inca.gold-第44部分

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　of　knots。　This　suggests；　to　the　puter；　the　time　spent　on　the　return　trip。　Judging　by　the　additions　and　shorter　spacing　between　knots；　I'd　say　they　had　a　difficult　and　stormy　voyage　home。〃
　　　　〃It　doesn't　look　to　me　as　if　you're　groping　in　the　dark；〃　said　Pitt。　〃I'd　say　you　have　a　pretty　good　grasp　of　it。〃
　　　　Yaeger　smiled。　〃Flattery　is　always　gratefully　accepted。　I　only　hope　I　don't　fall　into　the　trap　of　inventing　too　much　of　the　analysis　as　I　go。〃
　　　　The　prospect　did　not　sit　well　with　Pitt。　〃No　fiction；　Hiram。　Keep　it　straight。〃
　　　　〃I　understand。　You　want　a　healthy　baby　with　ten　fingers　and　ten　toes。〃
　　　　〃Preferably　one　holding　a　sign　that　says　‘dig　here；'　〃　Pitt　said　in　a　cold；　flat　voice　that　almost　curled　Yaeger's　hair；　〃or　we'll　find　ourselves　staring　down　a　dry　hole。〃
　　　　High　on　the　funnel…shaped　peak　of　a　solitary　mountain　that　rises　like　a　graveyard　monument　in　the　middle　of　a　sandy　desert　there　is　an　immense　stone　demon。
　　　　It　has　stood　there；　legs　tensed　as　if　ready　to　spring；　since　prehistoric　times；　its　claws　dug　into　the　massive　basalt　rock　from　which　it　was　carved。　In　the　desert　tapestry　at　its　feet　ghosts　of　the　ancients　mingle　with　the　ghosts　from　the　present。　Vultures　soar　over　it；　jackrabbits　leap　between　its　legs；　lizards　scurry　over　its　giant　paws。
　　　　From　its　pedestal　on　the　summit；　the　beast's　snakelike　eyes　mand　a　panoramic　vista　of　sand　dunes；　rocky　hills　and　mountains；　and　the　shimmering　Colorado　River　that　divides　into　streams　across　its　silted　delta　before　merging　with　the　Sea　of　Cortez。
　　　　Exposed　to　the　elements　on　the　top　of　the　mountain；　which　is　said　to　be　mystic　and　enchanted；　much　of　the　intricate　detail　of　the　sculpture　has　been　worn　away。　The　body　appears　to　be　that　of　a　jaguar　or　a　huge　cat　with　wings　and　a　serpent's　head。　One　wing　still　protrudes　above　a　shoulder；　but　the　other　has　long　since　fallen　on　the　hard；　rocky　surface　beside　the　beast　and　shattered。　Vandals　have　also　taken　their　toll；　chipping　away　the　teeth　from　the　gaping　jaws　and　digging　their　names　and　initials　on　the　flanks　and　chest。
　　　　Weighing　several　tons　and　standing　as　high　as　a　bull　elephant；　the　winged　jaguar　with　the　serpent's　head　is　one　of　only　four　known　sculptures　produced　by　unknown　cultures　before　the　appearance　of　the　Spanish　missionaries　in　the　early　fifteen　hundreds。　The　other　three　are　static　crouching　lions　in　a　national　park　in　New　Mexico　that　were　far　more　primitive　in　their　workmanship。
　　　　Archaeologists　who　had　scaled　the　steep　cliffs　were　mystified　as　to　its　past；　They　had　no　way　of　guessing　its　age　or　who　carved　the　beast　from　one　enormous　outcropping　of　rock。　The　style　and　design　were　far　different　from　any　known　artifacts　of　the　prehistoric　cultures　of　the　American　Southwest。　Many　theories　were　created；　and　many　opinions　offered；　but　the　enigma　of　the　sculpture's　significance　remained　shrouded　in　its　past。
　　　　It　was　said　that　the　ancient　people　feared　the　awesome　stone　beast；　believing　it　to　be　a　guardian　of　the　underworld；　but　present…day　elders　of　the　Cahuilla；　Quechan；　and　Montolo　tribes　that　live　in　the　area　cannot　recall　any　significant　religious　traditions　or　detailed　rituals　that　pertain　to　the　sculpture。　No　oral　history　had　been　passed　down；　so　they　simply　created　their　own　myth　on　the　ashes　of　a　forgotten　past。　They　invented　a　supernatural　monster　that　all　dead　people　must　pass　on　their　journey　to　the　great　beyond。　If　they　led　bad　lives；　the　stone　beast　came　to　life。　It　snatched　them　in　its　mouth；　chewed　them　with　its　fangs；　and　spat　them　out　as　maimed　and　disfigured　ghosts　doomed　to　walk　the　earth　forever　as　malignant　spirits。　Only　those　good　of　heart　and　mind　were　allowed　to　proceed　unmolested　into　the　afterworld。
　　　　Many　of　the　living　made　the　difficult　climb　up　the　sharp　walls　of　the　mountain　to　lay　gifts　of　hand…modeled　clay　dolls；　and　ancient　seashells　etched　with　the　figures　of　animals；　at　the　feet　of　the　sculpture　as　tribute；　a　bribe　to　ease　the　way　when　their　time　came。　Bereaved　family　members　often　stood　on　the　desert　floor　far　below　the　menacing　sculpture　and　sent　an　emissary　to　the　top　while　they　prayed　for　the　beast　to　grant　their　loved　one　safe　passage。

　　　　Billy　Yuma　had　no　fear　of　the　stone　demon　as　he　sat　in　his　pickup　truck　under　the　shadow　of　the　mountain　and　gazed　up　at　the　forbidding　sculpture　far　above　him。　He　was　hopeful　his　parents　and　his　friends　who　had　died　had　been　allowed　to　freely　pass　the　guardian　of　the　dead。　They　were　good　people　who　had　harmed　no　one。　But　it　was　his　brother；　the　black　sheep　of　the　family；　who　beat　his　wife　and　children　and　died　an　alcoholic；　that　Billy　feared　had　bee　an　evil　ghost。
　　　　Like　most　Native　Americans　of　the　desert；　Billy　lived　in　the　constant　presence　of　the　hideously　deformed　spirits　who　wandered　aimlessly　and　did　malicious　things。　He　knew　his　brother's　spirit　could　rise　at　any　moment　and　throw　dirt　on　him　or　tear　his　clothes；　even　haunt　his　dreams　with　horrible　visions　of　the　restless　dead。　But　Billy's　greatest　worry　was　that　his　brother　might　bring　illness　or　injury　to　his　wife　and　children。
　　　　He　had　seen　his　brother　three　times。　Once　as　a　whirlwind　that　left　behind　a　trail　of　choking　dust；　next　as　a　wavering　light　spinning　around　a　mesquite；　and　finally　as　a　shaft　of　lightning　that　struck　his　truck。　These　were　ominous　signs。　Billy　and　his　tribe's　medicine　man　had　huddled　around　an　open　fire　to　discuss　a　way　to　bat　his　brother's　ghost。　If　not　stopped；　the　apparition　could　pose　an　eternal　threat　to　Billy's　family　and　his　future　descendants。
　　　　Everything　was　tried；　and　nothing　worked。　The　tribe's　old　shaman　prescribed　eating　a　mixture　of　cactus　buds　and　herbs　as　a　measure　of　protection　while　fasting　for　ten　days　alone　in　the　desert。　A　cure　that　failed　miserably。　Near…starvation　induced　Billy　to　see　his　brother's　apparition　on　a　regular　basis　and　hear　eerie　wails　during　the　lonely　nights。　Powerful　rituals　such　as　ceremonial　chanting　were　tried；　but　nothing　appeased　the　brother's　evil　spirit；　and　his　manifestations　became　more　violent。
　　　　Billy　was　not　the　only　one　of　his　tribe　with　problems。　Ever　since　the　tribe's　most　sacred　and　secret　religious　objects　were　found　missing　from　their　hiding　place　in　an　isolated　ruin　belonging　to　their　ancestors；　whole　villages　had　suffered　ill　fortune。　Poor　crops；　contagious　sickness　among　the　children；　unseasonably　hot　and　dry　weather。　Fights　broke　out　when　men　became　drunk；　and　some　were　killed。　But　by　far　the　worst　calamity　was　the　sudden　increase　of　ghost　sickness。　People　who　had　never　before　seen　or　heard　an　evil　spirit　began　describing　haunted　visitations。　Ghosts　of　early　Montolos　suddenly　appeared　during　their　dreams；　often　materializing　in　broad　daylight。　Almost　everyone；　including　young　children；　claimed　to　have　seen　supernatural　phantoms。
　　　　The　theft　of　the　wooden　idols　that　represented　the　sun；　moon；　earth；　and　water　shattered　the　Montolos'　religious　society。　The　anguish　of　not　having　their　presence　during　the　initiation　ceremony　for　entering　adulthood　devastated　the　tribe's　young　sons　and　daughters。　Without　the　carved　deities　the　centuries…old　rituals　could　not　be　performed；　leaving　the　young　ones　in　adolescent　limbo。　Without　the　sacred　religious　objects；　all　worship　ceased。　To　them　it　was　the　same　as　if　the　world's　Christians；　Muslims；　and　Jews　woke　up　one　morning　and　suddenly　found　that　the　entire　city　of　Jerusalem　had　been　torn　from　the　earth　and　carried　into　deep　space。　To　non…Indians　it　was　a　simple　case　of　theft；　but　to　a　Montolo　it　amounted　to　blasphemy　that　bordered　on　atrocity。
　　　　Around　fires　in　the　underground　ceremonial　structures；　the　old　religion's　priests　whispered　of　how　they　could　hear　the　mournful　pleading　of　the　idols　on　nocturnal　winds；　pleading　to　be　returned　to　the　safety　of　their　hiding　place。
　　　　Billy　Yuma　was　desperate。　The　medicine　man　had　given　him　instructions　while　reading　the　embers　of　a　dying　fire。　To　send　his　brother's　ghost　back　to　the　underworld　and　save　his　family　from　further　disaster；　Billy　had　to　find　the　lost　idols　and　return　them　to　their　sacred　hiding　place　in　the　ancient　ruins　of　his　ancestors。　In　a　desperate　attempt　to　end　the　hauntings　and　avoid　more　ill　fortune　he　decided　to　fight　evil　with　evil。　He　resolved　to　climb　the　mountain；　confront　the　demon；　and　pray　for　its　help　in　returning　the　precious　idols。
　　　　He　was　no　longer　a　young　man；　and　the　ascent　would　be　perilous　without　the　equipment　used　by　modern　rock　climbers。　But　he　had　set　himself　to　the　task　and　was　not　about　to　back　down。　Too　many　of　his　people　were　counting　on　him。
　　　　About　a　third　of　the　way　up　the　south　wall　his　heart　hammered　against　his　ribs　and　his　lungs　ached　from　the　grueling；　effort。　He　could　have　stopped　to　rest　and　catch　his　breath；　but　he　pushed　on；　determined　to　reach　the　peak　without　pause。　He　turned　and　gazed　down　only　once；　checking　his　Ford　pickup　truck　parked　at　the　base　of　the　mountain。　It　looked　like　a　toy　he　could　reach　down　and　snatch　up　with　one　hand。　He　looked　back　at　the　cliff　face。　It　was　changing　colors　under　the　setting　sun；　from　amber　to　tile　red。
　　　　Billy　regretted　not　starting　out　earlier　in　the　day；　but　he　had　chores　to　plete；　and　the　sun　was　high　when　he　drove　to　the　mountain　and　began　his　ascent。　Now　the　orange　ball　was　creeping　below　the　ridge　of　the　Sierra　de　Juarez　mountains　to　the　west。　The　climb　was　more　difficult　than　he　had　imagined　and　was　taking　far　longer。　He　tilted　his　head；　shaded　his　eyes　against　the　brightness　of　the　sky；　and　squinted　up　toward　the　cone　top　of　the　mountain。　He　still　had　85　meters　（278　feet）　to　go；　and　full　darkness　was　only　a　half　hour　away。　The　prospect　of　spending　the　night　with　the　great　stone　beast　filled　him　with　foreboding；　but　it　would　have　been　suicidal　to　attempt　the　descent　in　the　dark。
　　　　Billy　was　a　small　man　of　fifty…five。　But　a　life　spent　ranching　in　the　harsh　climate　of　the　Sonora　Desert　had　made　him　as　hard　and　tough　as　an　old　cast…iron　frying　pan。　Perhaps　his　joints　were　not　as　flexible　as　they　were　the　day　he　won　a　bronco　riding　contest　in　Tucson；　nor　did　he　move　with　the　agility　of　the　boy　who　was　once　the　fastest　cross…country　runner　in　the　tribe；　nor　did　he　have　the　stamina；　but　he　was　still　as　tough　as　an　aging　mountain　goat。
　　　　The　whites　of　his　eyes　were　yellowed　and　the　rims　reddened　from　ignoring　the　onslaught　of　the　desert　sun　all　his　life　and　never　wearing　sunglasses。　He　had　a　round　brown　face　with　a　strong　jaw；　straggly　gray　eyebrows；　and　thick　black　hair…the　kind　of　face　that　seemed　expressionless　but　revealed　deep　character　and　an　insight　into　nature　rarely　understood　by　anyone　who　was　not　a　Native　American。
　　　　A　shadow　and　a　cold　breeze　suddenly　passed　over　him。　He　shuddered　from　the　unexpected　chill。　Was　it　a　spirit？　Where　did　they　e　from；　he　wondered。　Could　it　be　his　brother　was　trying　to　make　him；　fall　to　the　rocks　far　below？　Maybe　the　great　stone　beast　knew　he　was　approaching　and　was　issuing　a　warning。　Beset　with　foreboding；　Billy　kept　on　climbing；　teeth　clenched；　staring　only　at　the　vertical　rock　before　his　eyes。
　　　　Fortunately；　others　who　went　before　him　had　chiseled　foot…　and　handholds　on　the　steeper　face　of　the　wall　near　the　summit。　He　could　see　they　were　very　old　by　the　rounded　smoothness　of　their　edges。　Within　50　meters　（164　feet）　o