CHAPTER XIX.SCIENCE UNDAUNTED.[edit]
Noble words were those just uttered by the Colonel. In
the face of the Makololos it was no time for hesitation or
discussion, and English and Russians, forgetting their
national quarrel, were now re-united for mutual defence
more firmly than ever. Emery and Zorn had warmly
greeted each other, and the others had sealed their new
alliance with a grasp of the hand.
The first care of the English was to quench their thirst.
Water, drawn from the lake, was plentiful in the Russian
camp. Then, as soon as the Makololos were quiet enough
to afford some respite, the astronomers, sheltered by a sort
of casemate forming part of a deserted fortress, talked of
all that had happened since their separation at Kolobeng.
It appeared that the same reason had brought the
Russians so far to the left of their meridian as had caused
the English to turn to the right of theirs. Mount Scorzef,
halfway between the two arcs, was the only height in that
district which would serve as a station on the banks of
Lake Ngami. Each of the meridians crossed the lake,
whose opposite shores it was necessary to unite trigonometrically
by a large triangle. Naturally, therefore, the two
rival expeditions met on the only mountain which could
serve their purpose.
Matthew Strux then gave some details of his operations.
After leaving Kolobeng, the Russian party had continued
without irregularity. The old meridian, which had fallen
by lot to the Russians, fell across a fertile and slightly
undulated country, which offered every facility for the
formation of the triangles. Like the English, they had
suffered from the heat, but they had experienced no hardship
from the want of water. Streams were abundant, and kept
up a wholesome moisture. The horses and oxen had
roamed over an immense pasturage, across verdant prairies
broken by forests and underwood. The wild animals by
night had been safely kept at a distance by sentinels and
fires, nor had any natives been seen except those stationary
in the villages in which Dr. Livingstone had always found
a hospitable reception. All through the journey the Bochjesmen
of the caravan had given no cause for complaint, nor
was it until the previous day, when the Makololos to the
number of 200 or 300 had appeared on the plain, that they
had shown themselves faithless, and deserted. For thirty-six
hours the expedition had now occupied the little fortress.
The Makololos had attacked them in the evening, after
plundering the waggons left at the foot of the hill. The
instruments fortunately, having been carried into the fort,
were secure. The steamboat had also escaped the ravages
of the natives; it had been immediately put together by the
sailors, and was now at anchor in a little creek of Lake
Ngami, behind the enormous rocks that formed the base
of the mountain. Mount Scorzef sloped with sudden
abruptness down to the lake, and there was no danger of
an attack from that side.
Such was Matthew Strux's account. Colonel Everest,
in his turn, related the incidents of his march, the fatigues
and difficulties, and the revolt of the Bochjesmen, and it
was found by comparison that the Russians had had a less
harassing journey than their rivals.
The night of the 21st passed quietly. The bushman and
sailors kept watch under the walls of the fort; the Makololos
on their part did not renew any attack, but the bivouac-fires
at the foot of the mountain proved that they had not
relinquished their project.
At daybreak the Europeans
left their casemate for the purpose of reconnoitring the
plain. The early morning light illumined the vast extent
of country as far as the horizon. Towards the south lay
the desert, with its burnt brown grass and barren aspect.
Close under the mountain was the circular camp, containing
a swarm of 400 to 500 natives. The fires were still alight,
and some pieces of venison broiling on the hot embers.
The encampment was something more than temporary;
the Makololos were evidently determined not to abandon
their prey. Either vengeance or an instinctive thirst for
blood appeared to be prompting them, since all the valuables
of both caravans, the waggons, horses, oxen, and provisions,
had fallen into their power; or perhaps it might be that
they coveted the fire-arms which the Europeans carried, and
of which they made such terrible use.
The united English
and Russians held a long consultation with the bushman,
and it was felt that they could not relax their watch until
they should arrive at a definite decision. This decision
must depend on a variety of circumstances, and first of all
it was necessary to understand exactly the position of
Mount Scorzef.
The mountain overlooked to the south, east, and west the
vast desert which the astronomers, having traversed it,
knew extended southwards to the karroo. In the west
could be discerned the faint outlines of the hills bordering
the fertile country of the Makololos, one of whose capitals,
Maketo, lies about a hundred miles north-west of Lake
Ngami.
To the north the mountain commanded a country
which was a great contrast to the arid steppes of the south.
There were water, trees, and pasturage. For a hundred
miles east and west lay the wide Eake Ngami, while from
north to south its length was not more than 30 to 40 miles.
Beyond appeared a gentle, undulated country, enriched
with forests and watered by the affluents of the Zambesi,
and shut in to the extreme north by a low chain of mountains.
This wide oasis was caused by the great artery, the
Zambesi, which is to South Africa what the Danube is to
Europe, or the Amazon to South America.
The side of the mountain towards the lake, steep as it
was, was not so steep but that the sailors could accomplish
an ascent and descent by a narrow way which passed from
point to point. They thus contrived to reach the spot
where the “Queen and Czar” lay hid, and, obtaining a
supply of water, enabled the little garrison to hold out in
the deserted fort as long as their provisions lasted.
The astronomers wondered why this little fort had been
placed on the top of the mountain. Mokoum, who had
visited the country as Livingstone's guide, explained that
formerly the neighbourhood of Lake Ngami was frequented
by traders in ivory and ebony. The ivory was furnished
by the elephants and rhinoceroses; but the ebony trade
was but too often another name for that traffic in human
beings which is still carried on by the slave-traders in the
region of the Zambesi. A great number of prisoners are made
in the wars and pillages in the interior of the country, and
these prisoners are sold as slaves. Mount Scorzef had been
a centre of encampment for the ivory-traders, and it was
there that they had been accustomed to rest before descending
the Zambesi. They had fortified their position, to
protect themselves and their slaves from depredations, since
it was not an uncommon occurrence for the prisoners to be
recaptured for fresh sale by the very men who had recently
sold them. The route of the traders was now changed;
they no longer passed the shores of the lake, and the little
fort was falling into ruins. All that remained was an
enclosure in the form of the sector of a circle, from the
centre of which rose a small casemated redoubt, pierced
with loop-holes, and surmounted by a small wooden
turret.
But notwithstanding the condition of ruin into which it
had fallen, the fortress offered the Europeans a welcome
retreat. Behind the thick sandstone walls, and armed with
their rapidly-loading guns, they were confident that they
could keep back an army of Makololos, and, unless their
provisions and ammunition failed, they would be able to
complete their observations.
At present they had plenty
of ammunition; the coffer in which it was contained had
been placed on the same waggon which carried the steamboat,
and had therefore escaped the rapacity of the natives.
The great difficulty would be the possible failure of provisions.
The Colonel and Strux made a careful inspection of the
store, and found that there was only enough to last the
eighteen men for two days. After a short breakfast, the
astronomers and the bushman, leaving the sailors still to
keep watch round the walls, assembled in the redoubt to
discuss their situation.
“I cannot understand,” said Mokoum, “why you are so
uneasy. You say that we have only provisions for two
days; but why stay here? Let us leave to-morrow, or
even to-day. The Makololos need not hinder us; they
could not cross the lake, and in the steamboat we may
reach the northern shore in a few hours.”
The astronomers looked at each other; the idea, natural
as it was, had not struck them before. Sir John was the
first to speak.
“But we have not yet completed the measurement of our
meridian.”
“Will the Makololos have any regard for your meridian?”
asked the hunter.
“Very likely not,” answered Sir John; “but we have a
regard for it, and will not leave our undertaking incomplete.
I am sure my colleagues agree with me.”
“Yes,” said the Colonel, speaking for all; “as long
as one of us survives, and is able to put his eye to
his telescope, the survey shall go on. If necessary,
we will take our observations with our instrument in
one hand and our gun in the other, even to the last
extremity.”
The energetic philosophers shouted out their resolution
to proceed at every hazard.
When it was thus decided that the survey should at all
risks be continued, the question arose as to the choice of
the next station,
“Although there will be a difficulty,” said Strux, “in
joining Mount Scorzef trigonometrically to a station to the
north of the lake, it is not impracticable. I have fixed on a
peak in the extreme north-east, so that the side of the
triangle will cross the lake obliquely.”
“Well,” said the Colonel, “if the peak exists, I do not
see any difficulty.”
“The only difficulty,” replied Strux, “consists in the
distance.”
“What is the distance?”
“Over a hundred miles, and a lighted signal must be
carried to the top of the peak.”
“Assuredly that can be done,” said the Colonel.
“And all that time, how are we to defend ourselves
against the Makololos?” asked the bushman.
“We will manage that too.”
Mokoum said that he would obey the Colonel's orders,
and the conversation ended. The whole party left the
casemate, and Strux pointed out the peak he had chosen.
It was the conical peak of Volquiria, 300 feet high,[1] and
just visible in the horizon. Notwithstanding the distance,
a powerful reflector could thence be discerned by means
of a magnifying telescope, and the curvature of the
earth's surface, which Strux had taken into account,
would not be any obstacle. The real difficulty was how
the lamp should be hoisted to the top of the mountain.
The angle made at Mount Scorzef with Mount
Volquiria and the preceding station would probably
complete the measurement of the meridian, so that the
operation was all important, Zorn and Emery offered
to take this journey of a hundred miles in an unknown
country, and, accompanied by the pioneer, prepared to
start.
One of the canoes of birch-bark, which are manufactured
by the natives with great dexterity, would be sufficient to
carry them over the lake. Mokoum and the pioneer
descended to the shore, where were growing some dwarf
birches, and in a very short time had accomplished their
task, and prepared the canoe.
At eight o'clock in the evening the newly-constructed
craft was loaded with instruments, the apparatus for the
reverberator, provisions, arms, and ammunition. It was
arranged that the astronomers should meet again in a small
creek known to both Mokoum and the pioneer; it was also
agreed that as soon as the reverberator on Mount Volquiria
should be perceived, Colonel Everest should light a signal
on Mount Scorzef, so that Emery and Zorn, in their turn,
might take the direction.
The young men took leave of their colleagues, and
descended the mountain in the obscurity of night, having
been preceded by the pioneer and two sailors, one English
and one Russian. The mooring was loosened, and the
frail boat turned quietly across the lake.
1^
“300 feet high” is an addition of the translator. Verne's words were:
C'était le pic du Volquiria, sorte de cône que la distance rendait à
peine visible. Il s'élevait à une grande hauteur, ...
“It was the peak of Volquiria, a sort of cone which the distance rendered
hardly visible. It rose to a great height, ...”
