inca.gold-第47部分

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　　　　〃Strange　that　the　Inca　simply　didn't　attack　and　overwhelm　the　Spanish；〃　said　Gunn。　〃They　must　have　outnumbered　Pizarro's　troops　by　a　hundred　to　one。
　　　　〃Closer　to　a　thousand　to　one；〃　said　Yaeger。　〃But　again；　as　with　Cortez　and　the　Aztecs；　the　sight　of　fierce　bearded　men　wearing　iron　clothes　no　arrow　or　rock　could　penetrate；　riding　ironclad　horses；　previously　unknown　to　the　Incas；　while　slashing　with　swords　and　shooting　matchlock　guns　and　cannons；　was　too　much　for　them。　Thoroughly　demoralized；　Atahualpa's　generals　failed　to　take　the　initiative　by　ordering　determined　mass　attacks。〃
　　　　〃What　of　Huascar's　armies？〃　asked　Pitt。　〃Surely　they　were　still　in　the　field。〃
　　　　〃Yes；　but　they　were　leaderless。〃　Yaeger　nodded。　〃History　can　only　look　back　on　a　what…if　situation。　What　if　the　two　Inca　kings　had　buried　the　hatchet　and　merged　their　two　armies　in　a　do…or…die　campaign　to　rid　the　empire　of　the　dreaded　foreigners？　An　interesting　hypothesis。　With　the　defeat　of　the　Spanish；　God　only　knows　where　the　political　boundaries　and　governments　of　South　America　might　be　today。〃
　　　　〃They'd　certainly　be　speaking　a　language　other　than　Spanish；〃　mented　Giordino。
　　　　〃Where　was　Huascar　during　Atahualpa's　confrontation　with　Pizarro？〃　asked　Sandecker；　finally　lighting　his　cigar。
　　　　Imprisoned　in　Cuzco；　the　capital　city　of　the　empire；　twelve　hundred　kilometers　south　of　Caxanarca。〃
　　　　Without　looking　up　from　the　notations　he　was　making　on　a　legal　pad；　Pitt　asked；　〃What　happened　next？〃
　　　　〃To　buy　his　liberty；　Atahualpa　contracted　with　Pizarro　to　cram　a　room　with　gold　as　high　as　he　could　reach；〃　answered　Yaeger。　〃A　room；　I　might　add；　slightly　larger　than　this　one。〃
　　　　〃Did　he　fulfill　the　contract？〃
　　　　〃He　did。　But　Atahualpa　was　afraid　that　Huascar　might　offer　Pizarro　more　gold；　silver；　and　gems　than　he　could。　So　he　ordered　that　his　brother　be　put　to　death；　which　was　carried　out　by　drowning；　but　not　before　Huascar　ordered　the　royal　treasures　to　be　hidden。〃
　　　　Sandecker　stared　at　Yaeger　through　a　cloud　of　blue　smoke。　〃With　the　king　dead；　who　carried　out　his　wish？〃
　　　　〃A　general　called　Naymlap；〃　replied　Yaeger。　He　paused　and　used　the　pointer　to　trace　a　red　line　on　the　map　that　ran　from　the　Andes　down　to　the　coast。　〃He　was　not　of　royal　Inca　blood；　but　rather　a　Chachapoyan　warrior　who　rose　through　the　ranks　to　bee　Huascar's　most　trusted　advisor。　It　was　Naymlap　who　organized　the　movement　of　the　treasury　down　from　the　mountains　to　the　seashore；　where　he　had　assembled　a　fleet　of　fifty…five　ships。　Then；　according　to　the　quipu；　after　a　journey　of　twenty…four　days；　it　took　another　eighteen　days　just　to　load　the　immense　treasure　on　board。〃
　　　　〃I　had　no　idea　the　Incas　were　seafaring　people；〃　said　Gunn。
　　　　〃So　were　the　Mayans；　and　like　the　Phoenicians；　Greeks；　and　Romans　before　them；　the　Incas　were　coastal　sailors。　They　were　not　afraid　of　open　water；　but　they　wisely　beached　their　boats　on　moonless　nights　and　during　stormy　weather。　They　navigated　by　the　sun　and　stars　and　sailed　with　prevailing　winds　and　currents　up　and　down　the　shoreline；　conducting　trade　with　the　Mesoamericans　in　Panama　and　perhaps　beyond。　An　Inca　legend　tells　of　an　early　king　who　heard　a　tale　about　an　island　rich　in　gold　and　intelligent　people；　that　lay　far　out　beyond　the　horizon　of　the　sea。　With　loot　and　slaves　in　mind；　he　built　and　rigged　a　fleet　of　ships；　and　then　sailed　off　with　a　pany　of　his　soldiers　acting　as　marines　to　what　is　thought　to　be　the　Galapagos　Islands。　Nine　months　later　he　returned　with　scores　of　black　prisoners　and　much　gold。〃
　　　　〃The　Galapagos？〃　wondered　Pitt。
　　　　〃As　good　a　guess　as　any。〃
　　　　〃Do　we　have　any　records　of　their　ship　construction？〃　Sandecker　queried。
　　　　〃Bartholomew　Ruiz；　Pizarro's　pilot；　saw　large　rafts　equipped　with　masts　and　great　square　cotton　sails。　Other　Spanish　seamen　reported　sailing　past　rafts　with　hulls　of　balsa　wood；　bamboo　and　reed；　carrying　sixty　people　and　forty　or　more　large　crates　of　trade　goods。　Besides　sails；　the　rafts　were　also　propelled　by　teams　of　paddlers。　Designs　found　on　pre…Columbian　clay　pottery　show　twodecker　boats　sporting　raised　stem　and　sternposts　with　carved　serpent　heads　similar　to　the　dragons　gracing　Viking　longships。〃
　　　　〃So　there　is　no　doubt　they　could　have　transported　tons　of　gold　and　silver　long　distances　across　the　sea？〃
　　　　〃No　doubt　at　all；　Admiral。〃　Yaeger　tapped　the　pointer　on　another　line　that　traced　the　voyage　of　Naymlap's　treasure　fleet。　〃From　point　of　departure；　north　to　their　destination；　the　voyage　took　eighty…six　days。　No　short　cruise　for　primitive　ships。〃
　　　　〃Any　chance　they　might　have　headed　south？〃　asked　Giordino。
　　　　Yaeger　shook　his　head。　〃My　puter　discovered　that　one　coil　of　knots　represented　the　four　basic　points　of　direction；　with　the　knot　for　north　at　the　top　and　the　knot　for　south　at　the　bottom。　East　and　west　were　represented　by　subordinate　strands。〃
　　　　〃And　their　final　landfall？〃　Pitt　prodded。
　　　　〃The　tricky　part。　Never　having　the　opportunity　to　clock　a　balsa　raft　under　sail　over　a　measured　nautical　mile；　estimating　the　fleet's　speed　through　water　was　strictly　guesswork。　I　won't　go　into　it　now；　you　can　read　my　full　report　later。　But　Brunhilda；　in　calculating　the　length　of　the　voyage；　did　a　masterful　job　of　projecting　the　currents　and　wind　during　1533。〃
　　　　Pitt　put　his　hands　behind　his　head　and　leaned　his　chair　back　on　two　legs。　〃Let　me　guess。　They　came　ashore　somewhere　in　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Sea　of　Cortez；　also　known　as　the　Gulf　of　California；　a　vast　cleft　of　water　separating　the　Mexican　mainland　from　Baja　California。〃
　　　　〃On　an　island　as　you　and　I　already　discussed；〃　Yaeger　added。　〃It　took　the　crews　of　the　ships　twelve　days　to　stash　the　treasure　in　a　cave；　a　large　one　according　to　the　dimensions　recorded　on　the　quipu。　An　opening；　which　I　translated　as　being　a　tunnel；　runs　from　the　highest　point　of　the　island　down　to　the　treasure　cave。〃
　　　　〃You　can　conclude　all　this　from　a　series　of　knots？〃　asked　Sandecker；　incredulous。
　　　　Yaeger　nodded。　〃And　much　more。　A　crimson　strand　represented　Huascar；　a　black　knot　the　day　of　his　execution　at　the　order　of　Atahualpa；　whose　attached　strand　was　purple。　General　Naymlap's　is　a　dark　turquoise。　Brunhilda　and　I　can　also　give　you　a　plete　tally　of　the　hoard。　Believe　me　when　I　say　the　bulk　sum　is　far　and　away　more　than　what　has　been　salvaged　from　sunken　treasure　ships　during　the　last　hundred　years。〃
　　　　Sandecker　looked　skeptical。　〃I　hope　you're　including　the　Atocha；　the　Edinburgh；　and　the　Central　America　in　that　claim。〃
　　　　〃And　many　more。〃　Yaeger　smiled　confidently。
　　　　Gunn　looked　puzzled。　〃An　island；　you　say；　somewhere　in　the　Sea　of　Cortez？〃
　　　　〃So　where　exactly　is　the　treasure？〃　said　Giordino；　cutting　to　the　heart　of　the　lecture。
　　　　〃Besides　in　a　cavern　on　an　island　in　the　Sea　of　Cortez；〃　summed　up　Sandecker。
　　　　〃Sung　to　the　tune　of　‘My　Darlin'　Clementine；'　〃　Pitt　jested。
　　　　〃Looks　to　me；〃　Giordino　sighed；　〃like　we've　got　a　hell　of　a　lot　of　islands　to　consider。　The　Gulf　is　loaded　with　them。〃
　　　　〃We　don't　have　to　concern　ourselves　with　any　island　below　the　twenty…eighth　parallel。〃　Yaeger　circled　a　section　of　the　map　with　his　pointer。　〃As　Dirk　guessed；　I　figure　Naymlap's　fleet　sailed　into　the　Gulf's　upper　reaches。〃
　　　　Giordino　was　ever　the　pragmatist。　〃You　still　haven't　told　us　where　to　dig。〃
　　　　〃On　an　island　that　rises　out　of　the　water　like　a　pinnacle；　or　as　Brunhilda's　translation　of　the　quipu　suggests；　the　Temple　of　the　Sun　at　Cuzco。〃　Yaeger　threw　on　an　enlarged　slide　of　the　sea　between　Baja　California　and　the　mainland　of　Mexico　on　the　screen。　〃A　factor　that　narrows　the　search　zone　considerably。〃
　　　　Pitt　leaned　forward；　studying　the　chart　on　the　screen。　〃The　central　islands　of　Angel　de　la　Guarda　and　Tiburon　stretch　between　forty　and　sixty　kilometers。　They　each　have　several　prominent　pinnaclelike　peaks。　You'll　have　to　cut　it　even　closer；　Hiram。〃
　　　　〃Any　chance　Brunhilda　missed　something？〃　asked　Gunn。
　　　　〃Or　drew　the　wrong　meaning　from　the　knots？〃　said　Giordino；　casually　pulling　one　of　Sandecker's　specially　made　cigars　from　his　breast　pocket　and　igniting　the　end。
　　　　The　admiral　glared；　but　said　nothing。　He　had　long　ago　given　up　trying　to　figure　out　how　Giordino　got　them；　certainly　not　from　his　private　stock。　Sandecker　kept　a　tight　inventory　of　his　humidor。
　　　　〃I　admit　to　a　knowledge　gap；〃　Yaeger　conceded。　〃As　I　said　earlier；　the　puter　and　I　decoded　ninety　percent　of　the　quipu's　coils　and　knots。　The　other　ten　percent　defies　clear　meaning。　Two　coils　threw　us　off　the　mark。　One　made　a　vague　reference　to　what　Brunhilda　interpreted　as　some　kind　of　god　or　demon　carved　from　stone。　The　second　made　no　geological　sense。　Something　about　a　river　running　through　the　treasure　cave。〃
　　　　Gunn　tapped　his　ballpoint　pen　on　the　table。　〃I've　never　heard　of　a　river　running　under　an　island。〃
　　　　〃I　haven't　either；〃　agreed　Yaeger。　〃That's　why　I　hesitated　to　mention　it。〃
　　　　〃Must　be　seepage　from　the　water　in　the　Gulf；〃　said　Pitt。
　　　　Gunn　nodded。　〃The　only　logical　answer。〃
　　　　Pitt　looked　up　at　Yaeger。　〃You　couldn't　find　any　reference　to　landmarks？〃
　　　　〃Sorry；　I　struck　out。　For　a　while　there　I　entertained　hopes　the　demon　god　might　hold　a　key　to　the　location　of　the　cave；〃　answered　Yaeger。　〃The　knots　on　that　particular　coil　seemed　to　signify　a　measurement　of　distance。　I　have　the　impression　it　indicates　a　number　of　paces　inside　a　tunnel　leading　from　the　demon　to　the　cave。　But　the　copper　strands　had　deteriorated；　and　Brunhilda　couldn't　reconstruct　a　coherent　meaning。〃
　　　　〃What　sort　of　demon？〃　asked　Sandecker。
　　　　〃I　don't　have　the　slightest　idea。〃
　　　　〃A　signpost　leading　to　the　treasure　maybe？〃　mused　Gunn。
　　　　〃Or　a　sinister　deity　to　scare　off　thieves；〃　suggested　Pitt。
　　　　Sandecker　rapped　his　cigar　on　the　lip　of　a　glass　cup；　knocking　off　along　ash。　〃A　sound　theory　if　the　elements　and　vandals　haven't　taken　their　toll　over　four　hundred　years；　leaving　a　sculpture　that　can't　be　distinguished　from　an　ordinary　rock。〃
　　　　〃To　sum　up；〃　said　Pitt；　〃we're　searching　for　a　steep　outcropping　of　rock　or　pinnacle　on　an　island　in　the　Sea　of　Cortez　with　a　stone　carving　of　a　demon　on　top　of　it。〃
　　　　〃A　generalization；〃　Yaeger　said；　sitting　down　at　the　table。　〃But　that　pretty　well　summarizes　what　I　could　glean　out　of　the　quipu。〃
　　　　Gunn　removed　his　glasses；　held　them　up　to　the　light　and　checked　for　smudges。　〃Any　hope　at　all　that　Bill　Straight　can　restore　the　deteriorated　coils？〃
　　　　〃I'll　ask　him　to　begin　work　on　them；〃　answered　Yaeger。
　　　　〃He'll　be　diligently　laboring　over　them　within　the　hour；〃　Sandecker　assured　him。
　　　　〃If　Straight's　conservation　experts　can　reconstruct　enough　of　the　knots　and　strands　for　Brunhilda　to　analyze；　I　think　I　can　promise　to　add　enough　data　to　put　you　within　spitting　distance　of　the　tunnel　leading　to　the　treasure　cave。〃
　　　　〃You'd　better；〃　Pitt　advised；　〃because　I　have　ambitions　in　life　other　thin　going　around　Mexico　digging　empty　holes。〃
　　　　Gunn　turned　toward　Sandecker。　〃Well；　what　do　you　say；　Admiral？　Is　it　a　go？〃
　　　　The　feisty　little　chief　of　NUMA　stared　at　the　map　on　the　screen。　Finally；　he　sighed　and　muttered；　〃I　want　a　proposal　detailing　the　search　project　and　its　cost　when　I　walk　in　my　office　tomorrow　morning。　Consider　yourselves　on　paid　vacation　for　the　next　three　weeks。　And　not　a　word　outside　th