inca.gold-第108部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


red　an　arrow…straight　course　over　the　flowing　current。
　　　　It　seemed　strange　to　be　skimming　over　the　water　surface　without　a　sensation　of　contact。　From　the　bow；　Giordino　could　look　down　into　the　remarkably　transparent　water　that　had　turned　from　the　cobalt　blue　of　the　sinkhole　to　a　deep　aqua　green　and　see　startled　albino　salamanders　and　small　schools　of　blind　cave　fish　darting　amid　the　spherical　boulders　that　carpeted　the　river　bottom　like　fallen　ornaments。　He　kept　busy　reporting　the　river　conditions　ahead　and　snapping　photos　as　Pitt　maneuvered　and　recorded　data　on　his　puter　for　Peter　Duncan。
　　　　Even　with　their　rapid　motion　through　the　large　corridors；　their　sweat　and　the　extreme　humidity　bined　to　form　a　halo　like　mist　around　their　heads。　They　ignored　the　phenomenon　and　the　darkness　behind　them；　never　looking　back　as　they　continued　deeper　into　the　river…carved　canyon。
　　　　For　the　first　8　kilometers　（5　miles）　it　was　clear　sailing　and　they　made　good　time。　They　skimmed　over　bottomless　pools　and　past　forbidding　galleries　that　extended　deep　into　the　walls　of　the　caverns。　The　ceilings　in　the　string　of　river　chambers　varied　from　a　high　of　30　meters　（98　feet）　to　barely　enough　room　to　squeeze　the　Hovercraft　through。　They　bounced　over　several　small；　shallow　cascades　without　difficulty　and　entered　a　narrow　channel　where　it　took　all　their　concentration　to　avoid　the　everpresent　rocks。　Then　they　traveled　through　one　enormous　gallery　that　stretched　almost　3　kilometers　（slightly　under　2　miles）　and　was　filled　with　stunning　crystals　that　glinted　and　sparkled　beneath　the　aircraft　light。
　　　　On　two　different　occasions；　the　passage　became　flooded　when　the　ceiling　merged　with　the　water　surface。　Then　they　went　through　the　routine　of　deflating　the　Wallowing　Windbag　until　it　achieved　neutral　buoyancy；　returned　to　breathing　from　their　air　tanks；　and　drifted　with　the　current　through　the　sunken　passage　dragging　the　flattened　Hovercraft　and　its　equipment　behind　them　until　they　emerged　into　an　open　cavern　and　reinflated　it　again。　There　were　no　plaints　over　the　additional　effort。　Neither　man　expected　a　smooth　cruise　down　a　placid　river。
　　　　To　relieve　the　stress　they　began　giving　nonsensical　names　to　the　galleries　and　prominent　features。　The　Fun　House；　the　Wax　Museum；　Giordino's　Gymnasium。　A　small　spout　from　a　cavern　wall　was　labeled　Postnasal　Drip。　The　river　itself　they　called　the　Old　Sot。
　　　　After　traveling　through　a　second　submerged　passage　and　reinflating　their　boat；　Pitt　observed　that　the　current's　pace　had　quickened　by　two　knots　and　the　river　gradient　began　dropping　at　a　faster　rate。　Like　leaves　through　a　gutter　drain；　they　rushed　into　the　eternal　land　of　gloom；　never　knowing　what　dangers　lurked　around　the　next　bend。
　　　　The　rapids　increased　frighteningly　as　the　Hovercraft　was　suddenly　swept　into　a　raging　cataract。　The　emerald　water　turned　a　boiling　white　as　it　cascaded　through　a　passage　strewn　with　boulders。　Now　the　Wallowing　Windbag　was　rearing　up　like　a　rodeo　bronco　as　it　surged　between　the　rocks　and　plunged　sickeningly　into　the　next　trough。　Every　time　Pitt　told　himself　the　rapids　couldn't　possibly　get　more　violent；　the　next　stretch　of　river　slammed　the　Hovercraft　into　a　seething　frenzy　that　buried　it　pletely　on　more　than　one　occasion。　But　the　faithful　little　craft　always　shook　off　the　froth　and　fought　back　to　the　surface。
　　　　Pitt　struggled　like　a　madman　to　keep　the　boat　on　a　straight　course。　If　they　swung　halfway　around　broadside　to　the　tumult；　all　chances　for　survival　would　have　been　lost。　Giordino　grabbed　the　emergency　oars　and　put　his　back　into　keeping　the　boat　steady。　They　swept　around　a　sharp　curve　in　the　river　over　massive　rocks；　some　partly　submerged　and　kicking　up　great　waves　shaped　like　rooster　tails；　others　rising　above　the　turbulence　like　menacing　monoliths。　Several　boulders　were　skinned　by　the　little　vessel。　Then　one　rose　out　of　the　trough　that　seemed　certain　to　crush　the　boat　and　its　occupants。　But　the　outer　hull　sideswiped　the　unyielding　stone　without　a　puncture　and　was　carried　past。
　　　　Their　ordeals　never　ceased。　They　were　caught　in　a　swirling　eddy　like　a　cork　being　sucked　down　a　drain。　Pitt　braced　his　back　against　an　air…filled　support　cell　to　stay　upright　and　pushed　the　throttle　to　its　stop。　The　howl　of　the　racing　engine　was　lost　in　the　roar　of　the　rapids。　All　his　will　and　concentration　were　focused　on　keeping　the　Hovercraft　from　twisting　broadside　from　the　force　of　the　speeding　current　as　Giordino　assisted　by　pulling　mightily　on　the　oars。
　　　　Lost　when　Giordino　took　up　the　oars；　the　landing　lights　had　fallen　overboard　into　the　froth。　Now　the　only　light　came　from　the　lamps　on　their　hardhats。　It　seemed　a　lifetime　had　passed　before　they　finally　broke　clear　of　the　whirlpool　and　were　hurled　back　into　the　rapids。
　　　　Pitt　eased　back　on　the　throttle　and　relaxed　his　hands　on　the　grips　of　the　control　bar。　There　was　no　point　in　fighting　the　river　now。　The　Wallowing　Windbag　would　go　where　the　surging　water　threw　it。
　　　　Giordino　peered　into　the　black　unknown　ahead；　hoping　to　see　calmer　water。　What　he　saw　was　a　fork　in　the　river　that　divided　the　mainstream　into　two　different　galleries。　He　shouted　above　the　tumult；　〃We're　ing　to　a　junction！〃
　　　　〃Can　you　tell　which　is　the　main　conduit？〃　Pitt　yelled　back。
　　　　〃The　one　on　the　left　looks　the　largest！〃
　　　　〃Okay；　pull　to　port！〃
　　　　The　Hovercraft　came　terrifyingly　close　to　being　smashed　against　the　great　mass　of　rock　that　split　the　river　and　only　missed　turning　turtle　by　a　hair　as　it　was　overwhelmed　by　a　giant　backwash。　The　little　vessel　dug　into　the　turbulence　and　lurched　forward　sickeningly；　burying　its　bow　under　a　wall　of　water。　Somehow　it　regained　a　level　keel　before　being　thrown　forward　by　the　relentless　current。
　　　　For　an　instant　Pitt　thought　he'd　lost　Giordino；　but　then　the　burly　little　man　rose　out　of　the　deep　pool　filling　the　inside　of　the　boat　and　shook　his　head　to　clear　the　dizziness　brought　on　by　being　spun　around　like　a　ball　in　a　roulette　wheel。　Incredibly；　he　cracked　a　smile　and　pointed　to　his　ears。
　　　　Pitt　understood。　The　continuous　roar　of　the　rapids　seemed　to　be　slackening。　The　Hovercraft　responded　to　his　control　again；　but　sluggishly；　because　it　was　half…full　of　water。　The　excess　weight　was　making　it　impossible　to　maintain　an　air…cushion。　He　increased　the　throttle　and　yelled　to　Giordino。
　　　　〃Start　bailing！〃
　　　　The　boat　designers　had　thought　of　everything。　Giordino　inserted　a　lever　into　a　small　pump　and　began　shoving　it　back　and　forth；　causing　a　gush　of　water　to　shoot　through　a　pipe　over　the　side。
　　　　Pitt　leaned　over　and　studied　the　depths　under　his　headlamps。　The　channel　seemed　more　constricted；　and　although　the　rocks　were　no　longer　churning　up　the　water；　the　river　seemed　to　be　moving　at　a　horrifying　speed。　Suddenly；　he　noticed　that　Giordino　had　stopped　bailing　and　was　listening　with　an　apocalyptic　look　on　his　face。　And　then　Pitt　heard　it　too。
　　　　A　deep　rumble　boomed　from　the　black　void　downriver。
　　　　Giordino　stared　at　him。　〃I　think　we　just　bought　the　farm！〃　he　shouted。
　　　　The　vision　of　going　over　Niagara　Falls　returned。　This　was　no　spout　from　above　they　were　approaching。　The　sound　that　reverberated　through　the　cavern　was　that　of　an　enormous　volume　of　water　rushing　over　an　immense　cascade。
　　　　〃Hit　the　inflator　on　your　buoyancy　pensator！〃　Pitt　roared　above　the　chaos。
　　　　The　water　was　sweeping　them　along　at　a　good　twenty　knots　and　appeared　to　be　funneling　into　a　concentrated　surge。　A　million　liters　of　water　sucked　them　toward　the　unseen　precipice。　They　rounded　the　next　bend　and　sailed　into　a　maelstrom　of　mist。　The　thunderous　rumble　became　deafening。
　　　　There　was　no　fear；　no　sense　of　helplessness；　no　feeling　of　despair。　All　Pitt　felt　was　a　strange　numbness　as　if　all　power　of　intelligent　thought　had　abruptly　evaporated。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　entering　a　nightmare　where　nothing　had　any　shape　or　form。　His　final　moment　of　clarity　came　when　the　Wallowing　Windbag　hung　suspended　for　a　moment　before　soaring　into　the　mist。
　　　　With　no　point　of　reference；　there　was　no　sensation　of　falling；　rather；　it　seemed　as　if　they　were　flying　through　a　cloud。　Then　his　hold　on　the　control　bar　was　lost　and　he　was　hurled　out　of　the　Hovercraft。　He　thought　he　heard　Gior