Chapter 23 Chapter 7 Passing through Baituwa
As of September 18th, the specific location we are in, the distance from the starting point, halfway rest point and end point is as follows:
1.1,300 kilometers from Calcutta;
2.It is 380 kilometers away from the sanatorium in the Himalayas;
3.It is 1,600 kilometers away from Mumbai.
We haven't covered half the distance if we only consider the distance; but if you include the seven weeks that the "steam house" stayed in the Himalayas, the trip should have taken half of the time.We left Calcutta on the 6th of March.If there were no obstacles in the way, it would take less than two months to reach the western coast of Hindustan.
Moreover, the journey will be shortened to a certain extent.Because the decision to avoid the major cities involved in the uprising of 1857 would make our southward route more direct.The Iron Behemoth should have no difficulty, at least until he reaches the central mountains, through the picturesque provinces of Scindia, where the roads are fine and driveable.Therefore, the whole trip will be done extremely easily and very safely.
Another factor that makes it more convenient and comfortable is the addition of Carragani among the members of the "steam house".The Indian was well acquainted with this part of the peninsula.Bonkers could prove it that day: After lunch, while Colonel Moreau and Captain Ord were taking a nap, Bonkers asked Caragani in what capacity he had traveled through the provinces so many times in the past.
"As a member of one of the many caravans in Bangali," replied Karagani, "that carried grain on the backs of oxen for supply to the government or private individuals, I have been in the lands of central and northern India. I have shuttled north and south about twenty times."
"Is the caravan still operating within the boundaries of this part of the peninsula?" asked the engineer again.
"Of course, sir," replied Carragani, "it would be a surprise if we didn't have a brigade of Benjali going north on foot at this season."
"Well, then, Caragani," continued Bonkers, "your general knowledge of the land will be of great use to us. Apart from the great cities of the kingdom, we shall pass through the country, and you will be our guide. "
"Happy to be of your service, sir," replied the Indian, still with his usual nonchalant tone--to which I was not yet accustomed.
Then he added:
"Would you like me to give some indication of the direction to go?"
"please."
As he spoke, Bonkers had spread out on the table a map with large black dots outlining this part of India to check the accuracy of Karagani's information.
"It couldn't be simpler," said the Indian. "It's almost a straight line leading us from the Delhi Railway to the Mumbai Railway, and the two railway lines converge at Allahabad."
"From the Etavo station we just left to the border of Bendelkhand, there is only one great river to cross: Jumna; and from this line to the Vandias mountains there is a second river: Baituwa. Even After the rainy season, the two rivers swelled and flooded, and I think there will be no difficulty for the floating train to cross the river to the other side."
"No problem, indeed," said the engineer. "And once we're in the mountains of Medias?"
"We'll have to turn a little to the southeast to choose a pass that works. There's nothing to stop us there. I know of a gentler pass, the Silgur Pass, where the wagons often pass."
"Where horses can go, can our 'Iron Behemoth' go?" I asked.
"Certainly," replied Bonkers, "but the ground is very rough after the Silgur Pass. Wouldn't it be possible to go from Bhopal to the Vandias Mountains?"
"There are many cities there, and it is not easy to avoid them, and the local Indian soldiers were particularly noticeable during the War of Independence," Karagani replied.
I was a little taken aback by the title Caragani gave to the 1857 rebellion—the "War of Independence."But don't forget it's an Indian, not an Englishman speaking.Moreover, there appears to be no sign of Carragani's involvement in the riot, or at least he never said anything that would lead to such speculation.
"Well," continued Bonkers, "let's go east of Bhopal, if you can be sure that the Segur Pass will lead us to a less rough road..."
"I take this road often, sir, and after rounding Lake Putiriya, it's another forty miles to the Bombay-Allahabad railway, near Jubilapor."
"Indeed," said Bonkers, following the Indian's pointing on the map, "and from here on?"
"The road leads straight to the southwest, that is, along the railway through Bombay."
"That's it," Bonkers said. "I don't think there is much difficulty in crossing the Vandias Mountains. This route is quite suitable. Karagani, the previous ones are not counted. Now you have helped us again, and we will never forget it."
Caragani bowed deeply and was about to leave, but suddenly changed his mind and turned to the engineer.
"Do you want to ask me something?" Bonkers said.
"Yes, sir," replied the Indian. "With all due respect, why do you have to bypass the big cities of Bendelkhand?"
Bonkers looked at me.Since there was no reason to conceal from Carragani any matter concerning His Excellency Edward Moreau, the Indians were informed of the Colonel's present situation.
Carragani listened attentively to the engineer's narration.Then he said in a slightly surprised tone:
"But Colonel Moreau needn't be afraid of Nana Saib any more, at least in these provinces."
"Not just in these provinces, but elsewhere," Bonkers continued. "Why do you say 'in these provinces'?"
"Because, despite rumors that the 'Big Head' had reappeared in the Mumbai area a few months ago, his hiding place could not be found, and it is likely that he has re-crossed the Sino-Indian border and entered the Indian peninsula."
This explanation seems to illustrate this point: that is, Karagani is still unaware of what happened in the Sotebra Mountains, and does not know that the "headman" was killed in Tangdi Village by soldiers of the Royal Army as early as May.
"It appears, Karagani," said Bonkers then, "that the news that has spread across India has had some difficulty reaching the great forests of the Himalayas!"
The Indians looked at us fixedly and didn't answer, as if they didn't understand.
"Yeah," went on Bonkers, "you don't seem to know that Nana Saib is dead."
"Headman dead?" Carragani called out.
"There is no doubt," replied Bonkers, "that the government announced the circumstances under which he was killed."
"Beating to death?" Caragani murmured, shaking his head. "Where will Nana Saib be killed?"
"In Tangdi Village in the Sotebra Mountains."
"when?……"
"Four months ago, on the twenty-fifth of May," replied the engineer.
Caragani stood there with his arms crossed and said nothing, and at this moment I think his eyes are very special.
I then asked him:
"Do you have any grounds to disbelieve the news of 'Headman''s death?"
"No, gentlemen, I believe everything you say." Carragani was the only answer.
After a while, when Bonkers and I were alone, the engineer concluded, not without reason:
"All Indians! The chief of the Indian rebels is a legend. No believer will believe that the 'Headman' is dead until they see him hanged."
"He's one of them," I went on, "like those veterans of the Imperial Guard who insist that Napoleon is still alive, even twenty years after his death!"
Since the "steam house" crossed the upper Ganges fifteen days ago, fertile fields and wide roads have appeared in front of the "steel giant".This is Doab, on the delta formed before the confluence of the Ganges and Jumna near Allahabad.The alluvial plains that have been reclaimed by Brahmins in the 20th century BC, the farmers still use very primitive farming methods, the large-scale dredging project designed by British engineers, the extraordinarily lush cotton fields in this area, and the cotton gins that rotate next to the village The creaking sound of the machine and the singing of the operating workers... These are the impressions left on me by Doab, the birthplace of primitive religion.
The journey went very well.It can be said that the scenery along the way changes with our interests. The "house" moves tirelessly to please the eyes of its owners.Isn't this, as Bonkers claims, the ultimate in the advancement of the art of transportation?What are ox carts, horse carts, mule carts, and railway carriages compared with our "flowing rooms"?
On September 19, the "steam house" reached the left bank of the Zana River.In the middle of the peninsula, this great river divides the settlement, or "Rajasthan", from the "Hindustan", inhabited by the Indians.
The Zana River has just entered its first flood season.The current was more turbulent, but it only caused a little trouble to cross the river, but it did not prevent our passage.Bonkers had already done some preparatory work, but a more suitable landing place had to be found.Finally found it.So, half an hour later, the "steam house" boarded the embankment opposite the river.For trains laying railroad tracks, it is necessary to build a huge bridge to cross the river. There is a round tube bridge across the Zana River near the Selangal Fortress and Delhi.For our Iron Behemoth, and the two trailers it tows, rivers are as navigable as the smoothest gravel pavement on the peninsula.
After crossing the Zana River, the territory of Rajastan has some cities that the engineers originally planned to avoid.On the left is Guariyotong City, which is located on the banks of the Savinlika River and built on basalt rocks. There are exquisite Muenji Mosque, Pale Palace, strange elephant gates, famous fortresses and Buddhist buildings - temples; This is an old city, and the new town of Blaška, built two kilometers away, is competing fiercely with it.It was here—in the depths of India, Rani, Queen of Jhansi—that the faithful companion of Nana Saib fought valiantly to her last breath.It was here, we know, that she was killed by the hand of Colonel Moreau, who was leading a battalion of his regiment into action, in an encounter with two companies of cavalry of the British Eighth Royal Hussars.We also know that from this day on, Nana Saib has been brewing an unquenchable hatred.
The main route of the Atlantic Ocean, the geographical location is very important.I will never forget revenge until I die!right!It would be best not to let His Excellency Edward Moreau relive his memories at the gates of Guariyotong!
After Guariyotong, to the west of our new line lay the city of Antley and its vast plain, dotted with many peaks, which seemed to form an archipelago of small islands.And the city of Dutia, founded less than five hundred years ago, is famous for its elegant houses, its central fortress, its temples with changing spires, the ruins of the palace of Persin Deo, and the arsenal of Top Khanna— —All these constitute Dutia, the capital of the kingdom, which stands out in the northern corner of Bendelkhand, now under British control.Like Guariyotong, both Antley and Dutia suffered heavy losses in the 1857 rebellion.
Lastly is the city of Jhansey, which we passed within forty kilometers on the 22nd of September.This city is the most important military town in the Bendelkhand area, and the resistance among the lowly untouchables in the city is always very high.This relatively modern city is mainly engaged in the trade of native muslin and blue cotton cloth.There are no monuments in the city that predate its founding in the sixteenth century.However, it is very interesting to visit the stronghold of the castle, whose outer walls were not destroyed by the bullets of the British soldiers, and the beautiful grand cemetery of the Indian nobles.This is the main fortress of the uprising Indian soldiers in Central India.Here, the brave and tenacious Rani rose up and quickly spread the uprising to the entire Bendalkender area.Here, Sir Shuri Rose launched a campaign that lasted six days and lost fifteen percent of his men.Here too, despite the tenacity, despite the support of 12,000 local tin soldiers and the support of 20,000 soldiers, Tang Xia Toby, Nana, Saib's brother Balao Luo, and finally Lani, Still forced to succumb to the advanced weapons of the British army!It was here, too, that Colonel Moreau saved his life by giving his last drop of water to one of his sergeants, as Mark Rael tells us.yes!More than any city associated with these unfortunate memories, Dhansey deserved to be removed from the route chosen by the Colonel's best friends.
The next day, September 23, an encounter delayed us for several hours and confirmed an earlier judgment made by Carragani.
It was 11 o'clock in the morning, we had already eaten lunch, and we all sat down for lunch, some in the lower corridor, and some in the living room of the "steam room". The "steel behemoth" was driving at a speed of nine to ten kilometers per hour.Between the cotton field and the grain field, a flat road stretched in front of it, and tall trees shaded the roadside.The sky was clear, but the sun was scorching hot - it should be said that there was no delay in building a "municipal" irrigation project along this road.There was a breeze in front of the car, raising white dust.
But the dust is of no consequence—when we see, two or three miles away, that the air seems to be filled with billowing sand—not even a strong gust of dust will raise a thicker cloud of sand in the Libik Desert.
"I don't know what it's about--the wind is very weak," said Bonkers.
"Caragani will explain to us," Colonel Moreau replied.
The Indian was called, and he went up to the balcony to look at the road, and said at once:
"It's a large caravan, going north, and, as I told you before, Mr. Bonkers, it's probably a Banjali caravan."
"Oh, Carragani," said Bonkers, "you can probably find a few of your old companions in there?"
"It is possible, sir," replied the Indian, "for I have lived a long time among these nomadic tribes."
"Then you want to leave us and join them?" Captain Ord asked him.
"not at all."
The Indians were not mistaken.Half an hour later, the "steel behemoth", despite its strength, was forced to stop in front of a thick wall formed by a herd of cattle.
But there is no need to regret the delay.Because the landscape presented in front of our eyes is worth seeing.
I saw a large army, at least four to five thousand bulls, blocking the way to the south, stretching for several kilometers.As Karagani has just said, this herd belonged to a Benjali caravan.
Bonkers told us:
"The Bangali people are the real gypsies of Hindustan. They are not so much a 'tribe', but a 'nation'. They have no fixed residence, sleep in tents in summer, and sleep in grass huts in winter. They are porters on the Indian peninsula. I saw them take part in the rebellion of 1857. By a tacit agreement among the belligerents, their convoys were allowed to pass through the provinces affected by the rebellion. They were indeed the food suppliers of the country, not only supplying The British Royal Army also supports the country’s uprising team. If they must be given a piece of land in India—these homeless people, it may be Raputana, and it is more likely the Kingdom of Mivor. Right now, since they want to buy from us Passing by, my dear Mockley, I wish you would take a good look at these Bengalis."
We parked the train discreetly on the side of the road. The "steel behemoth" cannot resist such a large group of animals with sharp horns. In front of them, even wild beasts have to stay away.
As Bonkers had ordered, I surveyed the long line with attention; but first, I must admit that the "Steam Room" this time did not produce the usual sensation.The "steel behemoth", which has long been accustomed to attracting general admiration, can hardly attract the attention of the Benjali people. They have probably developed the habit of not being surprised.
The men and women of these Bohemian races were exceedingly distinguished in appearance;—the men were tall and strong, with handsome features, aquiline noses, curly hair, bronze skins, long uniform jackets, kerchiefs around their heads, armed with spears, Shields, bucklers, and long swords carried in straps crossed across the breast; the women are tall and well-proportioned, with the same pride of clan pride as the men, wearing tight waistcoats and wide skirts Dressed in an elegant cloth from head to toe, she wears earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and anklets made of gold, ivory, and shellwork.
Beside these men, women and children, thousands of strong cattle are walking steadily, without saddles or bridles, with two sacks on their backs containing wheat or other grains, and red wooden balls around their necks. Shaking with their footsteps, the bell on the head rang all the way.
This is a complete tribe, which is setting out to do business under the guidance of an elected leader called "Necker". The leader has unlimited powers during his tenure. of.
At the head of the procession walked a large bull, with a very vigorous gait, dressed in richly colored cloth, and carried a great chain of bells and shells.I asked Bonkers if he knew what this handsome animal was doing in the team.
"Caragani will tell us with confidence," replied the engineer. "Where did he go?"
Everyone shouted Carragani, but he didn't show up.After looking around, I found that he was no longer on the "steam room".
"He's probably gone to catch up with some old friend," said Colonel Moreau. "He's sure to be back before he leaves."
This explanation makes sense.According to this, there is no need to worry about the temporary disappearance of Indians; however, I still feel a little uneasy.
"Well," said Bonkers, "if I'm not mistaken, the bull was the god incarnate in the Benjali caravan. Where the bull goes, the procession goes. Bull It stops and does not walk, and people also set up camps to rest. But I think it must be secretly obeying the instructions of 'Neke'. In short, the beliefs of these vagrants are concentrated on it."
It was two hours after the lead line had passed that we began to see the tail of the line.I was looking for Karagani in the rear guard when he suddenly appeared, walking beside him was an Indian who was not of the Bengali race.Undoubtedly, this is a local who temporarily works as a hired hand for a caravan, as Caragani himself has done many times.The two were talking with indifferent expressions, their lips barely moving.Who and what are they talking about?It may well be the ground that the trekking tribe has just traversed--the ground that our party will also cross under the new guide.
The Indian native who fell at the end of the caravan stopped for a while when he passed the "steam house".I looked at the train with the artificial elephant as the front with interest. I think he paid more attention to Colonel Moreau, but he didn't talk to us.Then, with a farewell gesture to Carragani, he caught up with the team and quickly disappeared into a cloud of dust.
Caragani came up to us, and without waiting to ask, he said to Colonel Moreau:
"It's a former partner of mine who has been working in this caravan for two months." The explanation was quite succinct.
That's all.Caragani returned to his seat in the car, and the "steam house" was back on the road after a while, and the road surface was already marked with the hoofprints left by thousands of cows.
The next day, September 24, the train stopped for the night at the left bank of Baituwa, a major tributary of the Zana River, five or six miles east of Ulcha.
There isn't much to describe or watch about Ulcha.It flourished in the first half of the seventeenth century and was the original capital of Bendelken Germany.But both the Mongols and the Maharats dealt it a heavy blow, and Urcha has never been able to recover since then.Now, this big city in Central India has been reduced to a small town with only a few hundred peasant households.
As I said before, we came to camp on the banks of the Baituwa River.More precisely, the train stopped some distance from the left bank of the river.
Indeed, the great river has swelled so violently that it has overflowed its bed and flooded a large area of its shore plateau.This may cause some difficulties for our passage, but it has yet to be confirmed the next day.The night was already too dark for Bonkers to make an estimate.
So when the train stopped, we all retired to our rooms and went to bed.
We never—except in exceptional circumstances—have people on guard at night.What is the need?Can anyone move our "mobile home"?Won't!Who will steal all of us?Nor will it.It only needs to rely on its own weight to defend itself.As for the few petty thieves who wandered around the countryside and made their living stealing food and rice, it was even less likely that they would attack us.And, although no one was on watch, there were two dogs, Farner and Blake, who would bark and let us know whenever anything suspicious approached.
That was the case tonight.At two o'clock in the morning, we were woken up by the barking of dogs.I got up immediately and found that my companions were also up.
"What's the matter?" asked Colonel Moreau.
"It's the dogs," replied Bonkers. "They certainly don't bark for nothing."
"There may be a leopard coughing a few times in the nearby bushes!" Captain Ord said. "Let's go down to the edge of the woods for a walk and grab a gun just in case."
Mark Real, Caragani, and Gumi had already run to the front of the camp. The three listened and discussed, trying to figure out what happened in the darkness.We surrounded the past.
"Didn't we meet two or three beasts that came to the bank to drink?" said Captain Ord.
"Carragani doesn't think so," Marc Rael replied.
"What do you think is going on?" Colonel Moreau asked the approaching Indian.
"I don't know, Colonel Moreau," replied Carragani, "but it's neither a tiger nor a leopard or a jackal. I seem to see a vague mass of... under a tree..."
"Will know!" cried Captain Ord, always thinking of the fiftieth tiger he had yet to kill.
"Wait a minute, Odd," said Bonkers, stopping him. "Beware of robbers in Bendelkend."
"But we have a lot of people and good equipment! I really want to find out about this right away!" Captain Ord replied.
"Okay!" Bonkers relented.
The dogs were still barking, but they showed none of the rage that is inevitable when approached by a ferocious beast.
Bonkers then said:
"Moro, you, Mark Real, and the rest stay in the camp. I'll go find out what's going on with Ord, Mokley, and Caragani."
"Are you coming too?" cried Captain Ord, beckoning Fox to come along.
Farner and Black had rushed to the shade of the trees ahead to lead the way.Just follow them.
As soon as we entered the woods, we heard a series of footsteps.Apparently a large party was snooping around our camp.I vaguely saw a few shadows running back through the bushes without making a sound.
Two dogs were running, barking, and circling a few paces ahead.
"Who's there?" cried Captain Ord.
There was no response.
"These people may not want to answer, or they may not understand English," Bonkers said.
"But they can understand Hindi," I went on.
"Karagani," Bonkers said, "call out in Hindi and tell them if they don't answer, we'll shoot."
Karagani then issued the command "come here" to the wandering bandits in the native language of Central India.
Just like the first time, no one answered.
Gunshots rang out.Captain Ord, who couldn't wait, had already fired a shot in the estimated direction, hitting a black figure fleeing among the bushes.
The bang of the carbines was followed by a commotion, as if all the people had fled in all directions.This point was further confirmed when Farner and Black, who rushed to the front, ran back calmly and no longer showed signs of restlessness.
"Whether these people are vagrants or food thieves, they're going too fast!" said Captain Ord.
"Yes," replied Bonkers, "we can go back to the 'steam room'. But in case of accidents, there must be a vigil till dawn."
In a short while, we have arrived at the camp and joined the remaining partners.Mark Real, Gumi, and Fox were assigned to take turns guarding the camp while we retreated to our rooms.
The night passed peacefully.It is reasonable to speculate that the uninvited guests, seeing the heavily guarded "steam room", have given up intending to visit again.
The next day, September 25th, while preparations for departure were under way, Colonel Moreau, Captain Ord, Mark Reil, Caragani, and I wanted to make a final survey around the edge of the forest.
No sign was left of those who ventured here during the night.In short, there is no need to worry about this matter.
On our return, Bonkers took steps to cross the Baituwa River.The river had already overflowed its embankment, and the dirty river water rushed to the highlands on both banks and flowed far away.Because the current is very fast, the "steel behemoth" goes upstream to prevent being rushed too far.
The engineer first busied himself looking for the most favorable spot for landing.With a telescope, he desperately wanted to see such a place.In this section of the river, the Baituwa river stretches for about one moli wide.Therefore, this will be the longest waterway that the "floating train" has traveled so far.
"But what do travelers or businessmen do when they go to the river and find themselves blocked by such a flood?" Rapids like fast trains."
"The answer is simple!" said Captain Ord. "They just give up!"
"No," Bonkers replied, "they go when there are elephants."
"What? Are there some elephants that can swim such distances?"
"Of course. That's what they do;" replied the engineer. "Put all your luggage in these..."
"On the back of the proboscis!" interjected Captain Ord, evidently thinking of his friend Marcia van Kitt.
"Then the elephant driver forced them into the rapids," Bonkers continued. "At first the animal hesitated, it backed up and neighed; but soon it made up its mind, stepped into the river, and swam bravely across it. Admittedly, sometimes some elephants get swept away and drown in the in rapids; but this is rare, if the guides who command them are cunning."
"Well!" said Captain Ord, "although we don't have 'some' elephants, we do have one..."
"That's enough," Bonkers interjected. "Isn't it just like the amphibious vehicle invented by American Evans in 1804, which can swim on water and walk on land?"
Everyone returned to their posts in the car, Kalut tended the boiler, Stoll got into the turret, and Bonkers sat next to him as the helmsman.
Before actually wading across the river, it is necessary to advance for a distance of about fifty feet on the submerged bank plateau. The Iron Behemoth started softly and hit the road.Its big feet were soaked, but not yet floating.Be extra careful when crossing this solid surface with a liquid surface.
Suddenly, the commotion heard at night came again.
I saw a hundred or so guys, flailing their hands and feet, making grimaces, just ran out of the woods.
"Damn it! They're monkeys!" cried Captain Ord, laughing heartily.
Indeed, this group of monkeys was walking towards the "steam room" in a tight formation.
"What are they trying to do?" Mark Rael asked.
"Attack us, sure!" replied Ord, who was always ready to defend himself.
"No! Nothing to worry about," Calagani said after observing the group of monkeys.
"Then what the hell are they trying to do?" Sergeant Mark Rael asked a second time.
"Cross the river with us, that's all!" replied the Indian.
Carragani was right.We met neither a furry gibbon, obnoxious and obnoxious, nor a member of the noble monkey family who lived in the royal palace of Benales.These are monkeys belonging to the Langur species.They are the largest of their kind on the peninsula, with flexible limbs, dark skin, hairless face but with a circle of white whiskers, they look like some elderly lawyers.The hair on the back is gray, the hair on the abdomen is white, and the tail is raised.The monkeys have weird postures and exaggerated behaviors, which are more than Marcia van Geet.
As far as I knew at the time, these Langier monkeys were sacred animals throughout India.Legend has it that they are descended from the Rama warriors who conquered Ceylon.In Umber, the monkeys had a palace called Zerana, and they were very friendly to visitors who came here.In India their killing is expressly prohibited, and several British officers have lost their lives in violation of this law.
Mild and tame as they are, these monkeys are dangerous when attacked, and if only wounded, M. Louis Rousley has rightly said: they become as ferocious as hyenas or leopards.
But for the moment, since there was no question of fighting these Langour monkeys, Captain Ord laid down his rifle.
Is it true, then, that the monkeys, afraid to fight the flooding rapids, are trying to use our "floating machines" to cross the Baitua River, as Caragani claims?
It's possible, we'll see soon.
The "Steel Behemoth" has sailed across the river bank and touched the river bed.Soon, the whole train floated with it.But because the embankment here has a corner, the flow of the river slows down to form a vortex, so at the beginning, the "steam house" almost stopped.
The group of monkeys was getting closer and closer, and had already waded into the not too deep water that overflowed the slope of the river bank.
Nothing hostile.But suddenly, the male monkey, the female monkey, the old monkey, and the young monkey jumped up and down again, holding hands with each other, and finally, they rushed onto the train that seemed to be waiting for them.
In a few seconds, ten of the "steel behemoths" gathered on it, about thirty in each house, and a total of a hundred or so in total. They looked happy, intimate and casual, and even very talkative —at least among them,—probably congratulating each other on being so lucky to meet a ferry, so that they can continue their journey.
The "steel behemoth" immediately entered the river, turned upstream, and went upstream.
For a moment, Bonkers feared that the train would be overweight with all these extra passengers.In fact, it doesn't matter, the monkeys dispersed very cleverly.Some are at the rear of the car, some are on the tower, some are at the neck of the elephant, and some climb all the way to the tip of the elephant's trunk, not afraid of the steam coming out of the nose at all.There are also some on the domes of our tower houses, squatting or standing, or standing on their paws, or hanging upside down by their tails, or even hanging under the verandah of the balcony. Thanks to the well-designed air tank, the "steam house" can maintain the drifting route without worrying about overloading.
Captain Ord and Fox were excited,--especially the orderly.He was close to dedicating the "steam room" to this group of weird and informal animals.He talks to them, shakes their hands, salutes them with his hat.He would gladly have given away all the candy in the car if Mr. Palazzard, annoyed by the monkeys, hadn't put it away.
The "steel behemoth" trekked hard all the way, and its four big feet hit the river like oars.The train drifted along a diagonal line to the intended landing site.
Half an hour later, the "Iron Behemoth" approached the shore; but before it had fully landed, the four-legged clowns jumped onto the river bank and ran away with joy.
"They could have said thanks!" cried Fox, annoyed at the rudeness of these passing companions.
A burst of laughter answered him—the orderly's accusation had only so much resonance.
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