Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Escape

Captain Aldigan chose to escape eastward after he escaped from prison, which was well thought out.On the opposite side, certainly beyond the western edge of Malegir, along the run through the Sahara, there was the usual path to Legult.From there, it is safe and easy to reach Biskra as usual.However, he did not know this area of ​​the salt marshes because he came to Zanfek from the east of Gulaia, and he was not familiar with the road going west through Xingiz, and he might encounter it there. The people that Adiyar placed there, they were there to guard against possible troops coming from Biskra.Also, the itinerary is the same as from Zanfek to the canal terminal.Workers may have returned to the site in large numbers.Then, at the concentration in Gulea, you may meet Lieutenant Vieter, who is probably looking for this area of ​​​​Jered... Finally!As the corporal thought - "It makes sense for that!" "Cut the Heart" took it across the oasis.Doesn't he agree to entrust the matter to the "heart-cutting" spirituality?Therefore he said:

"Follow the dog, my captain! He's right! Besides, he sees at night as well as in day! I assure you, it's a dog with cat's eyes!" "We follow it!" said Captain Aldigon. This is more to be done.In the depth of the night, in the labyrinthine oasis, it was possible for the escapee to go awry not far from the village.Fortunately, letting Heart Cut lead, they quickly reached the northern edge of Hingiz and followed only the shore. It is more important not to stray from it at all, because, apart from there, Malegir is only a dangerous place, full of potholes and holes into which one cannot get out.Only the Tuaregs in Zanfek and neighboring villages and towns know the trails that criss-cross the potholes, and they provide such services as guides, and they often provide such services for the purpose of robbing camel caravans.

The fugitives strode on without encountering any villains, and when the sun rose they rested in a palm grove.Given the troubles of venturing in the dark, they shouldn't think that the distance of the journey is more than seven or eight kilometers, and there are still 20 kilometers to get to the farthest point of Hingiz, after which, it is almost necessary to cross the salt flats , before arriving at the Gulea Oasis. Walking at night was too much work in this place, and Captain Aldigon thought an hour's rest would be appropriate.The woods are wild, and the nearest village is on the southern edge of the future central island.So it's easy to avoid these towns.Moreover, looking east, as far as the eye could see, Adiyar's men were not at all invisible.Zangfeike must have gone far after 15 hours of walking.

Although fatigue compelled the escapees to rest for a while, such rest was not enough to recover them if they did not get some food.With nothing to eat in the last few hours in the cell, they could only count on gathering wild fruit as they crossed the Hingiz oasis, only dates, berries, and perhaps something Pistash knew well. some edible roots.No one is short of fire sickles and tinder. Burning the rhizomes on a dry wood fire is the main food. Yes, in such a situation, there is reason to hope, that Captain Aldigon and his companions will have enough to eat and drink, so there are many dry rivers in Hingiz, and they may even catch some with the help of "cutting hearts" Game game fowl.But there was no such chance as they hurried across the sandy plain of the salt marshes, where only clumps of thatch grew, which were not edible.

In short, since the prisoners walked from Gulea to Zanfiq for two days under the leadership of Soar, would it take them more time to walk from Zanfiq to Gulea?Yes, that's for sure, and there are two more reasons: the first is that they have no horses this time; "In short," said the captain, "it should only be 50 kilometers. . . tonight, we will be able to cover half of the distance . . . after a night's rest, we can even double the time for the second half if necessary. The steep bank of the canal can now be seen." After an hour's rest, with nothing but dates to eat, the fugitives walked along the edge, taking as much cover as possible.The sky was overcast, with a few rays of sunlight barely peeking through the gaps in the clouds.The rain was coming, but luckily it didn't.

The first leg of the road was over by noon.No emergencies occurred.Did not meet a single native.As for the Adiyar gang, it must have been 30 to 40 kilometers to the east. The rest lasted an hour, there was no shortage of dates, and the corporal dug up some roots and roasted them in the ashes.Everyone ate some anyway, and the dog was probably happy to eat these. When it was dark, 25 kilometers from Zanfiq, Captain Aldigaon stopped at the end of Hingiz. This is the edge of the last oasis.The desolate and vast depression extends out of the oasis.Walking without a guide is difficult and dangerous on the endless, flat, shiny, salty frost.But the prisoners eventually got away from their cells, and if Ahmet and the others started chasing them, at least there would be no trace of them.

Everyone desperately needs rest.They had some advantage in getting to Golea early, and they might be able to spend the night there.Besides, it would be too imprudent to venture in the dark in the land past these activities in Hingiz, and it would take them almost a whole day to get out of there!No fear of cold at this time of year and at this latitude, they huddled at the foot of a clump of palm trees. Doubtless it would be wise to have someone on guard near the campsite.The corporal even volunteered to serve as a sentry in the middle of the night, even if two North African cavalry were used to receive the sentry.While his companions were sound asleep, he stuck to his post with the company of "Cutting Hearts".But just a quarter of an hour later, Pistash fell asleep, almost unconsciously at first, and then lay on the ground with his eyes closing involuntarily.

Luckily, the loyal "Cut the Heart" was the better sentinel, as a muffled barking of dogs woke the sleeping ones shortly before midnight. "Alarm...alert..." The corporal who had just stood up suddenly shouted. In a moment Captain Aldigon rose. "Listen! My Captain!" said Pistache. A loud noise sounded to the left of the bushes, like the snapping of branches or the tearing of bushes, about a hundred paces high in the bushes. "Are the Zanfik Tuaregs following our tracks?" He might suspect that the escape of the prisoners was noticed, and the Tuaregs rushed after them?

Captain Altegan listened for a moment and said to the corporal: "No, it's not the natives! They're trying to surprise us...they don't make that noise! ​​. . . " "So what?" asked the engineer. "It's an animal... a beast of prey traversing the oasis," the corporal declared. In fact, the camp was not threatened by the Tuaregs, but by a lion or lions, whose presence was still a great danger.If they charged at the camp, would they be able to resist?Can one defend oneself without a weapon? The dog gave a very restless signal.The corporal took great effort to hold it down, to prevent it from screaming, and from jumping towards the place where it roared angrily.

So, what happened?Is it a fight between wild beasts, fiercely competing for prey?Did they spot the escapees in the bushes?Are they going to pounce on them? A few minutes of anxiety ensues.If they are discovered, Aldigon and his companions will be together soon!It is best to wait in this position and climb up the tree first to avoid the attack. Such was the order given by the captain, and he carried it out at once, and when the "heart cut" was released from the corporal's hand, it disappeared to the right of the camp. "Here... 'cut hearts'! Here..." Pistash cried.

But the animal, either not hearing, or unwilling to listen, did not return. At this moment, the noise and roar seemed to be far away, and gradually became smaller until they disappeared.The only sound that was still felt was the cry of "cutting the heart", and it came back soon. "Gone, the beasts must be gone!" said Captain Aldigon. "They didn't smell us here! There's no need to be afraid..." "But what happened to 'cut the heart'?" Pistash called as he stroked the dog, feeling blood on his hands. "Is it hurt? Was it scratched over there?" No..."Cutting the Red Heart" didn't complain...it jumped and ran to the right, and came back soon.Some say it managed to drag the corporal back over there because the corporal was about to follow it. "No...don't move, Pistash!" the captain ordered him. "We'll wait until dawn and we'll see what to do..." The corporal obeyed.Everyone was back where the sleep had been abruptly interrupted when the beast first roared. Sleep was undisturbed, and the sun had just risen on the eastern horizon of Malegil when the Runaway awoke. But "Heart Cut" rushed to the woods, and this time when he came back, they found fresh blood on his fur. "There must be some wounded or dead beast over there, a defeated lion..." "It's a pity that it's not delicious, because a North African cavalry said that if you eat it." "Let's go and see," said Captain Aldigon. Everyone followed the dog, which barked and led them away. About a hundred paces away, they found a bloody beast. It was not a lion, but a large gazelle which had been killed by wild beasts, for which the beasts must have fought, and some left the gazelle while some raged at the others. "Ah! rare... rare!" exclaimed the corporal. "This is game like we've never had! It's on time and we'll have canned meat for the whole trip!" What a stroke of luck here!Runners are no longer forced to eat tree roots and dates.The North African cavalry and Pistash immediately cut off the best part of the antelope, and gave it to the "cutting heart".They brought kilos of good meat to the camp.Everyone lit the fire and put a few slices on the hot coals. Since everyone shared the delicious barbecue, there was no need to say more. Indeed, after this meal of meat instead of fruit, everyone regained their strength, and everyone was happy. "On the road!" said Captain Aldigon. "Don't delay...the pursuit of the Tuaregs of Zanfiq is always terrible." In fact, before leaving the camp, the escapees carefully observed the edge of Hingiz, which extended towards the village. The entire salt marsh area, whether facing east or west, was deserted and lifeless.In this desolate region, not only beasts and herbivores never ventured, but even birds never flapped their wings.Since the various oases of Hingiz offered them resources that the barren ground of the salt marshes could not, why would they do so? Again, in response to this remark made by Captain Altegan, the engineer replied: "When Malegir becomes a big lake, they'll be regulars here: seabirds, at least gulls, kingfishers, fish and Mediterranean cetaceans swimming in the water! I think I've seen, open Warships and merchant fleets with white sails or at full speed, sailing in new oceans!" "Before the salt marshes are flooded, Mr. Engineer," Corporal Pistash asserted, "I would argue that it is necessary to return to the canal while it is not yet at sea. Hope a ship will pick us up where we are, and there may be something Things can't wait..." "Of course," replied Mr. Descharais, "but I insist that the full flooding of Larsa and Melagil will not take longer than we expected!" "Not for more than a year," the captain argued with a smile. "That is too long for us! As soon as our preparations are complete, I will give the order to depart." "Let's go, Monsieur François," said the corporal, "need to escape at once, and I hope you will rest at once in a town with a barber's shop, because at last we have a soldier's beard!" In the case of an escape, preparations are neither long nor complicated.This morning, however, this delayed them for a while, as food had to be prepared for the two-day journey until Gulea.All that was available to them was chunks of antelope meat, some of which had already been eaten.But how to light a fire without woods on the road through Malakir? ... At least there is no shortage of firewood here, and there are branches that have been broken by Jared's violent winds. So the corporal and two North African cavalry came to the job.In half an hour, these delicious slices of meat are grilled over charcoal fire.Then, when the slices had cooled, Pistash gathered the meat together, divided it into six equal portions, took one portion for each person, and wrapped them in fresh leaves. It was 7 o'clock in the morning - judging by the position of the sun on the horizon.The sun rose in the red mist, which promised another hot day.This time on the road, Captain Aldigon and his companions would no longer be hiding from the heat of the sun under the trees of Hingiz. Besides this regrettable situation, they encountered another situation, the danger of which was greater.Since the fugitive could be seen walking along the shady edge, and since then, could be followed, the danger remained largely undiminished.As they cross the long lagoons of the salt marshes in broad daylight, must they know whether they will be informed when they pass?And if a few Tuaregs passed them by, where to hide to avoid running into them?Furthermore, did Adiyar and his men return to Zanfek on this day or the next day? Walking on the unstable ground like Malakir, neither the engineer nor the captain knew the way. Everyone knows that the 25-kilometer journey from the end of Hingiz to the Gulea construction site is full of dangers, which is already very difficult. But it added to these dangers! Captain Altegan and M. de Charley could not help thinking about it, and they were still thinking about it.But these dire difficulties or dangers must be risked at all costs.In short, all of them are persistent, strong, and able to do their best. "On the road!" said the captain. "Yes! On the road... Good troops!" Pistash agreed, and he had a point, and he thought that the old saying should be changed in this way.