Chapter 26 28.The train enters the Murray River field

The major saw that Ayrton left the camp, and did not return for a long time, and was a little disturbed.However, this inner fear did not show at all, he just paid attention to the environment around the river.This peaceful land has always remained quiet, and the dark night of several hours has passed, and the sun has smiled. Jazz is afraid of Ayrton coming back alone.If there is no blacksmith to repair it, the car will still not be able to go on the road.In this way, the trip may be delayed for several days, and the Jazz is eager for success, wishing to reach the destination immediately, and will never allow time to go any further.

At any rate, Ayrton came back in time, and the blacksmith was found.This iron district is a tall, strong and powerful fellow, but his face is thick and mean, which is annoying.But the question doesn't matter, as long as he's good at it.And he doesn't talk much, he is a person who doesn't waste his tongue casually. "Can this blacksmith do it?" asked the captain. "I'm not sure," said Ayrton; "let him try." The blacksmith started, very skillful and powerful.McNabbs saw that the flesh on both of his wrists was cut off, and the blood turned purple and black, as if he was wearing a pair of bracelets. This was obviously a recent scar, and the old sweater did not cover it up. Live with this scar.The major asked the blacksmith, did it hurt?But the blacksmith ignored it and just buried himself in his work.

Two hours later, the car was repaired. As for Sir's horse, it was quickly shoed.The horseshoe on the nail is very special, it has a three-lobed shape, and the upper end is gouged out to form the outline of a leaf.The major showed Ayrton the horseshoe. "That's the sign for Blackpoint Station," answered the bosun. "In order to facilitate the search for lost horses, so as not to be indistinguishable from horseshoe prints on other stations." After the nailing was finished, the blacksmith asked for his wages and left without saying a total of four sentences. After a short rest, the caravan set off again.Walking through a woody mimosa bush, it is also a veritable "open plain".A lot of silica and iron ore are scattered on the plain.A few miles further, into the beach area, the ruts of the ox carts are deep.Many irregular creeks are hidden among the tall reeds, with the sound of gurgling water.Farther away, there are large areas of alkaline land. It is not difficult to walk this distance, and it is not lonely.

Lady Helene invited the knights to the carriage in turn, and each had a chance to rest without riding.It was an honor to chat with the kind lady, and to be accompanied by the beautiful Miss Mary.Moreover, he will receive the hospitality of his wife.Of course, Captain Mengele also had a part in it. His slightly solemn talk was not annoying, on the contrary, it made people happy to listen to. In this way, unknowingly, we slanted across the postal road from Crowland to Hallshang. This road is very dusty and there are few people on foot.The caravan crossed several low hills as they passed through the tip of the Tarpor district, and at night they lodged five miles from Maryborough.At this time, it was drizzling, and in other countries, the ground might become wet.However, the air here has a wonderful ability to absorb moisture, so camping in the wild has no effect at all.

On the second day, due to too many mountain roads, everyone walked a little slower.This series of small hills is a microcosm of the whole of Switzerland.The road is uneven and up and down, and it is not easy to walk at all.The knights dismounted and walked, but felt comfortable. At eleven o'clock they reached Karlsberg, a city of considerable importance.Ayrton advocated bypassing the city and saving time by not entering it.Difficult to do with good fresh Paganel.People had no choice but to let him go, and the ox cart continued to move forward slowly. The geographer was the same as usual.Always love to play with little Robert.They took a look around the city, and the short visit was enough to give him a general idea of ​​the cities of Australia.A bank, a court, a market, a school, a church, and hundreds of houses in the city are all built of bricks and look uniform.All the buildings form a quadrilateral, and the streets inside are all parallel, completely British.It's too simple and tasteless. If the city expands, the streets will be extended, just like a child who grows taller and lengthens the trouser legs. The original symmetry will not change at all.

Karlsbergh is full of life, it is a new city.Many people are busy running, a thriving scene.Carriers of gold rushed to the shipping station, the precious currency being brought in from the rocky districts of Bendigo and Alexandria under the escort of the local police.These businessmen only want to make a profit, they focus on business, and pay little attention to the behavior of outsiders. Paganel and Robert spent an hour walking around the city, and then returned to the traveling party across a plowed field.After the cultivated land, there is another vast grassland with countless sheep and shepherd's sheds.Going forward, you will immediately be in a desert area. This sudden change is a phenomenon unique to Australian nature.

However, up to this time, no native living a primitive life has been encountered.The jazz is already wondering whether there are no Indians like Banpas in Argentina, and are there no Australian natives on the Australian mainland?But geographers say that on this latitude the natives are chiefly on the plains of the Murray River, which is still 320 miles to the east. "We are approaching the place where gold is produced," Paganel said. "The people who mined gold mines here since 1852 have covered the sky like locusts. In the past, this was a settlement of natives, and now they have fled to The barren mountains and wild forests have gone, and this place has become a civilized area. Before dark today, we can cross the railway that connects the Murray River to the coast. To tell you the truth, my friends, Australia has a railway, I think it is really a thing Strange thing!"

"Why is it a strange thing?" Sir asked. "Because it's so incongruous. Ah, I see, you British are putting up wires in the overseas colonies, holding the World's Fair, and building the railways in Australia, it seems to you only natural! But for a French like me From a human point of view, once the railway was built, the original concept of Australia was completely messed up." "That's because you only look at the past, not the present and the future, sir." "I admit it," replied the geographer, "but the locomotive is running through this deserted area, and the big cloud of steam In the sky, small animals such as monopods and cassowaries fled ahead, and the savages stood by and watched the monster. All this will surprise anyone but the British and Americans. You Once the railway was built, the poetry of the wilderness disappeared."

"It doesn't matter if there is no poetry, as long as civilization is brought into the wilderness!" the major retorted. At this time, a loud siren interrupted the debate between them.The caravan is very close to the railway.A train traveling from south to north at a low speed just stopped at the intersection of the railway and the highway.This railway is exactly the one that Paganel just mentioned, and it connects the capital of Victoria Province with the Murray River, the largest river in Australia.It passes through rich and fertile areas, and there are more and more animal husbandry stations along the line.With this railway, the transportation to Melbourne is much more convenient.The railway has been built for 180 kilometers, and there are two major stations, Kenton and Castlegate, between Melbourne and Sandust.There are still 150 kilometers under construction, reaching Ochuka, the capital of the newly established colony Liverwood on the Murray River this year.

At latitude 37 south, a few miles from Castlegate station, there is a railway bridge, called Camden Bridge, over the Lytton, a tributary of the Murray. Ayrton drove the ox cart towards the Camden Bridge, and the knights ran ahead of the ox cart, wanting to reach the Camden Bridge as soon as possible to satisfy their curiosity. It turned out that a large group of people were running towards the bridge.The nearby residents and those who were shepherding sheep all gathered around the railway.One can hear such a cry repeated. "On the railroad! On the railroad!" There must have been a traffic accident to cause such a commotion, and it might be a catastrophe.

Sir urged the horse, and the others followed, and in a few minutes they arrived at Camden Bridge.It wasn't until we got to the bridge that we found out the cause of the commotion. It turned out that a tragic car accident really happened here. It was not a crash, but a train derailed and fell into the river.The situation is reminiscent of the worst train accident in the United States.The creek that the railroad crossed was filled with locomotives and carriages.Maybe it was because the car was too heavy and broke the bridge, or maybe because the wheels were derailed, 5 of the 6 carriages got into the bottom of the river, and only the last one, whose hinge was broken, was miraculously preserved. It's only one meter away, so dangerous!The tragic scene in the river was unbearable. The wheels were twisted, the carriages were smashed apart, the rails were bent, and the sleepers were scorched.The steam boiler was knocked and exploded, and large pieces were scattered all over the floor.In this messy pile of waste, there are still wisps of smoke.It was miserable when the car fell into the river, but another fire made it worse!Large areas of blood, broken limbs here and there, charred bodies can be seen everywhere.No one could bear to count how many bloody victims there were. Sirs, geographers, majors, and captains mingled among the crowd, listening to what everyone was talking about.Except for the rescued people who were busy, the rest of the people were thinking about the cause of the accident. "Broken bridge," one said. "Where is the broken bridge!" Another person continued, "The bridge was originally good. The accident happened when the car arrived and the bridge was not connected. " It turned out to be a swing bridge.Normally, it can be opened to allow ships to pass.Did the bridge guard neglect his duty and forget to turn the bridge around and put it on the rails?As a result, the car rushed over, fell into the air, and rolled into the Luton River with a bang.This speculation seems reasonable, because although half of the bridge is crushed under the front of the car and the carriage, while the other half is still hanging on the other side of the cable, the cable is not damaged.There can be no doubt, therefore, that the negligence of the bridge-keepers was the cause of the catastrophe. The incident occurred overnight on Express 37, which left Melbourne at 11.45pm.The time of the accident was 3:15 in the morning. Once the accident happened, the conductor on the last carriage immediately called for help.But the telephone poles were all down on the ground, and the telegrams and telephones were all dead.It was therefore three hours before the Castlegate authorities arrived at the scene of the accident.It was six o'clock in the morning when Mr. Mitchell, the local colonial superintendent, and a police officer led a team of police officers to organize the rescue work.Many "landers" also came to help.At that time, it was the moment when the fire was burning the hottest, so they put out the fire first. Several corpses, whose faces were too blurred to make out, lay on the slope of the roadbed.It was too late to drag a living person out of that sea of ​​flames.The whole pile of carriages burned up in a flash.The total number of passengers in the car is still unknown.Only 10 people escaped from danger in the last carriage.The railway authorities have sent an ambulance to take them to the hospital. At this time, Jazz explained his identity to the superintendent, and started chatting with the police officer.The officer was tall and thin, calm, and quick-witted.He was before this catastrophe, just as a mathematician is faced with an arithmetic problem, and he cannot solve the unknown of this difficult problem.So when the Sir exclaimed, "What a disaster!" he answered coldly: "More than a disaster, ser!" "More than catastrophe!" exclaimed the sergeant, "what else!" "And it's a crime!" replied the officer calmly. Sir dismissed the inappropriate wording, and looked back at Mr. Mitchell to see his reaction. "Yes, sir, I think there must be something in it, too. The luggage in the last car was robbed, and the five or six that were not killed were attacked by mobs. The swing bridge was turned away, not Negligence; besides, the bridgekeeper is missing, and he may be with the criminal." The officer just shook his head at the superintendent's arbitrariness. "Do you agree with me?" Mr. Mitchell asked him. "I don't agree with the point that bridge members are colluding with criminals." "However," the director explained, "if it weren't for collusion, I don't think the natives wandering on the grassland would understand the mechanism of the turning bridge." "You may be right," said the inspector. "Then," continued Mr. Mitchell, "is another proof that a boat crossed Camden Bridge at 10:40 last night, and that, according to the boatman, the bridge was closed by regulation as soon as the boat passed." "That's also reliable." "Therefore, the bridge cannot be turned without the bridge guards. I think it is an irrefutable fact that the bridge guards and the natives are in collusion." The officer was thoughtful, shaking his head all the time. "Then, sir, do you think the crime was not at the hands of the natives?" "Absolutely not." "If not a native, who else?" At this moment, a considerable noise came from half a kilometer upstream.People formed a group, surrounded tightly.A dead body was lifted out of the crowd.This corpse was the bridge guard, it was already cold, and he had been stabbed in the heart.The murderer dragged the body far away, he must have wanted to cut off the clues.Now that the body has been found, it fully proves that the police officer's suspicions are correct.There is absolutely nothing native about this case. "Damn it," said the officer, "you must be familiar with using this thing." Soon, he added, pointing to the gleaming handcuffs: "I must give them this pair of bracelets as a New Year's present. " "Then, whoever did it, you suspect...?" "It's the fellows who don't pay for His Majesty's ship." "Why, convicts," exclaimed Paganel, who knew the Australian colonial saying. "I thought convicts were not allowed to stay in Victoria!" said the Sir tentatively. "Pooh!" said the sergeant, "the law's a piece of shit! They'll be smuggled in, and if I'm not mistaken, these fellows must be from Perth. If so, they're going back to Perth, I On my behalf." Mitchell nodded, agreeing with this opinion.At this time, the bullock cart has reached the intersection of the railway and the highway.Sir did not want the female guest to see the unbearable horror.So, I greeted the director and said goodbye.He waved to his traveling companions and told them to follow. "This incident must not delay our journey," he said. When he got to the bullock cart, Sir only told the two female passengers that there was an accident on a train, but he didn't tell them the cause of the accident or the tragedy.He was going to tell Ayrton sometime later.The small caravan crossed the railway a few tens of kilometers away from the bridge head, and continued eastward as usual. The car soon got into a narrow and winding mountain valley, and at the end of the mountain valley, there was a wonderful scenery. Many beautiful trees were not connected together, but isolated one by one, and they were as lush as tropical trees.Loveliest of these was the "Catherina," with a trunk like the oak, bearing pods like the bean-flower, and turquoise leaves as rough as those of the pine.Among the staggered branches of the "Catherina" tree are interspersed the strange and conical tops of some "Pine Fir", which is very thin but very handsome.There are many shrubs in the bushes, and the twigs hang down like green water flowing from the water pan.This piece of natural scenery is so wonderful that people really don't know what to appreciate. The small caravan stopped here according to Madam Helen's order.The wooden wheels of the cart stopped creaking.There is a layer of green carpet under the bushes, neatly dividing the carpet into fairly obvious square grids, like a big chessboard. How poetic is this quiet place for those who sleep underground!However, most of the cemeteries are now buried in weeds, and it is difficult for passers-by to see them. "It's a wood that shelters a cemetery," Paganel told the crowd.Sure enough, this is a native cemetery.But what lies before your eyes is such a dense shade, and such a happy flock of birds, all so fascinating, and there is no sense of melancholy.People simply call this geomantic treasure land the "Garden of Eden", and the god of death has long been expelled from the world.This quietness seems to be arranged for the living.Had it not been for the invasion of the whites, the natives would not have been driven from the land where their ancestors rested.Then, the sacred land of the natives was trampled by the cattle and sheep brought by the colonists, and the woods on the cemetery became sparse.Over time, the cemetery was also trampled down by indifferent pedestrians. Meanwhile the geographer and little Robert walked along the shady path between the cemeteries, talking and exchanging knowledge as they walked, for they got along very well.But they couldn't walk a few hundred meters. Sir saw them stop, dismounted too, and looked down at the ground.Looking at their expressions and postures, it seems that they are observing a strange thing. Ayrton urged the ox-cart, and in a moment came to them.Everyone immediately knew the reason for their pause and surprise.It turned out that there was a little native there, an 8-year-old boy, dressed in European clothes, sleeping soundly under a dense tree.As soon as you see his appearance, you can tell which race he is: curly hair, almost brown-black skin, flat nose, thick lips, and long arms, which is a typical brown race.However, with a smart face, he looks different from the local natives. Undoubtedly, he has received a little bit of cultural education. As soon as Mrs. Helen saw the child, she was very concerned and got out of the car immediately.All the team members immediately gathered around, but the child was still sleeping soundly. "Poor boy," said Miss Mary, "has he lost his way in the wilderness?" "I think," Mrs. Helen said, "maybe they came from afar to visit the grave, and maybe his relatives are buried here!" "We can't leave him!" said Robert. "He's all alone, and..." Before Robert had finished speaking, the little native turned over, but did not wake up, and everyone saw a small card on his back, which read: taurine to Otyuka Attended by attendant Smith fare paid Everyone was very surprised after seeing it. "It's an English trick," exclaimed Paganel. "They send their children home as if they were parcels, and you pay the postage and forget about it. I've heard it said before, and I didn't believe it before." Woolen cloth!" "Poor boy!" muttered Mrs. Helen, "did he take the derailed train? Perhaps his parents had accidents and he was the only one left." "I don't think so! Ma'am ,' replied the captain, "doesn't the sign mean that he came alone?" "He's awake," said Miss Mary. Sure enough, the child woke up.The eyes opened slowly, and closed again immediately because the sun was too strong.Mrs. Helen took his hand, he stood up, looked at these people in surprise, his face turned pale with fright.Later, slowly quiet down. "Children, do you understand English?" Madam asked. "Understand!" The child replied in English, but with a strong foreign accent. "What's your name," Madame asked again. "My name is Taurine," said the little native. "Ah! Taurine," interposed Paganel, "your name, if I remember correctly, means bark in the Australian dialect, does it not?" Tao Linnei nodded, then turned his gaze to the female guest. "Where do you come from, little friend?" the lady continued. "From Melbourne, take the train to Sandust." "Are you on the train that crashed at Camden Bridge?" Sir asked. "Yes, sir!" "Are you traveling alone?" "Not travelling, I'm going home. The Reverend Buxton put me into the care of Mr. Smith, and the poor waiter fell to his death." "On the train, do you know anyone else?" "No, sir!" However, in this barren and inhabited area, there are no people, why did he come here?Why did he leave Camden Bridge?About this, Madame asked again. It turned out that he was going back to his hometown of Lachlan to see his family. "Do you have a mother and a father at home?" asked little Robert. "Yes! Brother." Taurine finished shaking hands with little Robert.Little Robert was very happy to hear him being called "brother", and hugged the little native and kissed him.The two of them became good friends. At this time, all the passengers became interested in Tao Linnei's conversation.The sun had already set in the west, and it seemed that this place was not a bad place to rest, and it was not very interesting to drive a few miles in the dark, so they set up camp here.Ayrton settled the cattle and pitched the tent.Obir prepared the dinner, and everyone invited Taurine to have dinner together. Although Taulin was hungry, he was polite.Everyone sat down together, and the two little boys sat together.Robert always put good food in Tao Linne's bowl, and Tao Linne thanked him while accepting it. His timid but elegant appearance was very pleasing. Although everyone was eating, the conversation did not stop.Everyone was very concerned about Tao Linnei, asking questions about this and that.In fact, his history is very simple.Like many little natives, he was sent to charity in the colony as a child.Australian aborigines are mild-tempered and never hostile to outsiders.People often see them in big cities.They wear quite primitive costumes, run around on the street, sell handicrafts, such as fishing gear, hunting gear, weapons, etc. Some tribal chiefs, in order to save a few dollars, are willing to let their children receive a British-style education . That's what Tao Linnei's parents did.The child has been in Melbourne for five years and has not seen a single relative.However, the feeling of nostalgia will not die out, it has always been active in the child's heart.Regardless of the hardships along the way, he was determined to go home and have a look, even if it was to see the scattered tribes and dead families. "Did you go back after seeing your parents?" asked the lady. "Go back, madam." Tao Linai looked at Helen with a sincere look. "What are you going to do in the future?" "I want to rescue my people from poverty and ignorance! Give them the freedom to live!" An 8-year-old can say such exciting things that only a frivolous sneer-beater would laugh.However, the Scots in front of him were all moved by the courage of little Tao Linnei, and respected him even more.The geographer was moved from the heart and began to have sympathy for this little hero. Let's be honest, until now he didn't like little natives in European clothes.Because he came to Australia not to see this kind of European clothing everywhere, but to see the naked natives with patterns carved on their bodies.This "polite" dress style was not his wish.But after Tao Linnei's conversation, his attitude changed completely.He was completely overwhelmed by the little native.Since then, he has also become a good friend of Tao Linnei. When Mrs. Taurine asked where he was studying, Taurine said that at Melbourne Normal School, Reverend Baston was the headmaster. "What classes do you have at school?" Mrs. Helen asked. "There's the Bible, math, geography..." "Ah! Geography!" cried the Geographer, speaking to his heart. "Yes, sir," replied Taurine, "before the winter vacation I won first prize in my geography exam." "It's not easy to win an award in geography class!" "This is my prize," the little native took out a 32-mo Bible from his pocket, and wrote on the first page: "Melbourne Normal School, first place in geography, awarded to Taurine, a native of Lachlan." The geographer couldn't stand it any longer. It was hard for him to believe that an Australian native was good at geography.He hugged Tao Linnei, and kissed again and again.Tao Linnei couldn't understand the reason for his caressing at all.Mrs. Helen explained that Paganel was a famous geographer, and if he stood on the podium, he must be a famous professor. "A professor of geography!" said the little native. "Sir, will you test me?" "Test you, I'm really looking forward to it! I'd like to see how the geography class is taught in the Melbourne Teachers College!" "Taurine will open your eyes, be careful, M. Paganel!" the major said with a sting. "How unreasonable! Open the eyes of the secretary of the majestic Geographical Society!" As he spoke, he touched the glasses on the bridge of his nose with his fingers, and started to ask questions in a solemn tone like the professor. "Student Taurine, stand up!" he said. Taurine was already standing, waiting respectfully for Paganel's question. "Which five continents are there in the world?" Paganel asked. At that time, even geographers did not know that there was Antarctica. "There is Asia, Africa, America, Europe, and Oceania," the little native said smoothly. "Exactly. Let me ask you again, how many parts is Oceania divided into?" "Mainly divided into Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. The main islands are: Australia, belonging to the United Kingdom; New Zealand, belonging to the United Kingdom; Tasmania, belonging to the United Kingdom; Chatham, Auckland, Maga Lee, Makin, Malachi, etc., all belong to the British." "Well, well! Why is almost the whole of Oceania under the protection of Great Britain?!" cried Paganel, "I think, on the contrary, that France..." "What France?" asked the little native in surprise. "Did your Melbourne teachers teach you this?" "Yes, sir, are you not teaching well?" "Okay, great! The whole of Oceania has been taught to them. I'll ask you next." The look of the geographer was half annoyed, half surprised.The major was delighted to see it. Question and answer continues. "Talk about Asia," said the geographer feebly. "Asia is a big continent," Taurine replied, "the capital city is Calcutta. The main cities are Bombay, Madras, Aden, Malacca, Singapore, Bangkok, and Sharonbo; the islands are Larcadive Islands, Maldives Islands, and Chagos Islands. The Islands, etc., belong to the British." "Good man, well, my good student, let's talk about Africa!" "Africa includes two main colonies: the Cape of Good Hope Colony in the south, with the capital Cape Town; the British settlements in the west, and the main city is Serra-Levonay." "Good answer!" The geographer was a little loose this time Tone, I began to believe that this kind of British crazy geography, "Teaching is good! As for Algeria, Morocco, Egypt... They have all been removed from the British territory. Now, I want you to talk about America!" "As for America? It is divided into South America and North America. North America belongs to the United Kingdom, including Canada, New Brunswick, New Scotland, and the United States of America. Johnson is the local governor." "Governor Johnson!" Paganel exclaimed, "is the heir to President Lincoln! You really don't know much! As for South America, places like Guyana, Georgia, Jamaica, and Trinidad belong to the United Kingdom. I already know the irrefutable facts, so I don't need to say them. I wonder what your teacher said about Europe?" "Europe?" Taurine didn't understand why the geographer was so excited. "Yes, Europe, to whom does it belong?" "Of course it belongs to England," replied the child confidently. "I expected it a long time ago, tell me." "Because Europe has England, Scotland, Malta, Jersey, Guernsey, Shetland, and they're all British." "Well, are there any other countries, son?" "Other countries? I'm afraid not." "And Austria, Spain, Russia, France?" "These are provinces, not countries." "How unreasonable!" The geographer took off his glasses. "Isn't it? The capital of the Spanish province is Bradaro." "Brilliant, wonderful, wonderful! And France? France is also a province of England?" "Yes, sir, its provincial capital is Calais." "Calais belongs to England too?" "Naturally." The geographer laughed out loud when he heard this, leaving Tao Linnei confused.When people asked Tao Linnei questions, he tried his best to answer them, but the answers were so weird.But he never dreamed that his answer would be so absurd.Although everyone was laughing, he didn't seem to panic, and solemnly waited for the inexplicable laughter to end. "Well, Geographer, have you opened your eyes?" said MacNabbs. "You are right, Major," replied Paganel, "how well the teachers in Melbourne teach! They have the whole world in their domain. Such an ingenious education that the natives have to tame. Ah, boy , and the moon, does the moon belong to England too?" "The moon will belong to England in the future"" replied the little native with seriousness. The geographer stood up.He couldn't stay in his original position any longer, he had to find a place to laugh.So he ran away from the campsite and had a good laugh. At this time, Jazz found a book from his books.It was Richardson's Brief Introduction to Geography.This book is highly regarded by the British, and it is more scientific than the teacher of the little natives. "Ah, boy!" he said to Taurine, "take this book as a souvenir, and to correct your mistakes in geography." Tao Linei took the book but didn't answer. He looked at the illustrations in the book and refused to put it in his pocket with a look of disbelief. It was getting late at this time, and I had to rest in order to rush ahead tomorrow.Robert asked the little savage to share his bed with him, and the little savage accepted. After a while, Mrs. Helen and Miss Mary also went back to the car, and the gentlemen all lay down in the tents.At this moment Paganel was still laughing, and his laughter mingled with the singing of the magpies. However, at 6 o'clock the next morning, when the sound of birdsong awakened the sleeping pedestrians, the little Australian native disappeared.Does he want to return to his hometown early? Or did the geographer's wild laughter offend him?No one knows. Major Lady Helene, however, was a little disturbed when she saw Ayrton leaving the camp, and not returning for a long time.However, this inner fear did not show at all, he just paid attention to the environment around the river.This peaceful land has always remained quiet, and the dark night of several hours has passed, and the sun has smiled. Jazz is afraid of Ayrton coming back alone.If there is no blacksmith to repair it, the car will still not be able to go on the road.In this way, the trip may be delayed for several days, and the Jazz is eager for success, wishing to reach the destination immediately, and will never allow time to go any further. At any rate, Ayrton came back in time, and the blacksmith was found.This iron district is a tall, strong and powerful fellow, but his face is thick and mean, which is annoying.But the question doesn't matter, as long as he's good at it.And he doesn't talk much, he is a person who doesn't waste his tongue casually. "Can this blacksmith do it?" asked the captain. "I'm not sure," said Ayrton; "let him try." The blacksmith started, very skillful and powerful.McNabbs saw that the flesh on both of his wrists was cut off, and the blood turned purple and black, as if he was wearing a pair of bracelets. This was obviously a recent scar, and the old sweater did not cover it up. Live with this scar.The major asked the blacksmith, did it hurt?But the blacksmith ignored it and just buried himself in his work. Two hours later, the car was repaired. As for Sir's horse, it was quickly shoed.The horseshoe on the nail is very special, it has a three-lobed shape, and the upper end is gouged out to form the outline of a leaf.The major showed Ayrton the horseshoe. "That's the sign for Blackpoint Station," answered the bosun. "In order to facilitate the search for lost horses, so as not to be indistinguishable from horseshoe prints on other stations." After the nailing was finished, the blacksmith asked for his wages and left without saying a total of four sentences. After a short rest, the caravan set off again.Walking through a woody mimosa bush, it is also a veritable "open plain".A lot of silica and iron ore are scattered on the plain.A few miles further, into the beach area, the ruts of the ox carts are deep.Many irregular creeks are hidden among the tall reeds, with the sound of gurgling water.Farther away, there are large areas of alkaline land. It is not difficult to walk this distance, and it is not lonely. Lady Helene invited the knights to the carriage in turn, and each had a chance to rest without riding.It was an honor to chat with the kind lady, and to be accompanied by the beautiful Miss Mary.Moreover, he will receive the hospitality of his wife.Of course, Captain Mengele also had a part in it. His slightly solemn talk was not annoying, on the contrary, it made people happy to listen to. In this way, unknowingly, we slanted across the postal road from Crowland to Hallshang. This road is very dusty and there are few people on foot.The caravan crossed several low hills as they passed through the tip of the Tarpor district, and at night they lodged five miles from Maryborough.At this time, it was drizzling, and in other countries, the ground might become wet.However, the air here has a wonderful ability to absorb moisture, so camping in the wild has no effect at all. On the second day, due to too many mountain roads, everyone walked a little slower.This series of small hills is a microcosm of the whole of Switzerland.The road is uneven and up and down, and it is not easy to walk at all.The knights dismounted and walked, but felt comfortable. At eleven o'clock they reached Karlsberg, a city of considerable importance.Ayrton advocated bypassing the city and saving time by not entering it.Difficult to do with good fresh Paganel.People had no choice but to let him go, and the ox cart continued to move forward slowly. The geographer was the same as usual.Always love to play with little Robert.They took a look around the city, and the short visit was enough to give him a general idea of ​​the cities of Australia.A bank, a court, a market, a school, a church, and hundreds of houses in the city are all built of bricks and look uniform.全部的建筑构成一个四边形，里面的街道都是平行的，完全是英国式的。太简单无味了，城市如果扩建的话，把街道延长一下就成了，就和小孩长高之后把裤腿放长一点一样的道理，原来的对称一点也不会变。 卡尔斯白鲁克充满了活跃的气氛，这是一座新兴城市。许多人在忙忙碌碌地跑着，一片欣欣向荣的景象。搬运金子的人往运输站直涌，这些贵重货币是在当地警察的护送下从奔地哥和亚历山大的各石区运来的。这些生意人只想牟利，一心盯在生意上，很少注意外路人的举止。 巴加内尔和罗伯尔花了一个钟头在这座城市里走了一趟，随后穿过一片耕地回到旅行队伍中。耕地过去，又是一片辽阔的草原，上面有无数的羊群和牧人的棚舍。再往前走，立刻就是荒漠区了，这种突变是澳大利亚大自然所特有的现象。 然而，直到这时为止，还没有碰见一个过着原始生活的土人。爵士已经在怀疑，是不是和阿根廷的幡帕斯一样，没有印地安人，澳大利亚大陆上无澳大利亚土人吗？但地理学家说，在这条纬线上，土人主要地是在墨累河那带平原上，那带平原由此向东还有３２０里远呢。 "我们快到出产金子的地方了，"巴加内尔说，"１８５２年来这里开采金矿的人象蝗虫一样遮天盖地而来。过去，这里是土人的聚居地，现在他们逃到荒山野林去了，这里变成了文明区域。今天天黑之前，我们就能穿过连接墨累河和海岸的铁路了。不瞒你说，朋友们，澳大利亚竟会有铁路，我觉得还真是件怪事！" "为什么是怪事呢？"爵士问。 "因为这太不协调了。啊，我晓得了，你们英国人在海外殖民地架电线，开万国博览会，在澳大利亚建铁路，在你们看来，这再自然不过了！但对于我这样的一个法国人来说，一筑铁路就把原来澳大利亚的观念完全搅乱了。" "那是因为你只看过去，不看现在和将来啊！先生。""我承认这话，"地理学家回答说，"但是火车头在这荒芜人烟的地区奔驰着，大团的蒸汽绕着天空，单孔兽、食火鸡等小动物在前面逃亡，未开化的土人呆立在一旁瞅着这怪物。这一切，除了英国人和美国人以外，任何人看了都会惊讶的。你们的铁路一建成，荒原的诗意全没有了。" "诗意没有了有什么关系，只要文明带进荒原就行了！"少校反驳道。 这时，响亮的汽笛打断了他们之间的辩论。旅行队离铁路很近了。由南至北的一列火车低速行驶，恰好停在铁路和公路的交叉口的地方。这条铁路正是巴加内尔刚才所说的那一条，它联系着维多利亚省的省会和澳大利亚最大河流墨累河。它经过的都是富庶肥沃的地区，沿线"坐地人"的牧畜站一天天多起来。有了这条铁路，到墨尔本的交通便利多了。这条铁路已修成１８０公里，在墨尔本和散达斯特之间，有肯顿和卡斯尔门两个大站。正在修建中的还有１５０公里，到达厄秋卡，就是在这一年在墨累河上新建立起来的殖民地利物林的首府。 南纬３７度在离卡斯尔门站几英里处有一座铁路桥，叫做康登桥，架在墨累河的一条支流吕顿河上。 艾尔通赶着牛车朝康登桥走着，骑士们跑在牛车前面，想尽快赶到康登桥，以满足一下自己的好奇心。 原来有一大群人都在向这座桥奔去。附近居民和正在牧羊的人都一齐围到铁路旁边来了。人们可以听到重复着这样的一个呼声。 "到铁路上去！到铁路上去！" 一定发生什么交通事故了，才引起这样的骚动，也许会是场惨祸。 爵士催着马，其他人在后面跟着，不消几分钟，就赶到了康登桥。到了桥边才知道骚动的原因。 原来这里真的发生一起悲惨的车祸，不是撞车，是火车脱轨落到河中。这情况使人联想到美国最为严重的火车交通事故。铁路穿过的小河被火车头和车厢塞满了。也许是由于车子太重，把桥压断了，也许因为车轮脱轨，６节车厢中有５节钻到河底，只有最后一节，不知铰链怎么断开了，奇迹般地保留下来，距深渊只有一米多远，好险啊！河水中的惨景目不忍睹，车轮扭坏了，车厢撞散了，铁轨压弯了，枕木烧焦了。汽锅被撞裂炸裂了，大块的碎片满地皆是。在这堆乱八糟的废物堆中，还冒着缕缕青烟。车子掉下河固然惨，接着又一场大火更是雪上加霜！大片大片的血迹，东一处西一处的残骸断肢，烧成焦炭的躯体，遍地可见。谁也不忍心去数数共有多少血肉模糊的遇难者。 爵士、地理学家、少校和船长夹杂在人丛中，听着大家说长论短。除了打救的人在忙碌外，其余的人在寻思着出事的原因。 "是断桥造成的，"一个人说。 "哪里是断桥呢！"另一个人接着说，"桥本来是好好的呀。 是车子到了的时候，没有把桥接上才出事的。 " 原来这是一座转桥。平时可以转开让轮船通行。是不是守桥员失职，忘记把桥转过来，接上铁轨呢？结果车子冲过来，落了空，唏哩哗啦地翻进吕顿河里。这种推测似乎有理，因为桥虽然有一半压倒在车头和车厢下面，而另一半仍在另一边铁索上吊着，铁索并没有损坏。因此，无可怀疑，守桥员失职才惹起这场大祸。 这件事故发生在夜里，是３７次快车，晚上１１点４５分从墨尔本开出。失事时间为早晨３点１５分，一出事，最后一节车厢上的列车员立刻求援。但是电线杆子都倒在地上，电报、电话都不通了。因此卡斯尔门主管当局在三个钟头之后才赶到出事地点。当地殖民总监米彻尔先生和一名警官率领一队警士把打救工作组织起来的时候，已是早晨六点钟了。许多"坐地人"也赶来帮忙。那时，正是火烧得最炽热的时刻，于是，他们首先灭火。 几具尸体，面目模糊得辨认不清，躺在路基的斜坡上。想在那团火海中拖出个活人来，为时已晚。整个一堆车厢一会儿烧个精光。全车旅客共有多少，还不知道。只有１０个人在最后一节车厢中，虎口脱险。铁路当局已派救护车送他们去医院了。 这时，爵士向总监说明了身份，就和那位警官攀谈起来。这警官又高又瘦，镇定万分，机智能干。他在这场惨祸的面前，就和一个数学家面对着一道算术题一样，他没法解决这道难题的未知数。所以，当爵士叫道："真是一场惨祸啊！"他却冷冷地回答道： "不止是惨祸，爵士！" "不止是惨祸！"爵士惊叫一声，"还有什么呢！" "而且是一个罪行！"那警官安然地回答。 爵士不追究这种不适当的措辞，回头望望米彻尔先生，看他反应如何。 "是的，爵士，我也认为这里面肯定有文章。最后一节车厢的行李曾遭到抢劫，未遇难的５～６个还受了暴徒袭击。转桥是被人转开的，而不是疏忽大意；再说守桥员也失踪了，或许他和罪犯是一伙的。" 警官对总监的武断只是摇头。 "你同意我的意见吗？"米彻尔先生问他。 "关于桥员串通罪犯这一点，我不同意。" "然而，"总监辨解，"要不是串通的话，我想，游荡在草原上的土人不会懂得转桥的机关的。" "你这话或许是对的，"警官说。 "那么，"米彻尔先生又说，"还有个证明，昨晚１０点４０分有一只船过了康登桥，据船夫说，船一走过，桥又按规则关好了。" "这也可靠。" "因此，不是守桥员，桥就转不开，我觉得守桥员和土人串通一气是不可辩驳的事实。" 那警官沉思着，一直在摇头。 "那么，先生，你认为这罪行不是出自土人之手了？" "绝对不是。" "不是土人又是谁呢？" 正在这时，一片相当大的喧哗声从上游半公里外的地方传来。人围成一团，围得水泄不通。人群中抬出一具尸体。这尸体正是守桥员，已经冰凉了，心口被捅了一刀。凶手把尸体拖得远远地，一定是想割断侦破线索。现在尸体发现了，充分证明警官的怀疑是正确的。这案子绝对没有土人的事了。 "干这手的，"警官说，"使用这玩意一定很熟悉了。"不久，他又补充了一句，指着明晃晃的手铐说："我一定要把这副手镯送给他们作新年礼物。" "那么，干这事的人你疑心是……？" "是那些乘英王陛下的船不用付钱的家伙。""怎么，会是流犯。"巴加内尔惊叫起来，他懂得澳大利亚殖民地里的这句俗话。 "我原以为流犯是不准在维多利亚省逗留的！"爵士试探着说。 "呸！"那警官说，"法律顶屁用！他们会偷渡过来的，如果我没猜错的话，这帮家伙一定是从伯斯来的。果真如此，他们还要回伯斯去，我以我的身份保证。" 米彻尔点头，表示同意这项意见。这时，牛车已经到了铁路和公路的交叉点。爵士不愿让女客看到那目不忍睹的惨象。于是，和总监打了个招呼，便告辞了。他向旅伴们招招手，叫他们也随着走了。 "这件事不能耽误了我们的路程，"他说。 到了牛车旁，爵士对两位女客只说一列火车出了事，并没有告诉她们事情的原因和那惨象。他准备以后个别时告诉艾尔通。小旅行队在离桥头几十公里的地方越过铁路，照旧向东前进着。 车子不久钻进一片狭隘而曲折的山坳里，山坳尽头展开了一片胜景，许多美丽的树木，不是连成一片，而是一丛一丛隔离开来，长得和热带树木一样茂盛。其中最可爱的是"卡苏琳娜"树，它有和橡树一样的躯干，结着和豆球花一样的香荚，那略带青绿色的叶子和松树叶子一样粗糙。在"卡苏琳娜"树交错的枝条中夹杂着一些"盘杉"的奇特和圆锥形树顶，这种"盘杉"虽然很瘦，但非常英挺。树丛中还有许多灌木，细枝倒垂下来，象水盘中流下的绿色水流。这片自然风景，实在美妙，真叫人不知欣赏哪一点才好。 小旅行队遵照海伦夫人的命令在此停了下来。大车的木轮不在咯吱咯吱地响了。树丛下面铺着一层绿色的地毯，整齐的把地毯划分成相当明显的方格子，象个大棋盘。 这一片为长眠在地下的人而安排的幽静之地，是多么富有诗意啊！不过，现在墓地大都被荒草埋没，行路人很不容易看见。 "这是一片庇阴墓地的树林，"巴加内尔对大家说。果然，这是一块土人的墓地。不过，呈现在你眼前的是，那么浓密的树荫，和一群那么快乐的飞鸟，一切都那么引人入胜，一点忧郁的感觉也没有。人家简直称这风水宝地为"伊甸园"了，死神早已被逐出人间。这片幽静仿佛在为活人而安排的。要不是白人的侵入，土人也不会被赶离他们祖先长眠的乡土。接着，土人的圣土便被殖民者所带来的牛羊践踏了，墓地上的树林已变得疏疏落落。久而久之，坟地也被漠不关心的行人踏平了。 这时候，地理学家和小罗伯尔沿墓冢间的荫凉小路走着，边走边谈，彼此交换知识，因为他们俩很谈得来。但是他们走不了几百米的路，爵士看见他们停住了，也下了马，低头向地上看。看他们的表情和姿态，仿佛在观察一个稀奇的东西。 艾尔通催促牛车，一会儿也赶到他们那儿。大家立刻就知道了他们所以停下来和惊讶的原因了。原来那里有个小土人，是个８岁男孩，穿欧洲服装，正在一棵茂密的大树下酣睡。一见他的外表，就知是哪个种族的：鬈曲的头发，近乎棕黑的皮肤，塌鼻子，厚嘴唇，两臂特长，是典型的棕色人种。但是，一副聪明的面孔又显得和本地土人不同，无疑，他多少受过一点文化教育。 海伦夫人一看见这孩子，就特别关心，马上下了车。全体队员也马上围了过来，而孩子依然酣睡。 "可怜的孩子，"玛丽小姐说，"是不是他在荒郊迷了路了。" "我想，"海伦夫人说，"可能是从远处跑来扫墓的，或许这里埋葬着他的亲人！" "我们不能丢开他呀！"罗伯尔说，"他孤零零一个人，而且……" 罗伯尔的这句话没说完，那小土人翻了个身，却没有醒，大家在他背上看见了个小牌，上面写道： 陶林内 到厄秋卡去 由服务员史密斯负责照料 车资已付 大家看后十分惊讶。 "这是英国人干的把戏，"巴加内尔叫起来，"他们送孩子回家就和寄包裹一样，付过邮资就不用管了。我早就听人家说过，先前我还不相信呢！" "可怜的小孩！"海伦夫人唠叨着，"他是不是乘的那辆出轨的火车呀，也许他的父母都出事了，只留下他一个了。""我想，不会的！夫人，"船长回答，"这块牌子不就说明了他独自一人来的吗？" "他醒了，"玛丽小姐说。 果然，孩子醒了。眼睛慢慢张开，因为阳光太强，又立刻闭上。海伦夫人拉着他的手，他站起来，惊讶地望着这些人，脸色吓白了。后来，慢慢地安静下来。 "小朋友，你懂英语吗？"夫人问。 "懂点！"那孩子用英语回答，但外乡音很浓。 "你叫什么名字，"夫人又问。 "我叫陶林内，"那小土人说。 "啊！陶林内，"巴加内尔插话了，"如果我没记错的话，你的名字用澳洲话来说，就是树皮之义，是不是？" 陶林内点点头，又把目光转向女客。 "你从哪里来，小朋友？"夫人接着问。 "从墨尔本来，乘的到散达斯特的火车。" "你乘的是在康登桥出车祸的那列车吗？"爵士问。 "是的，先生！" "你独自一人旅行吗？" "不是旅行，我在回家。巴克斯顿牧师把我交给史密斯先生照顾，谁知那可怜的服务员摔死了。" "在火车上，你还有认识的人吗？" "没有，先生！" 但是，在这荒芜人烟的地区，又没有人家，他为什么要来这儿呢？他为什么要离开康登桥？关于这一点，夫人又问。 原来他要回故乡拉克兰，回去看看家里人。 "你家里有妈妈爸爸吗？"小罗伯尔问。 "有！阿哥。"陶林内说完和小罗伯尔握手。小罗伯尔听见叫他"阿哥"，十分高兴，抱住小土人吻了吻。他们两个便成了好朋友。 这时，所有的旅客都对陶林内的谈话发生了兴趣。太阳已经西沉，这地方休息似乎也不坏，趁天黑赶几里路也没有多大意思，于是在此安营扎寨。艾尔通把牛安顿好了，帐篷也支起来了。奥比尔把晚饭准备好了，大家邀请陶林内一起共进晚餐，陶林内虽然肚子饿了，还是客气了一番。大家一同入席，两个小男孩坐在一起。罗伯尔老是往陶林内碗中夹好菜，陶林内一边接受一边道谢，那种有点胆怯，却又十分文雅的样子十分讨人喜欢。 大家虽然在吃饭，谈话未中止。个个都很关心陶林内，问这问那。其实他的历史很简单。他和许多小土人的命运一样，小时候被送到殖民地里的慈善机构里去了。澳大利亚土人性情温和，对外来人从不仇视。人们在大城市里经常见到他们。他们穿着相当原始的服装，在大街上跑来跑去，卖手工业品，如渔具、猎具、武器等，有些部落酋长，为了省几个钱，很愿让他们的孩子去受英国式的教育。 陶林内的父母是这样做的。那孩子在墨尔本待了５年，一直未见到过一个亲人。然而，思乡之情不会泯灭的，一直在那孩子心中活跃着。他不顾沿途的艰苦，坚决要回家看看，哪怕是看看那已流散的部落和已死掉的家庭也好。 "你看了父母之后还回去吗？"夫人问。 "回去，夫人。"陶林内用一种诚恳的目光望着海伦。 "你将来要做什么呢？" "我要把我的同胞从穷困和愚昧中解救出来！给他们以生活的自由！" 一个８岁的孩子能说出这样激动人心的话，只有轻浮的爱嘲笑打击别人的人听了才会发笑的。但是，在他面前的苏格兰人都被小陶林内的这种勇气所感动，对他更加尊重了。地理学家从心里受到感动，对这位小英雄开始有了同情心。 老实说吧，直到现在为止，他还不喜欢穿欧洲服装的小土人。因为他来澳大利亚并不是想看这种遍地皆是的欧洲服式，而是希望望见都是赤身裸体，身上刻有花纹的土人。这种"彬彬有礼"的服式不是他的愿望。但经过陶林内的一番谈话，他的态度完全变了。他对小土人服得五体投地。从此，他也成了陶林内的好朋友。 当夫人问陶林内在哪里读书时，陶林内说在墨尔本师范学校，巴斯顿牧师是校长。 "你们学校都开什么课？"海伦夫人问。 "有圣经、数学、地理……" "啊！地理！"地理学家叫起来，正说到他心坎上。"是的，先生，"陶林内回答，"在放寒假之前，我地理课考试得了一等奖。" "地理课得过奖，不简单！" "这是我的奖品，"小土人从衣袋里掏出一本３２开本的圣经，第一页写道："墨尔本师范学校，地理课第一名，奖给陶林内，拉克兰人。" 地理学家再也按耐不住了，对于一个澳大利亚的土人，精于地理学，真叫他难以置信。他抱起陶林内，又是亲又是吻。陶林内对于他这种爱抚一点也搞不懂出于何故。海伦夫人解释说，巴加内尔是位著名地理学家，如果他站上讲台，一定是一位有名的教授。 "一位地理学教授！"那小土人说，"先生，你考考我吧？" "考考你，我正求之不得呢！我倒看看墨尔本师范里的地理课教得怎样！" "陶林内会叫你开开眼界的，小心点，巴加内尔先生！"少校话中带刺。 "岂有此理！叫堂堂的地理学会的秘书开眼界！" 他说着，用手指顶了一下鼻梁上的眼镜，和教授一样，带着庄严的语调，开始发问。 "学生陶林内，站起来！"他说。 陶林内本来就站着，正恭恭敬敬地等巴加内尔的问题。"世界有哪五大洲？"巴加内尔问，那时，连地理学家也不知道还有个南极洲。 "有亚洲、非洲、美洲、欧洲、大洋洲，"那小土人顺口而出。 "对极了。我再问你，大洋洲划分几部分。" "主要分成玻里尼西亚，密克罗尼西亚，美拉尼西亚。主要岛屿有：澳大利亚，属于英国；新西兰，属于英国；塔斯马尼亚，属于英国；茶坦姆、奥克兰、马加利、马金、马拉基等，都属于英国人。" "好了，好了！怎么几乎整个大洋洲都在大不列颠的保护之下吗？！"巴加内尔叫起来，"我觉得，正相反，法国……" "什么法国？"那小土人惊讶地问。 "难道你们墨尔本师范就教你们这些吗？" "是呀，先生，教得不好吗？" "好，好极了！整个大洋洲都教成他们的了。我再接下去问你。" 地理学家那副表情，半懊恼，半惊讶。少校看了心里直乐。 问答继续进行。 "谈谈亚洲吧，"地理学家有气无力地说。 "亚洲是个大洲，"陶林内回答说，"都城加尔各答。主要城市孟买、马德拉斯、亚丁、马六甲、新加坡、曼谷、斜伦坡；岛屿有辣喀代夫群岛、马尔代夫群岛、查哥斯群岛等等，都属于英国人。" "好人，好了，我的好学生，谈谈非洲吧！" "非洲包括两个主要殖民地：南边是好望角殖民地，都城开普敦；西边是些英国居留地，主要城市是塞拉·勒窝内。""答得好！"地理学家这次稍微松了口气，开始认定这种英国狂的地理学了，"教得不错！至于阿尔及利亚，摩洛哥、埃及……都从英国版图上剔出去了，现在，我倒想让你谈谈美洲！" "至于美洲吗！分为南美和北美。北美属于英国，其中包括加拿大，新不伦瑞克，新苏格兰，还有北美合众国，约翰逊任当地总督。" "约翰逊总督！"巴加内尔叫了起来，"就是林肯总统的继承人啊！你了解的还真不多哩！至于南美，象圭亚那、佐治亚、牙买加、特立尼达等地属于英国的成为不可辨驳的事实，我已知道，不必说了。不知你们老师对欧洲怎么说法？" "欧洲？"陶林内不懂地理学家为什么那么激动。 "是呀，欧洲，它属于谁的？" "自然属于英国，"那孩子很自信地回答。 "我早就料到了，你说说看。" "因为欧洲有英格兰、苏格兰、马尔他岛、泽西岛、格恩西岛，设得兰群岛，它