Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/265

 would have been powder wasted, as it was impossible to recover the game.

The travelers moved at the rate of about twelve miles an hour, and soon found themselves in 38° 20' longitude, over the village of Tounda. "That is the place," said the doctor, "where Burton and Speke succumbed to fever, and for a time believed their expedition must be given up. They were as yet but a little distance from the coast, but already fatigue and privation began to tell upon them."

In fact, in this region a perpetual malaria exists. Even the doctor could only escape its attacks by rising in the balloon above the miasma, which the burning sun caused to rise from the swampy earth.

Sometimes they could perceive a caravan reposing in a "kraal," waiting for the cool hours of evening to resume their journey. These "kraals" stand in large cleared spaces surrounded by hedges and jungle, where the traders are secure, not only from the attacks of wild beasts, but from those of the pillaging native tribes. The natives fled in every direction at the appearance of the "Victoria." Kennedy wished to have a nearer view, but the doctor would not hear of it.

"The chiefs are armed with muskets," he said, "and our balloon is too good a shot for them."

"Would a bullet-hole bring the balloon down?" asked Joe.

"Not immediately; but the aperture would soon extend to an immense fissure, through which all our gas would escape."

"Then I vote we keep at a respectful distance from those wretches. I wonder what they think of us up here. I am sure they want to worship us?"

"Let them worship us as much as they please at a distance. That pleases us all round. Look here, the country is already changing, villages are fewer, the mangoes have disappeared; their growth ceases in this latitude. The land is hilly, a sign we are approaching mountains. In fact," said Kennedy, "I fancy I can descry some mountains this side of us."

"In the west—those are the first chain of the Ourizara—Mount Duthumi, no doubt, behind which I hope we shall encamp for the night. I will stir up the blow-pipe a little,