atlantis.found-第38部分

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hout　bumps　or　indentations。　There　was　a　strangeness　about　the　place；　heightened　by　the　eerie　darkness　and　cavernous　howl　of　the　wind　from　outside　the　entrance。
　　　　　They　walked　on；　half　curious；　half　uneasy；　following　the　beams　of　their　lights；　wondering　what　they　were　going　to　find。　The　tunnel　suddenly　opened　into　a　square　chamber。　Giordino　tensed　and　his　eyes　hardened　as　his　light　traced　out　the　skeletal　bones　of　a　foot；　femur；　hip；　and　then　ribs　and　spinal　column；　attached　to　a　skull　with　traces　of　red　hair　still　visible。　The　remains　of　tattered　and　moldy　clothing　still　clung　to　the　bones。
　　　　　〃I　wonder　how　this　poor　devil　came　to　be　here；〃　said　Gunn；　feeling　numbed。
　　　　　Giordino　swung　his　flashlight　around　the　room；　illuminating　a　small　fire　pit　and　various　tools　and　furniture　all　of　them　looked　handmade　from　wood　and　lava　rock。　There　were　also　the　remains　of　seal　hides　and　a　pile　of　bones　in　the　opposite　corner。
　　　　　〃Judging　from　the　cut　of　what's　left　of　his　clothes；　I'd　say　he　was　a　marooned　sailor；　a　castaway　on　the　island　for　God　only　knows　how　long　before　he　died。〃
　　　　　〃Odd　the　colonel　didn't　mention　him；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　　〃The　Madras　made　an　unscheduled　stop　for　water　after　being　blown　far　off　the　normal　sailing　track　in　1779。　This　lost　soul　must　have　arrived　later。　No　other　ship　called　on　the　island　for　probably　another　fifty　or　hundred　years。〃
　　　　　〃I　can't　begin　to　imagine　how　terrible　it　must　have　been　for　him；　alone　on　an　ugly　rain…cold　pile　of　volcanic　rock　with　no　prospects　of　rescue　and　the　threat　of　a　lonely　death　hovering　over　him。〃
　　　　　〃He　made　a　fire　pit；〃　said　Giordino。　〃What　do　you　think　he　used　for　wood？　There's　little　but　scrub　brush　on　the　island。〃
　　　　　〃He　must　have　burned　what　brush　he　could　scrounge。　。　。〃　Gunn　paused；　knelt　on　one　knee；　and　moved　his　hand　through　the　ashes　until　he　found　something。　He　held　up　what　looked　like　the　remains　of　a　toy　chariot　with　two　badly　fire…scarred　horses。　〃The　artifacts；〃　he　said　gloomily。　〃He　must　have　burned　the　artifacts　that　contained　wood　to　stay　warm。〃　Then　Gunn　shone　his　light　in　Giordino's　direction　and　saw　the　beginnings　of　a　smile　arc　across　his　face。　〃What　do　you　find　so　funny？〃
　　　　　〃I　was　just　thinking；〃　mused　Giordino。　〃How　many　of　those　awful　cabbages　do　you　think　the　poor　fellow　must　have　eaten？〃
　　　　　〃You　won't　know　how　they　taste　until　you've　tried　one。〃
　　　　　Giordino　probed　his　beam　on　the　walls；　revealing　the　same　type　of　inscriptions　that　he'd　briefly　seen　in　the　Telluride　chamber。　A　black　obsidian　pedestal　rose　from　the　center　of　the　floor　where　the　black　skull　had　sat　until　removed　by　the　British　colonel。　The　lights　also　picked　out　a　cave…in　of　fallen　rocks　that　spilled　down；　covering　the　far　wall　of　the　chamber。
　　　　　〃I　wonder　what's　on　the　other　side　of　this　rock　pile。〃
　　　　　〃Another　wall？〃
　　　　　〃Maybe；　maybe　not。〃　There　was　a　vague　certainty　in　Gunn's　voice。
　　　　　Giordino　had　learned　many　years　before　to　trust　the　intelligence　and　intuitive　genius　of　little　Rudi　Gunn。　He　looked　at　him。　〃You　thinking　there's　another　tunnel　on　the　other　side？〃
　　　　　〃I　am。〃
　　　　　〃Damn！〃　Giordino　hissed　under　his　breath。　〃Our　friends　from　Telluride　must　have　gotten　here　first。〃
　　　　　〃What　makes　you　think　that？〃
　　　　　Giordino　played　his　beam　over　the　rockfall。　〃Their　modus　operandi。　They　have　a　fetish　for　blowing　up　tunnels。〃
　　　　　〃I　don't　think　so。　This　fall　looks　old；　very　old；　considering　the　dust　that　has　filled　in　among　the　rocks。　I'll　bet　my　Christmas　bonus　that　this　fall　occurred　centuries　before　the　colonel　or　the　old　castaway　stepped　in　here；　and　neither　was　curious　and　bothered　to　dig　through　and　see　what　was　on　the　other　side。〃　Then　Gunn　crawled　up　on　the　spread　of　rocks　and　played　his　light　over　the　pile。　〃This　looks　natural　to　me。　Not　really　a　heavy　fall。　I　think　we　might　have　a　chance　at　getting　through。〃
　　　　　〃I'm　not　sure　my　testosterone　is　up　to　this。〃
　　　　　〃Shut　up　and　dig。〃
　　　　　Gunn；　as　it　turned　out；　was　right。　The　rockfall　was　not　massive。　Despite　his　grumblings；　Giordino　worked　like　a　mule。　By　far　the　stronger　of　the　two；　he　tackled　the　heavier　rocks；　while　Gunn　worked　at　casting　aside　the　smaller　ones。　There　was　a　ruthless　determination　in　his　movements　as　he　picked　up　and　heaved　hundred…pound　rocks　as　if　they　were　made　of　cork。　In　less　than　an　hour；　they　had　excavated　a　passage　large　enough　for　them　to　crawl　beyond。
　　　　　Because　he　was　the　smallest；　Gunn　went　first。　He　paused　to　shine　his　light　inside。
　　　　　〃What　do　you　see？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　　〃A　short　corridor　leading　to　another　chamber　less　than　twenty　feet　away〃　Then　he　squirmed　through。　He　stood　up；　brushed　himself　off；　and　removed　several　more　rocks　from　the　opposite　side　so　Giordino；　with　his　broad　shoulders；　would　have　an　easier　passage。　They　hesitated　for　a　moment；　beaming　their　bined　lights　into　the　chamber　ahead；　seeing　strange　reflections。
　　　　　〃I'm　glad　I　listened　to　you；〃　said　Giordino；　as　he　walked　slowly　forward。
　　　　　〃I　have　positive　vibes。　I'll　bet　you　ten　bucks　nobody　beat　us　to　it。〃
　　　　　〃Skeptic　that　I　am；　you're　on。〃
　　　　　Feeling　a　little　apprehensive　now；　and　with　a　growing　sense　of　trepidation；　they　stepped　into　the　second　chamber　and　swept　their　lights　around　the　walls　and　floor。　There　were　no　inscriptions　in　here；　but　they　froze　at　the　astonishing　sight　revealed　under　the　yellow…white　beams　of　their　flashlights；　staring　in　almost　religious　awe　at　the　twenty　mummified　figures　that　sat　upright　in　stone　chairs　hewn　from　the　rock。　The　two　that　faced　the　entrance　sat　on　a　raised　platform。　The　rest　were　grouped　to　the　sides　in　the　shape　of　a　square　horseshoe。
　　　　　〃What　is　this　place？〃　Giordino　whispered；　half　expecting　to　see　ghosts　lurking　in　the　shadows。
　　　　　〃We're　in　a　tomb；〃　Gunn　muttered　unsteadily。　〃Very　ancient；　by　the　look　of　the　clothing。〃
　　　　　The　mummies　and　the　black　hair　on　their　skulls　were　in　a　remarkable　state　of　preservation。　Their　facial　features　were　perfectly　intact　and　their　garments　were　plete；　with　red；　blue；　and　green　dyes　still　discernible　in　the　fabric。　The　two　mummies　at　the　end　sat　on　stone　chairs　elaborately　carved　with　various　species　of　sea　life。　Their　finery　appeared　more　intricately　woven　and　colorful　than　the　others。　Copper　bands　with　exquisite　engraved　designs　inlaid　with　what　Gunn　recognized　as　gemstones　of　turquoise　and　black　opal　circled　their　foreheads。　High　conical　caps　rested　on　their　heads。　They　wore　long　elaborate　tunics　with　delicate　seashells　mixed　with　polished　obsidian　and　copper　disks　sewn　in　exotic　patterns　from　collar　to　hem。　All　the　feet　were　encased　in　tooled…leather；　loose…fitting　boots　that　came　halfway　up　the　calf。
　　　　　The　two　were　obviously　of　higher　rank　and　importance　than　the　others。　The　skeleton　on　the　left　was　larger　than　the　one　on　the　right。　Though　all　the　mummies　had　worn　their　hair　long　in　life；　it　was　a　matter　of　simple　deduction　to　tell　the　males　from　the　females。　Males　have　more　prominent　mandibles　and　ridges　above　the　eyes　than　do　females。　Interestingly；　their　headbands　or　crowns　were　the　same　size；　as　if　they　had　equal　power。　All　the　males　sat　to　the　right　hand　of　the　central　figure　in　a　row　at　an　angle。　All　were　dressed　similarly；　but　the　weaving　of　their　garments　was　not　as　elegant。　The　turquoise　and　black　opal　were　not　as　prevalent。　The　same　configuration　was　represented　by　the　females　who　sat　to　the　left　of　the　more　richly　adorned　mummy。
　　　　　A　line　of　beautifully　polished　spears　with　obsidian　heads　was　stacked　against　one　wall。　At　the　feet　of　each　skeleton　were　copper　bowls　with　drinking　cups　and　matching　spoons。　Both　bowls　and　spoons　had　holes　with　leather　thongs；　as　if　they　could　be　slung　around　the　neck　or　shoulder；　indicating　that　these　people　had　always　carried　their　individual　and　personalized　dinnerware　with　them。　Handsome　pottery；　well…polished　with　delightful　hand…painted　delicate　geometric　designs　on　their　surfaces；　were　laid　out　next　to　the　stone　chairs；　along　with　large　copper　urns　filled　with　withered　leaves　and　flowers　that　must　have　been　aromatic　at　the　time　the　dead　were　interred。　They　looked　handmade　by　artisans　of　great　skill。
　　　　　Gunn　studied　the　mummies　closely。　He　was　amazed　at　the　art　of　mummif