jurassic.park-第6章

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！


k　from　Borneo　to　identify　it。　That's　final；　Alice。　This　lizard's　not　going　anywhere。〃

SECOND　ITERATION

〃With　subsequent　drawings　of　the　fractal　curve；　sudden　changes　may　appear。〃
IAN　MAL
The　Shore　of　the　Inland　Sea

Alan　Grant　crouched　down；　his　nose　inches　from　the　ground。　The　temperature　was　over　a　hundred　degrees。　His　knees　ached；　despite　the　rug…layer's　pads　he　wore。　His　lungs　burned　from　the　harsh　alkaline　dust。　Sweat　dripped　off　his　forehead　onto　the　ground。　But　Grant　was　oblivious　to　the　disfort。　His　entire　attention　was　focused　on　the　six…inch　square　of　earth　in　front　of　him。
　　　　Working　patiently　with　a　dental　pick　and　an　artist's　camel　brush；　he　exposed　the　tiny　L…shaped　fragment　of　jawbone。　It　was　only　an　inch　long；　and　no　thicker　than　his　little　finger。　The　teeth　were　a　row　of　small　points；　and　had　the　characteristic　media＇　angling。　Bits　of　bone　flaked　away　as　he　dug。　Grant　paused　for　a　moment　to　paint　the　bone　with　rubber　cement　before　continuing　to　expose　it。　There　was　no　question　that　this　was　the　jawbone　from　an　infant　carnivorous　dinosaur。　Its　owner　had　died　seventy…nine　million　years　ago；　at　the　age　of　about　two　months。　With　any　luck；　Grant　might　find　the　rest　of　the　skeleton　as　well。　If　so；　it　would　be　the　first　plete　skeleton　of　a　baby　carnivore　
　　　　〃Hey；　Alan！〃
　　　　Alan　Grant　looked　up；　blinking　in　the　sunlight。　He　pulled　down　his　sunglasses；　and　wiped　his　forehead　with　the　back　of　his　arm。
　　　　He　was　crouched　on　an　eroded　hillside　in　the　badlands　outside　Snakewater；　Montana。　Beneath　the　great　blue　bowl　of　sky；　blunted　hills；　exposed　outcroppings　of　crumbling　limestone；　stretched　for　miles　in　every　direction。　There　was　not　a　tree；　or　a　bush。　Nothing　but　barren　rock；　hot　sun；　and　whining　wind。
　　　　Visitors　found　the　badlands　depressingly　bleak；　but　when　Grant　looked　at　this　landscape；　he　saw　something　else　entirely。　This　barren　land　was　what　remained　of　another；　very　different　world；　which　had　vanished　eighty　million　years　ago。　In　his　mind's　eye；　Grant　saw　himself　back　in　the　warm；　swampy　bayou　that　formed　the　shoreline　of　a　great　inland　sea。　This　inland　sea　was　a　thousand　miles　wide；　extending　all　the　way　from　the　newly　upthrust　Rocky　Mountains　to　the　sharp；　craggy　peaks　of　the　Appalachians。　All　of　the　American　West　was　underwater。　　　　
　　　　At　that　time；　there　were　thin　clouds　in　the　sky　overhead；　darkened　by　the　smoke　of　nearby　volcanoes。　The　atmosphere　was　denser；　richer　in　carbon　dioxide。　Plants　grew　rapidly　along　the　shoreline。　There　were　no　fish　in　these　waters；　but　there　were　clams　and　snails。　Pterosaurs　swooped　down　to　scoop　algae　from　the　surface。　A　few　carnivorous　dinosaurs　prowled　the　swampy　shores　of　the　lake；　moving　among　the　palm　trees。　And　offshore　was　a　small　island；　about　two　acres　in　size。　Ringed　with　dense　vegetation；　this　island　formed　a　protected　sanctuary　where　herds　of　herbivorous　duckbilled　dinosaurs　laid　their　eggs　in　munal　nests；　and　raised　their　squeaking　young。
　　　　Over　the　millions　of　years　that　followed；　the　pale　green　alkaline　lake　grew　shallower；　and　finally　vanished。　The　exposed　land　buckled　and　cracked　under　the　heat。　And　the　offshore　island　with　its　dinosaur　eggs　became　the　eroded　hillside　in　northern　Montana　which　Alan　Grant　was　now　excavating。
　　　　〃Hey；　Alan！〃
　　　　He　stood；　a　barrel…chested；　bearded　man　of　forty。　He　heard　the　chugging　of　the　portable　generator；　and　the　distant　clatter　of　the　jackhammer　cutting　into　the　dense　rock　on　the　next　hill。　He　saw　the　kids　working　around　the　jackhammer；　moving　away　the　big　pieces　of　rock　after　checking　them　for　fossils。　At　the　foot　of　the　hill；　he　saw　the　six　tipis　of　his　camp；　the　flapping　mess　tent；　and　the　trailer　that　served　as　their　field　laboratory。　And　he　saw　Ellie　waving　to　him；　from　the　shadow　of　the　field　laboratory。
　　　　〃Visitor！〃　she　called；　and　pointed　to　the　east。
　　　　Grant　saw　the　cloud　of　dust；　and　the　blue　Ford　sedan　bouncing　over　the　rutted　road　toward　them。　He　glanced　at　his　watch：　right　on　time。　On　the　other　hill；　the　kids　looked　up　with　interest。　They　didn't　get　many　visitors　in　Snakewater；　and　there　had　been　a　lot　of　speculation　about　what　a　lawyer　from　the　Environmental　Protection　Agency　would　want　to　see　Alan　Grant　about。
　　　　But　Grant　knew　that　paleontology；　the　study　of　extinct　life；　had　in　recent　years　taken　on　an　unexpected　relevance　to　the　modern　world。　The　modem　world　was　changing　fast；　and　urgent　questions　about　the　weather；　deforestation；　global　warming；　or　the　ozone　layer　often　seemed　answerable；　at　least　in　part；　with　information　from　the　past。　Information　that　paleontologists　could　provide。　He　had　been　called　as　an　expert　witness　twice　in　the　past　few　years。
　　　　Grant　started　down　the　hill　to　meet　the　car。

The　visitor　coughed　in　the　white　dust　as　he　slammed　the　car　door。　〃Bob　Morris；　EPA；〃　he　said；　extending　his　hand。　〃I'm　with　the　San　Francisco　office。　〃
　　　　Grant　introduced　himself　and　said；　〃You　look　hot。　Want　a　beer？〃
　　　　〃Jesus；　yeah。〃　Morris　was　in　his　late　twenties；　wearing　a　tie；　and　pants　from　a　business　suit。　He　carried　a　briefcase。　His　wing…tip　shoes　crunched　on　the　rocks　as　they　walked　toward　the　trailer。
　　　　〃When　I　first　came　over　the　hill；　I　thought　this　was　an　Indian　reservation；〃　Morris　said；　pointing　to　the　tipis。
　　　　〃No；〃　Grant　said。　〃Just　the　best　way　to　live　out　here。〃　Grant　explained　that　in　1978；　the　first　year　of　the　excavations；　they　had　e　out　in　North　Slope　octahedral　tents；　the　most　advanced　available。　But　the　tents　always　blew　over　in　the　wind。　They　tried　other　kinds　of　tents；　with　the　same　result。　Finally　they　started　putting　up　tipis；　which　were　larger　inside；　more　fortable；　and　more　stable　in　wind。　〃These're　Blackfoot　tipis；　built　around　four　poles；〃　Grant　said。　〃Sioux　tipis　are　built　around　three。　But　this　used　to　be　Blackfoot　territory；　so　we　thought　。　。　。〃
　　　　〃Uh…huh；〃　Morris　said。　〃Very　fitting。〃　He　squinted　at　the　desolate　landscape　and　shook　his　head。　〃How　long　you　been　out　here？〃
　　　　〃About　sixty　cases；〃　Grant　said。　When　Morris　looked　surprised；　he　explained；　〃We　measure　time　in　beer。　We　start　in　June　with　a　hundred　cases。　We've　gone　through　about　sixty　so　far。〃
　　　　〃Sixty…three；　to　be　exact；〃　Ellie　Sattler　said；　as　they　reached　the　trailer。　Grant　was　amused　to　see　Morris　gaping　at　her。　Ellie　was　wearing　cut…off　jeans　and　a　workshirt　tied　at　her　midriff。　She　was　twenty…four　and　darkly　tanned。　Her　blond　hair　was　pulled　back。
　　　　〃Ellie　keeps　us　going；〃　Grant　said；　introducing　her。　〃She's　very　good　at　what　she　does。〃
　　　　〃What　does　she　do？〃　Morris　asked。
　　　　〃Paleobotany；〃　Ellie　said。　〃And　I　also　do　the　standard　field　preps。〃　She　opened　the　door　and　they　went　inside。
　　　　The　air　conditioning　in　the　trailer　only　brought　the　temperature　down　to　eighty…five　degrees；　but　it　seemed　cool　after　the　midday　beat。　The　trailer　had　a　series　of　long　wooden　tables；　with　tiny　bone　specimens　neatly　laid　out；　tagged　and　labeled。　Farther　along　were　ceramic　dishes　and　crocks。　There　was　a　strong　odor　of　vinegar。
　　　　Morris　glanced　at　the　bones。　〃I　thought　dinosaurs　were　big；〃　he　said。
　　　　〃They　were；〃　Ellie　said。　〃But　everything　you　see　here　es　from　babies。　Snakewater　is　important　primarily　because　of　the　number　of　dinosaur　nesting　sites　here。　Until　we　started　this　work；　there　were　hardly　any　infant　dinosaurs　known。　Only　one　nest　had　ever　been　found；　in　the　Gobi　Desert。　We've　discovered　a　dozen　different　hadrosaur　nests；　plete　with　eggs　and　bones　of　infants。〃
　　　　While　Grant　went　to　the　refrigerator；　she　showed　Morris　the　acetic　acid　baths；　which　were　used　to　dissolve　away　the　limestone　from　the　delicate　bones。
　　　　〃They　look　like　chicken　bones；〃　Morris　said；　peering　into　the　ceramic　dishes。
　　　　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃They're　very　bird…like。〃
　　　　〃And　what　about　those？〃　Morris　said；　pointing　through　the　trailer　window　to　piles　of　large　bones　outside；　wrapped　in　heavy　plastic。
　　　　〃Rejects；〃　Ellie　said。　〃Bones　too　fragmentary　when　we　took　them　out　of　the　ground；　In　the　old　days　we'd　just　discard　them；　but　nowadays　we　send　them　for　genetic　testing。〃
　　　　〃Genetic　testing？〃　Morris　said。
　　　　〃Here　you　go；〃　Grant　said；　thrusting　a　beer　into　his　band。　He　gave　another　to　Ellie。　She　chugged　hers；　throwing　her　long　neck　back。　Morris　stared。
　　　　〃We're　pretty　informal　here；〃　Grant　said。　〃Want　to　step　into　my　office？〃
　　　　〃Sure；〃　Morris　said。　Grant　led　him　to　the　end　of　the　trailer；　where　there　was　a　torn　couch；　a　sagging　chair；　and　a　battered　endtable。　Grant　dropped　onto　the　couch；　which　creaked　and　exhaled　a　cloud　of　chalky　dust。　He　leaned　back；　thumped　his　boots　up　on　the　endtable；　and　gestured　for　Morris　to　sit　in　the　chair。　〃Make　yourself　fortable。〃
　　　　Grant　was　a　professor　of　paleontology　at　the　University　of　Denver；　and　one　of　the　foremost　researchers　in　his　field；　but　he　had　never　been　fortable　with　social　niceties。　He　saw　himself　as　an　outdoor　man；　and　he　knew　that　all　the　important　work　in　paleontology　was　done　outdoors；　with　your　bands。　Grant　had　little　patience　for　the　academics；　for　the　museum　curators；　for　what　he　called　Teacup　Dinosaur　Hunters。　And　he　took　some　pains　to　distance　himself　in　dress　and　behavior　from　the　Teacup　Dinosaur　Hunters；　even　delivering　his　lectures　in　jeans　and　sneakers。
　　　　Grant　watched　as　Morris　primly　brushed　off　the　seat　of　the　chair　before　he　sat　down。　Morris　opened　his　briefcase；　rummaged　through　his　papers；　and　glanced　back　at　Ellie；　who　was　lifting　bones　with　tweezers　from　the　acid　bath　at　the　other　end　of　the　trailer；　paying　no　attention　to　them。　〃You're　probably　wondering　why　I'm　here。〃
　　　　Grant　nodded。　〃It's　a　long　way　to　e；　Mr。　Morris。〃
　　　　〃Well；〃　Morris　said；　〃to　get　right　to　the　point；　the　EPA　is　concerned　about　the　activities　of　the　Hammond　Foundation。　You　receive　some　funding　from　them。〃
　　　　〃Thirty　thousand　dollars　a　year；〃　Grant　said；　nodding。　〃For　the　last　five　years。〃
　　　　〃What　do　you　know　about　the　foundation？〃　Morris　said。
　　　　Grant　shrugged。　〃The　Hammond　Foundation　is　a　respected　source　of　academic　grants。　They　fund　research　all　over　the　world；　including　several　dinosaur　researchers。　I　know　they　support　Bob　Kerry　out　of　the　Tyrrell　in　Alberta；　and　John　Weller　in　Alaska。　Probably　more。〃
　　　　〃Do　you　know　why　the　Hammond　Foundation　supports　so　much　dinosaur　research？〃　Morris　asked。
　　　　〃Of　course。　It's　because　old　John　Hammond　is　a　dinosaur　nut。〃
　　　　〃You've　met　Hammond？〃
　　　　Grant　shrugged。　〃Once　or　twice。　He　es　here　for　brief　visits。　He's　quite　elderly；　you　know。　And　eccentric；　the　way　rich　people　sometimes　are。　But　always　very　enthusiastic。　Why？〃
　　　　〃Well；〃　Morris　said；　〃the　Hammond　Foundation　is　actually　a　rather　mysterious　organization。〃　He　pulled　out　a　Xeroxed　world　map；　marked　with　red　dots；　and　passed　it　to　Grant。　〃These　are　the　digs　the　foundation　financed　last　year。　Notice　anything　odd　about　them？　Montana；　Alaska；　Canada；　Sweden　。　。　。　They're　all　sites　in　the　north。　There's　nothing　below　the　forty…fifth　parallel。〃　Morris　pulled　out　more　maps。　〃It's　the　same；　year　after　year。　Dinosaur　projects　to　the　south；　in　Utah　or　Colorado　or　Mexico；　never　get　funded。　The　Hammond　Foundation　only　supports　cold…weather　digs。　We'd　like　to　know　why。〃
　　　　Grant　shuffled　through　the　maps　quickly。　If　it　was　true　that　the　foundation　only　supported　cold…weather　digs；　then　it　was　strange　behavior；　because　so