inca.gold-第104部分

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h　fifty　kilos　each。〃
　　　　This　is　truly　light…years　ahead　of　any　other　discovery；〃　said　Oxley；　trembling　at　the　incredible　sight。
　　　　Sarason　tore　his　gaze　away　and　gestured　to　Amaru。　〃Get　it　loaded　on　board　the　helicopter；　quickly。〃
　　　　The　evil…eyed　killer　nodded　silently　and　began　giving　orders　to　his　men　and　a　squad　of　soldiers。　Even　Corona；　Campos；　and　Matos　pitched　in。　With　help　from　a　straining　forklift　and　plenty　of　sweat；　the　two　sections　of　chain　were　manhandled　aboard　two　army　helicopters　and　sent　on　their　way　to　the　desert　airstrip。
　　　　Zolar　watched　as　the　two　aircraft　became　tiny　specks　in　the　sky。　〃Nothing　can　stop　us　now；〃　he　said　cheerfully　to　his　brothers。　〃A　few　more　hours　and　we're　home　free；　with　the　largest　treasure　known　to　man。〃

　　　　To　Sandecker；　the　audacious　plan　to　e　in　through　the　back　door　of　Cerro　el　Capirote　in　a　wild　attempt　to　save　Loren　Smith　and　Rudi　Gunn　was　nothing　less　than　suicidal。　He　knew　the　reasons　Pitt　had　for　risking　his　life；　rescuing　a　loved　one　and　a　close　friend　from　death；　evening　the　score　with　a　pair　of　murderers；　and　snatching　a　wondrous　treasure　from　the　hands　of　thieves。　Those　were　grounds　for　justification　of　other　men。　Not　Pitt。　His　motivation　went　much　deeper。　To　challenge　the　unknown；　laugh　at　the　devil；　and　dare　the　odds。　Those　were　his　stimulants。
　　　　As　for　Giordino；　Pitt's　friend　since　childhood；　Sandecker　never　doubted　for　an　instant　the　rugged　Italian　would　follow　Pitt　into　a　molten　sea　of　lava。
　　　　Sandecker　could　have　stopped　them。　But　he　hadn't　built　what　was　thought　of　by　many　as　the　finest；　most　productive；　and　budget　efficient　agency　in　the　government　without　taking　his　fair　share　of　risky　gambles。　His　fondness　for　marching　out　of　step　with　official　Washington　made　him　the　object　of　respect　as　well　as　envy。　The　other　directors　of　national　bureaus　would　never　consider　hands…on　control　of　a　hazardous　project　in　the　field　that　might　run　the　risk　of　censure　from　Congress　and　force　resignation　by　presidential　order。　Sandecker's　only　regret　was　that　this　was　one　adventure　he　couldn't　lead　himself。
　　　　He　paused　after　carrying　a　load　of　dive　gear　from　the　old　Chevy　down　the　tubular　bore　and　looked　at　Peter　Duncan；　who　sat　beside　the　sinkhole；　busily　overlaying　a　transparency　of　a　topographical　map　onto　a　hydrographic　survey　of　known　underground　water　systems。
　　　　The　two　charts　were　enlarged　to　the　same　scale；　enabling　Duncan　to　trace　the　approximate　course　of　the　subterranean　river。　Around　him；　the　others　were　setting　out　the　dive　gear　and　float　equipment。　〃As　the　crow　flies；〃　Duncan　said　to　no　one　specifically；　〃the　distance　between　Satan's　Sinkhole　and　Cerro　el　Capirote　works　out　to　roughly　thirty　kilometers。〃
　　　　Sandecker　looked　down　into　the　water　of　the　sinkhole。　〃What　quirk　of　nature　formed　the　river　channel？〃
　　　　〃About　sixty　million　years　ago；〃　answered　Duncan；　〃a　shift　in　the　earth　caused　a　fault　in　the　limestone；　allowing　water　to　seep　in　and　carve　out　a　series　of　connecting　caverns。〃
　　　　The　admiral　turned　to　Pitt。　〃How　long　do　you　think　it　will　take　you　to　get　there？〃
　　　　〃Running　with　a　current　of　nine　knots；〃　said　Pitt；　〃we　should　make　the　treasure　cavern　in　three　hours。〃
　　　　Duncan　looked　doubtful。　〃I've　never　seen　a　river　that　didn't　meander。　If　I　were　you　I'd　add　another　two　hours　to　my　estimated　time　of　arrival。〃
　　　　〃The　Wallowing　Windbag　will　make　up　the　time；〃　Giordino　said　confidently　as　he　stripped　off　his　clothes。
　　　　〃Only　if　you　have　clear　sailing　all　the　way。　You're　entering　the　unknown。　There　is　no　second…guessing　the　difficulties　you　might　encounter。　Submerged　passages　extending　ten　kilometers　or　more；　cascades　that　fall　the　height　of　a　ten…story　building；　or　unnavigable　rapids　through　rocks。　White…water　rafters　have　a　saying　if　there　is　a　rock；　you'll　strike　it。　If　there　is　an　eddy；　you'll　get　caught　in　it。〃
　　　　〃Anything　else？〃　Giordino　grinned；　unshaken　by　Duncan's　dire　forecast。　〃Like　vampires　or　gluttonous　monsters　with　six　jaws　of　barracuda　teeth　lurking　in　the　dark　to　have　us　for　lunch？〃
　　　　〃I'm　only　trying　to　prepare　you　for　the　unexpected；〃　Duncan　said。　〃The　best　theory　I　can　offer　that　might　give　you　a　small　sense　of　security　is　that　I　believe　the　main　section　of　the　river　system　flows　through　a　fault　in　the　earth。　If　I'm　right；　the　channel　will　travel　in　an　erratic　path　but　with　a　reasonably　level　depth。〃
　　　　Pitt　patted　him　on　the　shoulder。　〃We　understand　and　we're　grateful。　But　at　this　stage；　all　Al　and　I　can　do　is　hope　for　the　best；　expect　the　worst；　and　settle　for　anything　in　between。〃
　　　　〃When　you　swam　out　of　the　sinkhole's　feeder　stream　into　the　river；〃　Sandecker　asked　Duncan；　〃was　there　an　air　pocket？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　the　rock　ceiling　rose　a　good　ten　meters　above　the　surface　of　the　river。〃
　　　　〃How　far　did　it　extend？〃
　　　　〃We　were　hanging　onto　the　fixed　guideline　for　dear　life　against　the　current　and　only　got　a　brief　look。　A　quick　sweep　of　my　light　failed　to　reveal　the　end　of　the　gallery。〃
　　　　〃With　luck；　they'll　have　an　air　passage　the　entire　trip。〃
　　　　〃A　lot　of　luck；〃　said　Duncan　skeptically；　his　eyes　still　drawn　to　the　chart　overlays。　〃As　underground　rivers　go；　this　one　is　enormous。　In　sheer　length；　it　must　be　the　longest　unexplored　subterranean　water　course　through　a　field　of　karst。〃
　　　　Giordino　hesitated　in　strapping　on　a　small　console　containing　pressure　gauges；　a　pass；　and　a　depth　meter　to　his　arm。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　karst？〃
　　　　〃Karst　is　the　term　for　a　limestone　belt　that　is　penetrated　by　a　system　of　streams；　passages；　and　caverns。〃
　　　　〃It　makes　one　wonder　how　many　other　unknown　rivers　are　flowing　under　the　earth；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　〃Leigh　Hunt　and　his　river　canyon　of　gold；　another　source　of　jokes　by　California　and　Nevada　state　hydrologists；　now　bear　heavy　investigation；〃　admitted　Duncan。　〃Because　of　what　you　discovered　here；　I'll　guarantee　that　closed　minds　will　take　a　second　look。〃
　　　　〃Maybe　I　can　do　my　bit　for　the　cause；〃　said　Pitt；　holding　up　a　small　waterproof　puter　before　strapping　it　to　his　forearm。　〃I'll　try　to　program　a　survey；　and　plot　data　on　the　river's　course　as　we　go。〃
　　　　〃I'll　be　grateful　for　all　the　scientific　data　you　can　bring　back；〃　acknowledged　Duncan。　〃Finding　a　golden　treasure　under　Cerro　el　Capirote　may　fire　the　imagination；　but　in　reality　it's　incidental　to　the　discovery　of　a　water　source　that　can　turn　millions　of　acres　of　desert　into　productive　farm　and　ranch　land。〃
　　　　〃Perhaps　the　gold　can　fund　the　pumping　systems　and　pipelines　for　such　a　project；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　〃Certainly　a　dream　to　consider；〃　added　Sandecker。
　　　　Giordino　held　up　an　underwater　camera。　〃I'll　bring　back　some　pictures　for　you。〃
　　　　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Duncan　gratefully。　〃I'd　also　appreciate　another　favor。〃
　　　　Pitt　smiled。　〃Name　it。〃
　　　　He　handed　Pitt　a　plastic　packet　in　the　shape　of　a　basketball　but　half　the　size。　〃A　dye　tracer　called　Fluorescein　Yellow　with　Optical　Brightener。　I'll　buy　you　the　best　Mexican　dinner　in　the　Southwest　if　you'll　throw　it　into　the　river　when　you　reach　the　treasure　chamber。　That's　all。　As　it　floats　along　the　river　the　container　will　automatically　release　the　dye　over　regular　intervals。〃
　　　　〃You　want　to　record　where　the　river　outlet　emerges　into　the　Gulf。〃
　　　　Duncan　nodded。　〃That　will　give　us　an　important　hydrologic　link。〃
　　　　He　was　also　going　to　ask　if　Pitt　and　Giordino　might　take　water　samples；　but　thought　better　of　it。　He　had　already　pushed　them　as　far　as　he　dared。　If　they　were　successful　in　navigating　the　river　as　far　as　the　hollow　interior　of　Cerro　el　Capirote；　then　he　and　his　fellow　scientists　could　mount　subsequent　scientific　expeditions　based　on　the　data　acquired　by　Pitt　and　Giordino。
　　　　Over　the　next　ten　minutes；　Pitt　and　Giordino　geared　up　and　went　over　the　plans　for　their　journey。　They　had　made　countless　dives　together　under　a　hundred　different　water　and　weather　conditions；　but　none　of　this　distance　through　the　depths　of　the　earth。　Like　doctors　discussing　a　delicate　brain　operation；　no　detail　was　left　to　chance。　Their　survival　depended　on　it。
　　　　munication　signals　were　agreed　upon；　buddy　breathing　strategies　in　case　of　air　loss；　the　drill　for　inflating　and　deflating　the　Wallowing　Windbag；　who　was　in　control　of　what　equipment　all　procedures