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TALMUD;

A Strange Narrative of Central Australia.

FOUNDED ON NATURAL FACTS,

By

IVAN DEXTER.

Published in serial form in:
-Port Adelaide News and Lefevre's 半島 Advertiser (S.A.) 開始するing Friday 24 August, 1894 (this text),
-The Kyabram Union and Rodney Shire 支持する (Vic.) 24 August, 1894,
-The Telegraph (Brisbane, Qld.) 31 March 1894,
-Evelyn 観察者／傍聴者, and South and East Bourke 記録，記録的な／記録する (Vic.) 24 August 1894,
-North Melbourne 特使 and West Melbourne Advertiser (Vic.) 26 January 1900,
-Riverina Recorder (Balranald, Moulamein, NSW) 7 March 1894.

CHAPTER I.—THE STONY DESERT.
CHAPTER II.—A CONTINENTAL TORRENT.
CHAPTER III.—EYRE.
CHAPTER IV.—FINKE CREEK.
CHAPTER V.—BACK FROM THE GRAVE.
CHAPTER VI.—A VALLEY OF DEATH.
CHAPTER VII.—LOST.
CHAPTER VIII.—THE LABYRINTH.
CHAPTER IX.—THE CEMETERY.
CHAPTER X.—THE MIDNIGHT SHOT.
CHAPTER XI.—HUMAN DERELICTS.
CHAPTER XII.—THE OVERSEER'S STORY.
CHAPTER XIII.—THE COMBAT.
CHAPTER XIV.—A MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.
CHAPTER XV.—TURNING HOMEWARDS.
CHAPTER XVI.—NARDOO STATION.
CHAPTER XVII.—JAMES O'MALLEY.
CHAPTER XVIII.—WRECKED.
CHAPTER XIX.—STUART.
CHAPTER XX.—WOOSAI.
CHAPTER XXI.—THE WHITE VISION.
CHAPTER XXII.—THE BURIED SEA.
CHAPTER XXIII.—SUBTERRANEAN FISHERMEN.
CHAPTER XXIV.—THE STRANGE JOURNEY.
CHAPTER XXV.—ABOUT THE DEAD.
CHAPTER XXVI.—A COMMUNAL KITCHEN.
CHAPTER XXVII.—ŒNORB.
CHAPTER XXVIII.—THE WRITING ON THE WALL.
CHAPTER XXIX.—THE DISCOVERY.
CHAPTER XXX.—A LOVE STORY.
CHAPTER XXXI.—BEWITCHED.

CHAPTER I.—THE STONY DESERT.

"Now lads, what say you; shall we make for the 長，率いる of 密告者 Creek or turn 支援する?"

"押し進める on of course. We will never get a more 都合のよい season. There is plenty of grass and water, and what more do we want. Old Mills would never 許す us if we failed now after the expense he has gone to in fitting us out."

"I am with you Ted," broke in a third man, 演説（する）／住所ing the last （衆議院の）議長. "Let us make a 指名する for ourselves and no 疑問 a fortune also when we have the chance. Twice we have been beaten 支援する by unfavorable seasons, and now that we are this far and the country looking so splendid, why should we 退却／保養地 without seeing what is beyond this salt delta."

"I am やめる ready to go on, but I 手配中の，お尋ね者 your opinions on the point. We all know what a strange country this is. Twenty four hours brings the most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の changes いつかs, and almost a step leads from an oasis to a 砂漠. We are four hundred miles from the 駅／配置する now and it must be some hundreds of miles to the place we want to reach," answered the first man who was 明らかに the leader.

This conversation look place on the 5th of September, 1870, in one of the most desolate 地域s it is possible to conceive. The locality was about thirty miles north of Lake Eyre and in the western 部分 of that terrible stony 砂漠 in which the explorer, Stuart, and his party nearly 死なせる／死ぬd in 1846. There were four men in the 一時的な （軍の）野営地，陣営, and their 反対する was to 捜し出す out new pastures for 無断占拠者 Mills in that 事実上 unknown 地区 lying about four hundred miles to the north-west of the 広大な／多数の／重要な Salt Lake 地域 of which Eyre was the centre. 密告者 Creek took its rise almost in the centre of Australia, and it was surmised that at its source would be 設立する fertile uplands or valleyed 範囲s with perpetual fresh water. That the season was 都合のよい for such a 追求（する），探索（する） could be 公式文書，認めるd even in that sterile 砂漠 in which the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was pitched. In 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs small patches of green vegetation were discernable which the six horses of the party were busy cropping. This in itself was 証拠 that the 降雨 had been 異常に 激しい but その上の 確定／確認 was given by 非常に／多数の small hollows which were partly filled with fresh water. This 存在 設立する in the 砂漠 was presumptive proof that その上の on the natural surroundings would be still more suitable for the 探検 ーするつもりであるd.

The leader of the pastoral 探検隊／遠征隊 was 指名するd Edward Strangway and those with him were Michael O'Halloran, William, Daniel, and Thomas Stanley. It was Strangway who put the question of 訴訟／進行 to his companions, and his surroundings were discouraging enough to excuse his query. に向かって every point of the compass stony desolation stretched which even the tiny 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs of green shrubs could not relieve. At midsummer, and during seasons of 干ばつ the prospect would be appalling and, as an experienced bushman Strangway 井戸／弁護士席 knew that the return 旅行 would probably be exceptionally 厳しい. Even the beneficient 降雨 had failed to attract animal life to the basaltic waste, and the genius of silence seemed to brood over all.

The 発言する／表明するs of the men as they engaged in conversation sounded unearthly on the solemn evening 空気／公表する. In that 共同墓地 of nature hilarity or enjoyment appeared to be as much out of place as revelry in a village churchyard, and even the hardy explorers were impressed with their surroundings. They had no 解雇する／砲火／射撃, for that barren 地区 did not 産する／生じる 支持を得ようと努めるd, and as they sat or lounged at the cheerless （軍の）野営地，陣営 they spoke in low トンs. Twice before they had made 探検隊／遠征隊s into the unsettled 地区s, and on the last occasion they nearly 死なせる／死ぬd with かわき. No expense had been spared in fitting the party out, and so far as food and a few 高級なs were 関心d they were amply 供給するd.

It will be readily understood, however, that with such land 探検隊／遠征隊s where the difficulties of 輸送（する） are so 広大な／多数の／重要な it is 事実上 impossible to take along a large 供給（する） of water. The travellers must be 扶養家族 to a 広大な／多数の／重要な extent on the country they 横断する for that necessary of life. その結果 Strangway and his companions, from the 指示，表示する物s 現在のd to them of a good water 供給（する） were やめる 正当化するd in their 決意 to 押し進める on. 密告者 Creek itself when reached would furnish 豊富 of water. This 大陸の water-course ran into the Diamentina or Warburton river which emptied itself into Lake Eyre.

By a 大陸の river or creek is meant a stream that does not reach the sea, and all those of Central Australia are of that class. Some of them are at 確かな seasons of the year swollen to enormous dimensions, and something of a mystery is 大（公）使館員d to the gigantic 容積／容量s of water which are thus thrown into the lakes or 沼s of the 内部の. Lake Eyre has a 得点する／非難する／２０ of these streams running into it, and some of them, such as Cooper's Creek and the Diamentina Diver 注ぐ incredible 量s of water into that 広大な／多数の／重要な 水盤／入り江. At Cooper's Creek, for instance, a flow of water two miles wide and twenty feet 深い has been seen for weeks at a time going to the lake.

No 疑問 a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of this is taken up by evaporation under a torrid sun, but assuredly nine-tenths of it soaks into the earth.

Geologists are now 納得させるd that Central Australia 持つ／拘留するs a 広大な 地下組織の sea at a かなりの depth below the surface. Artesian borings along the 大勝する of the 陸路の telegraph line, and at 辺ぴな 駅／配置するs 証明する this, and その上に it has been discovered that at a 確かな depth the water is perfectly fresh.

Central Australia is in fact a 広大な 水盤／入り江 much lower than the coast lines. On the eastern 味方する there is an elevated 高原 普通の／平均（する）ing two thousand feet above sea level, and comparatively 近づく the coast. This slopes 突然の に向かって the centre of the continent.

On the western 味方する the elevation is not more than one thousand feet, and the slope to Central Australia is その結果 more 漸進的な, and large streams except in periods of flood are not often met with.

As civilization 延長するs 支援する from the coast the subterranean sea of the 内部の will, no 疑問 be tapped by artesian 井戸／弁護士席s, and as an 当局 on the 支配する says, the 内部の of Australia will not be doomed to perpetual sterility.

On that 5th of September, 1870, the four men who sat 一連の会議、交渉／完成する their cheerless （軍の）野営地，陣営 in the stony 砂漠 did not dream of such a 変形. At the most they thought that a few squattages might be formed inland. Waving fields of golden corn, the hum of 産業, and the prattle of children which is now within measurable distance rising in those 孤独s would have seemed to them like the fevered dream of a prophetic 熱中している人. Yet even at that time, the 広大な／多数の／重要な 陸路の telegraph line from Adelaide to Port Darwin was 存在 建設するd, and on its course it tapped many fertile 位置／汚点／見つけ出すs.

After a short silence the conversation narrated in the beginning of the 一時期／支部 was 再開するd by Stanley, asking how long it would take to reach the western 辛勝する／優位 of the 砂漠.

"Two days at the most if nothing unfavourable happens," replied the leader. "We should get to 'Big Creek' (Diamentina River) then."

"We may have some trouble to cross it if the 降雨 has been 激しい up north," interjected O'Halloran.

"Not unless it has been very 最近の," replied Strangway.

"It appears to have been, 裁判官ing by the 指示，表示する物s around here," broke in Daniels.

"雷雨s perhaps. If I don't mistake we will have one to-night, but they don't as a 支配する cover a large area," said Strangway, looking に向かって the west.

There was every 調印する that the leader's 予測 would be 実行するd. An ominous looking 棺／かげり of 黒人／ボイコット clouds shrouded the western sky, and at times a lurid glow broke through them, but the 嵐／襲撃する was far away, as no sound of 雷鳴 could be heard.

"That may not come this way," Daniels 発言／述べるd.

Even as he spoke, the first low growl of the celestial 大砲 could be heard, and it was evident the 嵐／襲撃する was approaching, and at a rare pace too. The party carried with them two テントs and light でっちあげる，人を罪に陥れる work, on which to stretch them, and these which had been 築くd were more 堅固に 安全な・保証するd.

The horses were caught and brought closer to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, where they were tied to some jutting 激しく揺するs. Like experienced bushmen as the party were, the horses were placed at some distance from each other so that if by chance the 雷 might strike one of them, the 残りの人，物 would escape.

It was nearly nine o'clock when this was done, and the 電気の 嵐／襲撃する was 急速な／放蕩な approaching. The night was 極端に dark, and the sight 現在のd weird and 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の in the extreme.

The desolate level waste with its 時折の petrified 発射／推定s, afforded a magnificent 見解（をとる） of the warring elements, and 許すd the 嵐／襲撃する clouds to sweep onward with tremendous 速度(を上げる）.

As they got nearer the （軍の）野営地，陣営 the whole western heavens appeared to be a sheet of 解雇する／砲火／射撃, through which darted in serpentine curves brighter streaks of 炎上. The roar of the 雷鳴 was continuous and deafening, and it was soon 明らかな that the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was 権利 on the 跡をつける of the 嵐／襲撃する. The blue light which illuminated the （軍の）野営地，陣営 in 恐ろしい fashion, showed the terrified horses vainly tugging at their 安全な・保証する fastenings in their 試みる／企てるs at escape.

"I don't like the 外見 of this," Strangway cried to O'Halloran, who was next to him. "We are 権利 in its 跡をつける, and these テントs may attract the 雷."

"Let us get away from them and 嘘（をつく） on the ground some distance off," O'Halloran replied.

"Yes tell Daniels and Stanley what we are going to do," answered the leader.

This, O'Halloran did, but Daniels only laughed at the suggestion.

"No 恐れる, I am going to stop where I am. What is the テント for if not to keep the rain off. There is not the slightest 恐れる."

Leaving Daniels behind, the three men went about fifty yards from the テント, and lay flat on the ground, and in a few minutes the 嵐／襲撃する was 激怒（する）ing over them. The 勝利，勝つd was blowing in cyclonic fashion, but not a 減少（する） of rain fell.

A '乾燥した，日照りの' 雷雨 is the most terrible and dangerous of all natural 電気の phenomena, and in such a place the danger was 増加するd.

O'Halloran had taken his position about thirty yards from the first horse, and the animal was frantic with terror. In the continual 炎 of light he could see that it had almost 解放する／自由なd itself from the 激しく揺する to which it was tied, and he slowly made his way に向かって it. He had scarcely 横断するd half the distance when a streak of solid 解雇する／砲火／射撃 seemed to 落ちる in 前線 of him, and half blinded as he was, he saw the horse smitten to the earth. At the same moment the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 appeared to gleam past him, and he was thrown violently backward. For a 十分な minute he lay half stunned, and then a cry from Strangway, who ran to his 援助（する）, 原因（となる）d him to look in the direction he pointed. The テント where Daniels lay was in 炎上s. Staggering to his feet he followed the leader to the 燃やすing テント, where Stanley had に先行するd them. In a few moments they tore 負かす／撃墜する the 燃やすing cover but they knew there was no hope for the inmate. Almost before they 遂行するd their 仕事, the rain clouds burst and a perfect deluge swept upon them. Had it come ten minutes sooner it might have saved the 悲劇. The water fell in sheets, and almost blinded them, but it soon passed over. As the roar of the 急速な／放蕩な 出発／死ing 雷鳴 got lower and lower, the men got a light after some difficulty, and 診察するd Daniels. He was as dead as the 激しく揺するs around. His 着せる／賦与するs were 燃やすd to a tinder, and his 団体／死体 charred and blackened to the hue of ebony.

As the 嵐／襲撃する swept away, Strangway rose to his feet, and looking after it said, "It has gone, but it carries a human life with it."

CHAPTER II.—A CONTINENTAL TORRENT.

For a few moments Strangways' companions remained silent, and then O'Halloran said, "Yes, and a good life too. There never was a better or a braver comrade. Oh, why didn't he leave here when we asked him?"

"That wouldn't have saved him. His time had come and he had to die. There is no use struggling against 運命／宿命." Stanley, who was a fatalist, interjected.

"Oh, that's nonsense," answered O'Halloran. "If a person believes that he or she will never make an 試みる／企てる to save themselves, we should take all 警戒s."

The argument was 削減（する） short by Strangway 説, "Let us carry the 団体／死体 into the 蓄える／店 テント. It looks as if the night would be wet."

Wrapping the 死体 in the remains of the partly burnt テント the three men reverently carried their dead comrade to the other テント. The night was exceedingly dark, and to 増加する the 不快 rain fell ひどく and 断固としてやる until long after daybreak.

非，不，無 of the party, even if they had been desirous could get any sleep, as there was no 利用できる 避難所. すぐに after daylight they excavated a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な for the unfortunate Daniels and laid his 団体／死体 in it. There was no time for 感情, even if the explorers had been inclined that way, for they 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 押し進める on and get out of the horrible 砂漠 as soon as possible. They 厳しく felt the want of a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and so far as they could see there was no 支持を得ようと努めるd in the 周辺. After placing a number of 石／投石するs in a peculiar position so as to 示す the last 残り／休憩（する）ing place of their late comrade they struck the ill-運命／宿命d （軍の）野営地，陣営. The loss of the horse was not of much consequence though they would rather have had it as an extra pack. Rain fell ひどく throughout the day but it did not 干渉する 大いに with their 進歩. Fortunately for them the ground was not of that rotten nature so often met with in Central Australia and which during 激しい 降雨s is the terror of the explorer or overlander. の直前に 不明瞭 始める，決める in it was seen that Strangway's 見積（る） of the 砂漠 限界 was 訂正する.

Away to the west could be seen the 薄暗い 輪郭（を描く）s of a low wooded 範囲 and this could be reached the に引き続いて day. The best possible 準備／条項 was made for the night's 慰安, but it was cheerless enough. During the march a few 乾燥した，日照りのd shrubs and small roots, laid 明らかにする by the 強い雨, were 設立する and brought along. With these a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was made large enough to 準備する tea and this hot （水以外の）飲料 was exceedingly welcome to the travellers. The hope that next evening they could have as large a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 as they 願望（する）d was also consoling. The night was almost as 哀れな as the 先行する one, and with the first gleam of day the march was 再開するd.

The western 境界 of the 砂漠 was reached a couple of hours before sunset and the party （機の）カム out on a thinly wooded low 範囲. A 停止（させる） was すぐに made and the 高級な of a 抱擁する 解雇する／砲火／射撃 indulged in. It was the first they had for a week and as the 最近の 激しい 降雨 had soaked nearly everything they 所有するd, it was a perfect boon to them.

For two days they remained at this place ーするために give the horses a chance to 回復する themselves. Food was abundant for the animals, and their masters also 得るd a few birds and small mamalia.

On the third day a start was made for the Diamantina, and it was soon 設立する that the 大勝する was not an 平易な one. The 広大な／多数の／重要な 降雨 had 変えるd some of the open plains into 抱擁する quagmires, and in some 事例／患者s they were 絶対 dangerous to cross. The gaping rents in the earth, made during seasons of 燃やすing 干ばつ were filled with a soft mud, into which the horses 急落（する），激減（する）d at the 切迫した 危険 of breaking their 脚s. To 妨げる this long detours had to be made, and what under ordinary 条件s would have been one day's 旅行, 占領するd three. 非常に／多数の sheets of water were met with, and on these were invariably 設立する wildfowl, which were very 許容できる to the members of the party. The fact that the season had been an 異常に wet one was 証明するd by large numbers of young ducks, swan, and other aquatic birds 存在 met with. In the arid 内部の this is not often the 事例／患者, except where 永久の water 存在するs. As the Diamantina was approached it became 明らかな that it must be in flood. 非常に／多数の water-courses were met running に向かって it, and they were mostly carrying '銀行業者s.' With 広大な／多数の／重要な difficulty several of them were crossed, but at last one was reached that carried an 巨大な 激流. It was not みなすd 安全な to 試みる／企てる this, and it was decided to follow it 負かす／撃墜する to its junction with the river.

About noon on the fourth day, after leaving the 辛勝する／優位 of the stony 砂漠, the explorers suddenly （機の）カム out on a bend of the river, and then for the first time, a strange sound like the 急ぐing of 勝利，勝つd through a forest fell upon their ears. There was only the slightest 微風 blowing, and the few scattered clumps of stunted trees ahead were not agitated in the least.

"That sounds like a 嵐／襲撃する coming up from the west," O'Halloran said.

"There isn't a cloud on the sky. Perhaps there is a waterfall along this creek," returned Strangway.

"A waterfall?" broke in Stanley. "May be it's the river in flood."

"Of course, of course. That's what it must be. I have been told that such a sound as this …を伴ってs these 広大な／多数の／重要な floods inland," the leader said.

"We hav'nt had a chance to see any of them yet," was O'Halloran's reply.

"No, we would have been pleased to come on one last year," Strangway answered with a slight shudder, as the memory of his sufferings from かわき recurred to him.

As they proceeded there was no 疑問 left on their minds, that the sound they heard was made by water, and not by 勝利，勝つd. It was not like the roar made by a cataract, but rather the 安定した irresistible flow of an 巨大な 容積／容量 of water with a very slight 落ちる. It was 近づく sunset when they （機の）カム in 見解（をとる） of the river, and the sight was truly grand and awe 奮起させるing. They had struck a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the 広大な／多数の／重要な 密告者 Creek junctioned with the river on the western 味方する, and the 抱擁する water-course 負かす／撃墜する which they had skirted, entered on the eastern bank almost opposite. A perfect sea of yellow waters rolled onwards before them. Waves rose and fell with rhythmical monotony, and 集まりs of 破片 could be seen swept downwards. Far almost as the 注目する，もくろむs could reach on the wide expanse, the centre of the 現在の was noticeable, and where it met the two 広大な／多数の／重要な streams which flowed in, 反対／詐欺s of froth, 原因（となる）d by the 猛烈な／残忍な whirlpools were formed.

The water had encroached beyond the 限界s of the natural bed, and the 漸進的な receding of shrubs or bushes 示すd its 侵略. 密告者 Creek, on the opposite 味方する, appeared to be at least a mile wide, and this gave the river an 外見 of enormous breadth. To the explorers the sight was astounding, for 以前 they had not 証言，証人／目撃するd anything more than a swollen creek. The comparatively 静める, irresistible flow of this gigantic 容積／容量 of water, miles wide, and of 広大な／多数の／重要な depth impressed them with a feeling of solemnity at the 力／強力にする it 示すd.

"Where does it all go to?" Stanley asked.

"Into Lake Eyre, によれば all accounts," replied Strangway.

"Yes, and several other 広大な／多数の／重要な streams empty into the same lake, which has no 出口. That is the curious part of it," interjected O'Halloran.

"Most of it is surely 蓄える／店d up somewhere, and I dare say will one day be turned to use," answered the leader.

There was silence for a few minutes whilst the men 熟視する／熟考するd the moving waters, and it was broken by Strangway 説, "We are in a 直す／買収する，八百長をする here. I don't see how we can go any その上の. We are hemmed in on all 味方するs except one, and that is the way 支援する."

"This flood cannot last many days you may depend, and when it goes 負かす／撃墜する we may be able to get across," 示唆するd Stanley.

"We will （軍の）野営地，陣営 then for a time where we are. That big stream yonder must be 密告者 Creek, the one we want to go along," Strangway said.

Stanley's suggestion was a good one, and it was at once 行為／法令／行動するd on. On a low 山の尾根 近づく the confluence of the two streams, a 場所／位置 for the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was selected, and it 証明するd to be a very suitable one. There was plenty of 木材／素質 about, and a rough hut was soon built. The スピードを出す／記録につけるs and 破片 brought 負かす／撃墜する by the two streams, some of which was 立ち往生させるd, was also a help to the party, and in a couple of days they had comfortably 位置を示すd themselves. The worst trouble they had was from the snakes, for even at that 早期に season of the year they had been washed out of their winter ４半期/4分の1s by the flood. Their extreme tenacity of life was shown in a 示すd manner, by the fact that some of them, which had probably been swept along for hundreds of miles yet showed かなりの activity. For a week the party watched the flood, and each day it receded to a かなりの extent. A 厚い deposit of mud was left behind, but though the sun shone out 温かく no 不快な／攻撃 exhalations arose. 解決／入植地 along the Diamantina in those days was 事実上 nil, and animal life was 不十分な, so that few carcasses were left behind. On the tenth day the waters were flowing within their normal banks, and the 安定した flood compressed to those 限界s gave 約束 of 継続している for a long time.

"We will have to cross by some means as soon as we can. If we wait for the water to lower enough for us to swim the horses we may be 封鎖するd here for months," Strangway said to his comrades.

"There is 木材／素質 enough about here to build a ship. Could we not make a raft that would float us across. The horses could swim behind it," answered O'Halloran.

"Yes the 試みる／企てる is 価値（がある） making. If we stay here much longer we will have midsummer on us and we will not be able to 押し進める ahead. We have some rope and with those 急ぐs we could easily 貯蔵所d the スピードを出す／記録につけるs together. What do you think of it Stanley. You are an old seafaring man, are you not?" asked the leader.

"We せねばならない be able to make the south bank of the creek 負かす／撃墜する there. The 現在の does not seem very strong," replied the latter.

"If another flood comes 負かす／撃墜する we will 簡単に have to turn 支援する after all our work," went on O'Halloran. "If it were not for the 蓄える／店s I would swim the stream myself."

As the three men were of the same mind no 延期する was made in making a start with the construction of the rude raft. There were a large number of 乾燥した，日照りの スピードを出す／記録につけるs about やめる suitable for the 目的. Most of them had been washed 負かす／撃墜する by former and higher floods, and they were very light. A 量 of hide thongs, and rope were amongst the 蓄える／店s, and with the 付加 援助（する） of （土地などの）細長い一片s of 堅い green bark taken from a sort of eucalypti and some long 急ぐs which grew の近くに at 手渡す, forty of the 脚s were bound together 平行の with each other. A 類似の number were then placed across them at 権利 angles, and underneath the whole four others were placed in diamond 形態／調整 so as 概略で to 似ている the 形態／調整 of a boat. The 最高の，を越す was covered with kangaroo 肌s, after the interstices had been carefully filled with a composition made from grass, clay, and a gum which exuded from a mimosa thicket 近づく the （軍の）野営地，陣営. Two 幅の広い rough oars were made and a couple of 政治家s over twenty feet in length also placed on board. On 存在 開始する，打ち上げるd the raft was 設立する to float beautifully, and a fortnight after the bank of the Diamantina was reached the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was struck. About half the 蓄える／店s were placed on the raft and the 残りの人，物 were carefully 安全な・保証するd on the 支援するs of the 罰金 horses.

As the 分割されない 成果／努力s of the three men would be needed to guide the clumsy （手先の）技術 across it was decided to tie the horses to the end of the raft and let them swim after it. The place where they wished to land was about half a mile 負かす／撃墜する the stream, and in that distance it was confidently 推定する／予想するd that making 十分な allowance for the 必然的な drift they would be able to reach the opposite bank. 密告者 Creek was still throwing a かなりの 容積／容量 of water into the main course, but the latter was not now more than six hundred yards across.

The 開始する，打ち上げる was made with little difficulty, but the horses did not take kindly to the passage, and they had to be almost dragged into the water. For some distance out the raft behaved beautifully and those on it were delighted at the 明らかな success of their idea. By the 援助（する） of the 政治家s and one of the oars the eastern bank was soon left behind and the centre of the stream approached. The water there swept along with majestic 軍隊, and it 掴むd on the raft as if it had been a cork. For a few minutes Strangway and his comrades did not notice that they were making little or no 長，率いるing. Each man was too busily 占領するd with his particular 義務s to 観察する that the 現在の was stronger by far than their 部隊d 成果／努力s and it was the more experienced Stanley who first gave the alarm.

"By heavens," he cried, "We are 存在 swept away."

CHAPTER III.—EYRE.

The unpleasant fact that the 激流 was 広範囲にわたる them 負かす／撃墜する the stream was すぐに 明らかな to them all. They were 絶対 権力のない to cross the centre of the 現在の and they were astonished at the 速度(を上げる） with which the water was running.

"Keep at it lads," shouted Strangway. "We may 会合，会う a break 直接／まっすぐに."

"There is no 恐れる of that," answered Stanley. "The 現在の will be stronger 直接／まっすぐに we 会合，会う the 密告者 Creek waters."

This 予測 was soon 実行するd, for in a few minutes when they （機の）カム into the 付加 flood of the 支流 they were caught with irresistible 軍隊, and the 速度(を上げる） 加速するd.

"We must do something with the horses or they will be 溺死するd," O'Halloran 発言／述べるd.

"Let us 削減（する） them 流浪して," 示唆するd Stanley.

"Then we will lose both them and the 蓄える／店s," 反対するd the leader.

"They may reach the shore and we can afterwards 選ぶ them up," replied O'Halloran.

"Small chance of that I think," returned Strangway gloomily.

An 成果／努力 was then made to get the horses の近くに up to the raft but it 証明するd futile, and after swimming for over two miles they were at length 解放（する）d. The first one 削減（する） loose at once 長，率いるd for the west bank and made some slight 進歩 に向かって it. This animal was followed by the others, but for a long time it seemed as if the 現在の would overpower them. 徐々に, however, they got out of its centre and at last reached the stiller water, and managed to get to the bank. For some time they remained motionless as if exhausted with their long struggle, and then they started along the river after the raft.

It is a remarkable fact which has often been 証明するd by explorers, that in the 孤独s of Central Australia horses will not 任意に leave the presence of man. On numberless occasions this has been 立証するd, and it shows how the barren, lonely wastes—want of food and precariousness of water 供給（する） 影響する／感情 these animals. The men on the raft noticed that the horses were に引き続いて them, and it afforded a gleam of hope in their desperate 条件.

"Our only chance," Stanley at length said, "Is that the river may run into some lagoon, or broaden out, so that the 現在の will be 少なくなるd, and if so, we will be able to make for the bank and perhaps 選ぶ up the horses again."

"I am afraid the first place we will 会合，会う is the 広大な／多数の／重要な Lake Eyre, and goodness knows how we will get out of that place," 答える／応じるd Strangway.

"How far do you think Eyre is away from here?" asked O'Halloran.

"I believe it is nearly a hundred miles distant," was the reply.

"We must be travelling nearly ten miles an hour, so that we should reach it before to-morrow morning," broke in Stanley.

"The raft seems to be 持つ／拘留するing up, that is one なぐさみ at any 率," said the leader.

It was now a couple of hours after noon, and the men 存在 hungry, had their dinner. Fortunately they had placed the 準備／条項s on the raft, and if the latter held together they need have no 恐れる of 餓死するing. The driftwood and 破片 had been washed 負かす／撃墜する when the flood was at its 高さ so that there was nothing in the 形態／調整 of floating 難破 to 干渉する with them. When night fell they could still see the horses on the bank of the river に引き続いて them 負かす／撃墜する, and during the earlier part of the evening their neighing was heard. As the night crept on this 中止するd and they 自然に 結論するd that the animals were exhausted. This was little to be wondered at when it is remembered that in 新規加入 to their terrible 戦う／戦い with the stream they must have followed the raft for about fifty miles.

The 拒絶する／低下するing moon did not rise until a couple of hours after midnight, and up till then the occupants of the raft 持続するd a vigilant watch. About an hour before the moon rose they were sensible that the 動議 of their clumsy （手先の）技術 had altered, and when the light got brighter they knew that they had either entered Eyre or some 広大な／多数の／重要な lagoon. The sweeps of the 現在の was no longer 明らかな and they floated calmly and 静かに along. The 渦巻く of the water was also absent, and 熱望して the castaways waited for daylight.

As the moon rose higher in the heavens they could see by its rays that far as 見通し reached there was nothing but water.

"We are surely in the lake," Stanley 観察するd to Strangway.

"We should be if the distance I said was 訂正する. Of course I have never been 負かす／撃墜する here myself but it is 一般に understood that the length between the true mouth of the 密告者 and the lake is about one hundred miles."

"We will know in another hour," 観察するd O'Halloran looking at his watch, "The sun should be rising by then."

When day broke a strange scene 現在のd itself. They appeared to be drifting about on an inland sea. The beams of the rising sun tipped the heaving water with almost rainbow hues. の近くに by the raft it appeared almost green, whilst に向かって the east やめる a chromatic 規模 showed out. The most distant was a 深い yellow, and it 徐々に changed in color until the （疑いを）晴らす light green was reached. Far distant to the north, the low 輪郭（を描く） of land could be seen, but in every other direction nothing but an interminable waste of waters met the 注目する，もくろむ like unto the ocean itself.

"We have been swept out a long distance, but we must get 支援する somehow. That yellow streak is where the river empties itself, and that distant land is the place we must reach," said Stanley, as standing on the raft, with his 手渡すs shading his 注目する，もくろむs he carefully scanned the surrounding horizon. As he finished speaking, he took up one of the 政治家s and put it into the water.

"Ah, it is not above ten feet 深い here, and that will be a help to us. We can use these 政治家s with some 影響," he spoke aloud.

O'Halloran 掴むd the other 政治家, and going to the end of the raft, he began to 補助装置 his companion in propelling or 押し進めるing 支援する the raft.

"If we had come out in daylight all this could have been 避けるd," Strangway muttered, as he looked first at the 成果／努力s of his companions, and then at the far distant shore.

Whilst the two men worked at the 政治家s, the leader busied himself 準備するing a much needed breakfast. There were wildfowl on the watery expanse, but there was no use in 狙撃 them, as they could not be cooked.

"We will get a few when we are 近づく the land, and can utilise them," Strangway said, as O'Halloran 示唆するd taking a 発射 at some of the game.

Although there was no outward 現在の 明らかに the 進歩 made was very slow, but の直前に noon a slight 微風 sprang up from the south, and Stanley with the remaining テント and the 政治家s, managed to 装備する up a sort of a shoulder of mutton sail. More 速度(を上げる） was now 得るd without 手動式の exertion, but as the 勝利，勝つd veered 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to the west during the afternoon, this method had to be abandoned.

"If we only had a stiff 微風 from the south, we would soon be 岸に," 不平（をいう）d the leader.

"I hope the 勝利，勝つd does not rise," replied Stanley. "On such a sheet of water as this, we would, most likely, be 押し寄せる／沼地d. The waves would sweep us off this float."

"Yes," broke in O'Halloran in some alarm, "I never thought of that. A 嵐／襲撃する might rise at any moment, and the sooner we get to land the better."

As he spoke he took one of the 政治家s and worked with energy to run the raft に向かって the land. As evening approached, they were still 十分な three miles away from the land, and a new danger 現在のd itself to 複雑にする the position. The 巨大な inrush of flood water had 原因（となる）d the lake to encroach a long distance on the surrounding country. Evidently it was some years since the lake had been so high, for a growth of 絡まるd scrub was 観察するd on the old bed—or rather the high water area. When within two miles of the water's 辛勝する／優位, the raft was nearly snagged in some of this undergrowth, and as it was almost dark, on the advice of Stanley it was decided to '錨，総合司会者 for the night.' The raft was 安全な・保証するd, by having the 政治家s 軍隊d into the 底（に届く） at either end, and the oar was 類似して 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on the 味方する opposite the land. The 状況／情勢 was not by any means a pleasant one. 漏れるs were showing themselves in さまざまな places, and the 蓄える／店s had to be continually 転換d, so as to 妨げる loss or 損失 by the water. During the night too, a 嵐の 勝利，勝つd blew, and the three men were kept 占領するd in 妨げるing the waves 広範囲にわたる over the raft. Soon after midnight, it became 明らかな that the 勝利，勝つd was 増加するing in 暴力／激しさ. Fortunately it blew from the south, or the 状況／情勢 of the party would have been perilously desperate.

"We must chance 存在 driven 岸に. If not we may be washed over. The 十分な 軍隊 of the waves has not yet come," Stanley at length said, after an anxious silence.

"We may lose our 蓄える／店s," 反対するd the leader.

"We are sure to lose them here, but if we are swept 岸に we may save some of them," 敏速に answered the ex-船員.

This argument was conclusive, and without more ado, the frail 錨，総合司会者s were 解除するd out, and each man taking one took up a position on either 味方する, at the aft end, and proceeded to guide as best they could their clumsy （手先の）技術. The 勝利，勝つd and waves 軍隊d it 速く に向かって the land, and the latter occasionally broke over it, and on to the 蓄える／店s. These were 安全な・保証するd 同様に as possible, and little 損失 was done them. They had begun to congratulate themselves on the success of their move, for they were 急速な／放蕩な 近づくing the shore, when a sudden shock threw O'Halloran into the water, and prostrated the other two men on the deck of the raft. In a few moments the waves had swung the （手先の）技術 broadside on, and later it became 明らかな that the shock had 緩和するd the fastenings, and the スピードを出す／記録につけるs were coming apart. The night was intensely dark, and for some moments neither Stanley or Strangway noticed the absence of O'Halloran. Calling to him for 援助（する） in 権利ing the raft, and receiving no 返答, they soon discovered that he was 行方不明の.

"He must have made for the bank," Stanley called out.

"The raft is going to pieces. We must do the same," returned the leader.

"Yes, there is no use staying here. We can do nothing," was Stanley's answer.

The land could be seen, not far distant, ぼんやり現れるing like a 黒人／ボイコット line on the horizon. The water they knew was not more than three or four feet 深い, but the 絡まるd undergrowth was to be 恐れるd. 掴むing what lay nearest them, the two men dropped into the water, and, 味方する by 味方する made their way to the land. Contrary to their 期待s they did not 会合，会う with the 潜水するd scrub they 推定する／予想するd to 遭遇（する）, and in a few minutes they stood on 乾燥した，日照りの land. The shore was not more than a hundred yards from where the raft had come to grief.

The first thing they did was to call loudly for O'Halloran, but no 返答 （機の）カム. This did not surprise them much, for it was やめる likely he had mistaken the direct 上陸 place, and had gone その上の east or west. Moreover the noise made by the （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing of the waves on the land and the sighing of the 勝利，勝つd amongst the pendulous leaves—or rather pendant fringe of the casuarina or she-oak, those aeolian harps of the Australian bush, almost 溺死するd their 発言する／表明するs.

"Let us make a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 if we can, I have 乾燥した，日照りの matches and the light will soon bring Ted to us," Strangway said.

A 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was much needed by the two men, for in 新規加入 to 存在 wet the 勝利，勝つd blowing off the 広大な lake was exceedingly keen, and both the pastoral explorers were shivering in spite of their 最近の exertions. There was plenty of 支持を得ようと努めるd obtainable, and soon a pile was gathered and 始める，決める on 解雇する／砲火／射撃 without much trouble. It 炎d 速く and threw a 感謝する warmth 同様に as a 有望な light around. Somewhat 元気づけるd by the genial presence of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 the two men forgot their troubles for the moment, and whilst they waited for the return of their absent comrade, began to 乾燥した，日照りの their dripping 衣料品s. Stanley was standing with his 支援する to the 炎 の近くに to the end of a large スピードを出す／記録につける which 事業／計画（する）d from the 燃やすing pile when Strangway who was 押し進めるing the 炎上ing sticks together suddenly 掴むd and pulled him away.

"Look out! A snake," he cried to his surprised companion.

As the latter jumped away he looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する and saw that a large tiger snake which must have been ensconsed in the スピードを出す／記録につける had been 軍隊d out by the heat. It was soon despatched, but a sharp look out was kept for other reptiles.

"I wonder what has become of Ted?" Stanley asked after a long pause.

"He cannot be far away. Perhaps he has got behind a 山の尾根 and cannot see the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. He will turn up at daylight," returned Strangway.

"It cannot be far from that now. My watch has stopped, I see," Stanley answered.

"The water has got to it, I suppose, but you can 始める，決める it by 地雷. It will be daylight in half an hour."

The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 燃やすd rather low before the day broke, but neither men cared to gather more 支持を得ようと努めるd in the dark in a place that was 明らかに infested with snakes, and they waited for sunrise. When is （機の）カム they could see that the raft had struck against the stump of a tree on one 味方する, and a broken 四肢 近づく by 妨げるd it drifting in. 明らかに it was partly in pieces, as several of the スピードを出す／記録につけるs of which it was composed were lying on the bank.

"We must go out as soon as possible and try what we can save. Some of the tinned articles will not be 負傷させるd by the water, and we can easily 乾燥した，日照りの the テント," Strangway said.

"Will we wait for Ted. He is sure to be about soon," answered Stanley.

"There is no need for that. I want to get those 保存するd meats so that we can have something to eat," replied the leader.

Without その上の conversation both men divested themselves of their 着せる／賦与するing and proceeded to wade out to the snagged raft. It was reached without trouble and a search made for the 要求するd articles. Some of them still remained on the 木材／素質s but a 部分 was swept away. Stanley climbed on the raft to 手渡す Strangway a box, and he was in the 行為／法令／行動する of stooping to 解除する it up when he stopped rigid as one petrified and gazed through the 不和d スピードを出す／記録につけるs of the raft into the water. Divining that something was wrong Strangway climbed beside him and as he looked his 注目する，もくろむs met the 恐ろしい dead 直面する of O'Halloran 星／主役にするing with wide open 注目する，もくろむs from beneath the water through the 開始 in the スピードを出す／記録につけるs.

CHAPTER IV.—FINKE CREEK.

The shock to the two men was a terrible one, for the sight was utterly 予期しない. Neither of them had the remotest thought that O'Halloran was 溺死するd. There was only about three feet of water at the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す and how he could 会合，会う his death in such a place and without their 存在 aware of it was for a time a mystery to them. A short examination, however, showed how 悲劇 had occurred.

O'Halloran was thrown into water on the north 味方する and before he could 回復する himself the raft had been swept over him. This would not やむを得ず have 妨げるd him getting from under had it not been for the fact that the breaking up of the （手先の）技術 had entangled him in the loose 木材／素質s. In the 不明瞭, and the noise made by the water his companions did not know of his 苦境, and indeed never 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd it.

Strangway looked for a few moments at the 直面する of his dead comrade and then 解除するing the hatchet which he carried, he proceeded to 削減（する） 流浪して the スピードを出す／記録につけるs which pinned the 死んだ under. He was at once 補助装置d by Stanley, and in half a minute the work was 遂行するd. As quickly as possible they got out the 団体／死体 and showed an 切望 in the 仕事 which gave the idea that they thought by some miraculous means it might be 設立する that life had not yet fled. It is needless to say how futile was the hope. Poor O'Halloran had for hours been past human 援助（する）, and as they しっかり掴むd the rigid 死体 their momentary dream of life 消えるd. They had some difficulty in getting 岸に with their 予期しない burthen, and neither of them uttered a syllable until it was laid 負かす／撃墜する beside the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.

"井戸／弁護士席?" queried Stanley, looking at his companion interrogatively.

For a few moments Strangway did not reply to the monosyllabic question, and then speaking slowly and solemnly he said:—

"I have now made up my mind that come what may, I will 調査する the sources of 密告者 Creek. There is only one thing which will 妨げる me——"

"And that?" broke in Stanley.

"Is death. After losing two good comrades in the way we have, our plain 義務 is to 押し進める on. Whilst they were alive I was somewhat doubtful of going on, but now I have no scruples at all. Even if you left me Tom, I would go 今後."

"You needn't be afraid of my doing that," 温かく answered the ex-船員.

"I know I can depend on you, and I think indeed, it will be safer for us to go on. It would be a 広大な／多数の／重要な 危険 to try and re-cross the river just now, and by the time we return—if ever we do—it will probably be only a chain of water-穴を開けるs. There seems to be a good prospect ahead, and if we can only 安全な・保証する the horses we may make an important 発見."

"We are on the 権利 bank of the Warburton to get them, I think," said Stanley.

"Yes we may discover them for our 大勝する to the 密告者 Creek should lead us along the 跡をつける which they have probably followed. Even without the horses we should 後継する in reaching the place we wish to. If we returned now and 報告（する）／憶測d that Ted and 法案 had lost their lives and nothing resulted from the sacrifice, I don't know what would be thought of us. In fact, I would die rather than return under such circumstances," he 結論するd emphatically.

"I am with you heart and soul," 簡単に answered his companion.

"We must go 支援する and save what we can from the water. We will want all we will 得る," Strangway again said.

Casting a ぐずぐず残る ちらりと見ること at the still form 近づく the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, the two explorers went 支援する to the lake and for half an hour busied themselves in 回復するing the 蓄える／店s. With few exceptions everything was 設立する, and on account of the way it was packed, little was destroyed.

"That is something in our 好意 at any 率," said Strangway. "We will want 準備／条項s to go along the 大勝する."

"How can we get along without the horses?" asked Stanley.

"We must find them if possible. They cannot be far away," returned Strangway.

Going 支援する to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 they, for the second time in a few weeks, had to bury one of their comrades. It seemed that they were 運命にあるd to misfortune in thus losing by death two of the party; but it いつかs happens that 探検隊／遠征隊s, which at the 手始め are unlucky, turn out 井戸／弁護士席 in the end. So the two men hoped it would be in the 現在の 事例／患者. After burying O'Halloran, the 蓄える／店s were carried to a place of safety, and 安全な・保証するd, as it was decided to go in search of the 行方不明の horses, for at least one day. If they were not then 設立する, the explorers would do the best they could on foot, and take only necessary 準備／条項s with them.

Going 負かす／撃墜する to the banks of the Warburton, they skirted along it for about four miles, when a large open plain was reached, and to their joy, the horses were 観察するd not far from the southern 辛勝する／優位, 静かに grazing. The packs were still on them, and in a few minutes they were 安全な・保証するd. There was no trouble about that, for when the animals saw their masters, they ran neighing to them. As soon as they were brought 支援する to the 辛勝する／優位 of the lake, the packs were 除去するd, and a （軍の）野営地，陣営 formed for the night.

Next morning a start was made for 密告者 Creek, which they ーするつもりであるd striking about fifty miles above its junction with the Diamentina River. The country was mostly sandy, though in places a few belts of light 木材／素質 were met. 時折の patches of spinnifex were 遭遇（する）d, but on the whole the 大勝する was a very 平易な one. の直前に noon on the third day, 密告者 Creek was reached, and it 証明するd to be a noble stream. The late rains had of course 大いに swollen it, but the （疑いを）晴らす water showed it must have its rise amongst rocky 範囲s. At its junction with the river, it was a turbid stream running through clay plains, and receiving the muddy 支流s which flowed through them. 非常に／多数の wild fowl were on the creek, and along low 範囲s which ran の近くに to it kangaroo were 設立する. The explorers were thus enabled to 得る abundant food, and they quickly 押し進めるd on に向かって the 長，率いる of the stream.

After a week's travel in a north westerly direction, the country became changed, and rocky 頂点（に達する）s could be seen in the blue distance. This was evidently the source of the creek, and with their 目的地 in 見解（をとる）, they went 今後 with redoubled energy. On the second morning after sighting the 範囲s they （機の）カム to a queer looking waterfall on the stream. The creek in fact ran from a sort of 高原 or terrace behind a rocky 頂点（に達する） 権利 through the eminence, and on the lower 味方する it fell about a dozen feet. There was an 巨大な 容積／容量 of water 注ぐing through this strange aperture, and when the two men reached it they were as astonished to hear a 一連の 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の sounds coming from within. They were like the moans of 拘留するd 巨人s, and they appeared to be constant, and to have 脅すd away the animal life that abounded lower 負かす／撃墜する. Neither birds, kangaroo or other 肉親，親類d of the lower 創造 could be seen for a かなりの distance from the 落ちるs. The horses of the party betrayed かなりの 恐れる also, and it was with difficulty they could be got to proceed. At last they 絶対 辞退するd to go ahead, and dismounting, Strangway and his companion 安全な・保証するd them to trees, and went on without them. When they reached the 砂漠d place they could not see anything to account for the strange 現象. The sounds were weird and like the despairing 激しい抗議 of some 抱擁する monster in extreme agony.

"What can it be?" asked Stanley.

"I cannot tell you. Let us make an examination of the hill. We may discover something," replied Strangway.

Both men were 井戸／弁護士席 武装した with a ライフル銃／探して盗む and revolver, in 新規加入 to which the leader carried a 発射 gun. Looking to the 武器s to see that they were ready for 活動／戦闘 if 要求するd, the explorers carefully 上がるd the 頂点（に達する）, and began a minute examination. Not a 調印する of life, human or さもなければ was met with, but when the 首脳会議 was reached a magnificent 見解（をとる） lay outstretched before them. To the west, a 刺激（する） of the hill 支店d off, and it ran in the form of a 徐々に 上がるing saddle-支援する 範囲, until it met the magnificent line of hills, which the explorers had already noticed. The 関係 between the 頂点（に達する） and the 範囲 証明するd to be a gigantic 人工的な hollow 塀で囲む, with the 最高の，を越す 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd, 似ているing a 広大な／多数の／重要な subterranean circular tunnel, the roof cropping above the level of the ground. Along the base it was 密集して 木材／素質d with trees and a ジャングル of undergrowth. Northerly, the river （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する from the 範囲s, and swept under the 頂点（に達する） through a yawning 湾 in the 激しく揺する, but the noises which were now fainter were certainly not made by the inrush of water. At times they sounded like the distant にわか景気 of the ocean, dashing on a 激しく揺する-bound shore, whilst again they seemed to change into a shriek.

"I can't understand this, unless there are caverns into which the water is 急ぐing," Stanley at length said.

"The noise scarcely seems like that," replied Strangway. "If the water was 落ちるing into the earth it might make a sound something of the same sort. But that cannot be it, for the same 容積／容量 of water seems to come out on the other 味方する, as enters on this. Let us go 支援する again and have another look at the 落ちるs," he 結論するd after a short pause.

Retracing their steps they again 調査するd the southern declivity, but without 存在 in the least enlightened. They could not help noticing that the sounds on the south were much louder than those on the north, but that did not help them to a 解答 of their 原因（となる）.

"It's no use our remaining here," said Strangway, with a puzzled 空気／公表する. "Let us go 支援する to the horses, and get 一連の会議、交渉／完成する this place. We will only go as far as yonder 範囲, and then we will start for home again. We have discovered some excellent pastoral country along here, and the headwaters of this creek are without 疑問 永久の."

"Yes that is a certainty, and some of those plains across to the east would make splendid pastures. We have at least 設立する that Central Australia, so far as we have gone is not a barren waste," replied Stanley.

Without その上の conversation they retraced their steps to where the horses were tied, and which were evincing unmistakeable 指示，表示する物s of 恐れる. 解放（する）ing the animals, the travellers made a slight detour so as to 避ける the 頂点（に達する）, and afterwards made in the direction of the connecting 刺激（する） which led to the 範囲.

"We should reach the end to-morrow Tom, and since leaving Eyre we have had no 推論する／理由 to complain of our luck," said Strangway.

"It was confoundly bad up to that time though," was the reply.

"It might have been worse," （機の）カム the sententious answer.

On coming to the belt of ジャングル at the foot of the connecting 刺激（する）, Strangway 推定する／予想するd to get a 発射 at a wallaby or a bird, but he was disappointed. So far as the men could see there was not 十分な 地盤 on the smooth surface of the half 一連の会議、交渉／完成するd 刺激（する） for a 激しく揺する wallaby to get a 持つ／拘留する, and the scrub at the 底（に届く） appeared to be 砂漠d by animal life, even as the 周辺 of the waterfall was.

"This is a strange place altogether. A while 支援する we could get as much game as we liked, but there is nothing about here," exclaimed Stanley.

"I cannot understand it. There must be something which 脅すs the animals away. I could understand the noises at the 落ちるs doing so, but they are not heard about here."

It was Stanley who spoke, and he had scarcely finished when the same queer にわか景気ing sound smote their ears, coming 明らかに from the 周辺 of the rocky 刺激（する）. The two men looked at each other for a few moments, and a shade of 逮捕 crossed their 直面するs.

"We have only a few miles その上の to go, Tom, and we may 同様に finish our 旅行, but had I heard these sounds fifty miles その上の 支援する, I would have turned 支援する," Strangway said.

"Let us finish by all means. Sounds will never 傷つける us," Stanley replied in a 反抗的な トン.

Just before sunset they reached the base of the 範囲, and pitched their （軍の）野営地，陣営 in a 狭くする, but fertile valley, at the end of which rose up a pyramidal 封鎖する of 抱擁する 激しく揺するs. A small rivulet ran 負かす／撃墜する the centre, and there was an abundant 供給（する） of 支持を得ようと努めるd, and forage for the horses. Had it not been for the mysterious sounds heard during the day, the place would have seemed a perfect garden of Eden to the explorers, after their long travel through sterile tracts. As it was a gloom hung over both of them. Like sailors of the old time, when in the 霧s and しん気楼s of the trackless ocean, they fancied they saw the phantom of the 飛行機で行くing Dutchman, and heard the dread 発言する／表明する of the spectre on deck. Strangway and his companion had a presentment that something weird and uncanny was about to happen. They did not 発言する／表明する their 恐れるs, but after 安全な・保証するing the horses の近くに to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, they made the place as comfortable as possible under the circumstances.

As they lay 負かす／撃墜する with their 武器 ready to 手渡す, they were both inwardly pleased that on the morrow they would begin the return 旅行. For several hours, neither man slept, and it was 井戸／弁護士席 on to morning when slumber fell upon their tired 団体／死体s. The sun was streaming brightly on them ere they awoke. Stanley was the first to sit upright, and the rising sun streaming into the newly opened 注目する，もくろむs, 原因（となる）d him to lose his 見通し for a few moments. As his sight grew stronger, he turned his gaze in the direction of the horses. They were there sure enough, and he jumped to his feet, for standing amongst them he saw the form of a man 覆う？ in a garb, the like of which he had never seen.

CHAPTER V.—BACK FROM THE GRAVE.

Like a statue the hardy explorer stood for a 十分な minute, trying to 位置を示す the strange 存在 he saw amongst the horses, but the more he tried, the more mystified he became. From the 活動／戦闘s of the man he must be blind. He seemed to be groping around in a dazed sort of manner, as if uncertain of his position, and what the animals before him were. Stanley did not pause long, but going to Strangway he awoke him.

"What's the 事柄 Tom," the leader asked, sitting up and rubbing his 注目する，もくろむs.

For answer, his comrade pointed to the rude corral in which the horses were placed, and which were becoming somewhat restive. Partly blinded like his comrade by the strong beams of the rising sun, Strangway for fully half a minute could not see the startling 反対する which attracted his friend's attention. Suddenly, however, his features lighted up in that strange manner typified when consciousness 主張するs its dominion over the mind, and for a 十分な minute he was silent.

"What is it?" he at length gasped out.

"I don't know," （機の）カム the curt 返答.

掴むing his ライフル銃／探して盗む in one 手渡す, and the 発射 gun in the other, Strangway stood up 説——

"This may be only some 陰謀（を企てる） to do us 害（を与える）. Don't forget the sounds we heard yesterday. That fellow is trying to carry off our horses, so as to make us more helpless, but he will die first."

As he finished speaking, he sank on one 膝, and rose his ライフル銃／探して盗む to take 目的（とする） at the strange creature amongst the horses, but Stanley 抑制するd him. The ex-船員 had had a longer 適切な時期 of 裁判官ing the human apparition than his companion, and taking his arm he said:

"Don't shoot, for I think the fellow is mad. If there was a 陰謀（を企てる） to take the horses it would not be carried out in daylight, but whilst we slept. Watch the man for a minute or two. He appears to be blind."

Strangway thus adjured, paused, and the longer his 観察, the more 納得させるd he was that his comrade's opinion 願望（する）d 十分な consideration.

"Yes," he at length said. "Let us watch for a few minutes—or rather I will watch him, and you keep guard in the 後部. There is something 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の about here you know, and we cannot be too careful."

Whilst Stanley turned to watch in the opposite direction, occasionally turning his 長，率いる in the direction of where the horses stood, Strangway closely 観察するd the 予期しない 侵入者.

That personage seemed to be utterly oblivious of the fact that the two explorers were about, for all his attention was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd on the horses. Occasionally he would stand and put his 手渡すs to his 長，率いる, as if in extreme perplexity, and then he would 前進する as 近づく as he could to the 退却／保養地ing horses. His 明らかな 願望（する） seemed to be rather to 診察する the animals than to 逮捕（する） them. That was 特許 from his method of 手続き, and at length Strangway was so 納得させるd that the man was daft that he decided to take some 活動／戦闘.

At first he was deterred by the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 外見 of the man's dress. Like a dream there rose before him pictures, which he had seen when a boy, of the supposed garb of 先史の man, in days when the world was young. In the British Museum he had been shown the dress as remodelled from Archaic carvings—of an 古代の Burmese, but though the style appeared something like the same, the colors were altogether different. Strangway was a man of 活動／戦闘, and his mind was soon made up.

"Tom," he called to his companion, "let us 逮捕（する） that follow, and if he tries to escape we will shoot him. Is your revolver alright? as we may need all our 武器s."

"Yes, I am ready to fight, but don't let us do so unless there is a real necessity," （機の）カム the reply.

"I will not throw a 発射 away," answered Strangway.

訴訟／進行 慎重に に向かって the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the horses were placed, with levelled 武器s, the two men got within twenty yards of the mysterious newcomer, and the closer they drew the more astonished they became. The exposed parts of his 肌 were almost pure white whilst the hair and 耐えるd were nearly the same hue. It was not a natural white, but a 肉親，親類d of bleached color. The man wore no 長，率いる covering, but a 肉親，親類d of gown was 一時停止するd from his shoulders, and reached to his feet. It was of a light brown hue—what is popularly known as a dirty white, and appeared to be closely plaited. This at first did not strike the two 観客s so much, as subsequently, for they were too much 利益／興味d in the movements of the man. He was still moving about in a half-dazed fashion amongst the horses, and at last Strangway, unable to 含む／封じ込める his surprise, shouted—

"Hey!"

The 影響 was 電気の. In an instant the queer thing turned in the direction of the sound, and an 表現 of unutterable emotion flashed across his features. Strangway repeated the call and then with 武器 half outstretched the man （機の）カム に向かって them. A small tree was in the road, but as he nearly reached it he turned aside, thus showing that he was not 絶対 blind. He did not seem to be 武装した, and this fact somewhat re-保証するd Strangway and his companion, but still his uncanny 外見 原因（となる）d them no small 量 of 怪しげな 恐れる. Within half a dozen paces of the two men he stopped and gave a low cry. It was human at any 率, but やめる unintelligible. As he thus stood, the feelings of the two explorers 量d to almost 絶対の terror. Had the newcomer been 黒人／ボイコット or in fact had a tribe of aboriginals appeared, they would have been undaunted, but this 相当な ghost, so to speak, was appalling to look upon.

The blanched whiteness of the 直面する gave the impression that the 有望な red 血 of mortal man did not course beneath such a 肌, yet the apparition had just uttered a sound. Stanley had read somewhere of these monsters called vampires, and the 外見 they were supposed to 現在の. Instinctively the 反対する before him 解任するd the vampire legend so far as the colour was 関心d, but as he looked the ex-船員 軟化するd, for in the 表現 of the 直面する he saw neither cruelty nor かわき for 血.

"Who, and what are you?" again called Strangway.

As the 発言する／表明する sounded, the human apparition again 前進するd, and when within a couple of yards of the explorers, he saw them and stood irresolute. As they 熱心に scanned his 直面する they could see that his 注目する，もくろむs were almost の近くにd, and blinking, as if the strong light of the sun 傷つける them. He appeared as if 打ち勝つ with emotion, at seeing Strangway and Stanley, but was as dumb as the un-communicating muteness of a fish.

"Where do you come from?" Stanley queered.

The man thus 演説（する）／住所d appeared to ponder confusedly for a few moments, and then as a gleam of 知能 lighted up his features, he pointed downward to the earth, and uttered something, which sounded like:—

"There!"

If anything was 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 確認する the explorers impression that their strange 訪問者 was half diabolic in his nature, this 供給（する）d the point. And yet the more they saw of him, the いっそう少なく 恐れる 主張するd itself.

"I can't make him out, Tom. I have read of 恐れる turning a person's hair white in a 選び出す／独身 night, and if so, may it not have the same 影響 on the 直面する."

"Perhaps," he 追加するd, with a sudden burst of inspiration, "this may be some lost white man, whose 独房監禁 wanderings in these lonely 地区s have made silly."

"Perhaps so," 主張するd Stanley, shaking his 長，率いる doubtfully.

"He may be hungry too. Let us give him something to eat, if he will have it," continued the leader.

"Yes."

"Come and have something to eat," Strangway said to the silent man in 前線 of him, at the same time pointing to the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

"You forget that he can scarcely see a couple of yards ahead. Look at his 注目する，もくろむs," interrupted Stanley.

Strangway, with a muttered assent went の近くに to the man, and again repeating his 招待, pointed to the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

The 欠如（する）-lustre 注目する，もくろむs followed the 延長するd finger and then as the leader moved on the newcomer slowly followed. The （軍の）野営地，陣営-解雇する／砲火／射撃 of the night was just smouldering, and as the explorer's queer 訪問者 saw the smoke he seemed to be almost childishly 利益／興味d in it. After 集会 some 支持を得ようと努めるd Stanley placed it on the embers and it soon 炎d up. The weird-looking man could not repress his feelings at this and laughed with simple glee at the sight. The merriment was the most human-like and natural which Strangway and Stanley had yet heard, and it かなり 安心させるd them.

Whilst Stanley 用意が出来ている breakfast his comrade watched the man opposite him who was intently gazing into the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and from that to the busy 人物／姿／数字 of the ex-船員. It almost seemed to Strangway that each moment saw a change in the 直面する of his 訪問者. At least he appeared to become more in sympathy with himself, and 徐々に his feeling of repulsion began to die away.

"Make some tea," he said to Stanley whose turn it was to 準備する the meal.

A かなりの 量 of tea had been carried by the explorers, but latterly the 供給（する） was getting low and it was only used occasionally. Whilst breakfast was 存在 用意が出来ている Strangway intently 熟考する／考慮するd his 訪問者 but did not speak to him, and, indeed he even forgot to fill his usual morning 麻薬を吸う so intensely 利益／興味d was he. A jam tin of tea was 手渡すd to the "vampire" as Stanley yet 固執するd in calling him, and after smelling it a couple of times and tasting it, he drank it off with avidity, and rising to his feet, walked a few steps to Stanley and held out the tin for more. That at least was sociable and 納得させるd the 船員 there was a 可能性 of his 存在 wrong in his theory. Vampires were not supposed to be fond of tea. The tea was given and 消費するd, and then the tin seemed to be an 反対する of 吸収するing 利益／興味 to the newcomer. Some kippered herrings were also produced, and after a short examination were evidently relished by the 半分-blind man.

"He is able to eat and drink what we do. That is a good 調印する, " Stanley said.

"I wonder if he can smoke?" Strangway 発言／述べるd as he had just thought of his 麻薬を吸う.

Stanley did not reply for he too in the excitement of the morning had forgotten the soothing 少しのd, and was busily engaged filling his 麻薬を吸う. When the two men began to puff the fragrant clouds of タバコ smoke which pervaded the morning 空気／公表する, it appeared as if an old forgotten perfume had fallen upon the senses of the man opposite them. He 匂いをかぐd the 空気／公表する like a bloodhound just finding the 追跡する, and after a few minutes he went to Stanley and with a beseeching look stretched out his 手渡す.

"Get him one of the spare 麻薬を吸うs Tom," Strangway said.

Through the untimely deaths of Daniels and O'Halloran there were several spare 麻薬を吸うs left and with hearty good nature the 船員 手渡すd the imploring 訪問者 his own lighted 麻薬を吸う and got a spare one for himself. The pale stranger 即時に put the 麻薬を吸う to his lips and 開始するd puffing away as if his life depended on the 操作／手術, and his enjoyment was so evident that even a child might have noticed it.

"He likes a smoke, Tom," Strangway 発言／述べるd after a few minutes watching.

"My word he does. He puts me in mind of the 乗組員 of the Santa Anna who were castaways on a 太平洋の island for three years. My 船長／主将 救助（する）d them and they were 寝台／地位d in the forecastle. In twenty-four hours there wasn't a plug of タバコ on board and we had to smoke tea leaves or anything we could fill our 麻薬を吸うs with for the 残りの人，物 of the voyage," Stanley answered.

When the 麻薬を吸う was nearly emptied Strangway went and sat beside his 訪問者 who received him with a smile of gratified 承認. The explorer could not help 発言／述べるing that the sight of the newcomer was getting better. He could now see the movements of the horses, and the animals afforded him やめる a 地雷 of 利益／興味.

"What's your 指名する?" the leader asked 突然の.

The stranger was silent whilst his brows 契約d and his 注目する，もくろむs were filled with a look of 激しい perplexity.

"Where did you come from?" continued Strangway, 表明するing the question more by gesture than by words.

The strange man at once pointed to the earth, but gave no その上の 返答.

"Do you come from 地下組織の?" asked the leader with a laugh.

There was a slight inclination of the 長，率いる.

"He is what we used to 称する，呼ぶ／期間／用語 a 'sub man,' or a fellow who lives most of his time 地下組織の," broke in Stanley. "In some of the British collieries there are men who spend twenty out of twenty-four hours in the 地雷s. They are 一般に engaged looking after the horses, but," he 追加するd, "there are no collieries in the centre of Australia, so that this does not explain the mystery surrounding our 利益／興味ing friend."

Stanley again asked the strange 訪問者 his 指名する repeating the question slowly and with an 問い合わせing look. He was at length rewarded for the man's 直面する seemed to light up with a ray of 知能 as he 静かに replied, "Talmud."

"Talmud," repeated Strangway "that's a queer 指名する. He must be of Hebrew 降下／家系," he continued, 演説（する）／住所ing Stanley. "Perhaps we have discovered the personal embodyment of the 'Traditions of the 年上のs,' and when he acquires a better knowledge of our language he may 明らかにする／漏らす to us hidden secrets of an 古代の race of which we know nothing; I 提案する we encourage friendly relations with our strange, not to say uncanny 訪問者."

"He certainly has a look of 知能, that at first sight I failed to 観察する," replied Stanley, "and I'm decidedly of your opinion in the question of cultivating his 知識, in the hope that time may solve the mystery that hangs over our distinguished 訪問者."

CHAPTER VI.—A VALLEY OF DEATH.

It was the 21st of December, 1870, when the 会合 with "Talmud" took place, and it had an 影響 on Strangway and his companion which they could scarcely have 心配するd. Their 意向 the previous night was to make a return start for distant Nardoo 駅／配置する, and 報告（する）／憶測 to Mills the result of their pastoral 発見s. The presence of the pale stranger, however, altered their 計画（する）s, as they both felt there was an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の mystery 大（公）使館員d to him, which might be solved in the locality. It seemed to them that the weird sounds heard at the waterfall and on the stony 刺激（する）, were inexplicably interwoven with the queer creature, who had joined them. Each hour the latter remained, he appeared to grow more human like, so to speak. His 知能 was developing, whilst his eyesight was 存在 回復するd in an almost miraculous manner.

"What say you to spending Christmas here, Tom? I have formed an idea that we may make a remarkable 発見 about these 範囲s," Strangway said to his companion.

"I am thinking the same. In fact we have already made one strange find. What about the danger though?" Stanley answered.

"I don't know why it is, but I have lost my 恐れるs in that 尊敬（する）・点. There may be a few tribes of 黒人／ボイコットs in such a locality as this, but you know we care little for them. So far we have not been （性的に）いたずらするd in any way by them. Certainly we have been very fortunate, and a week or two here should not alter our luck in that 尊敬（する）・点. They would be most likely on the plains too, and not amongst the 範囲s," the leader replied.

"I am curious also to 診察する these hills."

"Then we will stay say for ten days and start 支援する on the 1st January," 結論するd Strangway.

This 決意／決議 was imparted to the stranger—or "Talmud," as the two explorers now began to call him. He appeared to half-comprehend it, and when he saw his companions proceed to make the （軍の）野営地，陣営 stronger and more comfortable for the extra stay, he quickly joined with them in the work. That day they spent 完全に in this work, and also making a small enclosure for the horses, as they could not be taken up the ragged 範囲s. On the に引き続いて morning, the three men, taking with them enough 準備／条項s to last for a couple of days made a start on their 調査するing trip.

Talmud had 改善するd 大いに during that short period, and was now able to comprehend, not only most of the orders given him, but also to 明確に speak a number of words. Both Strangway and Stanley noticed that he pronounced them with a peculiar accent. The pallor on his 直面する, too, was becoming いっそう少なく, and this took away a good 取引，協定 of the 恐ろしい 外見 he had at first 現在のd.

The （軍の）野営地，陣営 was 据える almost at the base of the 長，指導者 範囲, and starting away about two hours after sunrise, an 高度 of five hundred feet was soon reached. The highest point seemed to be やめる fifteen hundred feet, and as the men 前進するd the structure became more rugged and forbidding. 近づく the base rich vegetation grew and though in the valley below 激しく揺するs could be seen, it was plain that they were 単に detached 玉石s which had broken away from the parent 集まり and been precipitated into the lower area.

As Strangway and his two companions climbed unforeseen difficulties 現在のd themselves. The 法外な ascent was covered with a loose detritus which 崩壊するd under their feet and threw them 支援する. Short shrubs grew on it but they afforded no 持つ／拘留する, coming out of the loose 国／地域 at the first touch. So difficult was the assent that by noon, not more than half the distance had been made, and a partly level 位置／汚点／見つけ出す 存在 reached, a 停止（させる） was called. From their position the sun （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 負かす／撃墜する upon them with 広大な／多数の／重要な 軍隊 and the perpendicular 激しく揺するs afforded no 避難所 from its vertical rays. On the previous day a sort of "skull" cap had been given to Talmud by Stanley, as when first seen he had no 長，率いる-covering. This was but a slight 保護 from the sun, but the ex-sailor was engaged plaiting him a sort of trimmed "cabbage tree" which would be more effectual.

"What is the 事柄 with your 直面する?" Stanley asked the stranger, as they sat around having some food.

Strangway looked up with surprise as the question was asked, and turning his 注目する，もくろむs from the panorama below to Talmud, was startled to see that the 恐ろしい white color had given way to a florid redness. The man 演説（する）／住所d 簡単に put his 手渡す to his 直面する and made no reply.

"He is sunburnt, don't you see," cried the leader, "and now Tom, I am beginning to see what the 事柄 is. Our friend here has been living in a 洞穴 or somewhere like that where the sun could not reach him. He has been a 捕虜 amongst the 黒人／ボイコットs I suppose."

"Yes, there may be something in that. He told us he lived 'below' and it seems that he cannot have escaped very long. He will be as bronzed as you or I in a week or two," Stanley answered.

It was やめる evident that Talmud was very much sunburnt, but painful though it might be it made him much more presentable, and his companions did not fail to 公式文書，認める the change. After a short 残り／休憩（する） the 上向き 旅行 was again 再開するd and fair 進歩 made. On 達成するing a 高さ of about one thousand feet it was 設立する that the pinnacle 頂点（に達する） was separated from the hill they climbed by a 狭くする gorge a couple of hundred feet 深い. Dense vegetation grew in it, and as the sun was 井戸／弁護士席 負かす／撃墜する in the western horizon the whole place was in a sombre 影をつくる／尾行する. At 最高の，を越す it was not more than three hundred feet from one 頂点（に達する） to the other so that the gorge or canyon was almost inaccessible.

"This is an 予期しない 障害," 観察するd Strangway.

"Yes, but we can get across it. Some of these clefts in the 味方するs should lead us 負かす／撃墜する," replied his companion.

"We must either go into the gully or 支援する to the （軍の）野営地，陣営. We cannot stay here to-night as there is no water," the leader said.

The 首脳会議 of the 頂点（に達する） on which they stood was a 明らかにする 乾燥した，日照りの 激しく揺する, but in the gorge abundant water could be seen. At the 底（に届く） a small creek coursed along, and on the opposite 味方する a number of tiny streams 噴出するd out of the rocky 味方するs and fell in 罰金 spray in several instances over a hundred feet.

"I think we should go into the gully. If not we will never be able to 診察する these hills. It has taken us nearly all day to get this far," 観察するd Stanley.

"Then let us find a path 負かす／撃墜する."

Going along the 味方する for about a hundred and fifty yards, a crevice, 明らかに worn by the 活動／戦闘 of the water was 設立する, and 長，率いるd by the ex-sailor, the decent was begun. As the sun sunk lower in the horizon, the gloom of the mountain gorge became indescribable. It made itself felt in a strong way on the nervous systems of the men, and had they been いっそう少なく 勇敢な the 試みる／企てる to descend would have been abandoned. It was a veritable valley of the 影をつくる／尾行する of Death and when after half an hour's careful 成果／努力 the 底（に届く） was reached, the two men looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する with shuddering wonder. The place had the 外見 of a gigantic 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. It ran north and south, and looking along it, the gorge had even the 形態／調整 of a titanic 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な. The glimpse of blue 丸天井 far above only 高くする，増すd the cimmerian gloom of the canyon, and the frowning 激しく揺するs, which rose 突然の gave one the impression that they were on the point of 衝突，墜落ing into the ravine.

An 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の growth of strange vegetation covered the 底（に届く）. It was such as the explorers had never yet seen in their 広範囲にわたる travels. A 種類 of palm grew abundantly, whilst a tree, which grew in patches, 現在のd a luminous 外見, which did something to relieve the gloom. As night fell, this tree glowed something like the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 tree of Western Australia, but Strangway who knew the latter, said the one in the gorge was of a different 種類. Many of the shrubs were a pale—exceedingly pale green, whilst others had leaves almost white in hue.

"We must 直す／買収する，八百長をする ourselves up here the best way we can," Strangway said, "give us a 手渡す Talmud to make our （軍の）野営地，陣営."

As the leader spoke, he turned to Talmud, and was surprised to see the change in his 外見. His 注目する，もくろむs which had been partly の近くにd during the day were now wide open, and 熱心に 警報.

"Your 注目する，もくろむs are like those of a cat. You appear to see better in the dark than when the sun is 向こうずねing," Strangway 発言／述べるd to him.

The only answer was a self-満足させるd smile, and the next moment the strange man was engaged forming the （軍の）野営地，陣営 with an alacrity 大いに in contrast with his two companions. He ran through the dense vegetation to the stream and brought water, and after returning he gathered 支持を得ようと努めるd in places, that to Stanley and his fellow explorers seemed やめる dark. By their watches, the explorers knew that it was not yet sunset, and after getting more accustomed to the place, their feelings of awe wore off, and they thought little more of their surroundings. They made a large 解雇する／砲火／射撃, which as it 炎d up, threw fantastic 影をつくる／尾行するs upon the 激しく揺するs, and as they danced with the flickering 炎上s, they gave an 空気／公表する of ghostly life to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す.

About eight o'clock, the 不明瞭 of the valley was 激しい, though on the western 味方する of the 範囲 it was yet やめる light. The three men were reclining on the eastern 味方する of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 silently smoking, when without a moment's 警告 Talmud sprang up to his feet, trembling in every 四肢, and almost 打ち勝つ with 激しい terror. Pointing a shaking finger に向かって the dense thicket, some thirty feet away, he cried in a loud 発言する／表明する—

"黒人／ボイコットs!"

Strangway and Stanley jumped to their feet, しっかり掴むing their ライフル銃／探して盗むs, and in an instant they were beside the terror-stricken man. に引き続いて his outstretched finger they could discern two 注目する，もくろむs gleaming out of the 不明瞭. Without waiting to see whether they were those of a man or a lower animal, a friend or a 敵, Strangway rose his ライフル銃／探して盗む and 解雇する／砲火／射撃d. If a man-of-war's broadside had been 爆発するd it could not have made a more terrific 影響.

It seemed as if a hundred ライフル銃／探して盗むs had been 解雇する／砲火／射撃d. 発射 after 発射 was repeated for fully half a minute, and then as the men silently listened the 報告（する）／憶測 was taken up again and again, it 存在 fully a minute before the last echoes died out. For fully half a minute the two men stood irresolute looking into the thicket. The gleaning 注目する，もくろむs could no longer be seen, and Stanley was about to 示唆する a search when he and his companion were nearly petrified with 恐れる by the sudden 爆発 of another ライフル銃／探して盗む ボレー.

"What can it mean?" Strangway asked when it had died away.

Seamen are proverbially superstitious and Stanley could give no reasonable explanation of the 現象.

"Can it only be an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の echo?" the leader once again queried as his faculties became more collected.

"I never heard an echo like that in my life," replied Stanley in a low 発言する／表明する.

At this point they were again interrupted by a repetition of the sounds though on this occasion they were much fainter and before they finally 中止するd they were repeated seven or eight times. Under other circumstances, the explorers might have sought a 合理的な／理性的な explanation for the occurrence, but in such a place, and 耐えるing in mind what they had experienced during the two previous days, it was not to be wondered at that the dark cloud of superstition enshrouded them. Then, too, was the fact that they had probably 殺害された a human 存在. Bushmen in those days cared little for the life of a 黒人／ボイコット, and if it was only an aboriginal who had fallen before Strangway's ライフル銃／探して盗む, it would not trouble him or his comrade much. As they looked at the queerly 向こうずねing 注目する，もくろむs of Talmud, distorted with terror, and 反映するing the firelight, it occurred to them that it might be such a half-supernatural 存在 as him whom Strangway had sacreligiously 解雇する／砲火／射撃d on. If so the weird ボレーing might be accounted for.

Strangway was the first to 回復する his self 所有／入手. 掴むing a 炎上ing 病弱なd from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and with pointed revolvers he ran across to the thicket, and 急落（する），激減（する）d the lighted たいまつ into the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where he 推定する／予想するd to find something 殺害された. The place was 空いている, but the undergrowth showed 調印するs of having been trodden on. As he moved the たいまつ about the 集まり of dead vegetation which had been 蓄積するing for centuries caught 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and in an instant the thicket was 燃えて. This at first did not 原因（となる） Strangway or Stanley much 関心, but as they saw the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 spread with marvellous rapidity, and thought of the dense growth, alarm took the place of apathy. Fortunately for them the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was pitched on a small （疑いを）晴らすd 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, but の近くに around it was a deposit of 乾燥した，日照りの vegetation. Calling on Talmud the two explorers ran 支援する and 開始するd vigorously to 増加する the （疑いを）晴らすd circle. They were joined by the stranger, and as he plied his 仕事 his companions could hear him talking—明らかに to himself—in a language or jargon such as had never fallen upon their ears before.

"What is he 説?" Strangway asked hoarsely, for a 厚い cloud of pungent smoke was now 残り／休憩（する）ing around them.

"Heaven knows. Some （一定の）期間 or incantation I suppose. I've been in nearly every country in the world and heard most languages of the earth, but never before did I listen to such gibberish," replied the 船員.

"Aye, gibberish indeed you may 井戸／弁護士席 call it," answered Strangway, as he stood for a moment and gazed 一連の会議、交渉／完成する at the weird scene.

CHAPTER VII.—LOST.

The 状況／情勢 was now becoming alarming. The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 急ぐd from thicket to thicket, as if a hundred incendiaries were at work spreading it. The stream of water was passed as though it did not 存在する, and soon half the valley was a roaring furnace of 解雇する／砲火／射撃. The place seemed to 行為／法令／行動する like a 抱擁する natural flue, and this was fortunate for the three men, as it 原因（となる）d the smoke and 炎上 to rise almost vertically. The heat was becoming almost unbearable, but the area of burnt out vegetation, which had the （軍の）野営地，陣営 for its centre was 速く 増加するing. Below the covering of 乾燥した，日照りのd vegetation, there was a 深い 層 of half decayed, damp 事柄, and though this did not 燃やす it smouldered, and gave 前へ／外へ a dense and 窒息させるing smoke. Whilst the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 激怒（する）d, which it did the whole night, this smoke was sucked 上向き by the 広大な／多数の／重要な draught, but soon after-daylight this was changed. In 説 daylight it must not be understood that those in the glen experienced its 有益な 影響. Now and again through a reft in the smoke a gleam of 日光 could be seen striking the 激しく揺するs on the 広大な／多数の／重要な 頂点（に達する） to the west, but it had little or no 影響 in the gorge.

An 巨大な 棺／かげり of smoke shut out its rays, and as the 炎上s 沈下するd, it became 明らかな to the men that their position was one of tremendous 危険，危なくする. Even if they could find the dangerous pass by which they descended it would be utterly impossible for them to 上がる. Long before they could reach the 首脳会議 they would be 窒息させるd by the smoke. Amongst the vegetation was 構成要素 which gave out an overpowering odor. Some of the ガス／煙s were aromatic, others pungent, whilst occasionally a whiff of smoke 高度に 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金d with carbonic 酸性の would be 遭遇（する）d. It was this latter that was doing the 害（を与える）. Like 燃やすing charcoal in a の近くに room, it was eating up a good 取引，協定 of life 保存するing oxygen. By some strange means it was 消費するing the 決定的な 空気／公表する quicker than the 供給（する） （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する, and Strangway, who knew a little of the 支配する, decided to make a move in the direction of escape. The decayed 破片 would smoulder for days or weeks, and it would be only 法廷，裁判所ing death to try and remain until the conflagration was utterly quenched.

"We must get out of this, Tom or die," he said to the 船員.

"But what can we do. We can never 規模 these cliffs with that cloud of smoke hanging to the 味方するs, from the 底（に届く） to the 最高の，を越す," the latter returned.

"Let us move away from here and get into the creek. There may be a little more 空気／公表する there," the leader ordered.

This was 喜んで 行為／法令／行動するd on. The heat of the place was 絶対 terrible. It was in fact a 広大な／多数の／重要な natural oven. The 炎上s had heated the 激しく揺するs on either 味方する, whilst the smouldering rubbish at the 底（に届く） 強めるd it. This, coupled with the difficulty of breathing, （判決などを）下すd it almost impossible for animal life to 存在する in such a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す. There was no difficulty in reaching the 狭くする creek, and into it the men 急落（する），激減（する）d. It ran 速く に向かって the north, and this kept the water 冷静な／正味の in spite of the furnace through which it flowed. For about an hour, the travellers remained in the stream. It was breast high, and the only inconvenience they experienced was from snakes, which had got into it to escape the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. Thousands of these must have been killed by the 炎上s and the smouldering undergrowth. In the short distance between the （軍の）野営地，陣営 and the creek, half-a-得点する／非難する／２０ of shrivelled up serpent forms were met, and throughout the valley a perfect legion must have been destroyed.

"The gorge seems to get worse," Stanley 発言／述べるd to his companion, after they were an hour or so in the creek.

"Yes. Could we not go along this course, and 診察する the gully. We might discover some way to get out by. It's no use remaining here to be 窒息させるd," Strangway answered.

"The confounded place is 群れているing with snakes. The water seems to be 十分な of them," returned Stanley, with a shrug of disgust.

"Let us get a couple of sticks if we can and we will be able to keep them （疑いを）晴らす of us. We must do something," replied the leader.

A couple of green saplings, which the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 had only charred were soon broken 負かす／撃墜する, and with these a start was made to ford the stream. Indeed it would have been utterly impossible to 横断する the gully in any other way. From 味方する to 味方する the 底（に届く） was a 集まり of smouldering 解雇する／砲火／射撃, over which it was not possible to walk far. The difficulties and dangers of 訴訟／進行 in the bed of the creek were also very 広大な／多数の／重要な. Hundreds of snakes had sought 避難 in it, and as many of them remained under water, the forders were not able to see them until they almost （機の）カム in 接触する with the reptiles. The depth of the creek also 変化させるd, and in places it was nearly six feet 深い. In order that the gunpowder should not be （判決などを）下すd useless, Stanley took 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of it all, and had it carefully strapped on his 長，率いる. Strangway walked five or six feet in 前進する, and whenever he （機の）カム to the 深い water, he gave the signal to Stanley, who clambered on to the bank, and walked a few yards along it until the shallow places were again reached.

The 船員 also carried the 小火器, for neither he nor his comrade had yet 十分な 信用 in Talmud to 許す him a 武器. The strange events of the 先行する night—the man's evident horror of 黒人／ボイコットs, his first sighting the peering 注目する，もくろむs, and his weird mutterings, その上の 強めるd the 不信. Outside this there was nothing in Talmud's manner or 活動／戦闘 calculated to show that he meditated 傷害 to his benefactors. After 広大な／多数の／重要な trouble and many 狭くする escapes, the seeming end of the gully was reached, and the party then saw to their surprise that the stream turned almost at 権利 angles to the west, and ran into a still narrower gorge. This was 明らかに also filled with smoke, but without hesitation Strangway followed the water into the gorge. The rocky 塀で囲むs rose up within thirty feet of each other for fully three or four hundred feet so far as could be 裁判官d by 時折の glimpses caught through the smoke 不和s.

Nearly a hundred yards had been 横断するd in this direction, when a change was 明らかな. The smoke got はしけ, and was seen to be much agitated. It rolled in 上向き clouds, and 不十分な ten feet had been passed when the 原因（となる） was discovered. Without 警告 the three men 現れるd from the smoke cloud, and saw above them the blue ドーム of heaven. After filling their 肺s with life-giving oxygen they looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する to see what had 原因（となる）d such a 変形. From out the cliff on the north 味方する （機の）カム a strong 現在の of 空気／公表する through a 抱擁する cavern, and this swept the smoke 上向きs.

"We must 調査する that place. It may lead us out of the gorge without having to again climb that terrible gully," Strangway said.

"Yes, that 空気／公表する is coming from below certainly, and I don't care about 直面するing snake gully again," answered Stanley with a slight laugh.

They had clambered out of the water which still continued on a westerly course, on to the elevated 高原 of 激しく揺する which formed its banks on either 味方する. 不十分な a 痕跡 of vegetation could be seen in the west gorge which was, in fact, but a tremendous cleft in the high 頂点（に達する）.

Looking into the mouth of the cavern it was seen that beyond a distance of twenty to thirty feet no light 侵入するd. The slope downwards was not 法外な and there would be no difficulty in getting along. By good luck Stanley had about half a tallow candle in one of his pockets and this was soon lighted.

"I brought this along in 事例／患者 we 手配中の，お尋ね者 a light last night, but we did not," he jocularly 発言／述べるd.

The sloping 底（に届く） of the cavern was remarkably 乾燥した，日照りの for such a place, but that was probably 原因（となる）d by the 現在の of 空気／公表する which （機の）カム through it. The roof was not more than ten feet high, and the width was fully the same number of yards. The slope was about one in a hundred, but after 訴訟／進行 for nearly sixty yards it got so 法外な that the party had to 緊急発進する 負かす／撃墜する it. This was 持続するd for about forty yards when a level 床に打ち倒す was reached in a gigantic 議会. The feeble light of the candle could not 侵入する the 巨大な 休会. The roof was invisible though 見通し 延長するd to a 高さ of fully fifty feet. After a の近くに and 非常に長い examination the party 結論するd that the 議会 was oval in form and they 設立する that a number of passages radiated from it. Two of these appeared to 上がる whilst the 残りの人，物 took a downward slope.

"Which is the best way to go?" Stanley asked.

"I am puzzled to know," replied Strangway. "If we take the 負かす／撃墜する slope we may be only going deeper into the mountain, whilst if we 上がる we might get on the outside of the 頂点（に達する） and make our way 負かす／撃墜する. I——"

His answer was interrupted at this 行う／開催する／段階 by Talmud who, wandering about in the 半分-不明瞭 as though it were 有望な sunlight to him, began his strange mutterings again.

"What the ジュース are you talking about?" enquired Strangway ひどく for he felt annoyed at the queer manner of his new 設立する 知識.

For answer the man only pointed に向かって the northern 味方する of the 広大な／多数の／重要な 議会. The two explorers looked in the direction 示すd, but could see nothing save a 塀で囲む of 不明瞭.

"Let us see what he means. You know he can see better in the dark than we can," Stanley said soothingly.

Going slowly 今後 with the light it was seen that the stranger was pointing to one of the passages which led downwards.

"He wants us to go this way," 観察するd Strangway.

"Yes," replied Stanley in a hesitating 発言する／表明する, "but if you take my advice you will not go. It may be only a 罠（にかける） to get us into his 力／強力にする."

"Ah! that is what I was thinking. We will now take this 上がるing passage and if he doesn't like to come he can stay," hotly answered Strangway.

In spite of the manifest 不賛成 of Talmud this course was 可決する・採択するd. He pointed several times to the passage he at first 示すd and muttered volubly in his uncouth dialect. Then after a violent 成果／努力 of self-支配（する）／統制する he again pointed to the place and almost yelled.

"Out."

The only 返答 to this was from Strangway, who said to him:

"If you don't like to come with us stay behind."

Repeating the word "out," several times the man sullenly followed. The passage through which the party went 証明するd to be a winding one and in places very 狭くする. Occasionally the 床に打ち倒す was rugged, but both the explorers noticed that in the centre a perfectly smooth 床に打ち倒す had in some manner been worn.

"It doesn't seem to have been done by water," 発言／述べるd Stanley.

"No, some animals maybe have made a 跡をつける along here. That shows we have taken the 権利 passage," replied Strangway.

After going over a hundred yards through 非常に／多数の windings it was noticed that the slope was now downwards. Fully two hundred yards had been 横断するd when a difficulty again beset Strangway. The passage 支店d off into two and the question was which should be followed.

"I have it," cried the leader after a few moments examination. "This is the proper one to go along."

As he spoke he pointed to the worn 跡をつける which ran along the left 手渡す 味方する passage whilst no 示すs could be seen on the 床に打ち倒す of the other.

"Go ahead then," Stanley said approvingly.

The 降下／家系 now became steeper and the passage appeared interminable. For fully half an hour the three men kept on until at last even Strangway began to manifest some alarm.

"I know we are 権利," he exclaimed, "but I believe this tunnel comes 権利 out on the plain at the foot of the 範囲."

"It will be all the better if it does," answered Stanley.

As he was speaking the party （機の）カム into a 抱擁する 丸天井, and it was seen that the dark colored 激しく揺するs had given way to 集まりs of granite. These 反映するd the light of the candle better and enabled the two men to 得る a wider 範囲 of 見通し. Like the first oval 議会 this 抱擁する cavern had 非常に／多数の passages radiating from it, but when Strangway 訴える手段／行楽地d to his supposed infallible guide, すなわち the worn path, he 設立する to his 狼狽 that they all bore 跡をつけるs of 存在 continually trodden on by some animal. The 床に打ち倒す of the cavern was also worn smooth, and to the surprise of the explorers they saw as their 注目する，もくろむs got more accustomed to the light that 部分s of the granite 塀で囲む were covered with weird and uncouth carvings.

"I think we had better go 支援する again," the leader said at last.

"Can we get 支援する?" asked his companion.

"Yes—I suppose so. Let me see; what passage did we come in here by? It was—井戸／弁護士席 I think it was this one," Strangway 結論するd, pointing to a 井戸／弁護士席 worn tunnel.

"It's hard to say. They seem all the same to me," answered the sailor traveller, despondently.

In their helplessness they looked に向かって Talmud for 援助（する）, but 明らかに divining what they wished he shook his 長，率いる slowly and muttered the one word:

"No."

The fact was the party was lost.

CHAPTER VIII.—THE LABYRINTH.

To be lost under any circumstances is bad enough. Losing oneself in a （人が）群がるd city is not a pleasant experience. Even in such teeming seas of 殺到するing humanity a person feels a sense of loneliness. To be astray in the solemn bush is much worse; but to be entombed in the 内部の of a mountain 十分な of labyrinthine passages is assuredly the worst possible 運命／宿命 to happen to any human 存在. This was certainly the position of Strangway and his companions. Talmud did not appear to feel his position so 熱心に as the two explorers, but he was not by any means at 緩和する. Both Stanley and his leader were men of 冷静な／正味の judgment, and even at such a 危機 their 神経 did not fail them. Without any fluster Strangway said:

"Fortunately we have a little food with us, but no water. We must be as careful of the food as we can, for it may take us some time to get out of here. I think we will be able to find water in some of these passages, and in searching for it we may get out again."

As he spoke, he began to divide the food, the 部分s 存在 soon devoured, as 非，不，無 of the party had eaten anything since the previous night. As soon as the frugal meal was finished, Strangway started with his companions on a その上の search. Selecting one of the passages, which appeared to be most used they proceeded along it, and 設立する that it at least was not the one they entered by. Every thirty or forty yards the passages opened out into 巨大な 議会s, large enough to 持つ／拘留する hundreds of people. The 形式 was all granite, and the 議会s appeared to have a good 供給（する） of 空気／公表する.

"This candle will not 燃やす half-an-hour longer," Stanley 発言／述べるd to his companions.

"Let us go 支援する from this. We can all see it is not the passage we （機の）カム by," Strangway cried in desperation.

あわてて retracing their steps, the 広大な／多数の／重要な cavern was soon reached, and the leader 急落（する），激減（する）d into the first passage they （機の）カム to. This ran in a northerly direction, and sloped 上向きs.

"Ah! we are 権利 now. What a fool I was not to know better. If we （機の）カム here on a 負かす／撃墜する grade, it must be an up grade that will take us out," exclaimed Strangway.

This was cheery news, and for some time the party 急落（する），激減（する）d on. Suddenly there was a splutter, and the next instant, the party were 急落（する），激減（する）d in gloom.

"Let us wait here for a while, and we will be able to see better," Stanley called.

For ten minutes, the three men stood, until the 注目する，もくろむs of the two explorers were able to faintly distinguish 反対するs. As they were about to proceed, Talmud stepped in 前線, and 動議d them to follow him. He evidently saw perfectly 井戸／弁護士席 and his companions noticed it.

"Perhaps he may be able to lead us out of this place. He has cats 注目する，もくろむs," said Strangway.

"I think we should have followed his advice in the first instance," replied Stanley. "Who knows but he may have been lost in these caverns for years and that that is the 原因（となる） of his strange 注目する，もくろむs and 外見."

Strangway laughed in spite of his position.

"How could he have been in a place like this for years unless he could live without food or drink. We cannot eat granite. In fact this place would 証明する a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な to anyone in a week," he said.

"Ah, of course, I had forgotten that," Stanley answered with a shudder.

"I can see light ahead," joyfully exclaimed Strangway.

Stanley had 観察するd it at the same moment, and their hearts （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 faster at the thought of 解放（する） from their living tomb. Fifty yards brought them to a sharp turn in the passage, and one of the most magnificent sights man had ever 証言，証人／目撃するd burst upon them. A ドームd 議会 seventy or eighty yards in 直径, and hexagonal in 形態／調整 was before them. A strange subdued light, ever 変化させるing, shone in the place and irradiated the 辺ぴな passages. At first the light had a painful 影響 on the 注目する，もくろむs of Strangway and Stanley, but as they became accustomed to it, no 不快 was felt. に引き続いて Talmud, they entered the 議会, and its peculiar splendour held them spellbound. They soon 設立する that the entire place was composed of the finest 激しく揺する 水晶s, or rather it appeared to have been 削減（する） out of one gigantic 水晶 by some cyclopian lapidary.

The 直面するs and cubes were so arranged that they 反映するd the light from one to the other in the most perfect manner. Some of the 水晶s appeared to have 減少（する）s of water enclosed within them, and this 追加するd to the 影響. The 床に打ち倒す was composed of the same pellucid 構成要素, but by some 機関 it had been '霜d' or dulled. This at once attracted the notice of Strangway.

"How has this been done I wonder? It seems marvellous that anything short of human 機関 could have made this 床に打ち倒す as it is."

"Perhaps it has been done by walking on it. Whatever made the paths we saw in the passage may have done it," replied Stanley.

"No, this has been done by 手渡す and by design. I know a little about these things," Strangway answered.

Talmud did not seem to take the least 利益／興味 in the 議会. He 注目する，もくろむd it much as a person might a familiar street. For at least an hour the party remained feasting their 注目する，もくろむs on the wonderous 議会, but at length the 真面目さ of their position 軍隊d itself on them, and they went on their 明らかに hopeless 追求（する），探索（する） of finding the 手がかり（を与える） to the 迷宮／迷路. The passage which Talmud look led almost 突然の downwards, and after clambering after him for nearly two hundred feet the welcome sound of splashing water 迎える／歓迎するd the ears of the two explorers. A 降下／家系 of about twenty feet brought them to a small spring, which trickled out of a rocky 塀で囲む into a 水盤／入り江 beneath.

Talmud had already partaken 自由に of the refreshing fluid, and his example was soon followed by his companions. After quenching their かわき, the hopes of the party were somewhat 生き返らせるd. Hitherto the 丸天井s and passages had been remarkably 乾燥した，日照りの, and the horrors of かわき which had been experienced by Stanley and Strangway in other days rose before them. They now decided to make another start. For what seemed a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile, the subterranean walk was continued, and then a slight cry of alarm escaped Stanley, who was closely に引き続いて Talmud. Some distance ahead he could discern a dull red glow like the reflection of a 解雇する／砲火／射撃. As Strangway reached him he also noticed it.

"What can it mean?" he asked.

"It can't be a 火山 or a slumbering 噴火口，クレーター surely," Stanley answered.

As Talmud kept ahead the two men followed in awe-struck silence. The ominous glow did not 増加する much in brilliancy, but still it was 十分に startling to amaze the explorers. The passage was わずかに curved, and as they proceeded, the reflection got larger. Fifty yards その上の on the 十分な sight burst on them, as they （機の）カム in 見解（をとる） of a 広大な concave 塀で囲む, which glowed like the live embers of a 解雇する／砲火／射撃.

"It is another 肉親，親類d of mineral I see. It must be the rare red 水晶, and like the other place this has not been all 形態／調整d by chance," Strangway said to his companion.

The 影響 of this second 議会, for such it really was—did not strike the 観察者／傍聴者 as so brilliant as the first one. It was gorgeous enough, however, and for half an hour, the two men took in its rare beauties.

"Why its eight o'clock in the evening," Stanley exclaimed, looking at his watch.

"I dare say it is. We did not leave that awful valley until nearly ten o'clock, and you know how many hours we have been wandering about since," answered his companion.

"This passage seems to end here. Had we not better get 支援する to the water?" asked Stanley.

"Yes, we may 同様に go that way. Let us ask Talmud what he ーするつもりであるs doing?"

Both the men went to where Talmud was standing in 明らかに 深い thought and Stanley said—

"What is the best thing for us to do? Can you lead us out of this place?"

The strange man shook his 長，率いる in a hopeless way, as if he understood the meaning of the question, but was unable to give a 満足な answer.

"We are going 支援する to the water," Strangway 追加するd, pointing as he spoke in the direction of the spring.

Talmud made a gesture of assent, and seeing this, Stanley and his comrade led the way, whilst the other followed closely behind. The way was easily 設立する, and filled with their by no means pleasant thoughts 非，不，無 of the men spoke during the return 旅行.

"I feel tired out," Stanley said when the spring was reached. "Let us have an hour's 残り／休憩（する）, and then we can go on again."

"Yes, night or day makes no difference to us in this place," Strangway 追加するd 激しく.

After another drink, a fraction of the remaining food was divided between the lost explorers, and then each man made himself as comfortable as he could in such a place. They were all utterly 疲れた／うんざりしたd out. Their experience of the previous night had been a terrible one. All through the hours of 不明瞭 they had been 戦う／戦いing against the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and their escape from the dread glen was a most trying ordeal. What with the smoke, snakes, and the 変化させるing depth of water, the passage 税金d the mental and physical abilities of the men to the 最大の. Then the knowledge that they were 事実上 entombed was like the last straw to their much 税金d 団体／死体s. It can 井戸／弁護士席 be imagined therefore that the hour's 残り／休憩（する） asked for by Stanley should have stretched into nearly eight hours 深い slumber.

Stanley, habituated to short watches by his seafaring life, was the first to awake and he saw in the 薄暗い light that his two companions still slept. Stretching himself wearily he rubbed his 激しい 注目する，もくろむs and was 本気で inclined to 新たにする his slumber, when something at the 最高の，を越す of the passage caught his 注目する，もくろむs. It will be remembered, that on leaving the first 水晶 議会, the 降下／家系 to the water was very 法外な. Now, where Stanley lay, he could see the 首脳会議 of the abrupt slope, and as he looked 上向き, his wide-open 注目する，もくろむs 星／主役にするd fixedly at a 人物／姿／数字 looking 負かす／撃墜する from it. A 人物／姿／数字! Rather a phantom. For several moments he gazed speechless with terror, for that he saw a ghost he never for a moment 疑問d. At length a low cry burst from his parched lips and it 即時に awoke Strangway.

"What's that? Did you call me?" he asked.

He looked に向かって his comrade as he spoke, rubbing his 注目する，もくろむs and yawning as one who has just awoke out of a 激しい sleep. Stanley's lips formed the word—

"Look!"

It was only faintly whispered but in that subterranean gallery it reached the ears of Strangway. Sitting up, his 注目する，もくろむs involuntary turned in the direction which his comrade's was 直す／買収する，八百長をするd. The apparition was still there and was that of the usual 正統派の ghost. A human 人物／姿／数字 with a human 直面する was there, but it was the countenance of a dead man. The light from the 水晶 cavern shone to the 最高の，を越す of the 降下／家系 but that could not account for the unearthly 外見 of the weird visitant. With the exception of the 直面する and 長，率いる, the 人物／姿／数字 was 着せる／賦与するd from the neck to the feet with a gown of 雪の降る，雪の多い whiteness and in 倍のs which bore some resemblance to the gown of a Druid. Strangway was just as much taken by surprise as Stanley and for a moment or so he too was silent with emotion.

The slight noise he made had awakened Talmud who was some little distance その上の 負かす／撃墜する the passage. The latter on rising was surprised to see the 態度s of his two companions and he moved に向かって them. As he did so he noticed they were both looking 上向き. He approached nearer and did the same, and as he did so he gave 発言する／表明する to a cry that re-echoed through the cavern and 原因（となる）d Stanley and Strangway to spring to their feet with alarm. The latter 掴むd his revolver and stood upon his guard, but Talmud took not the slightest notice of him. With outstretched 武器 he began to call upon the 人物／姿／数字 at the 最高の，を越す in the uncouth language which had so startled the two explorers on previous occasions. He 中止するd in いっそう少なく than a minute and to the unbounded astonishment of the two men the apparition at the 首脳会議 began to speak in the same unknown tongue. This was kept up for a few minutes when Talmud turned to his companions and beckoned them to follow him up the ascent. He clambered up a short distance but on looking 支援する and finding they did not 答える／応じる he returned. After making a few furious gestures he paused, while his features worked convulsively and at length he ejaculated the word—

"Come!"

CHAPTER IX.—THE CEMETERY.

The fact was both Strangway and Stanley were afraid to follow Talmud. 審理，公聴会 him converse with the apparition at the 最高の，を越す of the 首脳会議, they 自然に 結論するd he was in league with it, and that at last was about to put some diabolical 計画／陰謀 into 死刑執行.

"He wants to lead us to our 破壊," Strangway said impetuously.

Stanley did not reply for a few moments and then said—

"It seems to me we cannot be worse off than we are. It would be 同様に to 会合，会う death at once than die here of hunger. Besides we are 武装した and they do not appear to be."

"Bah!" broke in Strangway contemptuously, "of what use would 小火器 be against such 敵s as these."

"If they want to kill us, can they not do it just 同様に here as anywhere else," again argued Stanley.

The point seemed to have some 影響 on the 疑問ing Strangway for he replied—

"Yes I believe you are 権利. Let us go, and if there is treachery we must do the best we can."

一方／合間 Talmud was gesticulating and 勧めるing the two explorers to follow him. As they 示す their assent, his 直面する was illumined with an 表現 almost ecstatic. Clambering up the 法外な incline, he was soon followed by his companions and in a couple of minutes the three of them were on the 首脳会議. Stanley and Strangway looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する in an awe-struck way for the white spectre, but it was nowhere to be seen. Raising his 発言する／表明する, Talmud made a strange cry, and it was 即時に answered by someone a short distance ahead. He then 始める，決める off in the direction of the cry which was repeated at intervals. Passing through the magnificent 水晶 丸天井 which, notwithstanding their 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の position, the two men could not help admiring, they entered the passage through which the 丸天井 was at first reached. すぐに after, they again 設立する themselves in the gigantic granite cavern which had so puzzled them. Strangway ちらりと見ることd around but it was tenantless.

The strange cry again resounded and, entering the passage through which the sounds （機の）カム, the explorers were not long in discovering that it was the same by which they had got into the 迷宮／迷路. This at once 回復するd the 約束 of the 懐疑的な Strangway and he began to have 十分な 依存 in the bona fides of his mysterious guide. Twenty minutes 早い walking led them to the first 広大な／多数の／重要な 議会 from where their troubles began. It was here the 論争 between Strangway and Talmud occurred when the advice of the latter was neglected. As soon as this place was reached, Talmud appeared to take the 指導／手引 into his own 手渡すs. The 発言する／表明する of the unknown was no longer heard and Talmud at once 急落（する），激減（する）d into the passage he had 示すd on the previous day. This time his companions followed him without demur. It led 負かす／撃墜する for a short distance, and then in a bend it 開始するd to slope はっきりと 上向きs. In a ４半期/4分の1 of an hour a faint gleam of light was seen far ahead, and as the men 前進するd, there was no longer any 疑問 on their minds, that they were saved.

From the depths of the passage 星／主役にするs could be seen faintly 向こうずねing. Within ten minutes, the three men 現れるd into the open 空気／公表する in a queer looking 不景気 about thirty feet 深い. The sun shone into it ひどく, and the disentombed travellers were nearly blinded by its effulgence. Creeping into the 影をつくる／尾行するs of a small tree の近くに at 手渡す, they remained there for at least two hours trying to accustom themselves to the light. This did not take very long in the 事例／患者 of Strangway and Stanley, though for days afterwards their 注目する，もくろむs were weak.

As soon as they could 投機・賭ける out, they easily 上がるd the small incline, and 設立する that they were on the extreme 首脳会議 of the 広大な／多数の／重要な 頂点（に達する）. The 見解（をとる） around was magnificent. For nearly fifty miles they could see to all points of the compass. Far away to south-east stretched the country which they would have to 横断する on the homeward 旅行 that they 提案するd at once to 請け負う. To the west, the misty 輪郭（を描く）s of a 広大な sheet of water, now called Lake Amadeus was 明白な. This inland sea is perhaps the largest sheet of water on the continent, and lies across the dividing line between South and West Australia. に向かって the end of 1870, it was at its highest flood. To the North the blue 輪郭（を描く）s of 開始するs Udor and Leichhardt were dimly 明白な, whilst at other points small 頂点（に達する）s interspersed with sparkling sheets of water or level plains could be seen. There was no 疑問 that the 範囲 on which they stood was the centre of an oasis in the arid 砂漠 of Central Australia. Looking nearer home the lower 頂点（に達する） of 範囲 between which and their 見地 the hideous gully or glen in which they so nearly 死なせる／死ぬd was 据えるd. It seemed but a 石／投石するs throw from them. As they were looking, Strangway exclaimed.

"By the by, this is Christmas Day."

"Yes I forgot all about Christmas, or any other day in that 丸天井, where we were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd up," candidly returned Stanley.

"There are some strange things 負かす／撃墜する there to be yet 設立する out. Talmud, there, could tell us a lot if he liked," Strangway 発言／述べるd.

"He is like a man who has forgotten how to speak in the language he was first taught. Do you remember the struggle, he had, to say 'come,' when he 手配中の，お尋ね者 us to follow him from below," Stanley said in a musing トン.

"I wonder if he means to return with us. His friends seem to be in those caverns," answered Strangway. "We had better ask him that question, and by the way tell him this is Christmas Day."

Strangway went to Talmud, who was standing under the shade of an overhanging 激しく揺する, and told him what Stanley 示唆するd. A swift gleam of 知能 swept across his 直面する, when he heard it was the 25th of December, and to the 尋問, as to whether he wished to …を伴って them, he nodded 熱望して, and 熱心に replied—

"Yes."

"Let us get 支援する to the horses as soon as we can. We will have a 職業 to reach the old （軍の）野営地，陣営 to-day," Stanley said coming up to the two men.

The 残余 of the food was 消費するd by the 餓死するing men, and Strangway looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する in vain for an animal or bird to shoot. Smoke still rose from the strange glen, and it had a peculiar odor, which would probably keep birds away. Leaving their elevated position, the three men made their way slowly downwards. They kept to the south for a short distance ーするために get 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the glen, but finding that they would have to （軍の）野営地，陣営 out all night if they took such a 一連の会議、交渉／完成する-about course, they decided to boldly cross it.

"The 解雇する／砲火／射撃 must be 井戸／弁護士席 燃やすd out by this time, and the scrub and snakes will be mostly gone," Stanley argued, and Strangway agreed with him.

There was a 降下／家系 of nearly five hundred feet, before the 辛勝する／優位 of the glen was reached, and the 大勝する was an exceedingly rugged and difficult one. In some places miniature precipices of from ten to twelve feet in depth were 遭遇（する）d, and the travellers had to 減少（する） 負かす／撃墜する them as best they could.

About midday the glen was reached, and it 現在のd an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 外見. The dense vegetation, which they had seen a couple of days 以前 had 完全に 消えるd, and all that remained was a comparatively level 黒人／ボイコット surface. The smoke and 炎上s had made the sombre 激しく揺するs, which formed the 味方するs, an ebony hue, and even the rivulet which ran through the 棺 形態／調整d chasm, seemed to flow with 署名／調印する instead of water through the reflection or 影をつくる／尾行する of the 激しく揺するs. Smoke was still rising in さまざまな places and those on the 首脳会議 of the glen noticed that it had a most 不快な／攻撃 smell. The aromatic and pungent ガス／煙s were no longer 現在の.

It was some time before a 安全な place to descend could be 設立する, but Stanley at length managed to make the 降下／家系, and as he did so his companions followed. The sun 存在 almost vertical, threw its beams into the gorge, and to some slight extent, relieved its sombreness, but when the explorers again 設立する themselves at the 底（に届く） they experienced the same unaccountable 恐れる which had beset them on the former occasion.

"I don't know how it is but I do not feel at 緩和する in this place," Stanley said to his comrade.

"Neither do I for that 事柄. I suppose it is because the gorge is so 暗い／優うつな and forbidding," was the answer.

"Oh no. You and I have been in worse places by far than this, but we took little notice of them. Look out there!" he exclaimed, as a large snake uncoiled itself from a cleft in the 激しく揺する, and glided out, hissing at Strangway.

The latter did not have a stick, and 非，不，無 存在 at 手渡す, he rose his gun and 発射 the reptile.

Strangway regretted 解雇する／砲火／射撃ing so あわてて, for again the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の repetition of the echo throughout the 洞穴 was distinctly heard.

In the 幅の広い light of day, and considering it was only a snake and not a man that was 発射 at, the 現象 did not excite so much astonishment or 恐れる, but still it was 十分に startling to 原因（となる） momentary alarm.

"What the ジュース can it be?" Stanley asked in amazement, as ボレー after ボレー was 解雇する／砲火／射撃d as if by a 連隊 of 兵士s.

"I forgot myself or I would not have 発射, but the snake seemed to be making straight at me. It is some natural illusion, I should say," answered the leader.

"Natural, do you say? There is nothing natural about it in my opinion," stubbornly 主張するd the sailor.

As they had a long 旅行 before them there was no time for argument, and the party moved on. The creek was crossed with a slight wetting, and then they 長，率いるd for the late （軍の）野営地，陣営 in the glen. There was not a 痕跡 of it left, and by the 示すs it had been 除去するd by human 手渡すs.

"The 黒人／ボイコットs have been here since we left this place, you see," Stanley said.

"Someone has, no 疑問, taken the few things away; they were of little use, however, so they are welcome to them," answered his comrade.

"We will have to watch them. They are considered 背信の man-eaters in these 地区s, you know, and I don't want to make a meal for any of the 黒人／ボイコット rascals," the sailor said, with a smile.

He was 主要な the way to the pass on the eastern 味方する by which they had descended two days 以前, and as he spoke he turned to look at Strangway.

He had barely 結論するd when he tripped over something soft and fell headlong on to the 黒人／ボイコット 破片.

Jumping あわてて up he turned to look at the 反対する which had 原因（となる）d him to 落ちる, and as he did so his heart for a moment seemed to stand still.

What he saw was the 輪郭（を描く） of a human 団体／死体 shrivelled and charred to half its 初めの dimensions, but still human. In a second or two Strangway reached him, and was scarcely いっそう少なく surprised and bewildered at the 予期しない sight.

"This must be the 黒人／ボイコット you 発射 the other night," the sailor gasped, though 回復するing his composure he was glad to think it was nothing worse.

"I suppose so," the leader answered in a low 発言する／表明する. "I couldn't understand how he could have escaped. I mortally 負傷させるd him, and he got this far before he died."

"Perhaps he was 燃やすd to death when the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 broke out," 示唆するd Stanley.

"I hope not. I would rather think my 発射 証明するd 致命的な than that he should have been 燃やすd like a snake in a スピードを出す／記録につける."

Strangway said this with やめる a 同情的な （犯罪の）一味 in his 発言する／表明する. He appeared to draw a nice distinction between 狙撃 an aboriginal and 燃やすing him to death. In the end, however, it would not make much difference to the 消滅した／死んだ 黒人／ボイコット.

They were about to pass the 恐ろしい 遺物 when a cry from Talmud riveted their attention. He was a little to the east of them, and as they went over they were 絶対 horrified this time to see a second charred 団体／死体 lying like the first.

What could it mean? Talmud raised his 長，率いる from 熟視する／熟考するing the 団体／死体 at his feet and pointed a short distance away. Yes, there were one, two, three—why the place seemed to be littered with human 団体／死体s. The 観客s felt unnerved as they looked around.

"There must have been a fight of a sanguinary character in this place," Strangway at length said.

"I don't think so. That is not the 原因（となる） of all those horrible 反対するs. You know the 黒人／ボイコットs carry away the dead from the 戦場s—that is if they are not eaten."

"I cannot understand it at all," interrupted Stanley.

The men's 注目する，もくろむs were now wandering over the place, and they could see innumerable 黒人／ボイコット heaps which 示すd the remains of some mortal. There was not one or two but hundreds 明らかに. Half the glen appeared to be burthened with such 遺物s.

Talmud did not seem so shocked as his companions, but he did not volunteer an explanation.

"I have it!" Stanley exclaimed. "I see it now."

"What is the 原因（となる）, then?" Strangway 熱望して asked.

"This place is a 共同墓地."

CHAPTER X.—THE MIDNIGHT SHOT.

"A 共同墓地!" cried the leader. "I can scarcely think that, for you know the 黒人／ボイコットs would not choose a place like this—and besides they bury their dead in a different manner to this when they do bury them. These 団体／死体s are all straight so far as I can see, whilst the aboriginals 二塁打 up the 脚s."

"Some tribes do that, but how do you know how the 黒人／ボイコットs of this 事実上 unknown 地域 配置する／処分する／したい気持ちにさせる of their dead? The custom of burial 異なるs, as you know, in different parts of the continent. Some tribes sun-乾燥した，日照りの the 団体／死体s on 壇・綱領・公約s, whilst others 減ずる the 死んだ to a mummified 明言する／公表する over a slow 解雇する／砲火／射撃. You may depend I am 権利. The tribe which uses this place for their 共同墓地 lay the 団体／死体s as you see."

Stanley said this with such an 空気／公表する of knowledge and 有罪の判決 that it 事実上 silenced Strangway.

The latter, however, could not help 説, "It must be a very large tribe to have such a number of dead."

"You forget how fertile this 地域 is—and perhaps some of these 団体／死体s are a hundred years old. There may be 世代s of dead here," said the 船員 in an 権威のある トン.

"A hundred years old!" replied Strangway, laughing in spite of the surroundings, "there wouldn't be much of them left here now."

"Wouldn't there be? I've seen 団体／死体s thousands of years old. Perhaps there is something in this gully which 保存するs the 団体／死体s."

This suggestion was unanswerable, and, eager to get away, the leader did not 試みる／企てる a reply.

Making for the pass and 選ぶing his way carefully over the 黒人／ボイコット 塚s he was soon climbing out of the charred 湾 followed by his two companions. The 最高の，を越す was soon reached, and, after stopping for a minute or two to gaze into the valley of death, the final 降下／家系 was begun with a sense of infinite 救済. Fully a thousand feet of rough mountain 味方する had to be 横断するd, and there was no time to lose if the 永久の （軍の）野営地，陣営 was to be reached.

The sun had 始める，決める before the base of the 範囲 was reached, and it was almost dark when they arrived at the pleasant little gully on which the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was 据えるd. Going quickly 負かす／撃墜する it for a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile Strangway, who was 主要な, stopped.

"We must have passed it by some means," he said, looking around.

"It's a little その上の 負かす／撃墜する. I know the place," replied Stanley.

After a couple of hundred yards or more had been crossed the leader again stopped and said:

"I knew we had come too far. Our （軍の）野営地，陣営 is a long way 支援する."

Turning 突然の he began to retrace his steps, keeping a little more to the north 味方する. It was now やめる dark, and as the moon would not rise for another hour the leader reluctantly called a 停止（させる）.

"We have 行方不明になるd the place somehow and we had better wait for the moonlight. There is no use つまずくing along in 不明瞭 like this. I am almost 餓死するd, too," he said.

"So am I," chimed in Stanley. "We have scarcely eaten anything for the last two days. We'll make a 穴を開ける in the 'grub' when we get to （軍の）野営地，陣営," he 追加するd.

Talmud said nothing, but it was evident that he too was 苦しむing from hunger. His 直面する and 手渡すs also were giving him かなりの 苦痛. They were terribly sunburnt and in their worst 行う／開催する／段階. The only 慰安 the party had was in their 麻薬を吸うs. They had taken an ample 供給（する） of タバコ with them, and as they sat 負かす／撃墜する waiting for the moon to rise each of them began to smoke. This, in a 手段, 静めるd their hunger, and there was no 欠如（する） of water. As Stanley lay on his 支援する looking at the 星／主役にするs he said:

"It's a glorious thing to be able to see the sky above one's 長，率いる. I thought last night that I should never look upon it again. I'll never forget those wanderings in the awful passages."

"And yet," interrupted Strangway, "God's 作品 beneath the surface of the earth may be even more beautiful than those on the surface. Take for instance those magnificent 水晶 議会s we saw in the caverns. What could be more beautiful! It is said that the 底（に届く） of the ocean is even more striking and splendid than its surface."

"Yes, that is all very 罰金; but give me the surface of the sea rather than the 底（に届く）. You see, I'm 建設するd to float, as it were, on the 最高の，を越す of the ocean and not live の中で the fishes below. The same way with the earth. I have heard that there are gnomes, hobgoblins and such like who prefer residing in caverns and 負かす／撃墜する 地下組織の, but give me the surface. You see, I'm built that way," the sailor 結論するd with a laugh.

During this conversation Talmud listened most attentively, and a strange, inscrutable 表現 残り／休憩（する）d on his countenance. He appeared as one whose brain slumbered whilst the 団体／死体 was awake. He was something akin to a somnambulist, but it could be noticed that his half-slumbering faculties were 存在 徐々に awakened. After a long pause Stanley suddenly asked:

"Who was that white cove that led us out of the cavern? You seemed to know him."

The strange man's 直面する seemed 妊娠している with 願望（する） to speak, but though his 注目する，もくろむs were eloquent of his feelings his tongue 辞退するd to form the words he was evidently 捜し出すing to speak.

"He did us a good turn, so that I would like to know who and what he is," the sailor went on.

"He might be one of those 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の hermits we read about," 示唆するd Strangway.

"What would bring a white hermit to such a place as this? If he was a 黒人／ボイコット hermit I could understand it," Stanley replied.

"井戸／弁護士席, this is an out-of-the-way place to find a white man certainly. And really, Tom, he didn't look like a human 存在 at all," 追加するd the leader of the party.

"I never got such a fright in my life," bluntly 認める Stanley.

The moon was now risen a short distance above the horizon, and, finding that no （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） could be 得るd from Talmud, it was agreed to make another search for the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

Hunger was spurring them on and they went about the 追求（する），探索（する） with vigor. The little gully was searched and re-searched but without avail, until at last Strangway said:

"We are only making fools of ourselves. Hungry and all as we are the best thing we can do is to 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する and wait for daylight. We can make a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and 残り／休憩（する） until morning."

This course was really the most sensible to 可決する・採択する, and Talmud soon gathered a pile of 支持を得ようと努めるd and the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was soon started. Its 炎 made 事柄s seem cheerful, and in spite of the gnawings of hunger Strangway and Talmud were soon asleep.

It was agreed that the leader should sleep till midnight when he would relieve his comrade for the morning watch. They preferred doing this to giving a watch to Talmud, for the mystery which clung to him made them chary of 信用ing him too much.

He had that day even shown his 約束 in, and regard for, them in taking them out of the 迷宮／迷路 into which they would never have gone had they taken his advice. Yet there was time enough yet to put their lives into his 手渡すs.

In the cavern, it is true, no watch was kept, but there despair had sway over them. Besides, the 長，指導者 推論する／理由 for keeping a watch in the open 空気／公表する was on account of a possible attack of 黒人／ボイコットs. They were known to be both 非常に／多数の and 背信の in the locality, and if by chance they （機の）カム across the whites asleep they would have no scruple or difficulty in spearing them. As a 支配する the aboriginals did not make night attacks, but still it was best to be careful.

About midnight Stanley awoke his comrade, and, lying 近づく the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, he was soon asleep.

Strangway took up his watch in a drowsy fashion. He was tired enough to have slept on till daylight, but 存在 a good bushman he knew his 義務 too 井戸／弁護士席 to 不平（をいう）. About one o'clock as the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was 燃やすing low he got up and gathered a 量 of 支持を得ようと努めるd with which he 補充するd it. This 演習 原因（となる）d him to become wide awake, as it banished the drowsy feeling. As the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 炎d up he took his ライフル銃／探して盗む and strolled 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the （軍の）野営地，陣営 outside the glare of the 炎上s.

The moon by this time was high in the heavens and surrounding 反対するs were plainly 明白な. The 味方するs of the 狭くする gully were thickly 木材／素質d, and in places the scrub ran almost to the centre of it. It was whilst looking in an abstracted manner into one of these belts of scrub that he caught sight of two 向こうずねing 反対するs like that at which he had 解雇する／砲火／射撃d in the "glen of the dead."

The sight almost 麻ひさせるd him, for there was something weird and unearthly about it. In a moment the 注目する，もくろむs, or whatever they were, had disappeared, but the one ちらりと見ること was 十分な for Strangway. He made a few steps nearer the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and then, remembering that it would be better to get on one 味方する of the 炎上s so that in the event of 黒人／ボイコットs 存在 around he would not 現在の such a 示す for their spears, he turned aside. Getting into the 影をつくる／尾行する he sat 負かす／撃墜する, keeping his 注目する，もくろむs riveted on the scrub.

For nearly an hour he thus sat until the 直す／買収する，八百長をするd gaze 苦痛d him. He was about to turn away again to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 with the idea that his imagination had tricked him, when once again the basilisk-like 注目する，もくろむs could be seen almost in the position he had first descried them. Either his excitement or that feeling which 誘発するs a man to get first blow in, as it is called, actuated Strangway, for without raising his ライフル銃／探して盗む he took a snap 発射 at the 反対する. Mingled with the 報告（する）／憶測 a human cry was heard, and as Strangway 急ぐd 支援する to the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 Stanley and Talmud jumped to their feet in alarm.

"What has happened?" asked the former.

"That 反対する we saw in the glen which I 解雇する／砲火／射撃d at is in that thicket. I think I've killed it this time," the watch answered with a slight shudder.

"Then, let it stay there until morning. It will bring bad luck if we go to search for it," Stanley said.

"Had we not better get away from the light of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. If the 黒人／ボイコットs are about they could easily spear us here. It's a 黒人／ボイコット you 解雇する／砲火／射撃d at I am 確かな . Come 支援する a little and 負担 your ライフル銃／探して盗む as soon as you can. It will be daylight in half-an-hour, and then you may 推定する／予想する an attack," Stanley 追加するd.

The advice was taken, and the three men withdrew into the dark circle away from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. Even there they were やめる exposed to a 敵意を持った attack, for the moon shone brightly. Anxiously the minutes passed but no enemy appeared, and it was with a feeling of 激しい 救済 that the first silver streaks 先触れ（する）ing the 君主 of day were 観察するd in the east.

In another ４半期/4分の1 of an hour the light of the moon paled before that of the sun, and quickly the beams of the latter glowed upon the hill-最高の，を越すs and 侵入するd the 休会s of the valleys. It was 幅の広い daylight before Strangway and his companions 投機・賭けるd to approach the thicket in which the former, at least, thought a dead man lay. He guided them 慎重に to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す at which he had 解雇する／砲火／射撃d, for it might be that a 敵 lay in 待ち伏せ／迎撃する. It was reached, but the belt of scrub was 砂漠d.

In a few moments the exact position of the 反対する at which Strangway 解雇する／砲火／射撃d was 位置を示すd, for the grass was trampled 負かす／撃墜する and the shrubs bent and 新たな展開d in places.

"You 攻撃する，衝突する something this time!" Stanley called out from the thicket into which he had gone with a revolver in his 手渡す.

Strangway was at his 味方する in a few moments, and there on one of the shrubs was a splash of 血. に引き続いて it along it （機の）カム out on the opposite 味方する of the thicket and led over the open に向かって the queer 刺激（する） which connected the waterfall hill with the 広大な／多数の／重要な 範囲.

"There is no use in に引き続いて this. You have わずかに 負傷させるd a blackfellow, that is all, and we would never come up with him. Besides, I'm very hungry," Stanley said.

"So am I. We will soon find the （軍の）野営地，陣営 though. I am glad it was only a 黒人／ボイコット that was watching us. You must be 権利 about that glen 事件／事情／状勢," replied Strangway.

"Of course I am 権利. You didn't 推定する／予想する that it was the devil you 発射, did you?"

"I wouldn't be surprised at anything happening in this locality. For want of human 解決／入植地 it almost seems as if the place is the abode of spirits or phantoms," the leader returned.

"Perhaps so. This is about the best place they could come. You wouldn't like to have them bobbing up before you in every paddock at the 駅／配置する, would you?" Stanley enquired, with a laugh.

By this time they had reached the （軍の）野営地，陣営 解雇する／砲火／射撃 of the night, and they すぐに turned from it in the direction of the 範囲.

"We were not more than a hundred yards from this tree, you know, Stanley, and the horses' enclosure should be over there. I took particular notice of the bearings," Strangway 発言／述べるd.

Taking a line from the tree he went に向かって the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す 示すd, whilst his companions kept a short distance away to the 権利 and left. A call from Stanley attracted the attention of the other two who 急いでd に向かって him. He was pointing to a heap of ashes.

"The （軍の）野営地，陣営 is gone," he said, with an ashen 直面する.

CHAPTER XI.—HUMAN DERELICTS.

A 国民 who comes home from his work and finds that his cottage has been 燃やすd 負かす／撃墜する during his absence receives a shock he does not easily forget. He is surrounded by friends and neighbors proffering 援助（する） and succor and he has only to go a few yards for 避難所. At the worst he 苦しむs a momentary loss. Compare his position with that of Strangway and his companions. It was literally a 事柄 of life and death with them.

They were eight hundred miles from the nearest white 解決／入植地, and that was only a lonely, 辺ぴな 駅／配置する itself, 据える in the wilderness far from ordinary civilization. The horses of the explorers were gone 同様に as their 蓄える／店s and 準備／条項s. Save what they carried everything had been swept away as cleanly as if the （軍の）野営地，陣営 had never 存在するd. Save for the ashes of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 it would have been almost impossible even to find the 場所／位置 of the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

Whoever had robbed the party had done so in a remarkable manner. The 地位，任命する 穴を開けるs had been filled up, and the 木材／素質 used for the horse enclosure taken away. 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 苦痛s had in fact been used to throw the party off the place, but why it should have been done no one could say. For several minutes Strangway and Stanley looked silently at each other as if trying to comprehend the misfortune which had overtaken them. At last the latter 設立する 発言する／表明する.

"We're in a 直す／買収する，八百長をする, mate."

"直す／買収する，八百長をする!" repeated Strangway, huskily. "Yes, it's a 戦う／戦い for life now. We'll have to grapple with death 手渡す to 手渡す, and the 半端物s are all against us."

"Never say die. We have come out of many a bad time before, and why not again?"

"Yes, but we are twice as far away this time."

"The season is better, you know. That will help us," returned the 船員, "and the sooner we make a start the better."

"Let us search 一連の会議、交渉／完成する here a little. We may find some of the horses or 蓄える／店s in the scrub," the leader 発言／述べるd.

This order was すぐに carried out, but it was resultless. Not even the 跡をつける of a horse could be 設立する so cleverly had they been carried away. Taking a last pathetic look at the scene of their misfortunes, Strangway called on his companions and turned eastward.

"Let us get to the river. It is only a couple of miles off, and we can find some game there. It's a blessing we have 弾薬／武器 left," he said.

"Keep 井戸／弁護士席 負かす／撃墜する from that 悪口を言う／悪態d waterfall. There is nothing to be 得るd there," was Stanley's 返答.

速く but silently the three forlorn men walked and in half-and-hour they had reached the 罰金 stream called 密告者 Creek. They were about three miles below the 落ちるs whence the mysterious sounds were heard and there was 豊富 of wild fowl on the stream.

Strangway soon had his gun in use, and within five minutes he had 安全な・保証するd two を締める of 黒人／ボイコット ducks. The birds were not at all wild, for they had probably never before seen a white man or heard the 報告（する）／憶測 of a gun.

Whilst the leader was getting the food the other two men had made a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and 可決する・採択するing the style of the native's oven they soon had the birds cooking. They were ravenously hungry and not at all epicures.

In an hour's time three of the ducks were taken from the ember ovens and they were 熱望して devoured. They 証明するd to be in excellent 条件, and when the fourth bird was 分配するd and it had disappeared the party felt in much better spirit to 直面する their terrible 旅行. After a drink the cry was "押し進める on," and they 始める，決める off along the stream until night （機の）カム on.

More game was then 得るd, for it was in 豊富, and a comfortable 場所／位置 for the （軍の）野営地，陣営 selected. They were now fully ten miles from the 範囲, and two at least of the party felt a sense of 救済 at 存在 some distance away from that mysterious locality.

As the night was very warm the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was 消滅させるd after the cooking was finished. This was done on an 広範囲にわたる 規模, no いっそう少なく than six を締める of fat duck 存在 baked. This was to obviate 延期する the next morning, as from about an hour before sunrise until ten or eleven o'clock was the best time to travel.

During the middle of the day they ーするつもりであるd 残り／休憩（する）ing from the 激しい heat. This time they would utilise in cooking a twenty-four-hours' 供給（する）. The night passed without anything occurring to alarm the travellers.

Strangway and Stanley had now shook off their 不信 of Talmud and no watch was kept. Each man, however, slept, so to speak, with one 注目する，もくろむ open, and the least sound was 十分な to 誘発する them.

For five days good 進歩 was made in this way and nothing of 公式文書，認める occurred. The mysterious 範囲s had faded out of sight and with them the dread of the supernatural which seemed to 圧力（をかける） on the explorers. So far they had been fortunate in 安全な・保証するing abundant food, though its sameness was beginning to tell on them わずかに.

Their worst trouble was the want of boots. Talmud had 非，不，無 in the first instance. He was shod in a sort of 木造の sandal, but when that broke up he had to take to tying kangaroo 肌s around his feet. A spare pair of boots for Stanley and Strangway had been stolen from the （軍の）野営地，陣営, and on these they relied to get 支援する. Those they wore in the glen had been destroyed in walking across the smouldering 解雇する／砲火／射撃. With the horses the wear and 涙／ほころび on boots would have been comparatively trifling, but without them it was enormous.

The first four days' tramp left nothing but shreds, and then, like Talmud, they had to 落ちる 支援する on hides. Not 存在 used to them they soon got lame, and then they had perforce to make shorter 行う／開催する／段階s. After a lapse of a week or two no 疑問 the feet would 控訴 themselves to the altered circumstances like the soft 手渡す of a man 未使用の to 手動式の labor will accustom itself to hard work after first blistering and then becoming horny.

It was the blistering 行う／開催する／段階 that the feet of Stanley and Strangway were in on the first of January, 1871. That was the date they had chosen to leave the 範囲, but now they were more than seventy miles away from it.

の直前に noon on New Year's Day they formed their 一時的な or "cooking （軍の）野営地，陣営," as they called it, on the bank of a small lagoon which ran off the creek, and as usual began to 準備する the food.

Strangway always got the game, and when the 停止（させる） was made he went about fifty yards away in the direction that a large flock of duck were swimming. The banks of the lagoon were 木材／素質d わずかに, but a 厚い undergrowth grew amongst the trees.

Stanley and Talmud had just made the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and were scooping 穴を開けるs in the hard earth for the ovens when they heard Strangway calling loudly for help, and in a few minutes the 報告（する）／憶測 of his gun sounded. 掴むing his ライフル銃／探して盗む Stanley 急ぐd に向かって the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す followed by his companion who carried the leader's 武器.

Stanley was a dozen yards in 前線, and had almost reached the scrub when seven aboriginals dashed out of it and flung their spears at him. He managed to 避ける them all but one and that pierced through the calf of his left 脚. He 解雇する／砲火／射撃d 即時に at the 真っ先の 黒人／ボイコット, who fell dead, and at the same moment Talmud 発射 another.

The aboriginals were making off when Stanley used his revolver and 負傷させるd a third. Taking his knife he 削減（する） the 前線 of the spear off, and then asked Talmud to pull it through from the 支援する which the latter at once did. This did not 占領する twenty seconds, and when it was done the two men ran into the scrub. They 設立する Strangway 持つ／拘留するing on to the 四肢 of a small tree deathly pale and with a formidable looking spear through his 権利 味方する.

"I'm done for, lads," he said in a feeble 発言する／表明する. "These vermin surprised me or this would not have happened. It's a wonder, indeed, that I 港／避難所't half-a-dozen of these harpoons through me."

"You will pull through all 権利. It cannot have touched any 決定的な part," said Stanley, who was cutting off the 支援する 部分 of the spear which had been thrown from behind.

When this was done Talmud 掴むd the barbed end and gently pulled it out. The 負傷させる was certainly a terrible one, and it seemed little short of miraculous that anyone could 生き残る it.

Putting one arm 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 負傷させるd man, Talmud led, or nearly carried him, out of the scrub, whilst Stanley, whose 傷害 was very painful, limped behind bringing the 小火器. The 血 which flowed from the 負傷させる was not copious, and this made it probable that it was only a terrible flesh 傷害.

Laying Strangway on the ground, Talmud 示す to Stanley by 調印するs and a few words of English that he had better sit 負かす／撃墜する and reload the guns. The 苦痛 of his 負傷させる made this almost necessary, and when he did Talmud broke off the 支店s of some trees の近くに by and 涙／ほころびing off the leaves made a rough couch which he covered with soft grass.

On this he 解除するd Strangway, who looked 感謝する for the 行為／法令／行動する. He then bound up the 負傷させる with a fragment of linen Stanley had, over which he placed a 部分 of soft kangaroo 肌, and when he had given his 患者 a drink of water the latter fell into a sleep—a natural 治療（薬）, better far than all the 薬／医学s invented or discovered by man. In the 合間 Stanley had …に出席するd to himself after reloading the 発射する／解雇するd 武器s.

Amongst the articles saved was a hatchet, which was exceedingly useful. As soon as Talmud was done with his 患者 he got this and began to 削減（する） 負かす／撃墜する all the saplings and small trees around and pile them up in the 形態／調整 of breast-work for the （軍の）野営地，陣営 which was admirably 据えるd. It was at an angle of the lagoon and the creek and without swimming could only be approached on one 味方する. With incredible energy Talmud made this into a miniature fort.

Whilst Stanley 機動力のある guard ーするために 妨げる another surprise, the white man of the 範囲 built up two 塀で囲むs of defence which were at least spear proof. One enclosed the （軍の）野営地，陣営 itself whilst the other 行為／法令／行動するd as an outer 塀で囲む. If the natives tried to 規模 the outer 塀で囲む with the 意向 of spearing the inmates of the （軍の）野営地，陣営 they could be 発射 負かす／撃墜する without 存在 able to 影響 their 目的.

When it was 完全にするd Talmud rigged up a rough seat for Stanley, where whilst 残り／休憩（する）ing his 負傷させるd 脚 he could still keep watch. This done, he filled the ovens and proceeded to cook the four ducks he had 安全な・保証するd.

Strangway woke about night-落ちる, and while very bad it was 明らかな that he was not mortally 負傷させるd, though in such a position, without 医療の 援助（する）, or 器具s, or proper food, the 問題／発行する between life and death appeared very much in 好意 of the latter.

Talmud 主張するd in keeping watch all that night, though Stanley 手配中の，お尋ね者 to 株 it with him. The ex-船員 when he did 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する went to sleep almost すぐに and did not wake until daylight. He had been やめる worn out with the tramping and the loss of 血.

During the night no attack was made by the natives, though Talmud heard them 除去するing their dead. One day 後継するd another in this fashion; Talmud doing nearly everything necessary. There was no difficulty in getting food as ducks and swans swam around the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

At the end of three weeks Stanley was almost 同様に as ever, but the leader was still in a very bad way. It was a terrible struggle between life and death that was going on, but his splendid 憲法 at length 勝つ／広く一帯に広がるd and he began 徐々に to mend.

It was the morning of the 20th March—or two months and twenty days from the time of the spearing—that the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was broken up and another start made for home. Strangway was still weak, but he 主張するd on going. He could not get over more than seven or eight miles a day, but that itself meant a long stretch when kept up.

For ten days they went along, and then an alarming change took place in the creek. It appeared to enter a sandy porous country and consisted of a mere chain of water-穴を開けるs. At first these afforded both game and water, but as the party went along, to their 狼狽 it was 設立する that the water was わずかに brackish. This had an injurious 影響 on systems already 弱めるd by bad food, （危険などに）さらす, 負傷させるs and 疲労，（軍の）雑役, but the men bore up bravely against it. The その上の they went in the direction of the white 解決／入植地 the worse the water became until at last they began to look upon their escape as hopeless.

"Try for a clay-pan," Strangway said one morning to Stanley.

The latter was almost as feeble as the leader and his 脚 still showed 調印するs of the 負傷させる.

Talmud heard the words, and, stepping 今後, said, "Me?"

Strangway nodded, and the mysterious man at once 始める，決める off に向かって a small clump of trees about three miles to the east. It was afternoon when he returned, and there was a strange light in his 注目する，もくろむs.

"Come!" he 簡単に said.

Staggering to their feet Stanley and Strangway, 死なせる／死ぬing with かわき, stepped out of the imperfect shade and slowly followed Talmud over the parched plain with the sun （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域ing piteously on them. 不十分な a mile had been 横断するd when Strangway sunk helplessly to the earth in the last 行う／開催する／段階 of exhaustion.

"Go," he whispered, huskily, "save yourselves."

"No," both men said as they 解除するd him from the hot ground and tottered onwards. The shade of the trees was a slight 救済, but when the 辛勝する／優位 was reached Strangway begged to be 許すd to 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する and die.

Stanley was in the same hopeless 条件, but Talmud with vehement gestures pointed ahead, and as the film gathered before their 注目する，もくろむs it appeared to them as if a thin line 削減（する） the horizon a short distance away.

* * * * * *

"Hey, Morrison! Look! What the ジュース—ah, I say, what are they?"

The （衆議院の）議長 was Overseer Garfield, engaged in the erection of the 広大な／多数の／重要な 陸路の telegraph line between Adelaide and Port Darwin and the 周辺 a few miles north of 開始する O'Halloran. As he spoke he slid 負かす／撃墜する from a Telegraph-政治家 and with his men ran 今後 to where three 存在s in the 外見 of men were swaying and staggering together.

Evidently one (himself horribly emaciated) was trying to support the other two, but the 成果／努力 was too 広大な／多数の／重要な and the three derelicts sank on the ground together. The first man rose upon his 膝s and with glazed 注目する，もくろむs looked, and then as he saw there was help coming he sank 支援する in a swoon exhausted.

"A の近くに shave that, Morrison," Garfield 発言／述べるd an hour later, when with the ample means at 手渡す the lost explorers began to 生き返らせる.

"Yes, and it's only by the merest chance we are here to-day. If the 黒人／ボイコットs had not 干渉するd with the line we would have been miles 支援する."

CHAPTER XII.—THE OVERSEER'S STORY.

"Yes, a の近くに shave, no 疑問. Indeed it is a question whether the tall man will get over his hardships!" exclaimed Dr. Whyte, who had just come up.

The South Australian 政府 took care that the 器具／備品 of the parties they had 築くing the two thousand miles of telegraph line through an almost unknown land should be as perfect as possible. To 横断する the Australian continent from south to north had been a 仕事 that had cost the lives of many intrepid men, even though their 選び出す／独身 目的（とする） was to cover the ground as 速く as possible.

To 築く 相当な 政治家s, stretch wires, and 供給する 駅／配置するs at 確かな intervals in such a wilderness with 敵意を持った 黒人／ボイコットs on every 味方する was, therefore, an 請け負うing of 広大な／多数の／重要な magnitude. That it was 井戸／弁護士席 carried out may be 計器d from the fact that from first to last only seven deaths took place amongst those engaged in the work. 医療の 出席 was 供給するd, and every care was taken to 妨げる sickness amongst the workmen. Dr. Whyte was attendant to the 飛行機で行くing ギャング（団）, the 義務s of which were to see that all defects or 事故s on the 完全にするd 部分 of the line were 除去するd or 修理d.

The tall man, whom the doctor referred to, was Michael Strangway, and his 外見 was 十分に bad to 令状 the 医療の 声明. The 厳しい 負傷させる he had received from the 黒人／ボイコットs had a serious 影響 upon his 憲法, and to this was 追加するd bad food and water and 広大な／多数の／重要な physical exertion.

Stanley was also in a low 明言する／公表する but not nearly so bad as the leader, whilst Talmud after his swoon soon 回復するd. Had it not been for him it is 確かな that both Strangway and Stanley must have 死なせる／死ぬd. For the 先行する three days he had 支えるd his unfortunate companions and took the brunt of the work.

Two hours after the 劇の 救助（する） by Overseer Garfield and his party Dr. Whyte decided that the three men should be 除去するd to the main （軍の）野営地，陣営 some ten miles 支援する. One of the 輸送（する） waggons was 得るd for the 目的, and by night-落ちる the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was reached. There, for the first time in several months, the explorers received 治療 ふさわしい to their 条件, and next day Strangway and his comrade showed 際立った 調印するs of 改良. Nothing was wanting that could 追加する to their 慰安, and in a few weeks' time the three men had almost 回復するd from the 影響s of the terrible 旅行.

"How （機の）カム you to be left in such a 直す／買収する，八百長をする?" Garfield asked the leader.

"The 黒人／ボイコットs plundered our （軍の）野営地，陣営 whilst we were away 診察するing a strange 開始する in which 密告者 Creek takes its rise," was the reply.

"That must be the McDonnell 範囲. It's a queer 地区 I have heard," answered Garfield.

"Yes, there is no 疑問 about that. It is the most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の place I have ever been in."

"By the way, what is the 事柄 with your friend?" Garfield went on, pointing to Talmud who was sitting on a スピードを出す／記録につける outside the hut.

"That is a mystery to me," replied Strangway, narrating to his friend the strange circumstances under which Talmud had been 設立する.

"I believe I've seen that man somewhere. There is a striking likeness to a 確かな person; but it cannot be he as he was killed ten years ago by the 黒人／ボイコットs."

"Ah, where was that?" asked Strangway.

"In Stuart's second 探検隊／遠征隊 across the continent, about two hundred miles north of our 現在の 場所, there was an attack on the （軍の）野営地，陣営 by the 黒人／ボイコットs and poor O'Malley was carried off. I think he was first killed and the cannibals carried off the 団体／死体," replied Garfield.

"Have you spoken to Talmud about the 事柄?" asked Strangway.

"I have made 言及／関連 to it 間接に but he does not seem to understand, and he is such a silent fellow."

"He seems to have forgotten his mother tongue. When we first 設立する him he did not know a word of English, but he is 速く 選ぶing up the language."

"I noticed that during the last week. He will be able to tell his own story すぐに, I dare say," said Garfied.

"I am anxious to hear it, for I feel 保証するd it will be one of the most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の ever narrated by mortal man. I have good 推論する／理由s for thinking so," interjected Strangway.

The conversation was interrupted by the 入り口 of Stanley, who said:

"I hear there is another 'break' 負かす／撃墜する 近づく the end of the line, overseer."

"Confound those ignorant aboriginals! They are giving us a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of trouble. They appear to have a particular dislike to the wires, and we are not 許すd to を取り引きする them as we should like."

"I know how old Mills, of Nardoo, would 行為／法令／行動する if they 干渉するd with his 所有物／資産／財産. They would have daylight let through them in no time," laughed Stanley.

"The 黒人／ボイコットs, white ants and 暴風s are our greatest 障害s in the work we have in 手渡す, but no 疑問 it will come 権利 ere long. When the line is 完全にするd to Darwin steps will be taken to 妨げる 干渉，妨害 by the 黒人／ボイコットs, and our '飛行機で行くing ギャング（団）s' will be better able to grapple with the two latter drawbacks," replied Overseer Garfield.

As the latter went out of the hut to arrange a party to 回復する communication, Stanley said:

"When are you thinking of making a start for home, Michael? We could easily manage the 旅行 now. We can follow the telegraph line to the south of Eyre and then strike off to the east. There will be little or no trouble now as the 行う／開催する／段階s are placed at 平易な distances along the 跡をつける of the line."

"I am ready to go at any moment," answered Strangway. "Say we make a start to-morrow morning. Have you spoken to Talmud about it?"

"Yes. He seems very anxious to 押し進める on."

"Then to-morrow we will 企て，努力，提案 our good friends adieu. I feel as strong as ever," replied Strangway.

"Will you not come along the 跡をつける with us?" asked Garfield, entering the hut. "The breakage is only five miles 支援する, and we can 直す／買収する，八百長をする it up before nightfall."

"Yes, I will go with 楽しみ," answered Strangway, who was becoming 疲れた／うんざりしたd with inaction.

In half-an-hour Garfield with five line repairers and Strangway, Stanley and Talmud 始める，決める off for the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the wires had been broken. This 証明するd to be a place called Granite Glen. It was a 深い and exceedingly wild gully running between 刺激（する）s of 開始する O'Halloran, and its crossing had been one of the most arduous 仕事s so far experienced on the 大勝する. The vegetation in places was exceedingly dense, whilst at others 明らかにする scarped 集まりs of 激しく揺する were piled up in fantastic 混乱.

"We lost two men at this place," 発言／述べるd Garfield to Stanley as they were dismounting from their horses at the 辛勝する／優位 of the ravine.

"How was that?"

"One of them walked over yonder cliff during the night time and his 団体／死体 was never 回復するd. The 黒人／ボイコットs killed the other. He was left in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the horses, and when we returned we 設立する him 石／投石する dead with half-a-dozen spears in the 団体／死体 and the 示すs of nullas also."

"Did you do nothing to avenge the 殺人?"

"The 当局 took 活動／戦闘, but they were never able to trace his slayers. Since then no aboriginals have been seen in the 周辺; but they must be getting over their 恐れる now 明らかに if this break is their work."

After 安全な・保証するing the horses and leaving two men in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金, the 残りの人，物 of the party went along to find out where the wires were 負かす／撃墜する. The course led them past the cliff over which the man had fallen, and Strangway 問い合わせd how it was that the 団体／死体 had not been 回復するd.

"That is a question not easily answered," returned the overseer, "and at best we can only surmise the 推論する／理由. We had our （軍の）野営地，陣営 pitched where you see those ashes, and it was between nine and ten o'clock at night when Whittaker met his death. It seems that he had been sent from the 駅／配置する we have just left to bring a message here, and 明らかに he must have got lost or may have been 延期するd in some manner on the way. He left at three o'clock in the afternoon and せねばならない have returned at five. It was すぐに after nine o'clock when we heard a cooee sounding from yonder hill and one of the men in our （軍の）野営地，陣営 recognised it as Whittaker's 発言する／表明する. We had a very large 解雇する／砲火／射撃 燃やすing here and it threw a 有望な reflection on the surrounding 激しく揺するs and 特に on the 広大な／多数の／重要な cliff. We 答える／応じるd to the call, and could hear our friend 徐々に approaching by his cooees. I was sitting—or rather lying—just at this 位置／汚点／見つけ出す and 直面するing the cliff, 存在 engaged with my last 麻薬を吸う before going to sleep. Suddenly a terrible cry 原因（となる）d us all to jump to our feet, and as I did so I distinctly saw the 団体／死体 of a man 落ちるing 負かす／撃墜する the cliff. The light from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃 輪郭（を描く）d the doomed man distinctly, though of course I only had a momentary ちらりと見ること. 掴むing our lights we ran to the foot of the precipice, and, fortunately for us, we knew the place or some of us might have gone to keep poor Whittaker company. There is a frightful abyss at the base of that rocky 塀で囲む, though you cannot see it from here, and when we got to it there was neither sight nor sound of our comrade. During the 不明瞭 we could not do much, but at daylight we got a thirty fathom rope and I was lowered 負かす／撃墜する. I will never forget the 降下／家系 so long as I live," said Garfield after a pause, during which he beckoned his three listeners to follow him to the base of the cliff. "You will see," he went on, as the party 近づくd the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, "what a peculiar place it is."

This 声明 was perfectly true. 権利 along the base of the cliff ran a chasm of 明らかに 深遠な depth. It was about four feet across and at least one hundred yards in length.

"It was 負かす／撃墜する this place that Whittaker fell," 再開するd Garfield, "and into which I was lowered to search for the 団体／死体. As you will see it appears to be a clean 削減（する） cleft in the 激しく揺する, but it is not so in reality. When I was let 負かす／撃墜する I took the largest lamp we had, and, after going between twenty and thirty feet, I 設立する that I was dangling in 中央の 空気／公表する in an enormous cavern. Far as the light reached I could see the 広大な hollow stretching out in every direction. It 延長するd under the cliff 同様に as as beneath where we now stand, but the most singular part was the 広大な／多数の／重要な draught which swept through the place. It 軍隊d me underneath the ledge of 激しく揺する and swayed me about in such a manner that had I not been 井戸／弁護士席 安全な・保証するd to the rope I should certainly have let go my 持つ／拘留する. At a depth of one hundred and twenty feet I reached the 底（に届く）, and, after 回復するing myself, began the search for Whittaker. In descending I had done so at the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where our comrade had fallen 負かす／撃墜する, but, strange to say, I could not find a trace of him. At the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す I 推定する／予想するd to find the 団体／死体, I fancied I could discern traces which appeared to 示す that the locality had been 捨てるd or washed, but it might have been only fancy. Disconnecting the rope from myself I 決定するd to make a search of the tremendous subterranean 議会, as it was possible that by some providential means Whittaker may have escaped death. The lamp I carried threw out a 公正に／かなり good light, and for half-an-hour I searched in a 半径 of at least a hundred yards from the rope. More than once I was startled at what seemed to me the 影をつくる／尾行するs of flitting human 存在s. Imagination, I dare say, you will 主張する, and I try to think the same myself, but the 成果／努力 is not a very successful one. At last I （機の）カム to a place where a passage sloping 負かす／撃墜する at an angle of about sixty degrees sank into the 床に打ち倒す. I noticed that the 床に打ち倒す was 井戸／弁護士席 worn, though by what I could not say. I was too 脅すd to 投機・賭ける 負かす／撃墜する it and 結論するd I had better return. Making my way 支援する to where I had 直す／買収する，八百長をするd the rope to a jutting ledge of 激しく揺する so that it could not be 運ぶ／漁獲高d up without my first undoing it, I received a shock that for a few moments （判決などを）下すd me speechless with astonishment. The rope was not there! With an 成果／努力 I collected my thoughts and 診察するd the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す. Yes, there was no mistake about it for I could see the 示すs where I had tied it on the 激しく揺する, and I 井戸／弁護士席 knew that nothing short of human 機関 could have undone the knots I made. 回復するing myself I began to shout at the 最高の，を越す of my 発言する／表明する to those above, but they afterwards told me they could not hear the sound. 明らかに it must have been lost in the gigantic cavern, for there it reverberated in the most startling fashion. I was becoming frantic at my terrible position, when I saw a dark 団体／死体 coming 負かす／撃墜する the abyss, and in half a minute one of the men on 最高の，を越す 指名するd Scholes had reached the 床に打ち倒す of the cavern.

"'Thank God you are not killed!' he cried, as I ran up to him; 'but you must be 不正に 傷つける?'

"'傷つける! why should I be?' I asked in amazement.

"'Did you not 落ちる 支援する when we were 運ぶ／漁獲高ing you up?' he asked.

"'No!'

"Even with the flickering light I could see that he turned pale. He slowly undid the rope from his 団体／死体 and placed it 一連の会議、交渉／完成する 地雷.

"'Send it 負かす／撃墜する the moment you reach the 最高の，を越す,' he said.

"手渡すing him the lamp I was speedily swung 上向きs and arrived at the 最高の，を越す in a half-dazed 条件. The men 星／主役にするd at me as if they 推定する／予想するd to see a 乱打するd 死体, and were surprised beyond 手段 as I walked to a 石／投石する and sat 負かす／撃墜する. As I did so one of the party （機の）カム running from the （軍の）野営地，陣営 with some brandy, which I 熱望して drank, for I felt unnerved. When Scholes （機の）カム up I asked:

"'Why did you 運ぶ／漁獲高 up the rope without me and before getting the signal?'

"'We got the signal, sir,' replied Scholes, 'and 運ぶ／漁獲高d up a 激しい 団体／死体 for nearly a hundred feet, when it suddenly dropped off and we thought you were killed, or that it was the 団体／死体 of Whittaker that was not 適切に fastened on."

"They are signalling to us, sir," one of them said to Garfield at this juncture.

"Yes; let us go and I will tell you as we walk along. They have 設立する the break over there and want 指示／教授／教育s about it, I suppose."

CHAPTER XIII.—THE COMBAT.

"You may depend that when I heard this I was more astounded than ever," continued the overseer, 再開するing the narrative, "I had fastened the rope most securely, and I was 納得させるd that there must be some strange 推論する／理由 to account for its 存在 undone. Then the 激しい 団体／死体 which the men had 運ぶ／漁獲高d up to a distance which I calculated would reach the roof of the 広大な cavern, what could that be? I remembered now that I had noticed what I took to be flitting 影をつくる／尾行するs, and the only natural explanation I could give of the whole occurrence was that the place must be 住むd by aboriginals. Perhaps there was a secret 入り口 to the 広大な／多数の／重要な 議会 for assuredly the natives could not enter it in the way Scholes and I did. They had no ropes over one hundred and twenty feet long, but it was やめる likely that such a place was accessible from the gully その上の 負かす／撃墜する the glens. The strong draught was presumptive proof of this, and I 投機・賭けるd to 示唆する the explanation to Scholes.

"'No, sir. I don't think the ordinary aboriginal, at any 率, would live in such a place. They have a superstitious dread of such dark 休会s as that.'

"'But what has become of Whittaker's 団体／死体?' I asked.

"'There may be some wild animals below which have dragged it away and eaten it. That is the idea I have formed about it,' he answered.

"'But a wild animal could not undo a rope tied in the manner I left it; and besides an animal would not care to hang on to a rope to be 運ぶ／漁獲高d up a hundred feet and then let go,' I interrupted.

"'It does seem queer; but if a man dropped a hundred feet we would have 設立する his 団体／死体,' （機の）カム the reply.

"'Why did we not find Whittaker's? He fell nearer three hundred feet,' I argued.

"'There is undoubtedly a mystery about it that I 恐れる will never be solved. I wouldn't care about going into that place again,' Scholes went on.

"'Some of us will have to do so. I must send word on to the 長，率いる （軍の）野営地，陣営 and get help so that a proper search can be made for Whittaker. Suppose he is not dead and is lying in that dismal place insensible,' I said.

"'I やめる agree with that. A proper search should be made, and if you like I will go 支援する to the 駅／配置する with the news and bring help as quickly as possible,' said Scholes.

"This course was 可決する・採択するd, and の直前に three o'clock the same afternoon a party of ten men, 井戸／弁護士席 供給するd with ropes and lanterns, reached us. Four of them along with myself were lowered 負かす／撃墜する and we began a most systematic search. With a number of spare lights we illuminated the cavern 公正に／かなり 井戸／弁護士席, and leaving one man to watch the lamps we spread ourselves about and made a minute search. To the south we 設立する that the cavern 延長するd for a 広大な／多数の／重要な distance—how far we could not 裁判官, for a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile from the chasm we 遭遇（する）d a second abyss which 閉めだした our 進歩. This place seemed to be a tremendous depth, and far 負かす／撃墜する we could hear a sound as if water was 急ぐing along. Getting 支援する to the descending passage which I had 設立する in the morning, three of us 決定するd to 調査する it. We were all 武装した and scarcely 推定する／予想するd an attack in such a place. The 長，指導者 danger was in 会合 foul 空気／公表する or in 存在 precipitated into a chasm. For some distance the 地下組織の way was perfectly 乾燥した，日照りの, and it bore evident traces of 存在 trodden by either man or beast. After going nearly two hundred yards a bend was met with 主要な to the south, and we could see that in this direction the 激しく揺するs were honeycombed in an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の fashion. After 訴訟／進行 for fully a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile we （機の）カム on a scene which I will not soon forget. The passage suddenly opened out into a 抱擁する 洞穴 so far as we could see over 200 yards in 直径, and this was filled to within a couple of feet of the 床に打ち倒す of the passage with water. On the western 味方する we could see a 有望な stream 落ちるing into the 水盤／入り江, whilst what was 明らかに an 出口 was 明白な to the south. The subterranean lake appeared to be of 深遠な depth, and as our lights flashed on the （疑いを）晴らす surface it 反映するd 支援する a thousand sparkling gleams which were indescribably beautiful. Finding our 進歩 閉めだした we were just turning away when an exclamation from one of the men 原因（となる）d me to look 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. He was pointing に向かって the eastern 味方する of 激しく揺するs, which fringed the water, and as I turned I distinctly caught the 輪郭（を描く） of some aquatic beast which had come to the surface for a few minutes. It must have been of かなりの size, for it 原因（となる）d a very perceptible wash against the rocky 味方するs. From the 迅速な ちらりと見ること I caught of the animal I should 述べる it as 存在 in 形態／調整 not unlike an ordinary sea-porpoise, and in this I am borne out by the man who first saw it. For fully half-an-hour we stood on the 辛勝する／優位 of the 地下組織の lake watching for the re-外見 of the strange inhabitant, but we did not again notice any 調印する of animal life. Our surprise was materially 増加するd on our return 旅行, for in several places we were 直面するd by 塀で囲むs of 石／投石する thrown across the passage. These were two or three feet in 高さ, and at first we 結論するd that our companions left behind had been playing a practical joke on us. When, however, we 遭遇（する）d no いっそう少なく than five of these 人工的な 障壁s, we knew that it was not possible for our comrades to have done the work. The only possible 反対する in putting the 石／投石するs where they were could have been but to let us know that other human 存在s besides ourselves were in the cavern. I can 保証する you that the fact 完全に surprised us, and we built up all sorts of wild conjectures. We were all of the opinion that it was not aboriginals who たびたび（訪れる）d the place. It was 示唆するd that there might be a superior race of 黒人／ボイコットs who thus lived, but this idea was scouted for it was most improbable that superior tribes would bury themselves in 暗い／優うつな caverns beneath the surface and 許す the inferior to monopolise the glorious 日光. I 自白する I even built up a wilder theory which I now laugh at. We might have come in 接触する with the 子孫s of the 早期に 罪人／有罪を宣告するs who, 逃げるing from 解決／入植地, had sought 避難 from both whites and 黒人／ボイコットs in the lonely 範囲s of the 内部の. 存在 非武装の they would 自然に hide in caverns from the 黒人／ボイコットs, and 徐々に a 世代 would be 発展させるd who might have a decided liking for such a subterranean life. Without 道具s and with the 限られた／立憲的な 資源s of the locality the easiest and most comfortable method of 供給するing a 避難所 would be to become a 洞穴-dweller even as the primal race of Colorado did. When we reached the main cavern we 設立する our two comrades anxiously を待つing us. Our 長引かせるd absence had somewhat startled them, for, like my own experience of the morning, they were 納得させるd that strange 影をつくる／尾行するs had made their 外見 after we entered the passage, and curious sounds had also come from the place 負かす／撃墜する which we had gone. It was now six o'clock, and as we could not find the least trace of poor Whittaker we were 運ぶ／漁獲高d to the surface. Next day I 示唆するd that その上の search should be made, but the men point blank 辞退するd to re-enter the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の cavern. It was even hinted that perhaps Whittaker had not fallen into the chasm at all and that the 人物／姿／数字 I had seen in the flashing light was only an 光学の illusion. I am, of course, やめる 確かな that it was nothing of the sort, but a sad reality. From that time to this nothing has been seen or heard of poor Whittaker, and it is as 確かな as I am talking that he lost his life on that night and in that abyss."

"What could have become of the 団体／死体?" asked Stanley.

"It must have been 除去するd by those who live in the place," the overseer answered.

"But do you think it possible that people could 存在する in such a place. Where could they get their food?" Strangway interjected.

"It is almost 確かな that they have daily communication with the surface. These caverns would only be a place of 退却／保養地 or 住居 even as an ordinary person's house is. They would bring their food in with them. At least that is my opinion, though who knows but that there may be a civilization beneath the ground やめる unknown to us," 答える／応じるd Garfield.

"Yes," mused Stanley; "my comrades and I have seen things during the last few months which 納得させる us that there are many strange events occurring that are not explainable by our ordinary knowledge."

"I ーするつもりである as soon as my work with the 陸路の line is finished to form a 科学の 探検隊／遠征隊 to 適切に 調査する these mysterious 休会s beneath yonder cliff. It would be 価値のある, for instance, to know what sort of an animal we saw in the subterranean lake."

"Living in such a place it must be blind," interrupted Stanley.

"It was not blind I am 確かな , and that shows it must be able to reach places where light is 設立する," （機の）カム the reply.

By this time the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する-land of granite was passed and the party descended into the thickly 木材／素質d glen. Occasionally a small open 位置／汚点／見つけ出す was reached, but the locality was mostly covered with a dense scrub. The break had taken place about the centre of the gully where a small water-course divided the dense thicket, and some of the men could be seen 修理ing it.

Overseer Garfield with Strangway, Stanley and one of the line men were walking together, whilst Talmud was six or seven yards in 前進する of the group. He had listened in silence to the overseer's narration, but it was plain that he understood every word said and was 深く，強烈に 利益／興味d in the story. As he walked ahead Garfield said to his companions:

"The more I see of your friend there," pointing to Talmud, "the more 納得させるd I am that he is 同一の with a young man I knew some years ago—yet the idea is outrageous, for he must be dead these ten years."

"Who was he?"

"He was a member of McDonall Stuart's second 探検隊／遠征隊, and during an attack by the 黒人／ボイコットs a hundred miles from 開始する Daniel he was killed."

"How do you know he was killed?" asked Strangway.

"I was a member of the party, and saw him speared just outside the （軍の）野営地，陣営. We were momentarily driven 支援する, and when we 回復するd ourselves we made for the place where he fell but he was not there, and the 血-stained ground bore ample 証拠 of what had happened," explained Garfield.

"Where was he speared? You say you saw him after the spears were thrown?" queried Stanley.

"I noticed one sticking through his left shoulder. I cannot say if any others struck him. I will one of these days——"

The 宣告，判決 was never finished by the overseer.

A 警告 cry from Talmud sounded above the conversation and at the same instant the whistle of a cloud of ちらりと見ることing spears was heard.

The little group had just reached the centre of one of the small clearings already について言及するd when the attack was made, and a few moments 十分であるd to show that the aboriginals had 召集（する）d in strong 軍隊. At least fifty of them had sprung to the 辛勝する／優位 of the （疑いを）晴らすing with the spears already 直す／買収する，八百長をするd in their meros, and in a few seconds a cloud of spears were 開始する，打ち上げるd at the party.

The natives were not more than thirty yards away, and could throw with the fullest 影響.

Talmud threw himself flat on the ground, and as the ミサイルs were 開始する，打ち上げるd at the four men behind him they swept harmlessly by. Quick as thought he drew the revolver he carried and ere the natives could get 支援する to the cover of the scrub he 発射 one 負かす／撃墜する. Overseer Garfield and his companions were not so fortunate. The former was a foot or so in 前進する of Strangway, whilst Stanley and the line man followed.

The attack was made so 突然に that Garfield had no time to escape the oncoming spears, three of which struck him in the 団体／死体. To the びっくり仰天 of Strangway he saw one of the 武器s pierce through the overseer's left breast, and with a half-stifled groan the unfortunate man fell backward and rolled on his 味方する with the spear sticking through him.

It was but the work of an instant for the white men to 行為／法令／行動する on the 不快な／攻撃, and in a few seconds they began to 注ぐ a ボレー of revolver 弾丸s into the scrub.

Talmud emptied his 武器 in the same manner and then dashed 今後 as if in 追跡. As he 近づくd the 辛勝する／優位 of the thicket a gigantic native sprang out 武装した with a nulla, and in a moment the white man and the 黒人／ボイコット were engaged in a 手渡す to 手渡す struggle of the most desperate character.

As Stanley and Strangway ran up Talmud cried to them in a frenzied 発言する／表明する not to 干渉する, and they stood passive 観客s of the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 戦闘.

Talmud appeared to be endowed with phenomenal strength, and the native fought in the most 勇敢な manner. While one used his nulla the other plied the revolver, and it was soon evident that the white combatant was getting the best of the fight. His superior 格闘するing 技術 enabled him to rain a にわか雨 of blows on the skull of the aboriginal, and it was only the thickness of the latter's cranium that 長引かせるd the contest.

Talmud at length managed to 取引，協定 his adversary a terrible blow on the forehead, and as the 黒人／ボイコット lay motionless the strange white man jumped to his feet panting and exclaimed:

"At last!"

CHAPTER XIV.—A MOUNTAIN TRAGEDY.

The 解雇する／砲火／射撃ing had attracted the attention of the men who were 修理ing the broken telegraph line, and with all 速度(を上げる） they made for the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where it proceeded. They knew but too 井戸／弁護士席 the 原因（となる）, for it was not the first time they had to repel 敵意を持った attacks. Before they reached the （疑いを）晴らすing, however, the natives had made their 退却／保養地. After the first 発射する／解雇する of spears they did not again 投機・賭ける into the （疑いを）晴らすing, and the revolver ボレーs must have 負傷させるd more than one of them 裁判官ing by the crimson stains 設立する in the scrub.

Not みなすing it 安全な to 投機・賭ける into the thicket Strangway and Stanley stood ready to shoot 負かす／撃墜する the first native who might appear, whilst the line men …に出席するd to Overseer Garfield. The latter was beyond human help, for one of the spears had pierced his heart and the hardy bushman had made his last trip.

After the 手渡す to 手渡す fight with the tall 黒人／ボイコット Talmud stood with 倍のd 武器 silently regarding the still form of his late antagonist. A （人が）群がる of 相反する emotions seemed to be 殺到するing through his breast, for he appeared やめる oblivious to his surroundings.

When the main 団体／死体 of the men reached the （疑いを）晴らすing and began to search the scrub in 追求（する），探索（する） of 待ち伏せ／迎撃するd enemies, Talmud went slowly に向かって the 団体／死体 of the overseer, and it seemed as if a 隠す had been 解除するd from his mind as he 直す／買収する，八百長をするd his attentive gaze on the dead man.

"What did you mean by that cry, 'At last!' when you killed yonder 黒人／ボイコット?" Strangway asked Talmud as he reached his 味方する.

After a pause the latter said: "Not yet—not yet. It is too soon to tell all."

"Why should it be too soon?" asked the leader whose curiosity was excited.

"I am not able to tell all yet. Wait for a week or two," the strange man replied in a hesitating manner.

Strangway had to be content with this reply, more 特に as a start was 存在 made to get the 団体／死体 of Overseer Garfield 支援する to the 駅／配置する.

"What about these two 団体／死体s?" asked Stanley, pointing to the two dead aboriginals.

"The natives will return for them when they find we have gone away," answered the man who now had 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the line party.

"Could not two or three of us remain behind and pop off a few of them when they （機の）カム 支援する?" asked one of the men vindictively.

"No; you know our orders. The 罰 of the natives is a 事柄 for others to …に出席する to. Our 義務 is to get 支援する to （軍の）野営地，陣営 and 通知する the 当局 of what has occurred," answered the new 長，指導者 堅固に.

Making a rude bier from the 木材／素質 that was lying around, the 団体／死体 of the ill-運命／宿命d overseer was 伝えるd out of Granite Glen to where the horses were 位置を示すd about a mile off, and from there all haste was made 支援する to the 駅／配置する where Dr. Whyte was to be 設立する.

The death of Garfield was the only fatality on the 味方する of the whites, and indeed 非，不，無 of the others had been even 負傷させるd.

Talmud had a few bruises received in his desperate struggle with the powerful 黒人／ボイコット, but they were of the most trifling description.

It was 明らかな that the cutting of the telegraph line was but a 計画／陰謀 to lead the men into an 待ち伏せ／迎撃する, and had Overseer Garfield not been killed he would have been able to say who the leader of the 黒人／ボイコットs was. It might be said that he was 非，不，無 other than the gigantic and 勇敢な aboriginal whom Talmud had killed, but until the latter spoke Strangway and his comrade would not learn the 指名する and history of the 黒人／ボイコット.

When the 駅／配置する was reached the doctor, of course, said that Garfield's death had been instantaneous, and as he was vested with coronial 力／強力にするs a formal 検死 was held before burial. On the に引き続いて morning a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な was made in a tiny 陰謀（を企てる） of ground 近づく the 駅／配置する that was selected as the 共同墓地, for the 駅／配置する was ーするつもりであるd to be a 永久の one.

The funeral was simple enough. A rough 棺 was made during the night and at the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な half-a-dozen of the line men with Strangway, Stanley, Talmud, the doctor and a couple of rouseabouts 構成するd the 会葬者s.

When Garfield had been laid to 残り／休憩（する） Strangway and his two companions decided to make a start for Nardoo 駅／配置する. If they did not get 支援する soon it might be 結論するd that they had 死なせる／死ぬd or were in extremities and a 救助（する） party would be sent after them. This would only entail needless expense to Mills or lead to その上の loss of life, so that if possible it should be 妨げるd.

The doctor asked the explorers to remain for a couple of days as he was going 支援する as far as Lake Eyre, and to this they willingly agreed.

The 大勝する of the 陸路の telegraph line lay to the 西方の of the 広大な／多数の／重要な salt lakes, and Strangway and his companions would thus have an 適切な時期 of seeing a new locality, as hitherto they had not been to the west of Lake Eyre. The 計画（する） they had decided on was to go south as far as Turret 範囲 and then leaving the line strike eastward for Nardoo 駅／配置する which lay in the north-west corner of New South むちの跡s.

The 施設s for 輸送（する） were ample, as in 新規加入 to a good camel service along the 大勝する of the telegraph 跡をつける, 非常に／多数の horses were to be had. 開始するs were 供給するd for the three men, and the 30th of May a start was made.

The party consisted of Dr. Whyte, Strangway, Stanley, Talmud, and four 政府 従業員s, who were returning to the South as far as Farina. On the second day out 開始する Browne was reached, and then by 平易な 行う／開催する／段階s fair 進歩 was made until the party entered Hanson 範囲s. The 大勝する through these was a rather dangerous one as no proper road had then been made, and Whyte 辛うじて escaped with his life. He was turning a 背信の 部分 of a 法外な hill on horseback when his companions saw with 狼狽 the precipitous ground on which the horse was walking slip away and carry both horse and rider over a cliff nearly fifteen feet 深い into an old water-course below. Fortunately Whyte managed to spring off the horse just as it was going over the cliff, and though he could not 妨げる himself に引き続いて, the fact that he was off the horse probably saved his life. The animal fell on its 支援する and was killed 即時に, whilst the doctor was carried over with several トンs of 破片 and was almost smothered. Quickly as possible his companions 解放（する）d him from the uncomfortable position, and though he 支えるd a number of bruises no bones were broken and he was soon able to proceed. This adventure made the party more careful, and wherever a dangerous 位置／汚点／見つけ出す was noticed it was 避けるd.

On the 17th June 頂点（に達する） 駅／配置する was reached and a 停止（させる） of a couple of days made. Three days later they arrived at Davenport River, and much to the astonishment of the party it was 設立する to be in high flood. The other water courses had been 事実上 乾燥した，日照りの, but the Davenport was carrying an 巨大な 団体／死体 of water to Lake Eyre. A 一時的な 橋（渡しをする） 築くd the previous year was 設立する to have been swept away, and the only means of crossing was to swim the turged stream.

"We had better wait here a day or two. It would not be 安全な to 投機・賭ける the horses into such a 激流 as that," Whyte 発言／述べるd.

Strangway and Stanley had a lively recollection of their 試みる／企てる to cross the Warbuton when they were swept into Lake Eyre, and they やめる agreed with the doctor.

A detour of about twelve miles would take them to the 長，率いる of the river where it rose in the Davenport 範囲s, but as there was no particular hurry it was decided to （軍の）野営地，陣営 for a few days and see if the stream would abate. To their surprise, after remaining four days on the north bank, the flood still kept up, and as 準備／条項s were getting low it was decided to turn the river at its 長，率いる and cross the 範囲 whence it took its rise.

The telegraph line crossed the Davenport hills, but it would be necessary to go much その上の west than the 跡をつける ーするために 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the stream. As they skirted along its banks next day it was 明らかな that the 降雨 in the 範囲 must have been phenomenally 広大な／多数の／重要な.

A 広大な 団体／死体 of water was still 存在 carried 負かす／撃墜する, and the clouds which 残り／休憩（する）d on the 開始する showed that it was not mere 雷鳴 にわか雨s that was 原因（となる）ing the flow. 早期に in the afternoon the party reached the foot of the 範囲, and after a short 協議 it was agreed not to 試みる／企てる the ascent until the に引き続いて morning.

"We could not hope to cross the hills before 不明瞭 始める，決める in, and so far as I can see it would not be very comfortable （軍の）野営地，陣営ing amongst them," said Strangway.

This was 一般に considered good advice and it was 行為／法令／行動するd on, a comfortable （軍の）野営地，陣営 存在 formed. Next morning it was seen that the もや still enveloped the upper part of the hills, but with ample daylight before them the party 押し進めるd on.

"The sun will soon 分散させる that vapour," the doctor 発言／述べるd as he took a 気象の 調査する of the cloud-capped hills.

As they 徐々に 上がるd the eminence they became saturated with the moisture which hung around, and the その上の they climbed the denser the もや became. It was not やめる noon when the 首脳会議 was 達成するd, and they were soon 納得させるd that the southern slope was in an even worse 条件 than the north 味方する.

The 広大な／多数の／重要な Stuart 範囲s to the south-west had 明らかに drawn the rain clouds and swept a 部分 負かす／撃墜する upon the smaller hills around. Davenport had got more than its 株 as in places it was ひどく 木材／素質d and the vegetation had attracted the moisture. There was not a breath of 勝利，勝つd blowing and the 霧 wrapped everything in its embrace.

After a time it was 設立する necessary to get off the horses and lead them so as to 避ける an 事故. Of course there was no road, and in places the 範囲 was very rugged.

The chasms were filled with the deceptive white もや and more than once some of the travellers had a 狭くする escape from slipping into eternity. Such an occurrence as a mountain 霧 cap in that particular 地域 is 極端に rare and 要求するs a combination of circumstances to produce it. A period of 静めるs is the usual precursor, and the もやs once produced will 粘着する to the 範囲s until the rising 勝利，勝つd 分散させる them.

"I would just as soon have 取り組むd the river as 直面する this," Stanley 観察するd to the doctor, after a 狭くする escape from stepping over a 激しく揺する into space.

"Yes, this is much more dangerous, but you see we are descending and may soon get out of the confounded 霧," was the reply.

"Descending?—of course we are. The danger is that we may descend too 速く," Stanley said, with a laugh.

At this moment a slight 微風 fanned their 直面するs, and Whyte exclaimed:

"We are 権利 now. The 勝利，勝つd will soon 解除する the cap and we will be able to 押し進める on. I am wet through, but it is no use making a （軍の）野営地，陣営 here. We must get to the 底（に届く）."

It was soon 明らかな that the doctor's 予測 was true. The 勝利，勝つd began to rise and soon the vapourous もや began to eddy and whirl in wild 混乱. The 空気／公表する became more keen and biting and the travellers, used to torrid 気温, wished themselves 負かす／撃墜する on the plains.

"Do you not think we should 停止（させる） for half-an-hour or so and wait for this もや to blow away?" Strangway asked Dr. Whyte as he （機の）カム up to him.

"It will be best to keep moving considering the 明言する／公表する we are in, unless we can manage to light a 解雇する／砲火／射撃. We have got over the worst now and will soon be out of it Ugh! isn't it 冷淡な?" he 結論するd, as a gust of 勝利，勝つd swept up a 狭くする glen 運動ing the もや before it.

This 表現 of opinion decided the 事柄, and for another ４半期/4分の1 of an hour the travellers kept on. The 微風 which started so softly was 速く becoming stronger and soon it was 運動ing the fragments of the 霧 before it in streaks and 隠すs of 飛行機で行くing 疾走する.

In the wooded belts passed through the 減少（する）s of water were shaken from the leaves upon the travellers in にわか雨s of spray. They were now able to catch glimpses of the country below and began to congratulate themselves on the fact that their difficulties were passed.

"We should reach yonder plain by sunset," Stanley said to Strangway, who was walking beside him 主要な his horse.

"Yes, and the sooner the better. This is the worst day I have put in for a long time. It is not very 冷淡な, I suppose, for people 負かす／撃墜する south, but I feel it 氷点の me," was the answer.

At this time the party were passing along a 狭くする gully which led to the plain. It was ひどく 木材／素質d and the strong 勝利，勝つd was screeching through the trees.

Dr. Whyte was nearly fifty yards ahead of the other traveller, and ーするために get along quickly he had 機動力のある his horse. The もや was now 事実上 （疑いを）晴らすd, so that it was 安全な enough to ride.

Just as Strangway and Stanley had finished their conversation a tremendous 割れ目ing noise was heard, and as they 解除するd their 長，率いるs they saw a 抱擁する gum-tree uprooted by the 勝利，勝つd and 落ちるing 直接／まっすぐに on the doctor.

The doomed man made a frantic 成果／努力 to 勧める the horse from beneath the 落ちるing tree but the animal seemed 麻ひさせるd with 恐れる and would not move. Too late Whyte flung himself off and tried to escape, but ere he could get a yard away the sylvan 巨大（な） 衝突，墜落d upon horse and rider alike.

CHAPTER XV.—TURNING HOMEWARDS.

For a few moments the 観客s of the 悲劇 were so astounded with the suddenness of the occurrence that they could not move, but as they realised what had happened they 急ぐd 今後 and climbed over the 支店s to where the doctor lay. Stanley was the first to reach the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, and the first ちらりと見ること showed him what had happened. The doctor had been struck by one of the large 四肢s and was 鎮圧するd almost out of 承認. He was やめる dead, and all that could be done was to extricate the 団体／死体 and take it along to the nearest 駅／配置する.

Each man carried a hatchet, and they 始める，決める to work at once to 削減（する） away the 四肢s. It took nearly half-an-hour before the work could be done, and in the 合間 they ran no small 危険 themselves. The 勝利，勝つd had 増加するd to a 強風, and in さまざまな directions large trees were 存在 blown 負かす／撃墜する. The unusual 降雨 had 軟化するd the earth very much, and with the 追加するd 最高の，を越す 負わせる 原因（となる）d by the moisture the 軍隊 of the 勝利，勝つd was 大いに 補佐官d. Whyte's death was mercifully instantaneous as he was dreadfully 鎮圧するd and his neck broken.

"We must get out of this place as quick as we can?" Strangway cried, as the 勝利，勝つd continued to 増加する in 軍隊.

Placing the 団体／死体 of the unfortunate doctor across one of the horses, Stanley and Talmud walked on either 味方する of the animal and soon got out of the dangerous 支持を得ようと努めるd.

On the plain there was only a few stunted trees so that they were in comparative safety, and as night was 落ちるing the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was formed under the 避難所 of a small 山の尾根. With difficulty a 解雇する／砲火／射撃 was lighted, but more than once the gusts of 勝利，勝つd which swept the plain scattered it and sent the 炎ing fragments careering along. The night was a most 哀れな one. The テントs could not be 築くd as the 勝利，勝つd 破壊するd them.

The Douglas River 駅／配置する was not more than ten miles away, and すぐに after daylight a start was made for it. The 介入するing country was very boggy and 進歩 was slow, so that it was not reached until after dark. Next day the 公式の／役人s there 成し遂げるd the last 儀式s for the 死んだ, and word was also sent to Adelaide of what had occurred so that another 医療の man might be sent up.

Whyte had been exceedingly 肉親，親類d and attentive to Strangway and his companions since their 外見 at the telegraph line and they felt the sincerest 悔いる at his untimely death. This was accentuated when they reached the Springs 駅／配置する a few days later and 設立する that the 反対する of the doctor's 旅行 was to 会合，会う his affianced, a young lady 指名するd Bertha Rossow. She had travelled with her father as far as the Springs, and both of them were in utter ignorance of the 運命／宿命 which had overtaken the young medico during the 旅行.

It fell to Strangway's lot to break the news, and it was an ordeal that he will never forget.

The young lady was standing at the door of the telegraph 操作者's house when Strangway and his party approached the 駅／配置する, and not seeing Whyte she 結論するd that he was lagging behind ーするために give her a pleasurable surprise. He was lagging behind, poor fellow, but not in the way she thought, and the reader can imagine the surprise she got when the 致命的な news was given.

After leaving Springs some trouble was experienced in crossing Warriner Creek which was also in flood. This time it was decided to swim it as going 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 長，率いる was a dangerous 実験. This was 遂行するd, and two days later Turret 範囲 was reached. At this place Strangway and his two companions decided to leave the friendly 指導／手引 of the telegraph line and strike off 予定 east along the southern shores of the 広大な／多数の／重要な salt lake ーするために reach Nardoo 駅／配置する.

Before starting they got 許可 from the superintendent of the line to take a 供給（する） of 蓄える／店s 同様に as four horses, and on the 7th July they 始める，決める off on their lonely 旅行 完全に equipped. They had a rough idea of the sort of country they would have to 横断する and this was a 広大な／多数の／重要な 援助（する） to them.

On the second day out they （機の）カム in sight of 開始する Attraction, and so far their 進歩 had been very 満足な. The 非常に／多数の water-courses running into Lake Eyre south had been 設立する fordable, and this was a 構成要素 help to them. In times of flood they would 簡単に have been unable to get across the country and would have had to turn 支援する. They frequently （機の）カム in sight of the 広大な salt lake but did not approach の近くに to the banks. A deposit of salt and mud 延長するd for some miles 支援する from the 辛勝する／優位 of the water, and this was 極端に 背信の ground to get upon.

Before leaving Turrett 範囲 駅／配置する they had been 警告するd to keep a good distance away from the lake as in places the soft mud was five or six feet 深い and would （海，煙などが）飲み込む the horses if they got into it.

Leaving 開始する Attraction on the south a course was 形態／調整d for Lake Harry, and before reaching the shores of this small sheet of water the travellers had experienced a most exciting adventure.

On the 14th of July they reached the west bank of the Frome River and 設立する it higher than they 推定する／予想するd. It was not what might be called in flood, but still a かなりの freshet was coming 負かす／撃墜する the channel.

Nearly 中途の across it was a small island, and, after a little examination, it was decided to make this a half 行う／開催する／段階 and swim the horses through. The 現在の did not appear to be strong, but when the stream was entered it was as much as the animals could do to make the island. It was only after the most strenuous 成果／努力s that they 後継するd in 上陸 in an almost exhausted 条件.

The remaining 部分 of the passage was やめる as bad if not worse than the stretch just passed, and in 見解（をとる） of the horses' 条件 it would have been 簡単に folly to make the second 試みる／企てる.

"This islet seems a first-class place to （軍の）野営地，陣営," said Stanley, "and my opinion is that we should remain here until morning so as to give the horses a 残り／休憩（する）. They will be やめる fresh then for the second swim."

"I am with you there, Tom," replied Strangway, "for the fact is we have no choice. If we put the animals into the water now they would never reach the other 味方する."

That was true enough, and 準備s were made to （軍の）野営地，陣営 for the night. The island afforded both 木材／素質 for 燃料 and food for the horses, so that no difficulty was experienced in pitching a suitable （軍の）野営地，陣営. It was formed on the eastern 味方する of the islet on a small （疑いを）晴らすing about forty yards from the water's 辛勝する／優位. The 広大な／多数の／重要な sheet of muddy coloured water could be seen flowing 刻々と onwards to the lake, and as the moon rose and shone upon it the 影響 was very pretty.

The islet was a very low one and its highest part was not more than six feet above the level of the water. A careful search of its 限られた／立憲的な area showed that there was nothing to 恐れる from 黒人／ボイコットs, as not a 痕跡 of them could be 設立する in the place. その結果, it was arranged that no watch should be kept. Each of the travellers was glad to get a 十分な night's 残り／休憩（する） as their 旅行 so far had been an arduous one, and the night watches had made it still more 厳しい.

すぐに after nine o'clock they stretched themselves around the 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and, soothed by the soft wash of the flowing water, they were soon in a 深い slumber. As the night wore on Stanley began to dream of desperate 危険，危なくするs on the 嵐の ocean and in his sleep to re-制定する some of the hair-breadth escapes he had 遭遇（する）d during his 航海の career. He could hear the roar of 殺到する on a 背信の coast and the shrill cry of the boatswain's whistle summing all 手渡すs on deck, and scenes of shipwreck and 海軍の 災害 swept through his memory in bewildering 混乱. How long he thus dreamed he never knew, but he awoke with a start and with wide-open 注目する，もくろむs gazed upon a scene such as soon brought him to his feet.

Within a few インチs of where Stanley was lying the flood waters had crept up and it was his outstretched 手渡す touching the 冷淡な fluid which had roused him from his slumbers. The moon was 向こうずねing brightly, and he 即時に realised that another 広大な／多数の／重要な freshet must have come 負かす／撃墜する the river.

Calling his companions, the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was at once 除去するd 支援する to the highest point on the island, but that was not now more than two feet above high water 示す. The horses were 安全な・保証するd and tied の近くに to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, and they evinced by their 活動／戦闘s a knowledge of the danger which 脅すd them.

"It is three o'clock, lads, so that I think we are 安全な until daylight," Strangway said. "It does not seem to be rising."

"Yes, it is," replied Stanley, as the waters reached the late （軍の）野営地，陣営-解雇する／砲火／射撃 and began to hiss amongst the glowing embers.

The stream was rising—and that, too, with rapidity—but with the 広大な／多数の／重要な breadth it had to cover it was reasonable to suppose that if covered at all the islet would not be 潜水するd before daylight. For three hours the men could only watch the encroaching waters, and when daylight broke the flood had nearly reached them.

"Let us pack the horses, for if we do have to swim for it we must take our 蓄える／店s along!" Stanley cried.

"Yes," interjected the usually silent Talmud, "the 現在の does not seem to be swift, and I think we could get to the other bank."

It was very noticeable that during the past few weeks the strange man was beginning to speak English almost 同様に as his comrades. This was pleasing to Strangway and Stanley, as they hoped he would soon be able to tell them the story of his life which they 自然に considered must be of an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の nature.

"You think the 現在の is not very strong?" Stanley asked.

"Yes; you see the flood has gone over the banks and a 部分 of the stream is running to the east in that old water-course," Talmud replied.

This was the 事例／患者, and it decided the travellers to make an 試みる／企てる to get off the now 事実上 潜水するd islet. The stream was a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile wide but it did not appear to run 速く, probably through the fact that a 転換 had taken place.

"Let us make the 試みる／企てる, lads. We cannot stay here, even if the water does not rise その上の," Strangway said.

By this time there was not a square foot of 乾燥した，日照りの land on the islet, and the 軍隊 of the leader's 発言／述べるs were 特許. As he spoke he 勧めるd his horse 今後—the men had 機動力のある in order to keep out of the flood—and the animals willingly 急落（する），激減（する）d into the stream. Instinct told them they could not long remain on the 潜水するd islet, and the sight of the 乾燥した，日照りの land at a comparatively short distance 招待するd them on.

As Talmud had said the 現在の did not show such 軍隊 as might be 推定する／予想するd, though it was strong enough to sweep the horses and their riders 負かす／撃墜する for over half a mile before a 上陸 could be 影響d. By a skilful 協定 of the 蓄える／店s they were very わずかに 負傷させるd, and the moment 乾燥した，日照りの land was reached a 停止（させる） was made and a 抱擁する 解雇する／砲火／射撃 lighted. The party were in need of food, and after breakfast Talmud and Stanley started off to see where the コースを変えるd water was flowing. They soon discovered that it was only half a mile distant and 急ぐing 負かす／撃墜する a 狭くする channel like a mill race. It formed a sort of delta from the main stream and 削減（する） off their 進歩 to the east.

Moving their （軍の）野営地，陣営 over to the second stream they decided to remain until the 激流 沈下するd. In fact it was the only course they could 可決する・採択する for the stream was thirty yards wide and ran with 広大な／多数の／重要な 軍隊.

"I don't think we will have to wait long," Talmud 発言／述べるd. "As soon as the main stream 減少（する）s below the level of this 入り口 the 供給（する） will be 削減（する） off and it will go 負かす／撃墜する as quickly as it rose."

This seemed feasible and the travellers, after making the （軍の）野営地，陣営 on a small sandy hillock, 根気よく waited until they could cross. During the greater part of the night the 急ぐ of the waters resounded in their ears, and they went to sleep なぎd by the sound.

When they awoke at daylight a solemn stillness 統治するd around, and it was seen with something of surprise that the 深い water-course was almost empty. Save for a few water-穴を開けるs and the 示すs of the flood there was nothing to 示す that a 激流 had raced 負かす／撃墜する the place so recently.

After breakfast the horses were again packed, and it was not long before a suitable crossing place was 得るd. They were わずかに surprised on turning a small hill to come upon a （軍の）野営地，陣営 of 黒人／ボイコットs, but they 証明するd to be perfectly friendly and were soon left behind.

"Now then, lads, for Nardoo 駅／配置する!" Stanley exclaimed.

CHAPTER XVI.—NARDOO STATION.

Late in the afternoon the travellers reached Lake Harry and they were somewhat astonished to see a number of 抱擁する pelicans on the banks.

"I never knew there was fish in this place," Stanley said, as he saw the pelicans.

"Neither did I. But perhaps they are after frogs or other food," replied Strangway.

It was a rather unusual place to find such birds, but as they were of little or no use to the explorers they were not 干渉するd with. The locality Strangway and his companions were now in was not unfamiliar to at least two of them, and as they knew it there was little difficulty in treading through the 非常に／多数の salt lakes and lakelets which dotted the landscape.

If the water was fresh instead of 塩の the 地域 would be an exceedingly fertile one, but as it is it may 公正に／かなり be called a 砂漠.

On the second day out from the flooded water-course Stanley nearly lost his life in crossing an 明らかに 安全な 沼 which ran 支援する from one of the salt lakelets. It appeared to be やめる 乾燥した，日照りの, but when 近づく the centre the horse Stanley was riding broke through a thin crust which covered the 背信の 位置／汚点／見つけ出す and in a moment it was half buried. Its struggles only 原因（となる）d it to 沈む deeper, and when Talmud and the leader （機の）カム up the 状況／情勢 was desperate.

Stanley had thrown himself off the animal's 支援する and was half （海，煙などが）飲み込むd himself, for all around the crust had broken with the frantic 成果／努力s of the animal to 解放する／自由な itself. Strangway and his companion had flung themselves from their horses when they saw what had happened, and when they （機の）カム 近づく the fateful 位置／汚点／見つけ出す the horse had half disappeared.

A rope was thrown to Stanley and with 広大な／多数の／重要な difficulty he was pulled out of his unpleasant position.

"Our best 蓄える／店s are on 'Toby,'" he gasped, as he 現れるd from the slough.

"Yes; but what can we do? It is impossible to get 近づく enough to the poor beast to take off the articles," Strangway said.

"We must shoot the horse," cried Talmud. "If not its struggles will 原因（となる） it to 沈む 完全に out of sight and we will lose everything."

This was 明らかな and the advice 可決する・採択するd.

"It will be the more 慈悲の also," 追加するd Strangway.

As soon as the animal 中止するd struggling it became almost 静止している in the quagmire, and then an 試みる／企てる was made to 除去する the 蓄える／店s. A couple of long 政治家s were 得るd and placed from the 会社／堅い ground on to the horse's 支援する.

Stanley, who could not be in a much worse 苦境, made his way on these to the pack, and in a few minutes the coveted articles were 得るd and placed on the other horses. A long detour had then to be made, and when the 背信の 沼 was crossed Stanley indulged in a 徹底的な wash.

"That is one of the worst places I've seen in this 地区," he said.

"Yes. It gave no 指示，表示する物 of its character, I suppose, until you walked on it?" Strangway queried.

"Not the least. As you know, in other quagmires that we have met a person could always tell what to 推定する／予想する ahead, but over there it was just a sudden 急落（する），激減（する） into the stuff," Stanley replied, ruefully.

On the に引き続いて morning the 長，率いる of Strezlecki Creek was passed and in the 薄暗い distance could be seen the filmy blue 輪郭（を描く）s of 開始する Arrowsmith, behind which lay the magnificent Nardoo 駅／配置する.

"A couple more days and the wanderers will have returned," Strangway 観察するd, with a smile.

"It will be a 事例／患者 of '支援する from the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な' I think, as they will never 推定する／予想する to see us again, I am thinking," 答える／応じるd Stanley.

"Mills will be glad enough to see us after our long absence. We can give him some good （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状）, too, 特に that the 陸路の telegraph line is under way," returned the leader.

Talmud was silent, though a かなりの change was noticeable in him. His 直面する, under the 影響（力） of the sun and the atmosphere, had become やめる bronzed and the terrible pallor which had so astonished his companions had long since left him. Since the 戦闘 in Granite Glen when he slew the herculean 黒人／ボイコット, the 表現 of his countenance had also 改善するd. Previous to that day his 直面する wore a 追跡（する）d and vengeful 外見, but afterwards it settled into a more normal and placid cast.

As he 速く mastered the English language he also got more at his 緩和する—and, in fact, Strangway and Stanley were nearly forgetting the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の manner in which he first made his presence known and also his peculiar 面. His life was still enshrouded in mystery, but they 中止するd to question him about it, feeling that in good time he would tell them all if he cared to, and if not why should they trouble him. He had been instrumental in saving their lives at least twice, and they felt under an eternal 負債 of 感謝 to him.

At noon on the second day after Stanley's adventure the three men stood upon a 刺激（する） of 開始する Arrowsmith and far away they could see the blue smoke rising which denoted the 場所 of Nardoo homestead.

"Once more we have got 支援する, though only half this time," Strangway said, as they were in sight of the 駅／配置する.

"We have a sad story to tell about Daniels and O'Halloran—but at least we can say that we have brought one life out of the wilderness," replied Stanley, ちらりと見ることing に向かって Talmud.

"Yes, and that life has been the means of bringing us 支援する again," （機の）カム the answer.

At the foot of the 刺激（する） they （軍の）野営地，陣営d for the night, and at daylight 始める，決める out over the 井戸／弁護士席 remembered country. It was 罰金 undulating land, and a 永久の stream coursed through it. About three miles from the 開始する a curiously formed 山の尾根 of ironstone was reached and Stanley 知らせるd Talmud that it ran for nearly two hundred miles in an 無傷の line に向かって Sturt's Stony 砂漠.

"If we want to find poor Daniels's 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な we would only have to go along this 山の尾根 as far as it runs and it would bring us to that desolate 地区," Stanley 発言／述べるd.

"I hope I may never have to again cross that place. I would rather be の中で those strange hills at the 長，率いる of 密告者 River than on the 砂漠," Strangway returned.

"Give me the 砂漠. There one can understand what happens, but in those hills it almost seems as if devils are at work. From first to last there was nothing but mystery about the place. I daresay you could tell us something about them if you liked," Stanley 結論するd, looking に向かって Talmud.

"Yes; I know something about the place, but not as much as I would like to. I may some day let you into the knowledge I 所有する," the latter replied and then relapsed into his usual silence.

"Hallo, there! What the ジュース!—Can it be Strangway and Stanley and O'Halloran?" a cheery 発言する／表明する cried, as a 境界 rider （機の）カム out of a small clump of trees to the left of the travellers.

"How are you, Meston? It is Stanley sure enough, but O'Halloran is not with us. This is a friend who has saved our lives more than once since we left here," 答える／応じるd the leader.

"Ah! I'm glad to see you," the newcomer continued, しっかり掴むing the 手渡すs of his friends. "We all thought you were 'goners' this time, and the 'boss' is in a ジュース of a way. He has written to Bourke telling the 当局 there what he 恐れるs, and I 推定する／予想する a 救済 探検隊／遠征隊 is formed by this time."

"This is Talmud, whom we met a long way from here, Meston, and he has （判決などを）下すd us good service," Stanley interrupted.

"But where is Daniels and O'Halloran ?" asked the newcomer.

"They have both gone under, I am sorry to say," answered Strangway.

"黒人／ボイコットs?"

"No; one was killed by 雷 on 'Sturt's Stony' and O'Halloran was 溺死するd in Lake Eyre."

"I thought there was hardly depth enough of water there to 溺死する a man," interjected Meston.

"He got entangled in a raft on which we were 難破させるd one dark night, and that was how it happened. We will tell you the whole story as soon as we can," Stanley replied.

"You must have had an awful time of it during the long period you have been away?"

"Yes," answered Strangway, slowly. "We have seen strange things and gone through many dangers. More than I should like to 直面する again."

"Have you 設立する anything to 控訴 the 'boss' where you have been?" questioned Meston, who seemed to be eager for news.

"We have seen one fertile tract, but it is a long way from here, and the 介入するing country would be most difficult to cross with cattle or sheep. But how have you been doing here since we left?" 結論するd Strangway.

"We have been doing pretty 井戸／弁護士席. Last season was a 正規の／正選手 beauty—plenty of water and plenty of grass, and, you know, that is all we want," was the reply.

"We had a little too much water at times and not enough at others," laughed Stanley.

As they were speaking the party moved on に向かって the homestead, and when they （機の）カム to the last undulation which hid it from 見解（をとる） a splendid spectacle 現在のd itself.

Edward Mills, the owner of Nardoo 駅／配置する, was a 開拓する 無断占拠者 and one of the most intelligent and 勇敢な of his class. He had 押し進めるd out to the extreme 限界 of 解決／入植地, carrying with him the most 認可するd pastoral system. Having the 選ぶ of the country he was not 単に content to 許す his flocks and herds to roam at will over 広大な tracts of land, but he had subdivided his magnificent 駅／配置する into 非常に／多数の paddocks and had not forgotten to 実験（する） the 農業の 能力s of the 国／地域.

Though he had what might 公正に／かなり be considered a 永久の 供給（する） of fresh water running through his land he did not 単独で depend upon it, for he was one of the first to 沈む an artesian 井戸／弁護士席 in the 支援する-封鎖するs. This 産する／生じるd an abundant 供給（する） of water, and by 供給するing 勝利，勝つd-mills it was sent into the 戦車／タンクs in the さまざまな paddocks. By means of irrigation from the creek he was enabled to grow 十分な vegetables of the best sort for the 駅／配置する, and a 量 of fodder was also produced 毎年. Living in such a remote and out-of-the-way 地域 his ambition was to make himself 事実上 独立した・無所属 of the outside world should the necessity arise, and it must be said that he 後継するd admirably.

Talmud was かなり surprised at the scene which lay before him. The 駅／配置する was two hundred and fifty miles west of Bourke, and at that distance he had not 推定する／予想するd to see such 調印するs of real civilized 解決／入植地.

"You look somewhat surprised," spoke Strangway.

"Yes; I did not 推定する／予想する to see such a 完全にする homestead and 駅／配置する," replied Talmud.

"This is the best 駅／配置する for two hundred miles around."

As they （機の）カム 近づく the commodious and 相当な 木造の house where Mills dwelt an old man with snow-white hair was seen at the door watching the 前進するing horsemen.

"There's the 'boss' now!" exclaimed Meston, as he pointed に向かって the house.

The man, after looking for a few moments with his left 手渡す shading his 注目する，もくろむs, （機の）カム out to 会合，会う the party, and though he must have been nearer seventy than sixty years of age his gait was as 早い and his step as springy as that of a man of forty.

"Welcome 支援する, friends!" he exclaimed. "I thought 害（を与える） had befallen you."

"I am sorry to say, Mr. Mills, that poor Daniels and O'Halloran have not come 支援する," replied Strangway.

"Ah! what has happened?"

"They lost their lives a year ago through 事故s which could not be 妨げるd. I will tell you all as soon as possible. It was through no fault of ours that they have not returned," the leader answered.

"I am やめる sure of that, you may be 確かな ," the old man continued with a （犯罪の）一味 of 信用／信任 in his 発言する／表明する. "What has 拘留するd you so long? I hope you have not 苦しむd much."

"井戸／弁護士席, we have not led a very luxurious life all the time, I must say," replied Strangway, with a laugh. "We managed to reach the 長，率いる of 密告者 Creek, and 設立する the country around there 井戸／弁護士席 watered and fertile but it is not an 平易な 事柄 to reach the place. Stretches of 砂漠 almost waterless have to be crossed, unless in the 雨の season, and then the water-courses are impassable. I don't think we would have been successful in getting 支援する did we not 会合，会う the workmen engaged on the 陸路の telegraph line. And, indeed, then I think Stanley and I would have 死なせる／死ぬd had it not been for our good friend here," Stanley 結論するd, pointing to Talmud.

During the conversation 無断占拠者 Mills had been intently regarding the mysterious white man as though he would read his inmost thoughts. When the leader of the late pastoral 探検 探検隊／遠征隊 finished, the old man still looked silently at Talmud; and then going up to the 味方する of his horse he stretched out his 手渡す, and said:

"Welcome 支援する, James O'Malley!"

CHAPTER XVII.—JAMES O'MALLEY.

Strangway and Stanley looked surprised at this strange 承認, and for a moment or two neither spoke. Then the latter said:

"This is Talmud, Mr. Mills."

"Oh, no it is not. If it is not James O'Malley it is his ghost," replied the old man.

The recollection that Overseer Garfield had について言及するd the 指名する of James O'Malley now recurred to Strangway, who looked inquiringly at Talmud for an explanation. Slowly the latter said:

"Yes; my proper 指名する is James O'Malley, though when I first met you"—and he looked at Strangway and Stanley—"I could not remember it, nor, indeed, for many years 以前. The story is a long one and I cannot tell it here, but, if you care, you will hear it as soon as possible. You will then know why my 指名する was thus changed to Talmud. During the last few months it has all come 支援する to my mind and I can see it as 明確に as if nothing had ever happened to blot it from memory. Yet, how do you know my 指名する, sir?" he 結論するd, looking に向かって Mills.

"Don't you remember 会合 me at the north of Torrens in the beginning of 1860, the day that Stuart arrived there. You saved me from a 背信の attack of the 黒人／ボイコットs, and in the 混乱 that 続いて起こるd through the その後の flood, when I lost half my cattle, I had no chance to let you know who I was and thank you. You made an impression on my mind that day never to be effaced as long as life lasts. A couple of years after I heard you had been killed by the 黒人／ボイコットs during Stuart's second 試みる／企てる to cross the continent from north to south and, of course, I believed it," answered Mills.

"I was supposed to be killed 近づく a place, now called Alice Springs, on the 陸路の telegraph 大勝する, but I escaped as by a 奇蹟 as you will see later on. Ah!" continued O'Malley, putting his 手渡すs to his forehead in a dazed sort of way, "that was a very strange time, indeed."

"井戸／弁護士席, come to the house at once. Mrs. Mills is anxious, I am sure, to see you all," the 無断占拠者 interrupted, waving his 手渡すs に向かって the homestead and 主要な the way.

Mrs. Mills was an 年輩の matron with a kindly 直面する, and though nearly as old as her husband she still superintended the 世帯 事件／事情／状勢s. The family consisted of two daughters, both of whom were married and lived in Sydney.

Of the four men who had started out on the 探検隊／遠征隊 only one (Daniels) was married, and the ぎこちない 仕事 of breaking the news to the 未亡人 of her husband's death had to be undertaken by Mills. Mrs. Daniels was 雇うd at the homestead, and the news was not altogether 予期しない. Six months 以前 those at the 駅／配置する began to 展示（する） 苦悩 as to the 運命／宿命 of the explorers, and when month 後継するd month without tale or tidings 存在 heard 疑問s developed into certainties, and it was regarded as a foregone 結論 that the men had 死なせる／死ぬd. Mrs. Daniels was not, therefore, as 大いに shocked and 苦しめるd as would さもなければ have been supposed. The 拷問ing 不確定 was, at any 率, at 残り／休憩（する）, and there was even a melancholy satisfaction in knowing that her husband had not 死なせる／死ぬd from かわき.

After this unpleasant 仕事 was finished Mills sent a messenger on the long 旅行 to Bourke to 熟知させる the 当局 with the return of Stanley and Strangway, and also to give （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） as to the deaths of Daniels and O'Halloran and the remarkable finding of a member of Stuart's 1861 探検隊／遠征隊. This latter 知能 created やめる a sensation at the time, for it 生き返らせるd memories of the greatest of Australian explorers. In the 合間 the 無断占拠者 made the returned party as comfortable as he could. Strangway's ４半期/4分の1s were fitted up for the use of the three men, and everything necessary for their 慰安 was placed at their 処分. They certainly needed a few of the 従犯者s of civilization. When they reached Overseer Garfield's party they 現在のd an 絶対 savage 外見. Their boots had long before disappeared, and the few fragments of half-tanned 肌s strung together in rude incongruity which covered them were not half so aesthetic as Robinson Crusoe's 衣装.

A 肉親，親類d of rough 長，率いる-covering made from plaited 急ぐs and 旗s, which they had woven for some time before making the telegraph line, was lost when the first delirium of かわき 攻撃する，非難するd them, and that fact 許すd the sun to work greater 傷害 to them.

They did not, of course, know that such a work as the telegraph line was 存在 carried on in the locality, and it was by mere 事故 that Talmud—or O'Malley, as he should now be called—つまずくd on it.

At the telegraph 駅／配置する they were rigged out in 着せる／賦与するs, and they also got boots which for some time they were unable to wear on account of their swollen feet.

The 旅行 from Turrett 駅／配置する to Nardoo homestead had been 公正に／かなり rough, and their 衣装 when they reached the latter place was not one 正確に／まさに suitable for 社債-street. Mills, however, had a good 在庫／株 of boots and 着せる／賦与するing at the 駅／配置する, and it was placed at the 処分 of travellers.

"I will not trouble you to-day," Mills said to the men after they had dinner. "You need a good 残り／休憩（する）, and to-morrow we can have a talk about your adventures."

This was humane and gave the men a chance to look presentable next day. The 駅／配置する 手渡すs 包囲するd them with questions, but they soon managed to 満足させる their curiosity. During the afternoon Mills sent for James O'Malley, and said:

"Have you made up your mind yet as to the course you will 追求する?"

"No; I have not thought about my 未来 life yet. I am as one awakening from a dream, and I cannot collect my faculties yet."

"Why not stop with me, then? I 借りがある my life to you and am most desirous of 返すing in some 手段 the 義務 I am under. I am a rich man with few to leave my wealth to, and you need never want for anything," the 無断占拠者 said.

The 申し込む／申し出 was a most generous and 予期しない one, and for a few moments O'Malley did not reply. At length he said:

"I have no 願望（する） to go 支援する to （人が）群がるd towns or cities where I feel I would be out of place, and perhaps やめる unable to earn a living. When I left Dublin I was an 孤児 and, so far as I know, have no 親族s in the world. All my friends are here and I 喜んで 受託する your 肉親，親類d 申し込む／申し出; but, of course, you will 許す me to make myself useful to you in some capacity."

"Yes; we can arrange that later on. There is plenty of time to talk about it, for at 現在の everything on the 駅／配置する is in 'apple-pie' order. Now that you will stay I suppose you will have no 反対s to tell us the story of your ten years' 見えなくなる in Central Australia," Mills 結論するd.

"Not the least, only I 警告する you it will sound stranger than the legends of the Arabian Nights—and yet it is perfectly true," O'Malley replied.

As they finished speaking they strolled out of the room に向かって one of the paddocks where a number of horses were kept. One of them was a splendid upstanding animal almost pure white and looked like a 罰金 hunter.

Mills called out, "Arab!" and the horse, with a low neigh, trotted over to where the 無断占拠者 and his companion stood.

"This is yours now," the old man said, as he patted the animal on the neck. "His 指名する is Arab, and, as you see, he is an intelligent and 井戸／弁護士席 bred beast. You can use him as you please; and as I have asked Strangway to show you over the 駅／配置する he may as 井戸／弁護士席 be saddled up this afternoon and you can go over the lower paddocks."

As he 結論するd the old man took 負かす／撃墜する a slip-パネル盤 and the horse followed him over to the stables where Stanley and Strangway were waiting. There was a couple of bay horses in the stable and these were allotted to the two men who, with O'Malley, were soon 機動力のある and cantering over the home paddock.

"The 'boss' has given you his favorite, I notice," Strangway said, as he 棒 beside O'Malley.

"Yes; he has been very 肉親，親類d to me and asked me to remain here," was the answer.

"And I hope you have 同意d. We would all like you to stay," questioned both his companions, impetuously.

"I have—indeed I don't know where I could do better, after the queer life I have led during the last few years. I would feel like a fish out of water if I went 支援する to live amongst （人が）群がるs of human 存在s again."

"If ever you want to do so it will be 平易な enough now. The country between here and Bourke is 公正に／かなり settled and beyond there the 鉄道 will soon 素早い行動 you into （人が）群がるd centres," returned Stanley.

"Oh, I don't think I will ever bother about doing as you 提案する," laughed O'Malley.

As they trotted over the different paddocks it was 明確に noticeable to what a 高さ of perfection that far distant squattage had been brought, and O'Malley 反映するd that a few thousand such colonists as Mills would be 十分な to tame the continent. On returning to the homestead they were met by Mills, who 迎える／歓迎するd them with effusion.

"井戸／弁護士席, what do you think of it?" he asked, with a laugh.

"It is splendid, sir, and a credit to you," O'Malley answered, 温かく.

"Not alone to me, you must remember. The men and women who have 補助装置d are する権利を与えるd to no small 量 of the credit. It is not everyone who would care to 削減（する） themselves off from what are called the 楽しみs of city life and bury themselves here for a mere living. You know I get the 利益（をあげる）s and have, therefore, a greater self-利益／興味 in staying here than the 手渡すs," Mills said.

"You also take the losses, sir, when they come along," interjected Stanley, with a laugh, "and that about balances your position and ours."

"If you are content so am I," the 無断占拠者 said; and then turning to O'Malley, he asked: "Will you begin your narrative this evening?"

"I will, with 楽しみ."

CHAPTER XVIII.—WRECKED.

After tea the 無断占拠者 asked Stanley and Strangway into the sitting-room to hear O'Malley begin his narrative.

"If anyone has a 権利 to hear it you are the persons. Had it not been for your pluck in passing on from Lake Eyre after the 災害s which befell you we would certainly never have seen O'Malley again," he said.

It might be について言及するd that Strangway and Stanley had given Mills a 十分な account of their wanderings, which are already known to the reader, so that it is やめる unnecessary to repeat the story. In 新規加入 to the two men the only other occupants of the room were the 無断占拠者 and his wife.

At first O'Malley experienced a little difficulty in finding suitable words with which to 表明する himself, but he was 補佐官d by his companions. As it would spoil the 影響 of the narrative to repeat the たびたび（訪れる） interruptions, they are, for obvious 推論する／理由s, not given here.

* * * * * *

"You will scarcely care to know much of my earlier history," began O'Malley, "and I will, therefore, not 疲れた／うんざりした you with it.

"I was born in Dublin, in 1830, and whilst my parents lived I did not feel the hard pinch of want. The コレラ of 1848 carried them to the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な within a few hours of each other, and then I had to 転換 for myself. At that time Ireland was the last place on earth to earn a 暮らし, and I 喜んで 受託するd the 申し込む／申し出 of a shipmaster to begin a seafaring life on a merchant 大型船 貿易（する）ing to America.

"For several years I continued at this work, but when the gold 発見s began in Australia a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定 of shipping was コースを変えるd to this land, and it so happened that in 1855 I 設立する myself before the mast on an Australian bound ship. I reached Melbourne に向かって the end of that year, and, like many other seamen, 砂漠d to make my fortune on the gold-fields. I need hardly say that I did not do so, and in 1858 I shipped on an intercolonial 大型船, under 約束／交戦 to proceed to the Swan River 解決／入植地.

"The trip was a 悲惨な one, for as we were going through Nuyt's 群島 a 嵐／襲撃する arose which drove us on that 背信の coast of the 広大な／多数の／重要な Australian Bight 隣接するing, and the ship became a total 難破させる. The 乗組員 consisted of fourteen men, and with the exception of myself not a soul escaped. My 保護 was almost miraculous.

"The frowning アイロンをかける-bound coast towered up over four hundred feet, but by some means I was swept in by the rollers to the comparatively 静める water of Port Bell, and, more dead than alive, was thrown by the 激怒（する）ing sea on to the beach. It was just getting dark when this happened, and during the whole of the 後継するing night I must have lain in a sort of stupor on the beach.

"A 海洋 bird of carrion, hovering over me and making an 時折の 急襲する to see if I had any life left in me, roused me from my lethargy and I sat upon the sands and looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する. I saw nothing from my position save the still 殺到するing 大波s and could hear them breaking with thunderous boon outside. After かなりの 成果／努力 I 上がるd the 隣接する cliffs and the prospect was dreary in the extreme. The country I could at once see was 絶対 unsettled. Not a trace of a house or a living animal, except a few sea-birds, was to be seen, and in vain I looked for 上がるing smoke which might 示す the presence of humanity.

"The only experience of travelling in Australia was the few trips I made in Victoria to the さまざまな gold-fields or 急ぐs, and they were not calculated to make a person 完全に conversant with bushcraft.

"I was exceedingly thirsty, but after a long search I could not find fresh water. Going 負かす／撃墜する to the beach I gathered a few 爆撃する-fish and eat them ravenously. My 着せる／賦与するs were hanging in rags through the struggle in the water, and I had no boots or hat. Going on the cliffs once more I made a frantic search for water, but it was again fruitless. The place was やめる arid. Half mad with かわき and hunger I はうd 支援する to the beach, and when I reached it I saw a 樽 rolling backwards and 今後s with the lapping waves. Running into the sea I rolled it out, and with a wild joy recognised it as one of the water-バーレル／樽s belonging to the 難破させるd ship. 掴むing a 激しく揺する I began to break it open in an agony of 疑問. What if the salt water should have spoiled the contents?" I 反映するd. "To my unbounded 救済 I 設立する that the water was fresh, and the 深い draught I took 大いに 生き返らせるd me.

"Another 哀れな night was spent, for this time I was conscious of the desperate position in which I was placed. I 反映するd on the best course to 追求する, but could not decide. I 井戸／弁護士席 knew that, 据えるd as I was, it would have been 事実上 impossible for me to reach the 辺ぴな 解決／入植地s of Eyre's 半島, and my only forlorn hope appeared to be in attracting the attention of some passing 大型船.

"I did not know at the time that very few ships passed の近くに enough to that coast to notice such a signal as I could raise—but what was I to do? Next morning, after a spare diet of 爆撃する-fish washed 負かす／撃墜する by a 自由主義の draught of water, I 回復するd the 首脳会議 of the cliffs, and, selecting a 目だつ point over-looking the ocean, tried to 築く a signal.

"You can imagine the forlorn position in which I now 設立する myself. I could not produce a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and I had no 衣料品 価値（がある） について言及するing to make a 旗 of. I procured a long stick and fastened the remains of my coloured Crimean shirt on the end and then 安全な・保証するd the stick in an upright position by means of loose 石／投石するs.

"It was a 哀れな 試みる／企てる but the best I could do, and my heart sunk within me as I noticed that a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile away it was scarcely 明白な. I walked this day along the eastern coast in the hope that I might be able to sight some 痕跡s of 解決／入植地 in that direction, but in this I was disappointed and at night I returned with bleeding feet to where the water バーレル／樽 was placed.

"It was dark when I got 支援する to the beach, but I now knew the locality 井戸／弁護士席. As I was slowly going along, half dazed with hunger and exhaustion, I discovered what 証明するd to be one of my late companions washed 岸に high and 乾燥した，日照りの. Life was やめる extinct, and with mingled feelings of sadness and despair I passed on. I could not repress the thought that he was more fortunate than myself, for his sufferings at least were ended. Creeping 支援する to my water-バーレル／樽 I sat 負かす／撃墜する in its 避難所 and, worn out as I was, slept in spite of the 冷淡な and hunger I was 耐えるing.

"Daylight roused me and I at once recollected about my experience of the previous night. On going 支援する I was surprised to find that it was the captain of the ship, and still more so to notice that his 着せる／賦与するs were not much torn. It then occurred to me that the last I had seen of the 船長／主将 was to notice him go below and almost すぐに after the 大型船 was dashed on the 激しく揺するs and 創立者d. Probably the 船体 had saved him from 存在 torn by the jagged 激しく揺するs when the 嵐／襲撃する was at its worst, and since then the 漸進的な breaking up of the （手先の）技術 had 始める，決める the 団体／死体 解放する／自由な and it had been brought in by the 現在の to where I 設立する it.

"I was almost naked and I could not see any 害（を与える） in stripping the 着せる／賦与するs off, for they could not be of any use to the ill-運命／宿命d 船長／主将. The 行為／法令／行動する was one I did not care about, but 'needs must when the devil 運動s,' and without その上の scruple I began to divest my late captain of his 着せる／賦与するs. I noticed a 君主 belt around the waist and this I detached wondering what was in it and smiling at the thought that if it 含む／封じ込めるd a million of 君主s I would willingly 交流 them for a loaf of bread or a 続けざまに猛撃する of steak. When I 診察するd the belt I 設立する that it 含む／封じ込めるd 170 君主s.

"After 安全な・保証するing the 着せる／賦与するs I washed and spread them out to 乾燥した，日照りの, and then 追求するd my customary search for 爆撃する-fish wherewith to breakfast. Then I climbed the 激しく揺するs to see how many ships might be lying in the 沖 attracted by my rude signal, but nothing save the limitless expanse of ocean undotted by a 独房監禁 sail stretched out before me. I thought on one occasion I caught the white gleam of a sail 反映するing the rising sun, but the 見通し disappeared as quickly as it 現在のd itself. Probably it was a far-distant 大型船 but vastly out of the 範囲 of my signal, unless it should come within the 焦点（を合わせる） of a powerful telescope.

"During the morning the 勝利，勝つd began to blow with 暴力／激しさ from the south, and when I went 支援する to the beach I noticed that fragments of the 難破させる were 存在 washed in. The partly unsheltered port 許すd the waves to rise so high on the beach that I had to 転換 my precious バーレル／樽 of water その上の 支援する. Whilst the 嵐／襲撃する was 激怒（する）ing I made a 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な for the late captain 同様に as I was able and 内密に placed the 団体／死体 in it 井戸／弁護士席 above the reach of the water.

"From the 量 of 難破 which （機の）カム in I 結論するd that the ship must have 創立者d の近くに to the 入り口 of the port. As you will imagine I took a lively 利益／興味 in watching the flotsam and jetsam that was thrown up, and at last I was rewarded by a small ケッグ almost rolling at my feet as I walked along the beach. I 即時に 掴むd it, and, dashing it against an 隣接するing 激しく揺する, knocked the 長，率いる in.

"It 含む／封じ込めるd, as I 井戸／弁護士席 knew, salt pork, and after my diet of 爆撃する-fish I devoured a 量 of it raw.

"The 難破 coming in gave me hope that I might be able to get enough 蓄える／店s to enable me to make my way 支援する to 解決／入植地, and that night, にもかかわらず my 暗い／優うつな surroundings, I was almost cheerful at the prospect opened up. Anxiously I waited through the long hours of the 嵐の night for day to come, and when it did I 設立する that やめる a number of articles had been washed 岸に.

"I made a feverish search amongst the 破片 and soon discovered 十分な food to last for several days. Most of it was impaired by the seawater, but I was not very fastidious and 開始するd packing up what I thought would be of use. The point which troubled me most was how I should carry along 十分な fresh water to last me out. I had not then heard of Eyre's terrible 旅行 along the coast of the 広大な／多数の／重要な Australian Bight and how he managed to 存在する, or I might not have remained so long at the desolate harbor as I did.

"The country through which I would have to pass was not nearly so bad as that to the 西方の—and in fact many parts of it are やめる fertile, as I afterwards 設立する out. To me then it was a やめる unknown 砂漠 住むd only by 猛烈な／残忍な aboriginals.

"A 部分 of the ship's sails having been 立ち往生させるd, I managed to fashion out of it a sort of water-捕らえる、獲得する 有能な of 持つ／拘留するing about a gallon of water, and with that 量 I decided to 投機・賭ける on my 旅行, keeping の近くに to the coast in the hope of 会合 a 大型船 which might notice and take me off. On the に引き続いて morning, with a 供給（する） of water and salt 準備／条項s 十分な to last me three days, I began the trip. Having no boots I rigged up a rough sort of covering for my feet out of canvas, and with a light heart 始める，決める off に向かって the rising sun. I 設立する that 据える as I was I could not 推定する／予想する to make much 進歩.

"The 負担 I had to carry was かなりの, and the foot gear was not suitable for 軍隊d marches. I could not have made more than seven or eight miles the first day, but on the second I did better, and, to my 救済 （機の）カム upon a small creek of fresh water which fell over a high cliff into the sea. This 安心させるd me very much, and I now began to think that I would after all be able to get 支援する to 解決／入植地. I had no means, as I said, of making a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, and as evening approached I lay 負かす／撃墜する in a small sandy hollow to pass the night.

"I had scarcely done so when, looking に向かって a low scrub of ti-tree which fringed a 部分 of the beach, I saw, to my horror, a party of fully thirty aboriginals approaching the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where I lay."

CHAPTER XIX.—STUART.

"You were in a tight 直す／買収する，八百長をする there, for you were, of course, やめる 非武装の," interrupted 無断占拠者 Mills.

"Yes; and I had heard such stories of their ferocity and cannibalism that I felt tempted to get up and run for my life," continued O'Malley. "I am sure I don't know what 妨げるd me from doing so, for if I had it would probably have cost me my life. However, I lay やめる still, and, to my infinite 救済, I saw them turn away, and, 訴訟／進行 負かす／撃墜する the creek for about a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile, they （軍の）野営地，陣営d beside it.

"As soon as 不明瞭 enshrouded the place I got out of the small hollow and quickly as I could made away in what I considered to be a south-east direction. For several hours I walked, until at last I threw myself on the ground 完全に exhausted and slept. When I awoke in the morning I could not see or hear the ocean, but I took little notice of that feeling 保証するd I would soon reach it.

"During my night flight I must have got inland, I 自然に 結論するd. I looked in vain for the sun, but it was hidden by dense banks of clouds, and, taking what I thought to be the proper course, I went on.

"In a couple of hours I （機の）カム to a small salt lake, and soon I became やめる entangled in a perfect 逮捕する-work of 類似の lakes. They やめる 混乱させるd me, and, after wandering aimlessly about for the greater 部分 of the day, I 結論するd that I was lost and decided to wait until next morning in the hope of getting a glimpse of the sun. Having no watch I wished to see the sun rise, and then thought I might be able to 直す／買収する，八百長をする the direction in which I should at once proceed.

"I had now only about one day's food and my fresh water was nearly exhausted. As I sat 近づく a clump of shrubs looking across the strange lake 形式, I caught sight of a blackfellow peering at me out of the thicket not above fifty yards away. I jumped to my feet in mortal terror, and as I did so the 黒人／ボイコット disappeared, probably more 脅すd than I was.

"I いつかs laugh," broke off the （衆議院の）議長, "at the 恐れる I had of the aboriginals in those days. Since then I have had much greater 推論する／理由 to dread them, but the biggest tribe on the continent would not now appal me, even if they （機の）カム in 戦う／戦い array. The poor natives I met on my 旅行 along the coast I since learned were not even on the war-path, though that usually makes little difference if they wish to 殺す a white man.

"As soon as I saw the 黒人／ボイコット I made a bolt," O'Malley 再開するd, "and 掴むing the first articles that （機の）カム to my 手渡す made off in the direction of the southern lake. It was almost dark at the time and I had several 狭くする escapes of 急落（する），激減（する）ing into the lakes. Everywhere I ran it seemed to my bewildered 見通し the gleaming saltwater met me, and at last I got utterly 混乱させるd. Hour after hour I continued in this way, until at last the lakes appeared to fade out of memory and then I 結論するd I had got away from them.

"It must have been 近づく morning when I 投機・賭けるd to 残り／休憩（する）. The moon, some time in the third ４半期/4分の1, had long risen, and though I was 会社／堅い in my 解決する not to sleep for 恐れる of an attack, I had scarcely sunk 負かす／撃墜する on the sand when slumber stole over me in spite of the 成果／努力s to keep my 激しい eyelids open.

"A 混乱させるd murmur of 発言する／表明するs awoke me, and, strange to say, the sound did not alarm me, for I thought I was 支援する again in the forecastle of the 難破させるd ship. I opened my 注目する，もくろむs and looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する in astonishment, for there were several men and horses about, and I was lying on a sandy plain.

"'What's the 事柄?' one of them asked me, with a strong Scotch accent.

"When I saw that they were mostly white like myself my courage returned, and I soon told them who and what I was.

"'The best thing you can do is to go along with us now,' said the man who had first spoken. 'It will be ぎこちない to send you 支援する, though, of course, we will do that if there is anything the 事柄 with you.'

"'I am all 権利,' I answered, jumping up; 'but where are you going, may I ask, and who are you?'

"'We are a small 調査するing party, who have come along the coast from Eyre's Peninsular, and are about to make a trip inland. It will be no child's play, but we are 井戸／弁護士席 fitted out. My 指名する is Stuart.'

"'Of course I will go if you care to take me. I don't know anyone in Adelaide even if I 安全に reached the place.'

"'Then let us 直す／買収する，八百長をする you out and give you a 開始する. 存在 a sailor you are not likely to be much of a horseman,' Stuart went on with a laugh, 'but you will soon learn. You sadly want a 装備する-out also,' he 追加するd, scanning my rags with a 同情的な 注目する，もくろむ.

"I was at once taken in 手渡す, and within half-an-hour looked a very different man. Some good food and water were also given me, and I began to feel that 調査するing was not such a bad work after all. Within two days from the time that I so fortunately met the 探検隊／遠征隊 we were 支援する again at Port Bell, and my signal was still waving from the cliff.

"We searched the beach for 難破 but 設立する little of value. I told Stuart about finding the belt of 君主s, but he advised me to keep it until I returned to civilization and then I could 協議する the 当局 as to what should be done with it.

"'Most likely,' he said, 'it belongs to the owners of the 大型船 and not to the captain 本人自身で, but that will be easily 設立する out.'

"After a twenty-four hours' 残り／休憩（する） at port, Stuart 長，率いるd 予定 north, and on the second day we （機の）カム within sight of a high mountain 権利 ahead. Two days later we reached the base of the 開始する and formed a （軍の）野営地，陣営 at it.

"Next morning Stuart, 密告者 and I made the ascent, or rather began it, for the 範囲 was over three thousand feet in 高さ. In places it 現在のd a bold 直面する of 激しく揺する hundreds of feet in 高さ and we had to be very careful to 避ける 事故s.

"密告者, indeed, nearly lost his life by slipping 支援する from one of these cliffs which he tried to 規模. I was a few feet lower 負かす／撃墜する than he and had both a good foothold and a 会社／堅い 支配する of a 事業／計画（する）ing ledge and I managed to stay his 落ちる until he gripped the 激しく揺する I held. Had I not done so he must have fallen at least one hundred feet and 必然的に have been dashed to pieces.

"Subsequently, we 設立する an easier ascent to the 首脳会議, and the 見解（をとる） therefrom was one of the finest I have ever seen. It was not beautiful, you will understand, for no 平和的な villages or fields of corn dotted the landscape. It was a picture of nature in weird loneliness. Not even a finger 地位，任命する of smoke was 明白な to point to the proximity of man, but in all directions could be seen 範囲s, 頂点（に達する）s, plains, and 向こうずねing patches which showed where lagoon or lake lay sleeping in the sun.

"'We shall probably find all that water perfectly salt. What a difference it would make to Australia if these lakes and lagoons held fresh water,' I remember Stuart, 説.

"After taking bearings we descended and on the に引き続いて day we 押し進めるd on in a north-easterly direction to where we noticed the reflection of water. It took us twenty-four hours to reach the locality, and then we saw an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の sight.

"From one hill we counted eighty-six small lakes or lagoons lying within a comparatively 限られた／立憲的な area. They were either oval-形態／調整d or perfectly circular, and as they sparkled in the sun like brilliants they 現在のd a beautiful spectacle. We 設立する that they were best 見解（をとる）d at a distance. When we （機の）カム to the first one it was やめる salt, and for a 半径 of about twenty yards 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 辛勝する／優位 a mixture of mud and salt lay into which we sank a foot or two. This deposit is an admirable meteoroligical 指示する人（物）, as when there is dampness in the 空気／公表する the salt is not 明白な, but when 乾燥した，日照りの the 塩の 粒子s show out like white 水晶s. Along the sand-山の尾根s separating the miniature lakes some 罰金 見本／標本s of the paper tree grew, but さもなければ vegetation was almost absent.

"From here we made for 開始する Paisley and then went south at a sharp angle to Lake Younghusband. Striking north again we, after several days, （機の）カム in sight of the western slopes of the 広大な／多数の／重要な Stuart 範囲. On reaching Mulga Creek I became 熟知させるd for the first time with that terrible scrub we have all so often seen since, I daresay. Of course before reaching that place we went through plenty of spinifex and mulga, but at the creek it was 簡単に impossible to 侵入する the 厚い scrub that grew on the banks.

"For several miles we travelled along the creek with the tongues of the horses lolling out for a drink, but neither they nor their riders could get to the stream. Several times the horses tried to 軍隊 the rampart of vegetation, but they were quickly driven 支援する. As night approached we tried to 削減（する） a passage through the spinifex scrub but could not do so. At last after a 十分な ten miles' ride along the water-course we （機の）カム to a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the scrub was いっそう少なく dense and matted and reached the much needed water.

"The poor horses were nearly famished, but as we had a little in our 捕らえる、獲得するs we did not feel it so much. Even the animals would not have been so much 影響する／感情d I think had it not been for the fact that they knew, Tantalus-like, the water was 近づく them, yet they could not reach it. However, I do not think I need go その上の into this part of my history. I only narrate it so as to lead up to the almost 理解できない events which afterwards occurred.

"Narratives of 探検 should be 利益／興味ing reading for Australians; but it is best to let the 勇敢に立ち向かう men who led the 探検隊／遠征隊s—that is those who returned—tell their own graphic story of their 戦う／戦いs against natural surroundings in the 内部の of the continent. They form a noble and undying 一時期／支部 in our 簡潔な／要約する history. Probably in centuries to come, when a 群れているing 全住民 shall cover Australia, the ordinary reader of these 未来 times will look upon the sober narratives of the explorers as legends born in the dark ages of Australian history."

"There will be no 無断占拠者s then, I suppose, to 耐える out the truth," laughed Mills.

"I wouldn't say that," replied O'Malley; "but I am digressing, and I know you want me to come to the later events.

"We returned to Adelaide, and I took part in the first transcontinental 探検隊／遠征隊 with the 勇敢に立ち向かう Stuart in 1860. The natives attacked us most ひどく on that trip whilst （軍の）野営地，陣営d in the centre of Australia. They seem to have gathered from all ４半期/4分の1s to repel us, and I cannot even now understand how they collected in such numbers, or why they 陳列する，発揮するd such 敵意. We must have been 特に unlucky in 会合 them as we did, or—what I cannot believe—they had some method of making our coming known. At one time we were literally 包囲するd by them, and 非，不，無 but an experienced and intrepid leader like Duall Stuart could have brought the party 支援する as 安全に as he did.

"It was on the second 探検隊／遠征隊 that 運命／宿命 overtook me, and to-morrow I will tell you the story as it is now late," O'Malley 結論するd.

CHAPTER XX.—WOOSAI.

"In the beginning of 1861 Stuart 解決するd to make another 試みる／企てる to cross the continent from north to south," O'Malley went on, as he 再開するd his narrative on the に引き続いて evening in the same company as before.

"The party was a good one and 井戸／弁護士席 fitted out, so that it was not at all likely the 黒人／ボイコットs would be able to check its 進歩. There were other 影響（力）s more potent by far than the 敵意 of the aboriginals. These were climatic 影響（力）s. The season was a 特に unfavorable one for the 試みる／企てる, and it is a 事柄 of history that it failed. Only six months ago I learned that in the に引き続いて year the heroic Stuart made his third 試みる／企てる to cross the continent and 後継するd in 工場／植物ing, on July 25th, 1862, the British 旗 on the shores of the Indian Ocean."

"You only learnt that a few months ago?" Mills asked in surprise. "Where have you been for the last ten years?"

"That is what you will know when I tell you my story," continued O'Malley. "Probably I would never have known about it had you not sent out your friends here to 捜し出す for fresh pastures. The 探検隊／遠征隊 reached about forty miles north of 開始する Daniel after 広大な／多数の／重要な difficulty, and there the first 行為／法令／行動する in the strange 演劇 in which I played a part took place.

"On the way we had been more than once attacked by the 黒人／ボイコットs, but the 警戒s we took were effectual in keeping them from doing much 害（を与える）. Our greatest difficulty was with the horses. These the natives would try to 殺到, and if they could not 後継する spearing would be 訴える手段／行楽地d to. 利益（をあげる）ing by past experience we were やめる able to 敗北・負かす the ruses of the aboriginals in this 尊敬（する）・点, although it put us to 巨大な inconvenience to do so. Day and night we had to keep the most vigilant watch, and it was very wearing on men exposed to such hardships as we had to 耐える. During the afternoon, as I said, we discovered a small 供給（する） of very indifferent water 近づく the foot of the 範囲s in which 密告者 River takes its rise. It was in a small lagoon and was partly brackish, but it was the best we had 設立する during the day and the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was その結果 pitched at it. There was a good 取引，協定 of scrub in the 周辺, and some of the gullies which ran 負かす／撃墜する from the 範囲s were thickly 木材／素質d.

"Our usual practice was to hobble the horses on the open ground during the night-time and keep watch over them, but as it was late when we reached the lagoon and there was not a （疑いを）晴らすing of 十分な extent around, we had to alter our 計画（する）. It was decided to form a 非常線，警戒線 of 解雇する／砲火／射撃s 一連の会議、交渉／完成する a small space where some salt-bush grew, and by keeping these alight during the night it was hardly possible that any aboriginals would 投機・賭ける to break through or even approach the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す. The 非常に／多数の 解雇する／砲火／射撃s would give the impression that we were a large party, and the light thrown from them would 援助（する） in （悪事，秘密などを）発見するing the dusky forms of any of our sable enemies who would be bold enough to 投機・賭ける 近づく them. There was an ample 供給（する） of 支持を得ようと努めるd in the locality, and we soon gathered up a large 量 for use during the night.

"Stuart used to arrange us into watches and he never failed to take one himself—in fact he would not ask any man to do what he would not do himself. We 井戸／弁護士席 knew that there was a 猛烈な／残忍な and dangerous tribe of 黒人／ボイコットs in the locality. At least when I say we 井戸／弁護士席 knew it I should 訂正する myself by 説 that we 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd as much, for during our previous trip we had a very 厳しい 小衝突 with them. They were led by a gigantic native かなり over six feet in 高さ and with a heart in keeping with his size, so far as bravery was 関心d.

"In the attack made in 1860 on us this 軍人 繰り返して 改革（する）d his demoralised 軍隊s and led them again to the attack, and he appeared to have escaped from that contest uninjured."

"Was that the fellow," interrupted Strangway, "whom you slew during the fight in Granite Glen when Garfield was killed?"

"It was the same," tersely replied O'Malley.

"On the night I now speak of, my watch did not begin until three o'clock in the morning and I lay 負かす／撃墜する for a much needed 残り／休憩（する） about nine p.m. I slept soundly until awakened by Stuart himself, who was to 株 the last watch with me. There was always two men at least on watch, and, as I told you, the leader took his turn the same as any of his 信奉者s. The retiring watch had 補充するd the 解雇する／砲火／射撃s and we had little to do for about half-an-hour. We strolled 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the inner-circle of 解雇する／砲火／射撃s chatting about the coming day's 操作／手術s and our prospects of success in reaching the northern coast, until it was time to heap more 燃料 on the 病弱なing 解雇する／砲火／射撃s. Then we started in different directions to do that necessary work. Stuart went to the 権利 and I to the left. My 大勝する led past one of the small gullies running into the 範囲s I spoke about. At that hour I was not meditating an attack, and did not, in fact, take my revolver with me, though it would not have been much use had I done so.

"I had just thrown an armful of 支持を得ようと努めるd on the second 解雇する／砲火／射撃 when I felt a fearful 涙／ほころびing blow on my left shoulder, and I 即時に knew that a spear had pierced me. I gave a loud cry and was in the 行為／法令／行動する of running に向かって the centre of the （軍の）野営地，陣営 when I caught a glimpse of several 黒人／ボイコット 人物／姿／数字s around me, and the next moment I was knocked senseless by a blow from a nulla or waddy.

"What happened the next few hours I can only surmise for I was unconscious. I must have been 掴むd by the 黒人／ボイコットs and borne away before 救助（する） could come I suppose, for when I 回復するd consciousness I was in a strange place and a 得点する／非難する／２０ of natives sat around."

"I think I could tell you something about that," interjected Strangway.

"How could you know?"

"Overseer Garfield told Stanley and I that he was in the （軍の）野営地，陣営 when it occurred—and in fact he partly recognised you すぐに before he was killed," replied Strangway.

For a few moments O'Malley appeared puzzled, and then he said:

"I think I can account for that and the fact that I did not know Garfield. I just remember now that about that time there was an auxiliary party 推定する／予想するd to join us, and no 疑問 during the earlier part of the night whilst I was asleep it entered the （軍の）野営地，陣営 静かに so as not to 乱す those who 手配中の，お尋ね者 残り／休憩（する） so 不正に. The glare from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃s would attract their attention, and I have no 疑問 that Garfield may have been one of these newcomers; but, of course, as I did not see him I could not recognise him again."

"We wondered," broke in Stanley, "why you had forgotten him. He told us that when he heard the attack he ran to the place and saw you 存在 carried off with a spear through your left shoulder. Every 成果／努力 was made to 回復する you, but not a 痕跡 of your 攻撃者s or yourself could be 設立する."

"I やめる believe that," 再開するd the 語り手, "for this 黒人／ボイコット 長，指導者 had a devilish knowledge of the 地区, and with his 信奉者s could easily baffle 追跡.

"I was in terrible 苦痛 when I 回復するd my senses, for the natives had not 試みる／企てるd to 身を引く the spear. They had 簡単に broken off the 事業／計画（する）ing ends as they （判決などを）下すd it difficult to carry me along. My 長，率いる also was throbbing as if it would burst, for I had received a terrible blow on the skull. The wonder, indeed, is that I 生き残るd the attack. As I opened my 注目する，もくろむs and feebly gazed about I could not understand for a time what had happened, but as my mind became （疑いを）晴らす the recollection of the 早期に morning attack rose before me.

"I wondered what the 黒人／ボイコットs were sitting around for, but I soon 設立する they were only having a 残り／休憩（する） after the unusual 疲労，（軍の）雑役 of carrying me so far. I had been 輸送（する）d over seven miles, but there was still another 行う／開催する／段階 of about five to cover.

"As the gigantic 長，指導者 saw that I was 回復するing, he gave a hideous grunt of satisfaction and （機の）カム に向かって me. He looked 負かす／撃墜する on me with his 猛烈な／残忍な, glittering 注目する，もくろむs and I could read as plainly in every feature the word, 'cannibal.'

"My 運命／宿命 was denoted by the baleful glitter in the 注目する，もくろむs of the savage. I was to make a meal for the degraded wretches who sat around. I could not, of course, understand their language; but it was not necessary for some indefinable knowledge 所有するd me that I was doomed to furnish a cannibal feast. For a minute or two a wild thought of escape 所有するd me, but as I realised its utter foolishness I lay 支援する and relapsed again into unconsciousness.

"The sun was 井戸／弁護士席 to the 西方の when I became sensible and 設立する myself lying in the same place. The 黒人／ボイコットs had not moved and they were evidently waiting for me to be able to proceed to the sacrifice unaided. I 決定するd to 失敗させる／負かす them in this if possible. If I was to die such a death as I 推定する／予想するd I would certainly not 援助（する） my executioners in any way.

"When the 長，指導者, whom I heard some of his 信奉者s call 'Woosai,' saw that I had again partly 回復するd he （機の）カム to me, and, 掴むing my arm, jerked me 概略で up. The 苦痛 was terrible, but, 抑えるing the exclamation of agony which rose to my lips, I sank 支援する again on the ground as if unable to stand. The savage again 掴むd me with the strength of a 巨大（な） and ひどく bounced me into an upright position, where I stood trembling with agony for the spear was rankling in the 負傷させる. The 長，指導者 pointed ahead, but as I did not move he 解除するd his spear and stuck it 残酷に into my 支援する.

"The 苦痛 and the 軍隊 of the thrust 原因（となる）d me to stagger 今後s a few steps and then I fell 傾向がある on the ground. 明らかに seeing that I could not walk without support, the 黒人／ボイコット 巨大（な） called two of the 軍人s to help me on. They each took me by the arm, and half walking and half dragged I slowly made my way 今後.

"The country was very rough and 上りの／困難な, and, 薄暗い as my 注目する，もくろむs were with the 煙霧 of 苦痛 which lay before them, I could see that we were making に向かって the high 範囲 our party had noticed the previous day.

"After getting over a couple of miles my 脚s began to fail me, and, seeing this, the savage 長，指導者 again got behind me and amused himself with 運動ing the point of the spear into my 支援する. Tiring of this he would 掴む the 事業／計画（する）ing point of the broken spear which still 侵入するd my shoulder and give it a wrench which 原因（となる）d me horrible 拷問.

"I had often heard that the Australian 黒人／ボイコットs did not, as a 支配する, 拷問 their 犠牲者s; but no North American Indian could have been crueller during that 旅行 than the native, called Woosai.

"The requisite 苦痛 kept me conscious for some time longer, but at last I 崩壊（する）d and had to be carried bodily. I was not altogether unconscious, and the agony I 苦しむd was beyond conception. I was jostled and scruffed about, and occasionally let 減少（する） ひどく on the ground when a change of 持参人払いのs was necessary.

"苦しむing as I was the thought recurred to me that the 治療 I was 会合 with was a sure 指示，表示する物 that my life would すぐに be taken. I ばく然と wondered why the 黒人／ボイコットs did not despatch me at once, as is their usual custom, instead of keeping me alive. Then the reflection recurred that the 意向 was to put me to death by 拷問.

"At last we （機の）カム to a stream which ran under a hill of 激しく揺する and （機の）カム out on the opposite 味方する in a 深い waterfall."

"Ah!" exclaimed Stanley, "we know that place."

"Yes; you must have seen it, I daresay, as you were in the 地区," O'Malley replied.

"When we reached that 位置／汚点／見つけ出す I was laid 負かす／撃墜する. Dusk was just 落ちるing, and I think I must have become insensible again."

"What a horrible experience!" Mrs. Mills said in トンs of deepest sympathy. "How did you ever 生き残る the ordeal?"

"The 残虐な 拷問 rather," the 無断占拠者 interjected in an angry 発言する／表明する. "By heaven, I wished I had been about at the time with my trusty Snider!"

CHAPTER XXI.—THE WHITE VISION.

"Yes; it was a terrible experience, and the very hopelessness of my position made it all the more awful," continued O'Malley. "I must have been unconscious for some time, for when I 回復するd it was perfectly dark—fearfully dark. I tried to stretch out my 手渡すs to feel around, but I could not do so, and I then 設立する that I was bound securely. My 武器 and 脚s were both tied, and I 現実に laughed at the 警戒 for I was becoming delirious.

"The 混乱させるd sound of 発言する／表明するs now fell upon my ears but they were not distinguishable. I rightly guessed that the aboriginals must be somewhere not far away, and this was made a certainty later on. As I was lying in a sort of stupor the flash of lights caught my 注目する，もくろむs, and, turning my 長，率いる, I saw the hateful form of the 黒人／ボイコット 長，指導者, Woosai, coming に向かって me. I could faintly discern also that I was in a 肉親，親類d of 洞穴 or subterranean passage, as there was a rocky 塀で囲む all around.

"As the savage （機の）カム up he gave a grunt of 是認 at seeing my 哀れな 条件, I suppose. He was …を伴ってd by another 黒人／ボイコット, and I faintly gasped for water, for an awful かわき was upon me.

"With the loss of 血, the fearful 旅行 and the fact that I had not partaken of a drink since the previous night, it was little wonder that my parched tongue and throat 辞退するd to articulate.

"As the natives would probably not understand what I meant, I opened my mouth and protruded my swollen tongue, but they both 注目する，もくろむd me with an 表現 of savage exultation, and there was no hope there for me. Had I known that I was to die in a few hours I would probably not have been so anxious to quench my かわき, for its agonies might have reconciled me to death itself."

"You were to be killed, then?" Mrs. Mills asked, with a shudder.

"Yes. I afterwards learned all about it, though a couple of years elapsed before I was 知らせるd of the fact."

"But how, in the 指名する of 運命／宿命, were you saved? It seems to me that nothing short of a 奇蹟 could have got you out of such a 直す／買収する，八百長をする. We know that Stuart's party did not 救助（する） you, and it is almost impossible that any other white men would be in the locality," Mr. Mills asked, with curiosity stamped on every lineament of his countenance.

"Perhaps there was an attack made on Woosai by another tribe of 黒人／ボイコットs," mildly 示唆するd the 無断占拠者's wife.

"Ah! I had forgotten about such a contingency as that," replied her husband, partly 満足させるd with the explanation.

"You will hear the whole story in good time, for I cannot 心配する it," O'Malley went on.

"The two 黒人／ボイコットs did not remain long. After the 長，指導者 had gloated over me and 概略で turned me about to see that I had not tampered with the fetters, they went 支援する as they had come, 持つ／拘留するing their たいまつs above their 長，率いるs.

"Hour after hour I lay in that agonized 明言する／公表する, and at length my numbed faculties were tardily 誘発するd by what must have been a tremendous noise, but which fell upon my torpid ears as a mere whisper.

"The sense of 審理，公聴会 had almost failed me, and even that of sight was 急速な／放蕩な leaving, yet the latter was the stronger of the two and I could see まっただ中に the glare cast by twenty たいまつs a 禁止（する）d of sable executioners coming up the queer passage in which I lay. They were followed at a short distance by the 青年s of the tribe, between fifteen and twenty, and その上の 支援する （機の）カム a number of 女性（の）s. Of course I need scarcely tell you that amongst the cannibal aboriginals of Australia the women are never permitted to eat of the human feast, but they are always 招待するd to the 殺人，大当り of the 犠牲者, except when the latter is done on the field of 戦う／戦い. As I saw the （人が）群がる coming along all this rose before my mind in a most vivid manner, and I 結論するd that the end of my sufferings was approaching.

"I had often heard it said that just before death the faculties are extraordinarily active and （疑いを）晴らす, and from that morning I believe it. Almost comatose as I was, the knowledge rose before me that I was about to die, and, as far as I can now 裁判官, it did not 原因（となる） me any terror or 悔いる.

"Woosai led the savage 禁止（する）d, and I saw as they approached that they had smeared themselves with war-paint in the 形態／調整 of clay. 非，不，無 of the 軍人s carried spears, but each of them brandished a formidable nulla, and somehow I thought it was a 事柄 of perfect 無関心／冷淡 to me whether they clubbed or speared me to death. No 疑問 I was losing the sense of physical feeling and that must have deadened the mental faculties. The men 範囲d themselves in line as 井戸／弁護士席 as the 限られた／立憲的な space of the place would 許す, and next them （機の）カム the 青年s who had not yet been 認める to the 特権s of 十分な manhood. その上の 支援する than the latter the women were drawn up in an Amazonian phalanx.

"Standing の近くに to me—the 提案するd 犠牲者—Woosai began to talk and gesticulate in a loud and violent fashion. I knew nothing of what he said or meant, and perhaps it was 同様に I did not. It might have been that the white man had done him or his tribe some irreparable 傷害 and he was 捜し出すing in his own way and によれば his lights to avenge the wrong. At the same time I was not conscious of having ever 負傷させるd him, or even any aboriginal of the continent, and my heart was filled with undying vengeance against him—a vengeance that 血 alone could quench."

"And you settled the 得点する／非難する／２０ in that fashion, did you not?" asked Strangway.

"Yes; ten years later I avenged the 拷問 the 長，指導者 （打撃，刑罰などを）与えるd on me, and after that I felt that a horrible memory had been swept away for ever from my brain," continued O'Malley.

"After a long harangue the 長，指導者 walked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する my prostrate form 繁栄するing his club, and he was followed by those next him in 階級 or 栄誉（を受ける）. A 肉親，親類d of hoarse rhythmical 詠唱する was 一方／合間 kept up not unlike the accompaniment to an ordinary corroboree, and each moment I 推定する／予想するd the 致命的な blow to 落ちる. I was kept in this fearful suspense for what must have been fully an hour; but at last the 活動／戦闘 of the 長，指導者 納得させるd me that my end had come.

"He 前進するd に向かって me with his nulla raised on high as if to strike—and I am やめる 確かな that was his 反対する—but an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の thing now happened. I was lying やめる 辞職するd to my 運命／宿命, for 苦痛 had numbed my feelings, when an awful cry from the 女性（の）s, who were looking up the cavern or tunnel whilst the males had their 支援するs to it and were 直面するing the 入り口, made all pause.

"From my position I could see the gins pointing 支援する, and as the men turned they looked for a moment and then made a wild 急ぐ for the 入り口. They sprang over me like antelopes, and in a few moments the cavern was やめる empty.

"The 長，指導者, Woosai, was partly carried out, but he soon 回復するd himself, and, with a guttural cry, I saw him running 支援する 明らかに to despatch me. During this time I could not understand the 原因（となる） of the sudden flight and was amazed at it. Woosai was not more than twenty feet from me, when from out the solid 激しく揺する it seemed to me stepped the strangest 人物／姿／数字 I had ever seen.

"The contrast to the sable 長，指導者 was of the most startling character. A tall, thin man 覆う？ in whitish 式服s and with a 直面する even whiter still stood beside me. In the 半分-不明瞭 his 注目する，もくろむs gleamed like rubies, and the whole 面 was supernatural. The ghosts of our imagination were repeated in the 人物／姿／数字, and as I looked for a moment on the apparition I の近くにd my 注目する，もくろむs and mercifully became unconscious."

Whilst O'Malley was talking Stanley and Strangway 交流d meaning ちらりと見ることs, and the former at length said:

"Do you remember what we saw in the cavern, Strangway? There must be some 関係, I should say, between O'Malley's saviour and that 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 存在."

"Remember!" repeated Strangway. "Yes, as long as I live; it is 燃やすd into my memory."

"What are you talking about, lads?" asked Mills.

"A strange adventure we had in those same 範囲s our friend is telling us about. We did not について言及する it to you before because we could not やめる understand it; in fact, we could not make it out at all and preferred to be silent about it as probably it was only mere imagination on our part," 答える／応じるd Stanley.

"It was no imagination, as you will learn," continued O'Malley. "How long I remained in that swoon I never knew, but it must have been a long time and the period was an utter blank to me. When I 回復するd I was conscious that an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の change had taken place in my 条件.

"At first in the 証拠不十分 of my 明言する／公表する I thought I must be in that other world beyond the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大な of which we know so little, but from which there is no return."

"You were not there, it is やめる 確かな ?" interjected the 無断占拠者.

"No; but I was in a world almost—if not やめる—as strange to us as the unseen spheres of spirits, and since that awakening I have been 性質の／したい気がして to fully believe the 説, that there are more things in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in our philosophy. I have 証明するd that the secrets of the earth at least are 調印（する）d to humanity in 非常に／多数の ways.

"The light which surrounded me first attracted attention. It was not sunlight or moonlight I knew, but I could not define it; it was soft and balmy and filled me with a sense of 深遠な 静める. I next 設立する, with something of wonder and 感謝, that the fearful 苦痛 which had 以前 afflicted me had disappeared. I involuntarily raised my 手渡す to my shoulder to feel if the broken spear was there, but 設立する, to my infinite 救済, that it was not, but in its place was a soft 包帯. Then as my senses fully awoke I began to 辛うじて ざっと目を通す the surroundings. The couch I was lying on felt remarkably comfortable, and I noticed that it was as soft and springy as an 空気／公表する-bed. I could not 診察する it at the time, but later on I did so and was surprised at the ingenuity with which it was 建設するd.

"ちらりと見ることing 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, the size of the 議会 next 需要・要求するd attention. It seemed to be limitless and looked as though I was lying in the open 空気／公表する, yet I 井戸／弁護士席 knew it was not so. I could see translucent beams and sheets of soft radiance in every direction, and the roof of the 議会 appeared to reach the sky. I afterwards 設立する out this was only an 光学の illusion but one that had a 構成要素 反対する in 見解（をとる） and （判決などを）下すd 巨大な service to those who carried it out. My 注目する，もくろむs quickly became accustomed to the strange light, then I noticed that I was the only occupant of the 広大な 議会.

"I might 同様に here explain that the place was not by any means 広大な but only made to appear so, and though 簡単に done the 影響 both 構成要素 and aesthetic was excellent.

"When I began to 回復する I saw that the place was really an oval cavern not more than forty feet in its longest 測定. The roof was about the same 高さ, but, I can 保証する you, that a person lying on his 支援する on a plain and looking up at the 丸天井 of heaven would not believe the latter to be larger than I did the 議会 in which I awoke to consciousness. With little 成果／努力—a fact that surprised me even then—I got up on my 肘 and peered around.

"The place was 絶対 tenantless save by myself and I marvelled at it. My 負傷させるs felt as though almost 傷をいやす／和解させるd and then it occurred to me that I must have been weeks in the unconscious 明言する／公表する. I 井戸／弁護士席 knew that unless I was under the （一定の）期間 of some magician, or in the 手渡すs of a wonderful scientist 技術d in the use of drowsy herbs, such nepenthe could not have come to me."

"And may I ask you," interrupted Mills, "if you had been in an unconscious 明言する／公表する for long? Did you ever find that out?"

"Yes. Later on I discovered that I was nearly six weeks in a trance, or rather it could not be called a trance 条件; for though my brain was asleep my bodily 機能（する）／行事s continued—and, in fact, when my mental and nervous faculties awoke I was almost cured of my terrible 傷害s."

"That is a most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の thing," the 無断占拠者 again said.

"Yet it is 絶対 true, as you will hear," continued O'Malley. "After looking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 議会 for some minutes, I lay 支援する on my couch and began to think the 事柄 over. The only recollection I had of past events was the attack made by 黒人／ボイコットs on Stuart's （軍の）野営地，陣営 and my 逮捕（する） and その後の agonies. I could remember the influx of natives into the cavern where I lay and the strange antics they carried on, but no その上の could I get. The hideous form of Woosai was ever before my 注目する，もくろむs, but as I continued to think the 事柄 out memory began to weave the thread of circumstances, and at last like a flash of 雷 the storehouse of my mind was illumined with the 人物／姿／数字 of the strange white man.

"I turned my 長，率いる in alarm at the thought and beside me stood the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 存在 whom I had before seen in the 黒人／ボイコット cavern. As I gazed at him I made an 成果／努力 to speak, but he made a gesture of silence and suddenly left me."

CHAPTER XXII.—THE BURIED SEA.

"As one mentally and 肉体的に 麻ひさせるd I watched the slowly 退却／保養地ing 人物／姿／数字 of the white apparition, for so far I could not やめる comprehend that my 訪問者 was a 存在 of this world. The whole thing seemed so unreal that my 疑問s were scarcely to be wondered at, you will say. Waking from the long trance in which I had lain in a place such as my 注目する，もくろむs had never before 残り／休憩（する）d on and まっただ中に surroundings appearing to me weird and unnatural, perplexity and wonderment were what might be 推定する／予想するd. I saw the 人物／姿／数字 as it got さらに先に away 加速する its pace, until in a few moments it appeared to almost 飛行機で行く across the seeming 広大な 議会, and then with a sharp turn to the 権利 I lost sight of it.

"A few moments after two 人物／姿／数字s entered the place and （機の）カム 速く に向かって me. Of course it was the 光学の illusion of 広大な／多数の／重要な distance which made the movements of my 訪問者s appear so 早い. I soon discovered that their usual gait was slow and solemn.

"The second 訪問者 was different from the first inasmuch as a long white 耐えるd depended from the chin, whilst the 直面する of the first was やめる 明らかにする. The garb, too, of the newcomer seemed to my unaccustomed 注目する，もくろむs of richer 構成要素, though it was of the same style as his companions.

"On reaching my couch I was 安心させるd by the kindly look which the two 存在s bestowed on me. There at least was no 指示，表示する物 of cannibalism. The ghostly pallor of the 直面するs was to me strangely impressive, whilst the 注目する，もくろむs—more ruby than pink in color—かなり 高くする，増すd the 影響.

"Regarding me for a few moments, the second visitant took from his companion a small brazier-形態／調整d 大型船 含む／封じ込めるing what I took to be white colored herbs, and by some means, which I did not （悪事，秘密などを）発見する at the time, 点火（する）d them.

"Swinging the 大型船 over the couch a smell not much unlike hysop stole upon my senses and I felt a delicious languor 落ちる upon me. 徐々に the 人物／姿／数字s standing by the couch became more and more indistinct, until at last they seemed to melt away in a white 煙霧, and I remember no more.

"When I again （機の）カム to my senses I felt stronger and my faculties were on the 警報. As before I was alone, but the 議会 was now somewhat familiar to me and I began to discern that it was something like a cavern or an oval room so arranged with mirrors that it 延長するd into infinity. I sat up on the 味方する of the couch which I 設立する was 始める，決める upon 脚s and 味方するs of white 激しく揺する. With an 成果／努力 I tried to stand, but was so giddy that I was fain to 捜し出す the 援助（する） of the couch. Then I noticed that the 着せる／賦与するing I wore when taken from Stuart's （軍の）野営地，陣営 was gone and 衣料品s somewhat 類似の to those I had seen on the two mysterious visitants 取って代わるd them. They were not so loose nor やめる so ample, but were soft and pleasant. I noticed that they appeared to be knitted or woven, and very skilfully so.

"I felt for the 負傷させる on my shoulder but it was almost 傷をいやす／和解させるd, and though I 圧力（をかける）d it hard could not feel any 苦痛. This was, indeed, a marvellous 変形, and I sought to think what had happened. In vain I racked my brain. No theory I could 前進する or build up would account satisfactorily for my position. But a day or two 以前 as I thought Stuart's （軍の）野営地，陣営 had been attacked and I 負傷させるd almost unto death and carried off a 囚人 by cannibal 黒人／ボイコットs.

"The fearful 旅行 to the 味方する of the strange river where the waterfall was, rose in my mind, and then the scene in the cavern with the natives dancing and gesticulating around me were conjured up. I remember the flight of the 黒人／ボイコットs and the 外見 of the white apparition and also my awakening. But what did it all mean?

"ありふれた sense told me, through my 負傷させる 存在 almost 傷をいやす／和解させるd, that unless a 奇蹟 had happened the night attack on the （軍の）野営地，陣営 must have occurred a month or more 以前. Yet, what 原因（となる）d the blank in memory during that period?

"There were no famous hospitals or 内科医s in Central Australia to work such a 変形. Perhaps, I 反映するd, Stuart may have 救助（する）d me from the aboriginals and 伝えるd me south, but the absurdity of the supposition at once struck me. Such a tremendous 旅行 could not have been made without my knowledge, and, moreover I knew what a British hospital was like.

"The mysterious place I was now in did not 耐える the remotest resemblance to such an 会・原則, and neither did the queer attendants. Perhaps it was a phantom hospital with ghostly nurses and doctors that I was an inmate of. I 現実に pinched myself as this thought flitted through my mind to see if I were living or dead, but soon 結論するd that I was very much alive.

"After sitting in an upright position trying to think out the problem of my どの辺に for more than half-an-hour, the giddiness which at first afflicted me through 存在 so long recumbent partly passed away. When I stood up the second time I could keep my feet, and as I made a few steps away from the couch the sensation of walking was やめる a novel one. I made に向かって the 明らかに far-distant 塀で囲む of the 議会, but as I went 今後 slowly it seemed to approach me 速く. At first this was bewildering, but I soon grew accustomed to it.

"It was with no little surprise I 設立する after taking a dozen steps that I had reached the 塀で囲む of the 議会. A short examination 納得させるd me it was formed of polished 石／投石する and arranged in peculiar convex surfaces. The 石／投石する—or rather the main 激しく揺する—was, I should say, granite, but it was veneered over in a remarkable manner with thin flakes of 水晶.

"I was trying to 直す／買収する，八百長をする my attention on it to distinguish whether it was natural or 人工的な in 形式, when a reflection caught my 注目する，もくろむs and turning I beheld the two 存在s approaching.

"They reached the couch as I turned and stood there 明らかに waiting for me to return to it. Something in their mien, or mayhap a peculiar attraction, drew me 支援する and slowly I went に向かって the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す and sat 負かす／撃墜する on the 味方する of the bed.

"Now that I was getting familiar with their 直面するs I did not have the same repellant or repugnant feelings に向かって them. When I sat 負かす／撃墜する they began to converse in a language which was even more strange and unfamiliar to me than themselves.

"It sounded more like the chattering of Hindoos from the Himalayan slopes than anything else I can compare to it. It was not, of course, possible that I should understand the words, but the gestures which …を伴ってd them told me I was the 支配する of the conversation.

"The bearded man 動議d me to 嘘（をつく） 負かす／撃墜する, and then his companion produced what I rightly took to be food. Placing a small 部分 of it in his mouth he 手渡すd me the 残りの人，物. It looked like ground seeds and was 含む／封じ込めるd in a shallow vase of what I thought was glass, but which I afterwards 設立する was a beautiful flake-激しく揺する 水晶. The mixture was perfectly white and ground like flour.

"I was undoubtedly hungry, and as I ate the food the thought occurred how I could have 存在するd so long—supposing the period was as I believed since my 負傷させる—without food. The 量 given me was very large, but I ate the whole of it and felt very much better.

"From something 似ているing a 瓶／封じ込める of white glass I took a drink of water, and afterwards the tall man gave me a small fragrant of herb, or rather he placed it の近くに to my nose, and as I 吸い込むd the scent it had a somnolent 影響. As I dropped off to sleep my 訪問者s 出発／死d.

"When I awoke the first man whom I had seen was standing beside me, and he 開始するd talking in the same strange language which I had 以前 heard. He several times pointed に向かって the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す whence he and his companion used to enter and 出発／死. I gathered from his 活動／戦闘s that he was 招待するing me to …を伴って him, and sitting up on the couch I 示す my 乗り気 to do so.

"I felt perfectly strong now, and was indeed glad of a little 演習. 主要な the way like a ghost I saw that at the 味方する my 訪問者s entered and 出発／死d there was a small 出口. It was so arranged that it could not be noticed until mostly on it. From this a number of 抱擁する steps led downwards. There must have been nearly one hundred, and when the 底（に届く） was reached an 巨大な space stretched out.

"A dull light 侵入するd the place, though how or where it （機の）カム from I did not at the time know. It seemed to me that we must have gone about four miles through winding passages and 丸天井d caverns いつかs downwards and as frequently 上がるing, when almost without 警告 save for a queer noise I heard we （機の）カム on the shores of a 広大な／多数の／重要な subterranean sea. I was utterly astounded at the 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の sight. The waters sparkled almost as if the sun were 向こうずねing on them, and even to my unaccustomed 注目する，もくろむs 見通し was 平易な for fully a couple of miles around.

"A low beach ran 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the watery expanse and the sands glittered as the slight waves rolled in upon them. As I afterwards saw, the beach was 完全に composed of 崩壊するd granite and the bed of the buried sea was of the same 構成要素. The cup of my astonishment was, however, filled when I noticed that on the sea were 非常に／多数の fantastically 形態／調整d canoes—or rather boats—like Malay proas, or the canoes used by many of the South Sea islanders. Some of these had one and others two or three occupants, who were 覆う？ in a light-fitting brownish 衣装."

"When we first saw you," exclaimed Stanley, 回復するing from his surprise, "you were dressed in the same manner, I think!"

"Yes," continued O'Malley, "the 衣料品s you saw on me were 類似の to those I noticed worn by the boatman on the strange sea, for afterwards I spent most of my time—as befitted one brought up to the sea—on the subterranean ocean, as I called it.

"I looked in vain for the opposite shores of the water, but as far as I could see it stretched その上の still. Walking 負かす／撃墜する on the sands, my guide led the way to the nearest canoe—or rather he …を伴ってd me に向かって it—for I was eager to know what its occupants were doing on that buried sea. As we reached the water I instinctively filled the palm of my 手渡す with the fluid and tasted it. Guess my surprise to find that it was perfectly fresh."

"I can やめる understand that. If it were not for some 広大な 地下組織の 団体／死体s of fresh water 存在するing on the continent how could we get our artesian 供給（する）s," Mills 発言／述べるd.

"But in these artesian 井戸／弁護士席s the waters rise without 存在 pumped. How do you account for that?" innocently asked Stanley.

"Because the 貯蔵所 from which it flows is on a higher level, of course," （機の）カム the answer.

"But how can such a place as O'Malley 述べるs be on a higher level than the surrounding country?" 固執するd Stanley.

"It is やめる possible," Mills replied. "The place 述べるd may be underneath a high 範囲—or rather 中途の in the 開始する—or it may be that such 存在するs on a slope many hundreds of miles away from the central 不景気 of the continent. If so you can understand what the 落ちる would be, and how a bore sunk at the lower level would 洪水 if it tapped a stream which had its source at the high level その上の 支援する the slope."

"Another proof of these subterranean fresh-water lakes is the fact that in some of the few artesian 井戸／弁護士席s yet sunk small fish have come to the surface of 種類 never before seen. They have been nearly white in colour and almost blind. When exposed to the 活動／戦闘 of the sun they have changed colour like a chameleon," Strangway 追加するd.

"I have seen that with my own 注目する，もくろむs," the 無断占拠者 emphatically 追加するd. "When I put 負かす／撃墜する the 井戸／弁護士席 in the horse paddock at least half-a-dozen such fish （機の）カム to the surface. They were perfectly blind, so far as we could see, but that would be accounted for by the probability that the 狭くする channel from which they travelled from the main 貯蔵所 would be やめる dark. There are a couple of them over there," he continued, pointing to two 乾燥した，日照りのd piscatorial 見本／標本s on the mantle-piece. "We had them 保存するd."

"That brings me to a remarkable point in my narrative, and which I will 詳細（に述べる） to-morrow," 結論するd O'Malley.

CHAPTER XXIII.—SUBTERRANEAN FISHERMEN.

"Can you not continue your wonderful story this morning?" 無断占拠者 Mills asked O'Malley at breakfast. "We are so anxious to hear it that we can scarcely wait until evening," he 追加するd, with a laugh.

"Yes, do," Mrs. Mills pleaded.

"Of course I will; but our two friends are not here yet," the 語り手 said.

"We will get them in a few moments," Mills replied, as he went out of the room for Stanley and Strangway.

When he returned with them they 設立する O'Malley 診察するing the fish which had come from the artesian 井戸／弁護士席.

"I think," he 追加するd, laying them 負かす／撃墜する, "that I have seen 類似の fish to these in the buried sea I spoke about last night. They are trout-形態／調整d, though more elongated, but the ones I saw were not blind.

"When, as I told you, I saw the people in the canoes I was doubly astonished. First the surprise of seeing over a hundred human 存在s pale as my guide on the water in boats was almost 圧倒的な, and would probably have been やめる so had it not been for 以前 seeing the two pale 存在s in my sick 議会, as I may call it.

"The next surprise I got was to find these men were—like Peter and James of 宗教上の memory—fishermen. As I 熱望して watched the boat nearest me I saw that whilst some of them had 逮捕するs, others used small reeds like spears, and the place seemed to team with fish. Some were of a 赤みを帯びた-brown colour, but the greater part were white. I 示す my 願望（する） to see some of them at closer ４半期/4分の1s to my guide, and he, making a signal to one of the boats, it （機の）カム to the glittering 立ち往生させる. The occupants were two men not unlike my guide, inasmuch as they were clean shaved; but, as I have already said, their dress was somewhat different. They looked 熱心に at me with their dark pink 注目する，もくろむs, but certainly did not evince half as much curiosity at my 外見 as I did at theirs. They were almost as phlegmatic and fateful as an Hindoo or an American Indian.

"Stepping into the boat, which would have comfortably held half-a-dozen adults, the two men paddled out to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す they had just left and again 再開するd their 占領／職業. As I looked over the 味方する of the small （手先の）技術 I could see dimly a fish occasionally swim by, but those in the boat with keener sight invariably speared them in the most dexterous fashion. やめる a number of fish lay in the 底（に届く） of the canoe. 非，不，無 of them were large, though some 形態／調整d like a salmon trout could not have been いっそう少なく than 18 インチs in length.

"As I became accustomed to the sight I looked 上向き almost 推定する／予想するing that I would see the sun's rays streaming 負かす／撃墜する, but that did not 会合，会う my 見通し. I could, however, not fail to notice that in a hundred directions there was what might be called 反映するd light, which to some extent illumined the seascape.

"I knew 十分な of the rudiments of 視覚のs to understand that in the first instance that light must have come from the sun, but how it was 伝えるd and 分配するd was long a mystery to me. その上に, I began to realise that the mysterious place I was in was almost 同様に ventilated as though it were on the surface of the earth. This was another riddle to me. Then how did these fish 得る their food? I 選ぶd up one from the 底（に届く） of the boat and carefully 診察するd it. I 設立する that it was in excellent 条件, and later on when I partook of some it 証明するd most delicate and palatable.

"Not understanding the language of the subterranean 居住（者）s I was, of course, at a 広大な／多数の／重要な disadvantage, as I could not make 調査s, but later on it was all made plain.

"Presently I heard a babble of sound about me, and I saw on turning my 長，率いる that the fishers were all making for the beach or shore. Our boat was also pulled in and the two men proceeded to pack the fish into a 肉親，親類d of white 急ぐ basket. The scene on the beach at this time was one of 広大な／多数の／重要な 活気／アニメーション, as all the occupants of the canoes were 集会 up their spoil and 準備するing to 出発／死. I asked my guide in English what it all meant and where they were going, but he only 星／主役にするd blankly at me and said something in his own tongue which was as unintelligible to me as my questions were to him.

"As soon as the （人が）群がる had 出発／死d—which they did in a direction opposite to that in which we （機の）カム—my mysterious guide went after them and I followed. Walking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the beach for more than a mile a 幅の広い passage—or rather high road, if it might be so called—was reached, and we turned into it until we （機の）カム to another space. It seemed to be as large as the sea, which we had just left, in area, but, unlike the latter, there was no water in it. On the contrary I at once guessed that it was the 場所／位置 of a town or village, though no houses or public buildings in the sense we mean were to be seen. Hundreds of 審査するs of さまざまな sober colours were dotted over the space, and in the centre was a large （疑いを）晴らすing. To this the （人が）群がる of fishermen made their way, and with my guide I followed.

"In a few moments after our arrival the tall, dignified man with the 非常に長い 耐えるd whom I first saw in the sick 議会 made his 外見, and I noticed that he was 扱う／治療するd by all with respectful reverence. From out the 審査するs a large number of people gathered, and amongst them were women and children. The latter were やめる nude but the 女性（の）s were almost as closely 式服d and 隠すd as the 女性（の） 信奉者s of Mahomet. This was another surprise to me, for it was becoming evident that I had fallen in with a race whiter than the Caucasian yet with Oriental customs.

"Placing the day's 運ぶ／漁獲高 of fish in the square, the bearded man stood in the centre silent, whilst in an incredibly short time the whole of the fish was 分配するd amongst the 組み立てる／集結するd （人が）群がる, and 明らかに on some recognised system.

"There was little noise or 混乱, and in いっそう少なく than half-an-hour the fish was 分配するd and the （人が）群がる 分散させるd. Then the 長，指導者—for such even then I supposed him to be—（機の）カム to my guide, and, after a short conversation, the latter led me に向かって one of the 審査するs I have について言及するd, about two hundred yards away. On 解除するing it I 設立する that it 含む／封じ込めるd a bed or couch not unlike the one which I had 残り／休憩（する）d on in the sick 議会, and also a curious and beautiful granite （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. This consisted of an oval 厚板 and it was 残り／休憩（する）ing on 脚s ending in tiger's feet. I could not やめる understand where these people could have got the 初めの model from to sculpture these feet from, and as my guide silently left me I sat 負かす／撃墜する on the couch and began to theorise again.

"In my young days I had read the adventures of Sinbad the Sailor and other romances 付随するing to the then half-unknown Orient, and 現実に began to imagine that by some means I had been 輸送（する）d out of Central Australia and dropped in the land of Mahatmas and Genii.

"Strange people, it was 現在／一般に 報告（する）／憶測d, lived in the 洞穴s of Thibet and in the 山地の gorges of the Southern Himalays, and perhaps a modern Roc or a Blavatsky spirit had 掴むd me from the clutches of the Australian 黒人／ボイコットs and taken me off."

"Were you not 脅すd of 傷害 ?" asked Mrs. Mills at this juncture.

"I cannot honestly say I was. I don't know why I should not have been, but I daresay it was on account of the general manner and 耐えるing of the queer people whom I was amongst."

"I suppose you were the centre of attraction and curiosity by the women and children in the Billingsgate market?" Mills said, with a laugh.

"No; they scarcely took notice of me, and then that was another 調印する to my mind of the eastern origin of the people. If they 星／主役にするd at me they must have done so surreptitiously, for I did not notice them, and their manner was 十分な of decorum. Of course I am narrating my story just as events happened to me. I could easily 心配する by the light of my その後の knowledge, if I choose to do so, but it would only spoil the history.

"As I was thus musing the 審査する was 解除するd and my guide entered with some beautifully cooked fish. It had been stuffed with some of the floury 構成要素s I had 以前 eaten. This was mixed with fragrant herbs and the whole then baked.

"I could not understand how this was done, for throughout my rambles I had not noticed the least 調印する of 解雇する／砲火／射撃 or smoke. I tasted the fish, which I 設立する to be delicious, and as there was a large 石／投石する 水盤／入り江 of fresh water in the place I made an excellent meal. In 新規加入 to the fish there were some flat, 薄焼きパン／素焼陶器-形態／調整d pieces of ground vegetable 事柄 which tasted not unlike potato cake.

"When I had eaten the meal I again felt the drowsy languor stealing over me, and a few minutes later I was lying on the bed asleep. The fragrant smelling herb I have already spoken of must have been a powerful soporific, for my slumbers lasted until next day.

"I was already able to distinguish night from day, for the latter, though not dark was much more twilight-like than when the sun was 向こうずねing. It was not long, in fact, before I could tell when a cloud passed over the sun, but at first I had to learn all these 罰金 points.

"My guide, as I will call him, appeared すぐに after I awoke (I daresay he had been watching me), and after a breakfast which would have 元気づけるd the heart of a vegetarian he led the way out and I followed. Passing through the centre of the town—for such it really was—he went on to the southern 境界 of the sea. Turning 負かす／撃墜する a steeply descending passage for about two hundred yards we suddenly 現れるd into one of the most magnificent baths I have ever seen or read of.

"An 出口 from the buried sea or lake 存在するd a hundred and fifty yards 支援する and a 幅の広い cascade of 泡，激怒することing water （機の）カム 宙返り／暴落するing 負かす／撃墜する into a 広大な／多数の／重要な circular 水盤／入り江 明らかに formed of the purest white marble. I thought at the time that the 水盤／入り江 was a natural 形式, but I afterwards 設立する it was not so—at least to some extent it was, but the marble had been 得るd miles away and skilfully built into the natural 不景気. From the 広大な／多数の／重要な 水盤／入り江 radiated a number of smaller ones of all 形態／調整s and sizes, and the whole 現在のd a most beautiful 外見.

CHAPTER XXIV.—THE STRANGE JOURNEY.

"My guide pointed to one of the smaller 休会s," continued the 語り手, "and 示す that he 願望（する）d me to bathe, and I 喜んで availed myself of the 高級な, for such indeed it was to me. It might be 推定する／予想するd that in such a place the 気温 would have been very low, but I did not feel it chilly. Whether it was that my 団体／死体 had become accustomed to the surroundings, or that the 冷淡な surface 勝利，勝つd were 除外するd, I don't know, but both that and the many thousands I afterwards had were always delicious.

"Speaking of 気温, I may say that during the ten years I lived in this place I never experienced variations of summer or winter such as is met with overground."

"Do you mean to say you lived 地下組織の for ten years?" Mrs. Mills asked, 解除するing up her 注目する，もくろむs in amazement.

"Yes, that is about the time I was with this strange and wonderful people I am telling you about. 同様に as I can 裁判官 I must have gone 地下組織の in March, 1861, and I was 設立する by my friends here a few days before Christmas, 1870; so that I was 現実に nine years and nine months living below the surface of the earth."

"It was no wonder you pointed downwards when we asked you where you （機の）カム from," Stanley interjected.

"I had やめる forgotten my own language, though not the 調印するs by which to 伝える it," （機の）カム the answer.

"As soon as the bath was over my mute guide denoted to me by 調印するs, which I could now readily understand, that he wished to show me more of the subterranean world in which we moved, and I followed him 上向きs from the fountain.

"Going 支援する to what I may now call my habitation—that is the 審査する or unroofed テント—my companion 動議d me to wait. In a few minutes he returned with a 小包, which I afterwards 設立する was food, and then he 始める，決める off 予定 west. We passed 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the lake on the opposite shore to the one from which I first 見解（をとる）d it, and from the 目印s and the distance travelled I 結論するd that it could not be いっそう少なく than seven miles across. This I 設立する subsequently was a fair 測定 for the 広大な／多数の／重要な 水盤／入り江 of fresh water. After passing the lake our 大勝する lay in an 上向き direction, and I wondered what new experience I was about to 遭遇（する）.

"The light in places was very 薄暗い, but in others it shone out with startling brilliancy. The radiance from these latter places 侵入するd long distances, and I rightly 結論するd they were a sort of light 分配するing 駅／配置するs. The first chance I got I 診察するd one of them, but as I could not get an explanation from the guide I did not 完全に しっかり掴む how they worked, or on what 原則 they were based.

"It was plain enough that the 議会s or concaved 塀で囲むs, as the 事例／患者 might be, were composed of 水晶s or 高度に polished 石／投石するs of さまざまな colors so contoured as to catch the light in gigantic concave reflections which radiated に向かって curiously formed convex 塀で囲むs or arches. The first ちらりと見ること was 十分な to show that the work 要求するd not only enormous labor but no ありふれた 量 of 技術 and knowledge in the science of 視覚のs.

"I believe we must have walked at least ten miles through interminable passages, 議会s and caverns before I began to have an inkling of what was to be shown. I was coming into vegetation."

"Vegetation 地下組織の?" Mills interrupted.

"Yes, vegetation 地下組織の—and most luxuriant vegetation, too, I can 保証する you. 徐々に the rocky 床に打ち倒す gave way to soft earth, and as we proceeded, pale green—almost approaching white—stalks were met with.

"This time we had been going up a 漸進的な ascent for nearly a mile, when without 警告 we （機の）カム to a level 高原 stretching away for miles. In all my life neither in the old land, America, or in this country, have I ever seen so fertile a field.

"Where the 階級 growth was not too high I could see that numbers of people were engaged at 農業の work. Walking on to where a rocky 塀で囲む seemed to bound the northern part, I was sensible that the 高原 was not a dead level, but sloped に向かって the east. In that direction I fancied I distinguished a gleam of 本物の 日光, for it partly blinded me. The plain was not nearly so 井戸／弁護士席 lighted as the 広大な／多数の／重要な lake, and その結果 the vegetable growth, luxuriant as it was, was uniformly white.

"When we reached the western or high 味方する I could 観察する that numberless streams ran from it and irrigated the whole area.

"I had not been long in the field, for such I may call it, when I became sensible that the atmosphere was much warmer than the 地域s we had left. For a long time I was unable to account for this, but I afterwards 設立する out the 原因（となる） and it gave me perpetual uneasiness."

"What was it?" asked Stanley.

"You will hear 直接／まっすぐに. When I 診察するd the growing 刈るs I 設立する they consisted of different sorts of 工場／植物s and herbs. A 量 grew like asparagus, whilst other vegetables put me in mind of celery. The stalks were やめる white and they were soft and palatable. Some of the taller growths 似ているd blanched maize-stalks, whilst rice was also noticeable in the wetter 部分s.

"In the most lightsome 部分s I was 大いに 利益／興味d in a tree not unlike the cocoanut-palm, but the fruit, though as large as a cocoanut, was perfectly soft. Indeed I was やめる bewildered with what I saw, for its 外見 was やめる peculiar.

"Imagine a farm stricken with the 悪口を言う／悪態 of death and all its 生産／産物s transformed into ghostly forms. You may laugh at the idea of a vegetable ghost, but all the 工場／植物s and shrubs I saw in that place gave me the idea of a spectral 存在. I plucked some of the 工場／植物s and eat them to see if they were 構成要素, but though I 設立する them excellent food I could not shake off the idea which 所有するd me in that 尊敬（する）・点.

"On the south 味方する we （機の）カム to a （疑いを）晴らすing in which a few 審査するs were 築くd, and I thought at the time they were for the use of some of the 永久の 居住（者）s. I afterwards discovered that no one lived 定期的に in the field and that the men and women only worked for two or three hours daily in it. I could 井戸／弁護士席 believe this for the 気温 was like an oven, and I marvelled much how it should be so.

"Both my guide and I felt the heat, and, after a 迅速な meal in one of the テントs—which were used by the workmen occasionally—we made our way to the 出口. So far as I could see there was no other way out of the field, and I was 訂正する in thinking so. The road by which we （機の）カム was the one used for carrying the produce away, and I believe the 広大な／多数の／重要な field could grow food for two or three thousand vegetarians. As a 事柄 of fact it did so.

"On going out of the heated atmosphere I experienced a 際立った 救済 and was glad to follow my guide 支援する to the little town which I began to see was the centre of the community. The bath was the first place sought, and after the ablution I was led 支援する to my ４半期/4分の1s and more food sent. There was no 欠如（する） of salt at the place, and I soon after saw where it was 得るd.

"For more than a week I did not again leave the town; but my guide was 絶えず with me, and I saw he was desirous of teaching me his language. He would point to an 反対する and then repeat its 指名する much the same as people living over ground might do, and I would speak the word after. Going amongst the people, too, I began to acquire a rude knowledge of the strange language, and as 徐々に lost my own.

"After this I spent fully six months going out almost daily with the fisherman on the lake or walking about the little town with my guide. I many times during this period saw the 長，指導者, and after a time was able to 交流 a few words with him.

"Here I may について言及する the new 指名する 'Talmud' was given to me by the 長，指導者, the idea evidently 存在 that I was to 代表する the '調書をとる／予約する' used by them to 伝える to the civilized world, of which he seemed to know only by tradition, a 十分な knowledge of the inner workings of his strange people.

"同様に as I can 計算する it must have been six months after my advent to the subterranean town that my companion, whom I had learned to call 'Anscra,' which was the best way I could pronounce his 指名する, 知らせるd me by word and gesture that we were going on a rather long 旅行. Food 十分な for at least two days was packed up, and the two of us 始める，決める off. Our 大勝する for a かなりの distance lay along the road we had 以前 taken to the 農園. I recognised it at once, and it was really strange how simple it was to find one's way through winding passages and caverns after 存在 once along them."

"It did not appear very simple to us in that confounded 迷宮／迷路 we got into on leaving that horrible valley," Stanley 発言／述べるd.

"The 推論する／理由 that I was helpless there is that I was never through them with my 注目する，もくろむs open," returned O'Malley.

"But you knew a 部分 of the passage. You remember you 手配中の，お尋ね者 us to go 負かす／撃墜する the 権利 tunnel at first," answered Strangway.

"Yes. I knew that part, and later on you will hear the 推論する／理由 I did not have a knowledge of the other passages."

"As we （機の）カム 近づく the part where the 法外な ascent began," continued O'Malley, 再開するing his narrative, "Anscra turned off はっきりと to the 権利 負かす／撃墜する a 狭くする way I had not 以前 noticed. This led downwards and was very 狭くする and comparatively 暗い／優うつな. I daresay had I gone 負かす／撃墜する it when first I joined the 地下組織の community it would have seemed utterly dark to me, and probably that was the 推論する／理由 the 旅行 was so long 延期するd.

"I might say that in the six months my 注目する，もくろむs must have ふさわしい themselves to the different light, for in that period I could see more than twice as far as when I first entered. For instance I could see 権利 across the big lake—a distance of seven miles—though when I first beheld it two miles was the 限界 of my 見通し.

"We proceeded downwards for four or five hundred yards, and then the passage became level but just as 暗い／優うつな as ever. For a long way we now walked in silence, until at length we （機の）カム to a 特に rugged part of the passage. This was somewhat remarkable, for it was the first time I had seen any of the walks that were not perfectly smooth and 正規の／正選手. We were on a road that was 明らかに little used, and I could not やめる understand it. At first I thought my companion was 主要な me to the burial place of the 地下組織の community; but I at once considered that a road along which dead 団体／死体s had to be carried would be kept in the best possible 修理 and 井戸／弁護士席 lighted also.

"As we つまずくd along in the 半分-不明瞭 I fancied I could occasionally hear a strange noise like the sigh of a mighty 巨大（な）. At last my guide 停止（させる）d and sat 負かす／撃墜する on a terrace 激しく揺する. He produced the food, and we both eat heartily for we had come many miles and the exertion was 広大な／多数の／重要な. I tried to elicit from him where our 目的地 was, but he only pointed ahead and said nothing that could enlighten me on the point.

"Stretching himself out on the 激しく揺する, he 示す for me to do the same, and for two hours or more we silently 残り／休憩（する）d. As I lay, with all around 静かな and the sound of our footfalls not echoing on the rocky passage, I could やめる distinctly hear the muttered breathings or gasps which had first attracted my attention. Though I listened carefully I could not find a 手がかり（を与える） to them, and at last gave up the 労働 of guessing. I 自白する, for the first time since I had entered the place, I felt a little 脅すd. Only that I had 十分な 信用／信任 in my guide I would have been 大いに alarmed.

"At last Anscra arose and 再開するd the 旅行. I could now understand his 推論する／理由 for recuperating, for as we proceeded the road became much worse than it had been.

"After an hour of this arduous travel the passage broadened out and we were able to make better 進歩. Twice we （機の）カム out into large spaces, the 床に打ち倒すs of which were covered with fantastic-形態／調整d 激しく揺するs. A passage led from the second of these 議会s or caverns, and as we entered it I caught sight of a peculiar red glow at the end which startled me."

"Ah! we know what you are coming to now," ejaculated Stanley.

"I scarcely think you do," 答える／応じるd O'Malley, with a smile.

"Oh, yes we do; it is not likely we should so quickly forget the red 議会 we saw in our 地下組織の rambles," returned Strangway.

"I should think not," 追加するd Stanley with a self-満足させるd smile.

"井戸／弁護士席, have your opinion, gentlemen," went on O'Malley. "As I was just 説 a queer red glow caught my 注目する，もくろむs. The 広大な／多数の／重要な exertion I had undergone made me feel uncomfortably warm, and as I 急いでd after Anscra I was perspiring わずかに. He had reached the end of the passage before I overtook him, and when I got to his 味方する and looked in the direction whence the glow （機の）カム a thrilling sight burst upon me."

"Yes; it is 井戸／弁護士席 価値（がある） seeing, I must 収容する／認める," interjected Strangway.

"I looked for a 十分な minute before I could comprehend it, but I did not need the eloquence of the 猛烈な／残忍な heat which （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 upon me to realise what I was looking upon."

"猛烈な／残忍な heat?" queried Stanley and Strangway in the same breath.

"Yes, 猛烈な／残忍な heat, I repeat. What I saw before me was 集まりs of 激しく揺する which glowed dully red, and from which in a few small places jets of steam hissed out and were swallowed up almost すぐに by the 激しい heat. It was really the 内部の of a 部分的に／不公平に extinct 火山 which I saw, and the 見解（をとる） was a tremendous one. It seemed to me that about a ４半期/4分の1 of a mile from where I stood the 激しく揺するs began to change color, until at a distance of half-a-mile they were a dull red with the heat. Above them was a 反対／詐欺-形態／調整d 丸天井 at least two hundred feet in 高さ, and this carried the heat 上向きs or it would not have been possible to approach the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す we stood at.

"We must have been seven or eight hundred feet below the 首脳会議 of the hill, and the heat would almost lose itself 侵入するing such a distance. I could, however, now understand what 原因（となる）d the warm atmosphere in the 地下組織の 農園 which, though a かなりの distance away, must receive a 部分 of the permeating heat. In a few words Anscra explained to me that my supposition in that 尊敬（する）・点 was 訂正する.

"The heat was so 広大な／多数の／重要な that we could not long 耐える it, but I remained long enough to しっかり掴む the dread beauty of the spectacle. 激しく揺するs thousands of トンs in 負わせる were glowing like rubies, and in places the crimson 激しく揺するs were heaped together in gigantic and fantastic forms. Between them were spaces like 抱擁する 'glory 穴を開けるs' in a glassblower's factory, and the light flickered and scintillated like one often sees when watching an ember in a 解雇する／砲火／射撃, though, of course, on a colossal 規模.

"Anscra had often seen the place before and probably did not 高く評価する／（相場などが）上がる its beauties, as he soon turned away and I followed.

"As I turned away I felt that at any moment a 大災害 might take place that would 圧倒する the 地下組織の community. If by any means a stream of water should find its way into that glowing 集まり a tremendous 爆発 would be the result. If so the convulsion of nature would in all probability destroy those strange people who had been so 肉親，親類d to me. Certainly the 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of them were several miles from the slumbering 火山, but the convulsion which would 続いて起こる through a 団体／死体 of water 注ぐing on to the hot 激しく揺するs would change the 直面する of nature most certainly and alter the structure for a かなりの depth. Water is always at work wearing channels for itself, and who knows, I thought, how soon one of these subterranean streams might not precipitate itself into the 火山.

"These were the reflections which filled my mind as I つまずくd over the 激しく揺するs after Anscra, and I 心から wished that I had not been enlightened on the point. From that time 前へ／外へ I was never perfectly contented in my new life, though 以前 I 受託するd my lot with 辞職."

"I have not heard that there are any 火山s in Central Australia," Mills interrupted at this point.

"Oh, yes, there are a number of extinct ones, によれば nearly every explorer," Stanley 発言／述べるd.

"In some few instances 調印するs of a やめる 最近の 激変 have been noticed—and, indeed, smoke or steam was 観察するd by Wexford's party," 補足（する）d Strangway.

CHAPTER XXV.—ABOUT THE DEAD.

"There is no 疑問 at all that 非常に／多数の extinct 火山s 存在する all over the continent, north, south, east and west," 再開するd O'Malley, "that is やめる an 認める and 悪名高い fact. Some of them, it is believed, are only slumbering—and, indeed, when I was with Stuart's first 探検隊／遠征隊 we noticed either steam or smoke 問題／発行するing from a distant 開始する in the 周辺 of the place I am now speaking about.

"Stuart ーするつもりであるd going to the 範囲, but neither on that or the 後継するing 探検隊／遠征隊s did he do so. That is so far as I am aware. There can be no 論争ing what I saw with my own 注目する，もくろむs and had sensible proof of in half-a-dozen ways," O'Malley said, with 強調s. "The 激しく揺するs are there at this moment glowing red, and though it is most likely they will 徐々に become 冷淡な I fully believe that for the next twenty years there is danger to be 恐れるd in that place.

"We did not get 支援する to the 解決／入植地 the same day, but after going about six miles 残り／休憩（する）d for the night. When we reached the little town we 設立する that death had made its 外見, the 犠牲者 存在 an old man, who had been failing for a long time. Some idea of the health of these people may be gathered from the fact that this was the first death which had occurred since I entered the place. To the best of my knowledge there must have been fully two thousand people, old and young, in the 解決／入植地, so that the death 率 was extraordinarily low. This is accounted for by their 方式 of life. There was nothing like excitement of any sort to be noticed.

"The system was 事実上 communal so far as worldly 所持品 were 関心d. The fish and vegetable food were 株d in ありふれた, as was also the 衣料品s made by the women. Money was やめる unknown, and even 物々交換する was not followed. The patriarch, whom I have について言及するd, 統括するd over the daily 配当 of food, which was allotted on a 確かな basis to each 世帯 によれば the number in it. If the food 供給（する） happened to be short—an event which I did not 証言，証人／目撃する—each family received a proportionately smaller 株.

"The amusements, such as they were, did not impress a European. As a 事柄 of fact the daily work of each individual was so arranged as to partake of the nature of 楽しみ. During my long period at the place I did not notice a 選び出す／独身 musical 器具, and though some of the inhabitants of both sexes appeared to have musical 発言する／表明するs, 非，不，無 of them sang—at least if they did I never heard them.

"I am digressing here, however, as I will 言及する to these 事柄s later on.

"I 表明するd my 願望（する） to Anscra to 証言，証人／目撃する the funeral 儀式s of the dead and he did not raise any 反対, though at first I 推定する／予想するd he would. The simple race 明らかに had nothing which they wished to hide. The 団体／死体 of the dead man was laid out on a curious 石／投石する which stood in the northern 部分 of what I may call the town. This 石／投石する I 設立する was always used for the same 目的. It was 形態／調整d like an oval （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する from a 抱擁する 封鎖する of grey granite, and this was surrounded by the 会葬者s, or as many as could conveniently get 近づく the place, for it was evident the whole community （人命などを）奪う，主張するd to be 会葬者s.

"As I 近づくd the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す with Anscra the groups parted to let us through, and I saw the patriarch, or rather the tall, bearded man, whom I then called by that 指名する, standing beside the 死体. The 団体／死体 was covered in a の近くに-fitting white shroud of 構成要素 not unlike that which most of the living wore. At one end of the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する were a pile of herbs, and these the 長，指導者 proceeded to 燃やす in a large censer, swinging it under the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する. I then perceived that the latter was perforated, for the smoke rose through the 厚板 and surrounded the 団体／死体.

"During this time the old man spoke words which I did not understand. The fragrant herbs threw a strong perfume around in it. I could （悪事，秘密などを）発見する the strange smell which numbed my senses when in the sick 議会. It did not have that powerful 影響 on me now, though it made me drowsy and also the 非常に／多数の （人が）群がる around. I afterwards learned that these strange people looked upon death as a long sleep, and it was to 援助（する） the 死んだ in his slumbers that the somnolent 麻薬 was used. The other 選挙権を持つ／選挙人s in the censer were 工場／植物s of a preservative character, and I was told subsequently would keep a 団体／死体 from decay for a long period.

"After this 儀式 a pile of the herbs were placed on a smaller 厚板 beneath the （米）棚上げする／（英）提議する and 点火（する）d. These did not 含む／封じ込める the 'sleep 工場／植物,' as I 指名するd it, but only the preservative ones. For twelve hours these were left to smoulder underneath the 団体／死体 and then burial took place.

"I was very anxious to 証言，証人／目撃する the method in which the dead were 性質の／したい気がして of; but in this I was doomed to 失望, as I was not 許すd to …を伴って the 持参人払いのs. I discovered one remarkable thing in this 関係, and one which gave me no small surprise. That was that the dead were buried in the open 空気／公表する. I mean by that to say that instead of incarcerating the 団体／死体, placing it in a niche of the 激しく揺するs or in a cavern, or burying it in that twilight 地域 which the living seemed to love, it was 現実に taken on to the surface of the earth and buried where the rays of the sun could reach it."

"Ah!" exclaimed Strangway, jumping out of his 議長，司会を務める, "I begin to see light now on something that puzzled me. I could never make out whose 団体／死体s these were we laid 明らかにする by that 解雇する／砲火／射撃 in that terrible glen amongst the 範囲s. I thought it a most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の thing that any tribe of 黒人／ボイコットs should use so 暗い／優うつな a place for their 共同墓地, and besides there must have been hundreds of 団体／死体s there."

"My opinion still is that these 団体／死体s were the remains of aboriginals," doggedly 固執するd Stanley.

"Not at all," went on Strangway. "Surely you remember how we got into these 暗い／優うつな caverns trying to escape from the 燃やすing glen. That is proof enough of what I say. The water-way led almost 直接／まっすぐに into the 入り口 to these 地下組織の 地域s."

Whilst the two men argued O'Malley did not 干渉する, but when they 結論するd he said:

"I am やめる 確かな Strangway's theory is the 訂正する one, as I believe that the 団体／死体s were laid in the glen. Of course I did not know that on the evening we went into it, nor indeed when in trying to escape we got 支援する into the caverns.

"It was only when, after our escape and when we got 支援する to the valley, I smelt the odor of the herbs which I had so often seen burnt. That 納得させるd me that we had discovered the burial place of the white 地下組織の race and unwittingly desecrated it."

"Desecrated it?" echoed Stanley.

"Yes. From what I know of that strange people they considered we had desecrated their 共同墓地, and they exacted a terrible 刑罰，罰則 for it."

"What 刑罰，罰則?" again asked Stanley.

"There is no 疑問 it was they who destroyed our （軍の）野営地，陣営 and 除去するd every 痕跡 of it in the hope that we would 死なせる／死ぬ, as we very nearly did.

"You might easily have known that it was not the 黒人／ボイコットs who stole the horses and 破壊するd the （軍の）野営地，陣営. They would never do it in the way it was 遂行する／発効させるd. You will remember that we could scarcely find the 場所／位置 of the （軍の）野営地，陣営. There was not the 調印する of a 地位，任命する-穴を開ける or the 跡をつける of a horse, and the natives are too lazy or ignorant to 行為／法令／行動する in that manner."

"But if they 手配中の，お尋ね者 to kill us for 復讐 why did they not do so when they had us in their 力／強力にする in the caverns. We were at their mercy there?" pertinently asked Strangway.

"They would not kill any human 存在 直接／まっすぐに—and, in fact, it is only for what they consider the greatest of all offences, that is the desecration of the dead, that vengeance is ever exacted.

"You must understand, as I have already told you, that death in their opinion is only a long sleep from which the 死んだ will one day awaken. They also believe that if the 団体／死体 is 干渉するd with or desecrated after burial that the sleep will be eternal, so that you can imagine what they must have felt when they saw the whole 共同墓地 swept by 解雇する／砲火／射撃 and 発射s 解雇する／砲火／射撃d in it."

"Their code must be pretty strict as regards direct 殺人，大当り when they 許すd us to get out of their clutches," 発言／述べるd Strangway.

"Yes; it is strict and faithfully 観察するd, although they did not 推定する／予想する we would escape. The 半端物s were 大いに against us, you will 収容する／認める, and nothing but sheer luck saved us."

"You did your 部分 に向かって bringing us 支援する 安全に, at any 率," said Stanley.

"Yes; and perhaps I ignorantly brought the trouble on you.

"Upon coming out in the sunlight, after not seeing it for ten years, I was nearly blind and partly stupid, as you both know. My first thought on seeing the 日光 was about the 黒人／ボイコットs, for I thought your horses belonged to Stuart's party. That night in the glen when I saw the 注目する，もくろむs gleaming at me through the scrub, I thought they were those of Woosai, the 長，指導者. When I cried out in my momentary terror and you 解雇する／砲火／射撃d I brought the trouble on."

"How?"

"Had I 反映するd for a moment I would have known that the 注目する，もくろむs were those of one of my 地下組織の companions."

"But what was he doing there?" asked Strangway.

"They only come on the surface during the night, and this man had come to watch and show his reverence to some dead friend or 親族. Seeing our 解雇する／砲火／射撃 he would be attracted に向かって it and wonder what it meant there. As I was better able to see that evening in the dark than when the sun was 向こうずねing I soon （悪事，秘密などを）発見するd him."

"And the other person or thing I 解雇する／砲火／射撃d at on the night we were looking for our （軍の）野営地，陣営. What of that?" asked Strangway.

"There is no 疑問 it was another of the strange race. They would 自然に send out scouts to see what we did when the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was 除去するd and you （悪事，秘密などを）発見するd one of them."

"I must have 負傷させるd him, too."

"I daresay you did. They are only human 存在s, you know, and a 弾丸 would go through one of them as easily as through you or me."

"And you think our 降下／家系 into that confounded glen 形態／調整d like a 棺 was the beginning of all our troubles and sufferings?" queried Stanley.

"Yes, I am やめる sure on that point. Had we escaped that place our （軍の）野営地，陣営 would have been unmolested and we might have got 支援する with いっそう少なく than half the trouble."

"What did you say to that ghostly person we saw 近づく the 水晶 議会 when we were lost?" asked Strangway.

"He was the patriarch or 長，指導者 of the 地下組織の people, and I told him we had 逸脱するd into the place by 事故 and begged he would show us the way out. You will remember that he never hesitated, but soon brought us to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す I knew.

"There are many other points I will explain as I go on, which to you seem 理解できない, but can be easily （疑いを）晴らすd up," 結論するd O'Malley.

CHAPTER XXVI.—A COMMUNAL KITCHEN.

"The funeral, which I was not 許すd to …に出席する, look place at midnight. I saw it leave the little town, but, of course, when Anscra told me I was not to …を伴って it I did not do so. He afterwards 知らせるd me that no 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs were dug in the burial ground. The dense 集まり of half-decayed undergrowth was 解除するd and the 死体 laid in under it with a 量 of the aromatic herbs I have spoken of.

"For some months after this I did not make any 探検隊／遠征隊 of 公式文書，認める, but 適用するd myself diligently to learn the language so that I might be able to get a history of the strange people I was amongst. In the 合間 I 選ぶd up a good 取引，協定 of （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） regarding さまざまな points. I noticed that the people were very cleanly and their sanitary 手はず／準備 soon attracted my attention.

"限定するd in such a place it can easily be understood that bad smells or filth 病気s could easily be engendered, but they were not 許すd to. I spoke to my friend about it, and he agreed to show me what I may call the town tip. Next day he took me to a 部分 of the 解決／入植地 which I had not 以前 been at. It was in the extreme eastern 味方する and there were no dwellings 近づく it.

"The distance from the market place was not above two English miles, but I noticed there was a 罰金 road 主要な to it. When we （機の）カム to where the 激しく揺するs rose to form the 味方する I saw that the road swept 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the 支援する of one of the mighty 中心存在s. に引き続いて it 負かす／撃墜する we soon stood on the 辛勝する／優位 of a boiling 激流 of かなりの dimensions. This was open where the road met it, but すぐに lower 負かす／撃墜する it 急ぐd under an arch of 激しく揺する at a terrific pace and disappeared from sight.

"I understood from Anscra that all the filth and 辞退する of the 解決／入植地—except a 確かな 部分 kept for manurial 目的s, and sent to the 農園—was thrown into this 激流 nightly and swept perhaps hundreds of miles away. This was an 平易な but a most 効果的な method of getting rid of the dirt.

"Another point on which I asked （警察などへの）密告，告訴（状） was the manner in which the food was cooked. I have said that I did not see any 調印する of 解雇する／砲火／射撃 or smoke in the 解決／入植地, and Anscra enlightened me on the point. Calling me one day about an hour before the time 始める，決める apart for dinner—I may say there were only two meals a day—he led me to the northern end of the little town. We passed between two 広大な／多数の／重要な 中心存在s, which I at first thought bounded the 解決／入植地 in that direction, and （機の）カム to やめる another part of the town. It was here I at once saw where the 産業s of the place were carried on.

"近づく the centre of the 巨大な 丸天井 were about a 得点する／非難する／２０ of women and girls busily engaged knitting with small pointed sticks, and の近くに to them were others spinning up the rough textured stuff most of us wore. I was afterwards told that the making of the 衣料品s worn by the 長，率いる man and his 後継者, who was always 指名するd by the 長，率いる long before his death, was a secret known only to three or four persons. I might 明言する／公表する here that Anscra, my invariable companion and guide, was the second in 命令（する） of the 解決／入植地 and on the death of the 長，指導者 would 後継する him. If Anscra died just then the 長，指導者 would 指名する another 後継者.

"Passing these 労働者s we went to the opposite 味方する and entered another 休会 partly hid by a 塀で囲む of 激しく揺する. The odor which reached me before I entered the place 用意が出来ている me for the scene that を待つd us. All around were placed long marble （米）棚上げする／（英）提議するs some of which were covered with fish, whilst others had piles of vegetables both green—or rather white—and 乾燥した，日照りのd and ground into 砕く. A number of cooks and assistants were busily engaged here.

"At the end of this queer-looking place the ovens were 直す／買収する，八百長をするd. These consisted of a long 範囲 of granite 厚板s so 直す／買収する，八百長をするd that the heat in passing made them as hot as 要求するd. Some of these were hollowed out in places and filled with water, and in these the boiling was done. On others the 薄焼きパン／素焼陶器s I have already について言及するd were 存在 baked.

"The flour was made from a 工場／植物 I said somewhat 似ているd asparagus. This was 乾燥した，日照りのd on hot 石／投石するs and then ground up. Most of the cooking was done by baking, and it was astonishing to find that there was not the least 不快な／攻撃 smell.

"When it is understood that fully two thousand persons were daily catered for in communal fashion, it will be seen that the most scrupulous cleanliness was necessary to 達成する this end. The kitchen, if I may so call it, was arranged in such a manner that the flues at the end of the oven, or heated 厚板s, carried not only the smoke and heat away but also any ぐずぐず残る bad 空気／公表する.

"There was a large 供給（する） of firewood 近づく the place, and I was afterwards shown where this （機の）カム from.

"Anscra told me that there was no distinction of diet in the 解決／入植地. All eat the same food, which was cooked in ありふれた by the 明言する／公表する, so to speak.

"With the exception of the 長，指導者, who was vested with a little extra 当局, each person was equal. I noticed strangely, too, that the 女性（の）s were as fully recognised as by the most 前進するd western nations. The 推論する／理由 of this I afterwards learned from the 長，指導者.

"A few days after this visit my guide asked me to …を伴って him on another trip and I readily 従うd with his request.

"に引き続いて Anscra into the 部分 where the kitchen and work-room was, he led the way to the eastern end and into a small but 井戸／弁護士席-lighted passage. Of course I mean 井戸／弁護士席 lighted from their point of 見解（をとる）. As we walked along I thought I could discern the hum of 発言する／表明するs, and in a short time I was 確かな of the fact. In five minutes we reached a large cavern, and here was a curious sight. Nearly one hundred boys and girls were 範囲d 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the place slowly 詠唱するing something after a person who appeared to be the master. The boys first followed the teacher, and then a woman 演説（する）／住所d the girls in a 類似の fashion whilst the male 部分 残り／休憩（する）d.

"The sound made in the 丸天井d 議会 was very 広大な／多数の／重要な, and when the reciters 中止するd it echoed and re-echoed in an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の manner. From what I could gather this was the viva voce method of teaching the children their history and also the moral 義務s which the people carried out. When both male and 女性（の） scholars 中止するd I could plainly hear a strange buzzing sound which seemed to come from outside. It was 安定した and continuous, but at the time I took very little notice of it.

"Two years after I learned it was 原因（となる）d by a waterfall."

"Why, that must be the one at the 長，率いる of the 密告者 River," interjected Strangway. "I am almost 確かな it is about there. I could not say 絶対, but it could scarcely be anywhere else as I can 証明する hereafter."

"Stanley and I heard queer sounds coming out of that 頂点（に達する） and we could not make it out at all," the late leader of the 調査するing party again 発言／述べるd.

"That is やめる possible," 再開するd O'Malley. "The whole place was honeycombed and the sound made by the children would escape in some way no 疑問. Water, you know, is a conductor of sound, and the cavernous echoes would probably be carried out by that medium.

"As Anscra and I went 支援する he told me that the children were taught there so as not to 干渉する with the 静める of the little town. I knew that the echoes in the 広大な／多数の／重要な 丸天井s where the people lived were very loud. If a person called out loudly it sounded like the 報告（する）／憶測 of a gun, and hence everybody spoke in a subdued whisper which was yet perfectly 際立った.

"In some places, as I myself tried, a sound was repeated fifty or a hundred times によれば the position. This was 主として 原因（となる）d by the 人工的な 協定 of the roof and 味方するs of the subterranean 解決／入植地. It must have taken 得点する／非難する／２０s of 世代s of workmen to put the 広大な ramifications into the 条件 which I saw them. The labor 伴う／関わるd was prodigious, and I was やめる puzzled to know where they got the 巨大な 蓄える／店s of 水晶s and marbles used in the work.

"Whilst on this 支配する I must say that point was withheld from me. This was the place where the sunlight was 認める to be flashed and 反映するd on the 解決／入植地.

"I have told you that after the 発見 of the slumbering 火山 I began to grow restless and afraid of 大災害. I could not 隠す my 苦悩 from Anscra, though I tried hard to do.

"With keen 侵入／浸透 he みなすd that I should like once again to 捜し出す the surface of the earth and lead the life which I was most accustomed to. Knowing this it was only ありふれた prudence, perhaps, that the real 入り口 to the strange 地下組織の 解決／入植地 should be kept from me."

"Did we not find it when we were trying to get out of that glen?" asked Stanley.

"Oh, no. That was the way I （機の）カム out by, but you saw that I knew nothing about the 地下組織の 迷宮／迷路. I was blindfold when I left the place I call my sick 議会, where I first 設立する myself lying on the couch, until I reached that cavern 近づく the glen. There my 注目する，もくろむs were 暴露するd, and in company with Anscra we went along the passage and （機の）カム out at the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す we did.

"My faithful friend then led me 負かす／撃墜する the 頂点（に達する） during the night until we （機の）カム in sight of your （軍の）野営地，陣営 and then he left me with ill-隠すd emotion. I reached the horses just as the sun was rising, and you know the 残り／休憩（する）. However, I am 心配するing. It must be 特許 that if anyone 設立する the true 入り口 by which the sunlight enters he could follow the 反映するd light all over the 解決／入植地."

"Yes, unless they had some method of 急落（する），激減（する）ing the place into gloom," 発言／述べるd Mills.

"They might have such a 計画（する）, but I scarcely think so as everything that 反映するs the light is of the most 永久の character and could not easily be altered."

"Then the place is probably 井戸／弁護士席 guarded, and it would be death to anyone to enter?" 示唆するd Strangway.

"From what I know of their teachings I do not think it likely they would kill anyone, but they might 逮捕（する） an 侵入者 and take care he should never get out again."

"Perhaps some poor devil has met such a 運命／宿命," 発言／述べるd Mills.

"I have some 推論する／理由s for believing that a European has been so 扱う／治療するd," O'Malley said, solemnly.

"You have!" ejaculated his listeners in surprise.

"Yes. Later on I will tell you why—and I believe the 発見 I made by 事故 covers one of the most gruesome stories it is possible to imagine.

"Let me now recur to where I was returning with Anscra from 審理，公聴会 the children taught. I asked him if there was any 反対 to my knowing the history of his race, and he replied that only the 長，指導者 could answer such a question. I 明言する／公表するd that I was anxious to know by what strong 進化 an 明らかに noble race had become 地下組織の dwellers, and, seeing my 利益／興味 in the question, he 約束d me that he would speak to 'Oenorb,' the 長，指導者, about it and try to get his assent.

"The に引き続いて day he appeared and told me that Oenorb was やめる willing to narrate the traditions of his people 手渡すd 負かす／撃墜する to him as soon as I could understand the language 十分に to comprehend the story. Anscra volunteered to place himself at my 処分 as much as possible to 容易にする 事柄s, and for a year I worked hard to learn the queer and somewhat uncouth language. At the end of that time Anscra said I was 前進するd enough to 公正に／かなり understand what the 長，指導者 would tell me, and I looked 今後 anxiously enough to the interview.

"The language itself was not one easily comprehended, and the words in many 事例／患者s were scarcely susceptible of translation into the English tongue. The に引き続いて narrative, therefore, may 含む／封じ込める many inaccuracies, but in the main it is 大幅に 訂正する.

"The extreme difficulty of （判決などを）下すing the strange account into a modern tongue to 控訴 modern ideas will be understood when it is said that the language itself was a 汚職 of a 先史の vocabulary and the 地理学 spoken of was probably antediluvian.

CHAPTER XXVII.—ŒNORB.

"I must have been about three years amongst my subterranean friends on the morning that Anscra 勧めるd me into the presence of the 長，指導者 who was to tell me the story. The old man was reclining in his house, or rather 審査するd テント—for it was no different from most of the others—when I entered. He told both of us to be seated on a sort of lounge which was placed at the end of the 審査する, and then he began in a manner I did not 推定する／予想する:

"'I want you to know first that had it not been for me you would have been killed a long while ago. I 設立する you in a 洞穴 with savages about to 殺す you and I （機の）カム to the 救助（する）. With care you were taken away and brought 支援する to life, and, knowing this, I put it to your heart that anything I tell will not be 明らかにする／漏らすd to the 傷害 of our race.'

"I 急いでd to 保証する him that I was not so ungrateful as to 負傷させる my benefactors in any possible way, and I 心から felt what I said. He must have read my heart, for, without その上の comment he went on—

"'Ages ago. So far 支援する that the world has changed mightly since our race began. Then if life were long enough you could walk from here 予定 north until you （機の）カム to everlasting ice. There was no water where all is water now.'

"From this I might break off for a moment to say that the old man spoke of a time when Australia was undoubtedly a part of Asia. Anyone looking at a 地図／計画する will see the chain of islands which 嘘（をつく） between the northern coast of Australia and the 半島 of Siam in Asia.

"'There were animals then as large as yonder 激しく揺する, and men towered nearly twice as high as me. The cradle of our race was amongst mountains that reached the skies, and for thousands of lives in duration they dwelt amongst the hills. Then they could look upon the sun and not be afraid, or upon the moon when it shone at night. But a change （機の）カム. Barbarous people （機の）カム upon us from the north. They were as 黒人／ボイコット as us, for our race was not then pale, and they were more 非常に／多数の than the fish in yonder water. Thousands were killed in the struggle which followed, but our ancestors were 軍隊d 支援する and 支援する, year after year, until the 広大な／多数の／重要な 'Velu,' our then 長，指導者, gathered together the 残余 of his people and （機の）カム to where the sun 燃やすd ひどく.

"'Many 世代s passed away in these hot lands, until at last the enemy again discovered us and they were more 非常に／多数の than ever. Then there was more fighting, which our people did not like, for they were 平和的な, and at last 'Tezor,' the mighty, a second time took his people and travelled far south. They were a long time thus marching, but at last Tezor, who was in 前進する, sighted a land that he thought was far enough away.

"'At sunrise he went to the 最高の，を越す of a high 開始する with his wives and 親族s and 長，指導者s to see where he would build his city. All his people stopped below on the plain. Suddenly those on the hill heard an awful cry from below, and looking 負かす／撃墜する saw the ocean 広範囲にわたる over the land. Not a man or woman or a child of all the multitude on the plain were saved. Before the 注目する，もくろむs of Tezor they were （海，煙などが）飲み込むd in the waves.

"'The sea did not rise so high as where the leader and his 長，指導者s stood, and for days they 嘆く／悼むd over the loss of their nation. Then when the waters 乾燥した，日照りのd up they descended on the opposite 味方する so that they should not see the graveyard of their people. They went on until they （機の）カム to a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す which they liked, and there they decided to build up another nation. For a long time they were not （性的に）いたずらするd, except by 抱擁する beasts which they easily killed, for they were 軍人s, and they placed the 記録，記録的な／記録するs of these 業績／成就s on the 激しく揺するs. Seventy 世代s have come and gone since that time, but 広大な／多数の／重要な changes took place in the 合間.

"'A 猛烈な／残忍な race 設立する out the 子孫s of Tezor and 企て，努力，提案 fair to sweep them off the 直面する of the earth. From one place to another the 残余 of the race was driven, until but a mere handful of men and women were left. The 長，指導者 of this little 禁止（する）d was 指名するd 'Bonin' and his wife was called 'ビデオ.' They went from one place to another to save their lives, until at last they began to prefer death they were so 追跡（する）d by a 猛烈な／残忍な 黒人／ボイコット race who lived on human flesh.

"'It is thirty lives ago since Bonin and ビデオ with their little 禁止（する）d （機の）カム to 近づく the place—very 近づく the place in which I am now speaking. They thought that by travel they would get out of the reach of their 敵s, but it 証明するd さもなければ. On every 味方する they were beset, and it seemed like as if the race that （機の）カム from the far mountains which reached the skies would become extinct like the 抱擁する animals they once 追跡（する）d.

"'It happened that one day ビデオ in looking for water （機の）カム across a number of her enemies （軍の）野営地，陣営d amongst the hills. Running from them through some ジャングル she fell into a 深い 井戸／弁護士席 but her 落ちる was broken by the vegetation which grew 負かす／撃墜する its 味方するs and at the 底（に届く）, so that she was not 傷つける. She could see a tiny gleam of light from where she lay, and as she could not climb up the 法外な 味方するs of the 穴を開ける she はうd に向かって the light. When she reached it she saw a 広大な／多数の／重要な open cleft between the mountains, and on one 味方する a 抱擁する 洞穴 opened out. Crossing over to this ビデオ fearlessly entered the cavern and walked along it as far as it was possible. At the end she 設立する it 支店d off and the passage went downwards, and this road she took. It ran a long way but her path was lighted by the light which （機の）カム from fissures above. At last into a 広大な／多数の／重要な cavern she stepped and before her lay a sheet of water almost like the sea she had heard of. ビデオ tasted and 設立する it was not salt, and then she began to 嘆く／悼む that she would never see her husband again.

"'For hours she wept, and then starting up began to search the place but 設立する that it was too dark to see as night had fallen. When brightness again （機の）カム she walked about until she 診察するd nearly all the passages; but at last she （機の）カム to one brighter than the others. Going along it ビデオ noticed that the 味方するs and roof shone like precious 石／投石するs, and she was pleased. Far ahead she could see a brighter light still, and on going to the place the wife of Bonin saw the sun far above in the sky. It was a hard climb out but it was 遂行するd, and she 設立する herself on the 最高の，を越す of the 開始する.

"'負かす／撃墜する below to the left a cloud of smoke rose up and the 追跡（する）d woman 井戸／弁護士席 knew that it （機の）カム from the （軍の）野営地，陣営 of her enemies. She went 慎重に に向かって the place to make sure that it was so, and when 近づく was filled with horror to see her husband tied to a tree not far from the 広大な／多数の／重要な 塚 on which a 得点する／非難する／２０ of their 黒人／ボイコット enemies sat.

"'They are going to kill and eat Bonin,' she said to herself, 'and why should I live without him!'

"'She had her sharp axe in her 手渡す, and, 存在 used to the wild bush life, she crept stealthily up to the tree to which Bonin was tied ready for the sacrifice. In an instant she 削減（する） the 社債s, and, whispering to him to follow her, she darted off through the bushes up the 開始する.

"'As Bonin turned to run the cannibals saw him and 始める，決める off in 追跡. He and his wife had a good start and they were (n)艦隊／(a)素早い of foot, but Bonin despaired of escape, and as Viedo looked 支援する she saw that he was 滞るing. Calling on him to come she slackened pace until he was abreast, and she then told him that she had a 安全な・保証する hiding-place for him. Thus encouraged he again ran with all his 速度(を上げる）, but the 延期する nearly cost him his life.

"'One of the savages had far outdistanced the 残り／休憩（する）, and in a few moments he was almost beside the 飛行機で行くing couple. ビデオ saw this, and, しっかり掴むing the bronze axe, with all her strength she struck the savage on the 支援する of the neck just as he was about to grapple with Bonin. The blow nearly 厳しいd his 長，率いる and he fell lifeless, whilst the 逃亡者／はかないものs sped on.

"'In a few minutes they reached the mouth of the cavern, and 長，率いるd by ビデオ the two went 速く 負かす／撃墜する it and the woman led her husband 負かす／撃墜する the white passage to the lake of water. The savages did not know for 確かな that Bonin and his wife had gone into the cavern but they 嫌疑者，容疑者／疑うd that they had, and for some days they kept watch 近づく the mouth waiting for them to come out. The 長，指導者 fully 推定する／予想するd them to follow, but it happened that these savages would not 投機・賭ける into 深い 洞穴s or 地下組織の passages, and this fact, as you will see, was 設立する out by the 機関 of a woman.

"'For twenty hours the two remained 近づく the lake in hiding, 決定するd to die on the water rather than be re-逮捕（する）d by the cannibals, but not the 調印する of an enemy was seen.

"'Let us 捜し出す for another way out of this,' ビデオ said to her husband at last; 'our 敵s will watch the way we （機の）カム in by, for they seem afraid to follow.'

"'Half the day was spent in searching, and at last an 出口 was 設立する やめる 際立った from the other which led them into the valley.

"'If we could only find the 残余 of our race we might be able to live in peace in those 洞穴s,' Bonin said, as they searched the 深い valley.

"'Next day they again （機の）カム out of the 洞穴 where they had 退却／保養地d during the night and 再開するd the search, and before long to their joy they 設立する their brethern. There were but few left and these were at once led to the strange abode.

"'At first it seemed a dreary abode, but when it was 設立する that they could sleep in 安全 and were not in constant terror of their lives then they began to love it. In the lake were 設立する plenty of fish as there is to this day, and 徐々に the little 禁止（する）d began to make 改良s.

"'For a long time all that could be done was to make the place 安全な・保証する from attack, or at least to 強化する it as much as possible, and this work was carried out with 技術 by Bonin and his wife, who gave him good counsel. Nearly all the 入り口s were 封鎖するd up in the most effectual manner, and those not so 扱う／治療するd were altered so cleverly that only those who knew the secret could find the way in or out. Whilst the women fished in the lake the men did this work, and occasionally a short （警察の）手入れ，急襲 was made outside to get some animal food, for in those days our ancestors eat meat.

"'When it was 設立する that the savages, who had so long 抑圧するd and destroyed our race, were afraid to enter caverns, it became no longer doubtful as to what should be done. Outside enemies 群れているd, for they were enraged at the escape of their prey, and they were so dangerous that at last it was no longer 安全な to 投機・賭ける out at all. The 禁止（する）d, however, by this time were becoming やめる used to their new 方式 of life, and they had a variety of fish food.

"'In many places also where the sun streamed 負かす／撃墜する 割れ目s or crevices in the 激しく揺するs a growth of vegetation had sprung up, and some of it was 設立する eatable. These 工場／植物s were carefully collected and cultivated until they formed a welcome 新規加入 to the food 供給（する）. You have seen some of them in the 農園. Bonin also in his wanderings gathered many 肉親，親類d of strange seeds, and these have been the means of perpetuating 価値のある medicinal herbs and scrubs which have long since become extinct on the surface. You have yourself experienced the efficacy of two or three of them used for 負傷させるs; but there are others for さまざまな sicknesses which you have not seen.

"'As one 世代 後継するd another this 解決／入植地 was built up. The white passage, as it was called, through which ビデオ 設立する her way out when she 救助（する）d her husband from death was almost 完全に composed of 水晶s. As time rolled on these were placed, as you see, to 反映する light, and more than two hundred years were 占領するd in the work. Beds of marble were 設立する later on in a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す you have not yet seen, and this was also 圧力（をかける）d into service.

"'徐々に even the streaks of sunlight which （機の）カム through the fissures were 封鎖するd ーするために make the place more secret, and in the course of 世代s a race was developed that could not look upon the sun. The heated ground, where the 農園 is, was irrigated and made 有能な of growing 豊富, but 広大な／多数の／重要な difficulty was experienced in getting 十分な light to it; but at last even that was 遂行するd.

"'We are now, as you see, a 平和的な and happy community, more contented than any of our ancestors. As ビデオ saved the race we 栄誉（を受ける） and 尊敬（する）・点 women, as you must notice. The 長，指導者 is both priest and leader. He marries by his simple word, and what he says is the 最高の 法律. For more than a hundred years there has not been a 選び出す／独身 論争, and the people are so healthy that there are a number of men and women here who are more than a century old.

"'The 子孫s of cannibals, who nearly destroyed our race, are those wretched 黒人／ボイコットs who now run in terror from our people. By that you will see that living 地下組織の has not degenerated but rather 改善するd us, whilst the surface race must have gone 支援する a 広大な／多数の／重要な 取引，協定.'

"Have you no 宗教?" I asked, as the old man 結論するd. "Do you not worship a 広大な／多数の／重要な 存在?"

"'We love one another in life, and as we would do for ourselves so each of us would do for the other. Surely there can be no greater 宗教 on earth than that. When we awake from our long sleep we believe there is another, and even a better, life を待つing us; but we do not in this life pretend to say or 述べる what it may be,' he answered, 簡単に.

CHAPTER XXVIII.—THE WRITING ON THE WALL.

"I must again explain," said O'Malley to his auditors, "that 借りがあるing to the strange language used by Oenorb, and the fact that at least half the 表現s he used have 絶対 no 同等（の） in the English language, the short sketch I have given you is やむを得ず 煙霧のかかった and mutilated."

"It appears from what I can gather," 発言／述べるd Mills, "that these 地下組織の people （人命などを）奪う，主張する direct and uncontaminated 降下／家系 from a やめる 先史の race. If that be so they have brought 負かす／撃墜する a 先史の language, and no modern one could hope to furnish 同等（の）s for the greater 部分 of it. The fact that they appeared to be in continual 戦争 with other surrounding races would also point them out as a 保守的な people not likely to be 影響（力）d by other sources save their own traditions."

"That is やめる so. From what I can gather the 初めの ancestors lived somewhere along the Himalayan Mountains, probably 近づく the western 境界 of modern Burmah. After long ages of 住居 there Scythians or Tartar hordes may have 圧力（をかける）d 負かす／撃墜する on them and compelled an 避難／引き上げ of their 古代の birth-place. This must have been in far pre-Christian days, for the old 長，指導者 会談 of the exodus coming 負かす／撃墜する to a place about or under the 赤道, and he infers that at the time Australia and Asia were connected.

"There is no 疑問 they were at one time; but it must have been at an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の remote period, unless the severance is 予定 to a 広大な／多数の／重要な convulsion of nature. The traditions 暗示する that the latter 原因（となる） did result.

"The sea running over the land and （海，煙などが）飲み込むing the 本体，大部分／ばら積みの of the race which the 長，指導者 証言，証人／目撃するd from the hill, 明らかに took place on the northern shores of Australia. No について言及する was made by Oenorb of boats used in crossing; but there I should think tradition is at fault, as how did the curiously 形態／調整d canoes and boats come on the 地下組織の lake. They appear to have been imitations of proas, or, at least, small （手先の）技術 used by some of the 太平洋の islanders."

"I don't think that would 影響する／感情 the 事例／患者 much," Mills argued. "Some races must be creative and not 率先. Besides, if Oenorb's people crossed or （機の）カム to this continent, as he says, there would scarcely be such people as South Sea islanders. He says that ビデオ 設立する the caverns thirty lives ago. Taking a life to mean a 世代 or thirty years, that would mean nine hundred years ago or about the tenth century of the Christian 時代. He also says that it was long ages previous to this that the first 長，指導者 brought his people to the south land, so that he must （人命などを）奪う，主張する an enormous antiquity."

"Would their complexions and habits not show that these people have been living in 洞穴s for hundreds of years?" asked Strangway.

"I don't think so," replied the 無断占拠者, thoughtfully. "You have told us that when you first saw O'Malley he was as pale as a ghost, and yet he had only been 地下組織の for ten years."

"But his 注目する，もくろむs were not pink or red," 反対するd Strangway.

"That, of course, would go to support your argument to some extent. Unless 初めは a race of Albinos it would take some few 世代s to change the color of the 注目する，もくろむs in that fashion," returned Mills.

"Perhaps they were 初めは a race of Albinos," 示唆するd Stanley.

"That is most improbable. No such freak as a race of Albinos was ever yet known. A few instances frequently occur amongst all peoples, 黒人／ボイコット 同様に as white, but by intermarriage with normal people the peculiarity is not 手渡すd 負かす／撃墜する. I daresay it might be in the course of centuries possible to produce やめる a race of Albinos by 説得力のある them to marry only amongst themselves, but scientists even 疑問 that," the 無断占拠者 answered.

"If these people were 初めは a race of Albinos they would to some extent be a 示すd 団体／死体 and liable to the incessant attacks spoken of," 示唆するd Strangway.

"But Oenorb distinctly said they were, if not 黒人／ボイコット, at least, brown coloured," 再開するd O'Malley. "I am やめる 納得させるd they are the 子孫s of some Asiatic race who in past times were compelled to 捜し出す 避難 from their enemies in 洞穴s which they made so strong or bewildering that their 敵s could not follow them. You must remember also that the work I saw done in these strange galleries, grottos and 抱擁する 議会s to my mind 明確に shows that it 要求するd 連続する 世代s to 遂行する／発効させる it. I am 納得させるd that with the small 禁止（する）d in the beginning and the rude 道具s at their 命令（する） hundreds of years were so 占領するd.

"Again Oenorb has traditions of the mammoth and the 抱擁する animals which once roamed Australia, and the few words he says on the latter are 公正に／かなり 訂正する. He について言及するs that some were of 抱擁する 本体，大部分／ばら積みの, but they were easily killed by the 軍人s. This would be true of the 巨大（な） sloth, and to some degree of the other extinct animals. 非，不，無 of them, it is 主張するd, had the ferocity or strength of the 現在の lion or tiger, though there were, 裁判官ing from the 化石 remains discovered, a 種類 of lion and tiger on this continent.

"Then, too, he speaks of the strange 激しく揺する 製図／抽選s いつかs 設立する on the northern coasts of Australia. What 先史の race drew these uncouth and monstrous sketches? It must have been men cœval with the animals they 描写するd and assuredly not the 現在の aboriginals.

"によれば Oenorb his people did not get south of the continent—indeed not lower than the centre—and no such 製図／抽選s have been 設立する on the southern coasts or in the caverns. I 堅固に believe that in these subterranean dwellers I saw the 子孫s of that 先史の race, whose monuments are いつかs 設立する in the Indian 群島," 結論するd O'Malley.

After a pause he went on:

"I について言及するd to you that whilst in the caverns I made a gruesome 発見, and I will now narrate it.

"After I had been seven years in the place I abandoned all hope of ever getting 支援する to the sunlight. Years before Oenorb and Anscra told me that if ever they saw any of my own race in the 周辺 they would lead me to them. I 井戸／弁護士席 knew that it would be 簡単に madness for me to 試みる／企てる a 旅行 to white 解決／入植地s of my own people from the place I was.

"Half blind, as I was, 非武装の and 恐ろしい looking, without food or means of travelling, I would either have fallen a 犠牲者 to the first 黒人／ボイコットs who saw me, or my bones would bleach in the 砂漠 through hunger or かわき. I knew that I was not more than a dozen miles from the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where I had been taken from Stuart's （軍の）野営地，陣営, and could, therefore, 位置を示す my position. My only hope of escape was to be 手渡すd over to the care of men like you, who would succor and lead me out of the wilderness, or, at least, 援助（する） me until my helplessness had disappeared."

"I was nearly 狙撃 you when I first caught sight of you amongst the horses," laughed Strangway.

"I daresay I looked an 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の creature enough, so that you can see how wise it was not to turn me 流浪して alone. At the end of six or seven years I had 事実上 given up hopes of 救助（する）, as I have said, for what white men would come into that out-of-the-way 地域? Anscra noticed my 辞職 and therefrom more liberty was 許すd me. Previous to this period I could not go beyond the town, except to the lake, unless a companion was with me; but soon I was 許すd 十分な freedom, and, その結果, made some 発見s.

"One morning I left my テント or 審査する very 早期に and was attracted by the sight of the last 団体／死体 of scavengers, as I may call them, going に向かって the 激流 I について言及するd into which the 辞退する was flung. I thought I would fill in the time by …を伴ってing them and see the 操作／手術.

"When I got to the 塀で囲む, 一連の会議、交渉／完成する which the 下水管-stream ran, I stood for a few minutes watching the men shoot the rubbish 負かす／撃墜する. As I turned away my 注目する，もくろむs caught sight of a small dark 休会 in the 激しく揺する to my left, and going to it I peered in. It was much darker than any other 部分 of the 地下組織の 解決／入植地 I had yet seen, but 反対するs could be faintly distinguished. I climbed into the darksome place and could すぐに （悪事，秘密などを）発見する that the passage was seldom or never used.

"Going along it for about three hundred yards it suddenly inclined 上向きs at a pretty sharp grade, but I could now see better and kept on. At last I （機の）カム to a 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where a rugged 激しく揺する 閉めだした the way, but at the 首脳会議 I noticed that there was more light and it was plain that the 地下組織の gallery continued at a higher level. With a 広大な／多数の／重要な 成果／努力 I 規模d the 激しく揺する and then 設立する I was in one of these oval caverns so 非常に／多数の in that queer 地域.

"It was not so large as most of the others, and though not so 暗い／優うつな as the passage I had just 横断するd it was darker than usual. The most remarkable thing about it was the number of passages radiating from it. I counted no より小数の than eleven, and they were fantastically arranged. In places two 開始s appeared 味方する by 味方する like the tubes of a 二塁打-barrelled gun, whilst again the 二重の 開始s might be in vertical fashion—one above the other. Some of them were large whilst others had a 直径 only 十分な to 許す a man to はう on his 手渡すs and 膝s.

"I was almost on the point of turning 支援する when the 願望（する） for novelty 所有するd me and I decided to continue my 探検s. You can easily understand that to a man like myself, used to an active travelling life, the sameness of the 地下組織の 存在 became distasteful to me after a time.

"For years I had thought that, with one exception, no part of the subterranean 解決／入植地 was 隠すd from me, and now, perhaps, I had discovered the place I 手配中の，お尋ね者. Selecting one of the largest galleries, or rather passages, I boldly entered it and 設立する that it almost すぐに turned off with a sharp curve. This puzzled me, for I thought it must cross or 干渉する with some of the other passages which 支店d off so numerously from the cavern. After going fifty yards I 設立する that this was so, for two other tunnels entered the one which I went.

"その上の on more passages were 遭遇（する）d, and soon they all 焦点（を合わせる）d into a smaller cavern. This was an exceedingly pretty grotto—one of the prettiest I have ever seen. It was diamond-形態／調整d and やめる light. This was 原因（となる）d by a gleam of sunlight which （機の）カム from a small fissure in the roof. Either this crevice had been overlooked by the 地下組織の dwellers when they 除外するd the sunlight, or the place had not been visited for a long time and the 腐食 of time had 原因（となる）d it.

"At first I 結論するd that I must be 近づく the 首脳会議 of the 範囲, but as I 反映するd that it could not be long after sunrise I saw that the crevice must come from the eastern 味方する of the hill, probably from a precipice or the sunbeams would not strike it. It was the first time in seven years that I had a glimpse of the sun, and, throwing myself on the 床に打ち倒す of the 洞穴, I looked at the dancing beams for at least an hour. Occasionally I saw a 飛行機で行くing insect come in and ぱたぱたする for a moment like a speck of gold in the light.

"I gave myself up to memories of the outside world as I lay there, but 徐々に the golden streak of light got thinner and thinner, until finally it flickered out and disappeared as the sun rose に向かって the zenith. It seemed to me as if the happiness of my life 出発／死d with it and the gloom that filled the 議会 was an 索引 of the 影をつくる／尾行する on my heart.

"I mentally 解決するd that I would come to the place every morning and watch the sunbeam, as it would be a little solace to me. Then the idea struck me that I might be able in that 未使用の 部分 of the 解決／入植地 to find some 出口 whence I could accustom myself to the daylight, after which I could 努力する to make my way 支援する to white 解決／入植地 for this I had now 堅固に 解決するd to do.

"Getting to my feet I again 開始するd to 調査する the place. The 開始 through which the light （機の）カム pointed east, of course, and taking the passage that led that way I went on. It was a dismal enough tunnel, and in more than one place 支店d off in a most 混乱させるing manner. As I was going by one of the 味方する galleries a speck of light 逮捕（する）d my attention. It was a かなりの distance away, but 熱望して I went に向かって it filled with with a new hope which I could not 表明する. The passage was low and 狭くする in places, so much so that I had to creep on my 手渡すs and 膝s to get through. As I approached the light assumed larger 割合s, and, after passing the last 契約d 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, the tunnel opened and became of かなりの dimensions.

"This was another break of sunlight I at once saw piercing through a crevice, and I now mentally congratulated myself that I was on the 権利 road to the outside world. This golden messenger from beyond the caverns was much larger than the one I had seen in the diamond-形態／調整d grotto, and I at once ちらりと見ることd up to see the aperture through which it （機の）カム.

"It appeared no larger than what a man's clenched 手渡す could get through, but the 幅の広い reflection it threw on the 塀で囲む of the tunnel showed that the aperture must get larger as it went 支援する. It was not more than seven feet from the 床に打ち倒す, and by piling up the loose 石／投石するs I would be able to reach and probably 大きくする it.

"Turning from it for a moment my gaze fell upon the cheerful light on the rocky 塀で囲む. I was partly blinded at first, but soon I began to see familiar characters dance before me. I laughed loudly at my foolishness. The sight of a sunbeam has unsettled my mind, thought I.

"Yet still the characters danced and 徐々に they 解決するd themselves into letters and then to words, and this is what I read:

"JOHN WARBURTON, "Mulwa 駅／配置する, "June—, 1864."

CHAPTER XXIX.—THE DISCOVERY.

無断占拠者 Mills jumped from his 議長，司会を務める with an exclamation of surprise.

"What!" he cried. "John Warburton of Mulwa 駅／配置する? Why, he was lost in 1864. You must remember that, Strangway?"

"Of course, I do. He was one of a party of three sent out by Affleck, of that 駅／配置する, to 調査する beyond the salt lake 地区. His two companions returned に向かって the end of the year and very nearly got into trouble about Warburton, who was 行方不明の," replied Strangway.

"Yes," 追加するd the 無断占拠者; "they could not give any intelligible account regarding Warburton. All they could say was he disappeared I think on the 3rd of June 近づく the Grey 範囲s, as the hills about the source of the 密告者 River were then called. It has been thought to this day that foul play occurred. One of the party 指名するd Bouvet, a Frenchman, had a very violent temper, and it was surmised he （機の）カム in 衝突 with Warburton."

"Indeed when the man's 見えなくなる was communicated to the South Australian 当局 by Affleck," 補足（する）d Strangway, "the 州警察官，騎馬警官, who was sent to the 駅／配置する to make enquiries, very nearly 逮捕（する）d Bouvet and Hickey. He sent in a most 損失ing 報告（する）／憶測, but it was not 行為／法令／行動するd on."

"The difficulty of 証明するing 殺人 in such an out-of-the-way 地区 was so 広大な／多数の／重要な that the 政府 knew it would be useless to proceed against the two men and nothing was done, but they had to （疑いを）晴らす out under the awful 疑惑," said Mills.

"What account did they give?" asked Stanley.

"They 明言する／公表するd that on the morning of the 3rd of June, 同様に as I can recollect," returned Mills, "that Warburton went to the 最高の，を越す of the 範囲 to 見解（をとる） the surrounding country. It was not far from their （軍の）野営地，陣営, but as he did not return に向かって evening they went in search of him. As night fell they 解雇する／砲火／射撃d their ライフル銃／探して盗むs and made a large 解雇する／砲火／射撃, but he did not come. For three days subsequently they kept up a の近くに search without success. The scrub and precipices were 診察するd, and at length they had to give up the 追求（する），探索（する）. They 結論するd that he had either been surprised and killed by the 黒人／ボイコットs, or had fallen 負かす／撃墜する some chasm which they could not find."

"He might have wandered off on his own account if the （軍の）野営地，陣営 was not to his liking," interjected Stanley.

"He was never heard of again, at any 率; and if he did so his 運命／宿命 is uncertain," 結論するd Mills.

"I think I can elucidate it," continued O'Malley, with a shudder. "When I saw these characters rudely scratched on the 激しく揺するs I was for a time 麻ひさせるd with astonishment. Who was John Warburton? I asked myself, but no answer （機の）カム. How could he get to such a place? I next thought. If he could reach the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す why should not I be able to get out? Of course, I knew that 非，不，無 of the strange pale-race could have written the scrawl. That was やめる out of the question, and then （機の）カム the reflection only to be 即時に 解任するd that he might have been someone like myself amongst these people.

"I recollected that I had been in the place since 1861, and no other European could 井戸／弁護士席 have been there without my knowing it. The last 解答 I could find, and the most pleasant, was that a Britisher had 侵入するd the cavernous depths to the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where I was in June, 1864.

"I began to reproach myself at this that I did not visit this 未使用の 部分 of the queer 解決／入植地 long ago and I might be 支援する again amongst my own people. Of course I was not 許すd to go that way, and this jealousy of my movements I began to see a 推論する／理由 for. This was the direction, undoubtedly, by which I could get away when I pleased, and perhaps after all Oenorb and Anscra were not sincere when they professed 乗り気 to give me liberty when I pleased. I was ungrateful enough to forget that they had saved me from a horrible death and skilfully nursed me 支援する to life and that keeping me in the 地下組織の 解決／入植地 was only from a 願望（する） to 長引かせる my life.

"After looking at the characters until they were 公正に／かなり 燃やすd into my memory, I 開始するd to pile up the loose 石／投石するs around me until I could easily reach the small aperture by which the sunlight entered. Getting a 激しい piece of granite I 開始するd 続けざまに猛撃するing away at the place, until to my unbounded 楽しみ I saw fragment after fragment 飛行機で行く off and the 開始 quickly get larger. In half-an-hour it was of a size 十分な to 許す a man's 団体／死体 to pass through.

"I was nearly blinded by the flood of light which 注ぐd in, but keeping my 注目する，もくろむs nearly の近くにd I made the pile of 石／投石するs higher, and standing on them was able to pull myself into the lighted passage. It was only large enough to はう along and the light was most puzzling to me, but I 固執するd in the 仕事 ブイ，浮標d up with the hope that I was going to make a 広大な／多数の／重要な 発見.

"For about thirty yards I painfully はうd with my 注目する，もくろむs almost の近くにd until I was sensible. I had almost reached the end of the cleft. A couple of yards more and my 権利 手渡す, which I had stretched out before me, went into space. I stopped and for some minutes could see nothing, but at last with my 手渡すs over my 注目する，もくろむs I peered 前へ／外へ. All I could see was the 直面する of a precipice going sheer 負かす／撃墜する.

"I don't suppose I could distinguish more than fifty or sixty feet in depth and about the same 上向きs, but that was 十分な to 納得させる me that the place I was in was only a small 開始 in the 直面する of a 広大な／多数の／重要な precipice. Far 負かす／撃墜する below I supposed there were trees, but my 注目する，もくろむs unaccustomed to the new light were 権力のない to 侵入する so far.

"A soft 勝利，勝つd blew upon me, and I could distinguish in it a different odor to that which （機の）カム upon the light draughts below. The all pervading scent of eucalypts pleased me and for a time even 原因（となる）d me to forget my 失望 at not finding an 出口.

"How could John Warburton have come by this passage on the 直面する of a 巨大（な） precipice I asked myself, and then I became almost infuriated at my own simple ignorance. Fool that I am! I exclaimed aloud. Of course he could not have entered this way. He could not squeeze through a 穴を開ける in the 激しく揺する three インチs in 直径. My 力／強力にするs of 推論する／理由ing appeared to be forsaking me.

"As the sun 徐々に passed over the cliff the 影をつくる／尾行するs below enabled me to see much better, and about a hundred feet below I could catch in my 見通し the 輪郭（を描く）s of trees. Here, at least, I could come and catch a glimpse of the outer world even if I could not get away myself.

"As I lay breathing in the balmy 空気／公表する it struck me that 'John Warburton' must have entered by some other way than this, and I would go 支援する and search for the 入り口 by which he did come. This was not an 平易な 事柄 to do for I had to go backwards, the passage 存在 much too 狭くする to turn in. As I went 支援する the light failed かなり, but this was a 肯定的な 救済 to me and I could 現実に see much better than at first.

"I soon reached the main passage and again 診察するd the mysterious 令状ing. It had 明らかに been laboriously 削減（する） with some sharp and strong 器具. I 選ぶd up さまざまな pieces of the hardest 石／投石する I could find about the place and tried to imitate the scrawl, but 設立する that I could not make the the least impression on the adamantine 激しく揺する.

"With the greatest 成果／努力 I could only blur the 直面する of the 石／投石する, whilst the 令状ing was 削減（する） into it. This was another proof that 'John Warburton' had a knife or other steel 器具 with him, and was not one of the 'pale 直面するs,' as I will call the 地下組織の 居住（者）s.

"The subdued light which （機の）カム through the larger aperture I had made enabled me to see with 広大な／多数の／重要な distinctness, and I 解決するd to 侵入する still その上の into the passage. Turning from the inscription I went 今後 nearly thirty yards when I caught sight of something unusual ahead of me. 即時に I felt a dread, and as I went on the 輪郭（を描く）s of a human 骸骨／概要 appeared 明確に before me. I stood dumb for like an inspiration the truth flashed across me. This must be 'John Warburton.'

"After the first few moments of dreadful surprise—for in such a place and so 突然に the 恐ろしい 遺物 was 十分な to appal most people—I went to the remains. It was a 明らかにする 骸骨／概要 I saw, but beyond 疑問 the 骸骨／概要 of a European, 裁判官ing from the fragments of 着せる／賦与するing which lay around.

"I knelt 負かす／撃墜する, though with repugnance, and began to search. In a few moments I 設立する a rusty pen-knife and a 木造の 麻薬を吸う やめる empty. The 着せる／賦与するs were rotten, yet on searching the pocket of the coat which still hung together I 設立する the remains of a letter. The greater part of it was やめる undecipherable, but the 署名 to it was 'M. A. Warburton,' and I could 裁判官 by the 結論するing lines that it was from his wife in Adelaide—that city 存在 指名するd in it. I also discovered seven shillings and two 巡査 pennies, but beyond these there was nothing save the mouldering 衣料品s.

"This man must have 死なせる／死ぬd from hunger, I thought. There was plenty of water to be got, and the 着せる／賦与するs 存在 on the 団体／死体 and its 外見 did not 示す that かわき brought about the decease of Warburton, for he it must undoubtedly have been. Weak with hunger he must have lain 負かす／撃墜する in that 位置／汚点／見つけ出す, which indeed to him was a tomb, and died.

"Could the 'pale-直面するs' have been ignorant of his presence? I asked myself, and 繰り返して answered it in the 消極的な. The only 結論 I could come to was that the unfortunate man had discovered the secret 入り口 to the 解決／入植地, which they would not even show me, and that he had been left to wander about in the 迷宮／迷路 until death put an end to his wanderings.

"I was 確かな that the 入り口 was watched night and day, and any 侵入者 could easily be led astray in the dark and multitudinous passages. Not 存在 許すd to kill 直接／まっすぐに, this course would be 可決する・採択するd."

"It would be much more 慈悲の under such circumstances to kill a man at once and not 許す him to 餓死する to death in 不明瞭 and 孤独," said Mills, indignantly.

"Yes, no 疑問 it would; but they have their customs and 法律s, which are not easily broken through.

"After looking on the gruesome sight for a time I decided to get 支援する to the town. I had seen enough for that day at least, and my 予期s of a pleasant 未来 in that part of the subterranean 解決／入植地 were much clouded.

"Going 支援する I took another look at the inscription now so eloquent with meaning, and, engrossed with sad thoughts, turned away. For ten minutes I continued, until at last I considered the main passage should be at 手渡す. Going ahead 刻々と I noticed I had taken the wrong turning some distance 支援する and retraced my steps to a 味方する tunnel which led, as I 裁判官d, in a westerly direction. I continued 負かす／撃墜する this for nearly one hundred yards, until to my astonishment I saw it was a cul de sac ending in a solid 塀で囲む without a turning to 権利 or left. Confound my stupidity! I exclaimed, savagely, as I went 支援する. I have no more sense than a child!

"For the third time I made the 試みる／企てる to get into the main passage 主要な to the diamond grotto but again failed. I was now getting alarmed, and 結論するd to go 支援する to the horrible passage where the 骸骨／概要 lay and make a fresh start from there. This I felt sure would be a very 平易な 事柄, but I did not find it so.

"I tried to take careful bearings of my position, but in doing so was utterly bewildered by the number of dark cavernous 開始s which 直面するd me in all directions. If I could only get 支援する to the inscription or the grotto I felt the 残り／休憩（する） would be 平易な to 遂行する, but the more I rambled the more utterly befogged I got. At last it began to 夜明け upon me that I was lost, but I tried to laugh the unpleasant reflection away.

"After seven years' 住居 地下組織の I should be 同様に 熟知させるd with such passages as an old gnome. For fully an hour I wandered about 推定する／予想するing to strike the 権利 place at last, but did not do so. I was standing at the two passages 審議ing with myself which I would take, when at the 入り口 to one I saw what seemed to be a gun lying.

"A gun here! What can it mean? Then an idea crossed my mind and I went over and 選ぶd it up. It was covered with rust but the 在庫／株 was in good 修理, and there 削減（する） in large letters I saw the 指名する—

"JOHN WARBURTON."

CHAPTER XXX.—A LOVE STORY.

"I had forgotten that the dead man would probably have a ライフル銃／探して盗む with him," went on O'Malley, "and the sight of the 武器 gave me a shock, as it 生き返らせるd the memories of former times. Surely I could not be far away from the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where the inscription was, I thought, and carrying the rusty ライフル銃／探して盗む I went along the passage at the mouth of which I 設立する it.

"This got darker and darker as I proceeded, but I could still see dimly. It ended like others, either in a 塀で囲む of 激しく揺する or by becoming so small that I could not get along. I 退却／保養地d and went madly up to the first 入り口 I （機の）カム to. Fortunately for me I was able to distinguish 反対するs more plainly in it or I would not be alive to-day.

"As I walked 速く in a perfect fever of excitement I saw a few yards ahead what seemed to be a cleft or chasm. Checking myself I went 慎重に to the 辛勝する／優位 and looked 負かす／撃墜する but could not fathom it. A strange sighing sound （機の）カム up as I listened like the ceaseless murmur made by a sea-爆撃する when it is placed to the ear. What could this be? A man-罠（にかける） most likely, I 推論する／理由d.

"Going 支援する a few yards I got a large fragment of 激しく揺する and dropped it 負かす／撃墜する the 狭くする chasm. I listened intently for several seconds before a smothered sound reached my ears, which told me that the 石／投石する had fallen into water.

"The chasm must have been four or five hundred feet 深い and a stream of water flowed at the 底（に届く）. I was やめる 納得させるd of that as I sat up and a 冷淡な 冷気／寒がらせる swept over me at the thought of the 運命／宿命 I had so 辛うじて escaped. 警告を与える was necessary in 横断するing these tunnels I could at once see. I went 支援する from here and 慎重に 調査するd several other galleries, but without 満足な results. It was many hours since I had anything to eat, and I was feeling faint with hunger after my unusual exertions, and this 追加するd to the horror of my position.

"I guessed it must be 近づく midnight, but still wandered hopelessly on until my preternaturally 激烈な／緊急の ears caught the sound of 急ぐing waters 負かす／撃墜する the passage I was going. As I 近づくd the place I saw that I had come upon another of these fearful clefts on the 床に打ち倒す of the passage 類似の to the one について言及するd. It was certainly of the same character but immensely larger.

"I shivered as I looked over the 味方する, for 負かす／撃墜する below I could see the 黒人／ボイコット waters 急ぐing on with resistless 軍隊. This queer 井戸／弁護士席 must have been at least twenty feet in 直径, 存在 nearly circular.

"As I looked 一連の会議、交渉／完成する I noticed with surprise that the 激しく揺するs were carved into all sorts of monstrous forms which looked hideous in the peculiar light. The sight unnerved me, and, exhausted as I was, I went 支援する a few yards and sunk 負かす／撃墜する on the 床に打ち倒す of the passage to try and 残り／休憩（する）. I must have gone into a 深い sleep, for it was nearly noon the に引き続いて day when I was awakened by someone shaking me, and, starling up, I saw the white 人物／姿／数字 of Anscra standing beside me.

"For a few moments I could not realise what had happened, but as my gaze fell upon the uncouth 人物／姿／数字s of men and beasts—or rather what was probably ーするつもりであるd for such—the 発見s of the 先行する day flashed upon me.

"What place is that? I asked Anscra, pointing to the horrible chasm. He 示す that he would tell me something about it some time, and then I 解除するd the ライフル銃／探して盗む and showed it to him. Without a word he took it from my 手渡すs, and, going to the 辛勝する／優位 of the abyss, flung it into the dark waters. Moving 支援する he called on me to follow him, and, seeing that he was not 性質の／したい気がして to be communicative, I did not 勧める questions but 喜んで did so—in fact I felt a thrill of joy, for I was beginning to think that I would 会合，会う the same 運命／宿命 as Warburton.

"It gratified me to think that my pale friends whom I so cruelly 疑問d should have sought for me—indeed it was my own fault that I got into such a tight place.

"I 設立する on going 支援する to the town that food was waiting for me and everything had been 用意が出来ている for my 慰安.

"Since the 先行する sunset over a hundred of the most 専門家 men had been out 捜し出すing me, and most of them were in the ４半期/4分の1 to which I had 逸脱するd. Anscra told me that he despaired of finding me as the night wore on, for he 結論するd that I had fallen 負かす／撃墜する one of the horrible chasms, so that will give you some idea of what a fearful 迷宮／迷路 I got into.

"At the place where I was 設立する it appears that no one but the 長，指導者 or his 後継者 was 許すd to go 近づく it, and my faithful friend told me the に引き続いて story or legend of the 推論する／理由. I cannot of course repeat it as he told it, but will give it in my own way.

"'For many lives after Bonin and ビデオ 設立するd the 解決／入植地 地下組織の 非，不，無 of our race ever went in the direction where you 逸脱するd. There was enough work to do around the lake to keep all 雇うd and the room was more than 十分な for them.

"'As time went on and the people 増加するd the men began to 調査する all the passages and caverns lying 支援する from the main 解決／入植地 and many strange 発見s were made. In 非常に／多数の places the sun （機の）カム 負かす／撃墜する, and wherever it was possible these 割れ目s were stopped up. The young men, who were active, were 雇うd on that work for some of the places were hard to reach.

"'For years this went on, but there were always fresh 発見s 存在 made. It is not more than five lives ago since the last of these sunlight streaks were stopped and two young men 指名するd Cudie and Rowab spent their time at the work.

"'Now, it happened that they both loved a maiden 指名するd Ellice, but the girl looked with most 好意 on Rowab. The 長，指導者, who decides all marriages, perhaps did not know this—or if he did it was not 許すd to sway him from what he thought was his duly. Therefore when Cudie spoke to him of marriage with Ellice he said that it should be, and when Rowab also spoke to him in the same 緊張する he replied that it should not be.

"'Rowab and Ellice were brought up to obey, and they did not dare say ought against the wishes of their 長，指導者 and 支配者. Yet they eat their hearts out in secret 悲しみ, for they loved each other with a love 広大な／多数の／重要な as the mountains from which their race sprang. いつかs they spoke together, for in this place we are one community and the freest social intercourse is 許すd. For a time this went on, until one day the 長，指導者 told Cudie and Ellice they would be married on the morrow.

"'Rowab and Cudie were working 近づく where you were 設立する on that day and in the evening Cudie was seen returning alone. He looked sad, and, going to the 長，指導者, he told him Rowab had gone to his long sleep.

"'The 長，指導者 could not at first make it out, but at last Cudie said that Rowab had tried to throw him in the 黒人／ボイコット cavern, and in the struggle which 続いて起こるd Rowab and not Cudie had fallen into the 急ぐing 黒人／ボイコット waters. The people were 召喚するd together, for it was serious news.

"'It was the first time in the history of the 解決／入植地 that such a thing had happened. Never before had there been a 致命的な quarrel like that—and besides where was the 団体／死体? If that were not 回復するd, and the proper 儀式s paid it, Rowab would sleep on forever and could not 達成する the other life.

"'Only a few of the people had ever seen that horrible place, but when the 長，指導者 had told them what had happened they all followed him to see what could be done. The passages for a long way behind the 長，指導者 were filled with people, and when the 致命的な 位置／汚点／見つけ出す was reached it was hard for many to get to the awful chasm, at the 底（に届く） of which the waters flowed.

"'When the 長，指導者 looked 負かす／撃墜する he saw that it would not be possible to get the 団体／死体 of Rowab, for the 広大な／多数の／重要な stream flowed under the 激しく揺するs and no one could live in it.

"'の近くに behind the 長，指導者 （機の）カム Ellice and she looked as one might who lay on the 'Dead 石／投石する.' She got の近くに to the 辛勝する／優位 of the abyss and looked long and 真面目に into the depths as if she could see the form of the man she loved below. Suddenly her 注目する，もくろむs brightened as she gazed, and the next moment a white 団体／死体 fell into the chasm and disappeared beneath the water. It was Ellice. No one spoke, for they were filled with horror, until the 長，指導者 raised his 発言する／表明する and ordered the people 支援する to the town. Then he followed sadly, whilst behind him （機の）カム Cudie almost broken hearted.

"'Now, the 長，指導者 thought the 事柄 over for many days, and then he sent for Cudie and said that he had 設立する a way to keep the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs of Rowab and Ellice sacred so that they might wake again. This 計画（する） was that Cudie, who was 技術d at 激しく揺する cutting, should carve out of the soft 激しく揺する, 人物／姿／数字s over the 炭坑，オーケストラ席 to 脅す away 侵入者s and 妨げる the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs of Rowab and Ellice from 存在 desecrated.

"'Cudie began his 仕事, and he had to do it alone. For a long time he kept at the work, and only the 長，指導者 and his 後継者 were 許すd to go 近づく the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す. At length the time （機の）カム when the last 人物／姿／数字 was 完全にするd, and the 長，指導者 went up to see it finished. When this was done Cudie asked him if he was sure Ellice and Rowab would awaken once more now the 後見人 人物／姿／数字s were 完全にするd, and the 長，指導者 answered that he was.

"'As the latter was turning away now やめる 満足させるd, Cudie gave a step 今後, still 持つ／拘留するing the 道具s which had wrought the work, and 急落（する），激減（する）d into the place which held his sweetheart and his friend. Since then no man or woman save the 長，指導者 and his 後継者 is 許すd to go 近づく that 位置／汚点／見つけ出す.'

"This was the 実体 of the story told by Anscra," 結論するd O'Malley.

"Do you know the legend opens up a very 利益／興味ing question. If there is any truth in it—and I believe there is——" 発言／述べるd the 無断占拠者, "these strange carvings and hieroglyphics occasionally 設立する might lead to important 発見s. Without 疑問 they have not been drawn for 楽しみ, for the work must have been very laborious, and certainly they were not 遂行する／発効させるd for 利益（をあげる）. There were few millionaires in those 古代の days who would have given fabulous prices for the 激しく揺する 製図／抽選s or carvings. In all probability then they were made for some such 目的 as Cudie did his. They may 示す the 位置／汚点／見つけ出す where some 広大な／多数の／重要な man or woman died, or perhaps they are the 結果 of 確かな 宗教的な beliefs."

"My own opinion," replied O'Malley, "is that they are in some way connected with the dead. In all ages and in all countries the greatest monuments we have are せいにするs to the dead. From the pyramid to the Taj Mahal the noblest 作品 of man are 単に 尊敬の印s paid to the majesty of death. The ruder races of the earth, either through want of 技術 or paucity of members, have not been able to raise such 記念のs as the pyramids, but some of these 石／投石する carvings are perhaps older than Cheops itself. We Christians place 代表s of angels—when we have the money—over the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs of our dead to 保護する them, and why should not the pagan try to 脅す away with hideous sculptures enemies who might desecrate the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs. Of course to Europeans such a course excites ridicule and would be more calculated to lead to ridicule as it would attract the curious, but the pagan is different. He worships hideous 人物／姿／数字s of 支持を得ようと努めるd or 石／投石する, and the uglier they are the more powerful he believes them to be."

"But your 地下組織の people were not pagans," interrupted Stanley.

"The leaven of paganism must have been in them. Indeed, the pagans have good and noble 質s which could be 可決する・採択するd with 利益 by those who call themselves higher and more civilized," replied O'Malley.

"井戸／弁護士席, O'Malley," spoke Mills, breaking in upon the argument and cutting it short, "you have had a strange and terrible experience during the last twelve years, such as 落ちるs to the lot of few men. How you 生き残るd it all is almost a 奇蹟."

"Yes; I いつかs think so myself," （機の）カム the answer in a curiously abstracted manner, as the friends separated for the night.

CHAPTER XXXI.—BEWITCHED.

The months sped on at Nardoo 駅／配置する and success smiled upon its worthy owner. Shearing time, with its bustle and 活気／アニメーション, had come and gone, and the 決まりきった仕事 of the 駅／配置する was again entered upon.

Mr. and Mrs. Mills were exceedingly 肉親，親類d and attentive to James O'Malley, for outside the fact that he had once saved the 無断占拠者's life, his eventful history and the sufferings he had undergone touched them with sympathy.

A newspaper reporter had come all the way from Bourke to interview him about his ten years' sojourn in the 孤独s, but O'Malley was 絶対 reticent. He told the pressman that his mind had been a blank during that long period, as the terrors of his position made him 一時的に insane, and the reporter went 支援する and wrote a horrible account of the 影響s of 孤独 on the human brain.

He asked his friends not to say anything about the history he had given them—at least not for a time—as he had a dread of 存在 interviewed and made a fuss about. They 尊敬（する）・点d his wishes, though Mrs. Mills often 願望（する）d to send the narrative in written form to her daughters.

On one occasion Mills had to make a trip to Sydney and he 圧力（をかける）d O'Malley to …を伴って him; but the latter 確固に 辞退するd and unmistakably showed that he did not want to be in （人が）群がるd cities.

"I would like to know what is the 事柄 with O'Malley," said Stanley to the 無断占拠者 when he returned. "I can't make him out at all. He is moping about all day and half the night, and いつかs I hear him muttering in a language that I suppose he must have 選ぶd up amongst the subterranean people."

"No 疑問 he has not yet 回復するd from his strange adventures. We must let him have time. That is the 広大な／多数の／重要な healer of all 悲しみs and sufferings," answered the old man.

There was no mistaking the fact that a change was coming over O'Malley. He grew more morose and silent and absented himself from his friends as much as possible.

The 無断占拠者 did not bother him much about his strange fits as his idea was that time would work a cure, but Stanley and Strangway often 決起大会／結集させるd him upon the change.

"You thought a new life was 開始 before you when you got to Nardoo and away from those awful 範囲s, and now you almost seem as if you would like to get 支援する again," Strangway said.

A 病弱な smile from O'Malley was the only answer to the question.

"Now then, 元気づける up, old friend and mate," Stanley would say, slapping O'Malley on the 支援する in burly 船員 fashion, but the kindly 控訴，上告 fell flat in most instances.

"Do you think," said Mills to O'Malley nearly a year after his advent at Nardoo, "that we could find a profitable squattage 近づく the junction of the 密告者 with the Macumba River?"

"Yes, I am sure of it. There is magnificent water and food there," replied the strange man with 活気／アニメーション.

"I am thinking of making the 裁判，公判 at all events. Strangway has made a 都合のよい 報告（する）／憶測 of that 地区, and I have a couple of hundred young cattle I could 井戸／弁護士席 spare from these pastures," Mills answered.

"I know the country about there is magnificent and I 堅固に advise you to try the 実験. It will be profitable, I am 確かな ," （機の）カム the reply.

"I would like you to take 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the 探検隊／遠征隊. I know that Strangway and Stanley would 喜んで give way to you," spoke the 無断占拠者.

"I would prefer to go under the leadership of Strangway. He is a splendid fellow, and knows more about the 管理／経営 of flocks and herds than I do. I have no experience to speak of about that particular 肉親，親類d of work, and you know for ten years I did not see a horse, steer or sheep," 追加するd O'Malley.

"There is a good 取引，協定 of truth in what you say, and after all each of you will be equal. I am glad you advise me to try that 地区, for I have been long thinking of 開始 up that part of the country," Mills 答える／応じるd.

"If our friend, who has spent so much of his life 近づく that 地域, is agreeable to go, why certainly I am. It is my 商売／仕事, and after all I would rather be on the trot than running about a 駅／配置する half idle," Strangway said.

"There will be little 恐れる of any 災害 追いつくing you this time, Strangway, as you will be fitted out in a style you never were before."

"I am not the least afraid of anything now. I know the country too 井戸／弁護士席 for that. The only place I would 拒絶する／低下する to 直面する is those confounded 範囲s where we 設立する O'Malley," answered Strangway.

"Ah! by-the-bye you must take the leadership. O'Malley has 前向きに／確かに 辞退するd it, for he says he prefers you to be in 命令（する）. I am sure you will all work 井戸／弁護士席 together. There will be Stanley, O'Malley and the four boys I am sending to look after the cattle."

Stanley was やめる agreeable to join the party when he 設立する his two friends were in it, and in a couple of weeks a start was made with 200 長，率いる of cattle on the 旅行. O'Malley was 機動力のある on the magnificent steed given him by Mills, and all 手渡すs 始める，決める off from Nardoo 駅／配置する with 広大な／多数の／重要な eclat.

The 旅行 was about 300 miles. Those at the 長，率いる had an intimate knowledge of most of the country. The south-western 部分 of Sturt's stony 砂漠 was skirted and abundant food and water were 設立する for the greater 部分 of the 旅行.

近づく the junction of the 密告者 and Macumba Rivers Strangway squatted. The fresh waters of 密告者 Creek ran through the land, and the natural 施設s were even better than at Nardoo 駅／配置する itself.

A 一時的な homestead was 築くd and everything 用意が出来ている for the 永久の 占領／職業. When this was done Strangway and one of the men 棒 over to Coglin 駅／配置する to send a 電報電信 to Mills that all was 井戸／弁護士席 and a good squattage had been 安全な・保証するd. They were absent a couple of days, and when they returned Stanley had a story to tell them.

O'Malley had not been seen since the previous morning.

"Where did he go?"

"The last I saw of him was riding over the plain yonder," answered Stanley.

"What! Going に向かって those haunted 範囲s?"

"Yes."

"Ah!"

A week later the 操作者 in 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 of the Alice Springs 駅／配置する 報告（する）／憶測d that he had seen a man some days 以前 機動力のある on a white horse cross 近づく the 駅／配置する and make for the McDonnell 範囲s, from which the 密告者 River （機の）カム. He あられ／賞賛するd him, but the strange man took no notice and soon disappeared in an 隣接するing glen.

* * * * * *

"Ah!" said 無断占拠者 Mills when he heard the news, "these strange people bewitched that man in some mysterious way."

He was probably 権利 for O'Malley was never seen again.

THE END

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