In Search of the Castaways [26]
involuntarily, they rose to their feet and grasped his hands, while Robert exclaimed as he devoured the map with his eyes: "Yes, my father is there!" "And where he is," replied Glenarvan, "we'll manage to go, my boy, and find him. Nothing can be more logical than Paganel's theory, and we must follow the course he points out without the least hesitation. Captain Grant may have fallen into the hands of a numerous tribe, or his captors may be but a handful. In the latter case we shall carry him off at once, but in the event of the former, after we have reconnoitered the situation, we must go back to the DUNCAN on the eastern coast and get to Buenos Ayres, where we can soon organize a detachment of men, with Major McNabbs at their head, strong enough to tackle all the Indians in the Argentine provinces." "That's capital, my Lord," said John Mangles, "and I may add, that there is no danger whatever crossing the continent." "Monsieur Paganel," asked Lady Helena, "you have no fear then that if the poor fellows have fallen into the hands of the Indians their lives at least have been spared." "What a question? Why, madam, the Indians are not anthropophagi! Far from it. One of my own countrymen, M. Guinnard, associated with me in the Geographical Society, was three years a prisoner among the Indians in the Pampas. He had to endure sufferings and ill-treatment, but came off victorious at last. A European is a useful being in these countries. The Indians know his value, and take care of him as if he were some costly animal." "There is not the least room then for hesitation," said Lord Glenarvan. "Go we must, and as soon as possible. What route must we take?" "One that is both easy and agreeable," replied Paganel. "Rather mountainous at first, and then sloping gently down the eastern side of the Andes into a smooth plain, turfed and graveled quite like a garden." "Let us see the map?" said the Major. "Here it is, my dear McNabbs. We shall go through the capital of Araucania, and cut the Cordilleras by the pass of Antuco, leaving the volcano on the south, and gliding gently down the mountain sides, past the Neuquem and the Rio Colorado on to the Pampas, till we reach the Sierra Tapalquen, from whence we shall see the frontier of the province of Buenos Ayres. These we shall pass by, and cross over the Sierra Tandil, pursuing our search to the very shores of the Atlantic, as far as Point Medano." Paganel went through this programme of the expedition without so much as a glance at the map. He was so posted up in the travels of Frezier, Molina, Humboldt, Miers, and Orbigny, that he had the geographical nomenclature at his fingers' ends, and could trust implicitly to his never-failing memory. "You see then, friend," he added, "that it is a straight course. In thirty days we shall have gone over it, and gained the eastern side before the DUNCAN, however little she may be delayed by the westerly winds." "Then the DUNCAN is to cruise between Corrientes and Cape Saint Antonie," said John Mangles. "Just so." "And how is the expedition to be organized?" asked Glenarvan. "As simply as possible. All there is to be done is to reconnoiter the situation of Captain Grant and not to come to gunshot with the Indians. I think that Lord Glenarvan, our natural leader; the Major, who would not yield his place to anybody; and your humble servant, Jacques Paganel." "And me," interrupted Robert. "Robert, Robert!" exclaimed Mary. "And why not?" returned Paganel. "Travels form the youthful mind. Yes, Robert, we four and three of the sailors." "And does your Lordship mean to pass me by?" said John Mangles, addressing his master. "My dear John," replied Glenarvan, "we leave passengers on board, those dearer to us than life, and who is to watch over them but the devoted captain?" "Then we can't accompany you?" said Lady Helena, while a shade of sadness beclouded her eyes. "My dear Helena, the journey will so soon be accomplished that it will be but a brief separation, and--" "Yes, dear, I understand, it is all right; and I do hope you may succeed." "Besides,