Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/376

 him. Doctor Ferguson wished to make himself heard, but he could not succeed.

The people, who had high foreheads, curly hair, and almost aquiline noses, appeared proud and intelligent, but the presence of the "Victoria" disturbed them mightily. The travelers perceived horsemen galloping in all directions; soon it became evident that the soldiers were being assembled to give battle to this extraordinary enemy. Joe had lavishly displayed handkerchiefs of various colors, but without any result.

However, the sheik, surrounded by his court, proclaimed silence, and made a speech in a mixed language of Arabic and Baghimi, of which the doctor did not understand a word. He comprehended, however, by the universal language of signs, that he was particularly requested to depart; he asked for nothing better, but in default of wind it had become impossible. His immobility angered the governor, and his courtiers begged him to give loud orders for the departure of the monster.

They were curious people, these courtiers, with their five or six motley shirts upon their bodies; they were enormously stout, and some appeared to wear artificial stomachs. The doctor astonished his companions by telling them that this was the mode of paying court to the Sultan. The rotundity of the abdomen indicated the ambition of the people. These fat men gesticulated and shouted, and one more than all the rest, who ought to have been prime minister if his size met with any favor. The crowd of negroes joined their shouting to that of the courtiers, repeating their gesticulations like so many monkeys, and which resulted in a curious and instantaneous effect in the simultaneous movement of 10,000 arms.

To these modes of intimidation, which appeared to be insufficient, they added others more formidable. Soldiers, armed with bows and arrows, were drawn up in order of battle; but the "Victoria" had already been inflated, and moved quietly out of range. The governor then seized a musket and leveled it at the balloon, but Kennedy was on the watch, and with a ball from his carbine, shattered the musket in the sheik's grasp.

At this unlooked-for blow there was a general retreat; each one took shelter in his house as quickly as possible,