Islands, and he explored the most interesting of the group, and went to the top of the volcano in Isle Fogo. What is left for me to do after him?" "It is really a great pity," said Helena. "What will become of you, Monsieur Paganel?" Paganel remained silent. "You would certainly have done much better to have landed at Madeira, even though there had been no wine," said Glenarvan. Still the learned secretary was silent. "I should wait," said the Major, just as if he had said, "I should not wait." Paganel spoke again at length, and said: "My dear Glenarvan, where do you mean to touch next?" "At Concepcion." "Plague it! That is a long way out of the road to India." "Not it! From the moment you pass Cape Horn, you are getting nearer to it." "I doubt it much." "Beside," resumed Lord Glenarvan, with perfect gravity, "when people are going to the Indies it doesn't matter much whether it is to the East or West." "What! it does not matter much?" "Without taking into account the fact that the inhabitants of the Pampas in Patagonia are as much Indians as the natives of the Punjaub." "Well done, my Lord. That's a reason that would never have entered my head!" "And then, my dear Paganel, you can gain the gold medal anyway. There is as much to be done, and sought, and investigated, and discovered in the Cordilleras as in the mountains of Thibet." "But the course of the Yarou-Dzangbo-Tchou--what about that?" "Go up the Rio Colorado instead. It is a river but little known, and its course on the map is marked out too much according to the fancy of geographers." "I know it is, my dear Lord; they have made grave mistakes. Oh, I make no question that the Geographical Society would have sent me to Patagonia as soon as to India, if I had sent in a request to that effect. But I never thought of it." "Just like you." "Come, Monsieur Paganel, will you go with us?" asked Lady Helena, in her most winning tone. "Madam, my mission?" "We shall pass through the Straits of Magellan, I must tell you," said Lord Glenarvan. "My Lord, you are a tempter." "Let me add, that we shall visit Port Famine." "Port Famine!" exclaimed the Frenchman, besieged on all sides. "That famous port in French annals!" "Think, too, Monsieur Paganel, that by taking part in our enterprise, you will be linking France with Scotland." "Undoubtedly." "A geographer would be of much use to our expedition, and what can be nobler than to bring science to the service of humanity?" "That's well said, madam." "Take my advice, then, and yield to chance, or rather providence. Follow our example. It was providence that sent us the document, and we set out in consequence. The same providence brought you on board the DUNCAN. Don't leave her." "Shall I say yes, my good friends? Come, now, tell me, you want me very much to stay, don't you?" said Paganel. "And you're dying to stay, now, aren't you, Paganel?" returned Glenarvan. "That's about it," confessed the learned geographer; "but I was afraid it would be inconsiderate."
CHAPTER IX THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN
THE joy on board was universal when Paganel's resolution was made known. Little Robert flung himself on his neck in such tumultuous delight that he nearly threw the worthy secretary down, and made him say, "Rude _petit bonhomme_. I'll teach him geography." Robert bade fair to be an accomplished gentleman some day, for John Mangles was to make a sailor of him, and the Major was to teach him _sang-froid_, and Glenarvan and Lady Helena were to instil into him courage and goodness and generosity, while Mary was to inspire him with gratitude toward such instructors. The DUNCAN soon finished taking in coal, and turned her back on the dismal region. She fell in before long with the current from the coast of Brazil, and on the 7th
CHAPTER IX THROUGH THE STRAITS OF MAGELLAN
THE joy on board was universal when Paganel's resolution was made known. Little Robert flung himself on his neck in such tumultuous delight that he nearly threw the worthy secretary down, and made him say, "Rude _petit bonhomme_. I'll teach him geography." Robert bade fair to be an accomplished gentleman some day, for John Mangles was to make a sailor of him, and the Major was to teach him _sang-froid_, and Glenarvan and Lady Helena were to instil into him courage and goodness and generosity, while Mary was to inspire him with gratitude toward such instructors. The DUNCAN soon finished taking in coal, and turned her back on the dismal region. She fell in before long with the current from the coast of Brazil, and on the 7th