michael crichton.congo-第25章

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se；　darkening　fog。
　
　
　DAY　6：　LIKO
　June　18；　1979
　
　1。Rain　Forest　
　
　THE　NEXT　MORNING　THEY　ENTERED　THE　HUMID　perpetual　gloom　of　the　Congo　rain　forest。
　Munro　noted　the　return　of　old　feelings　of　oppression　and　claustrophobia；　tinged　with　a　strange；　overpowering　lassitude。　As　a　Congo　mercenary　in　the　1960s；　he　had　avoided　the　jungle　wherever　possible。　Most　military　engagements　had　occurred　in　open　spaces…in　the　Belgian　colonial　towns；　along　riverbanks；　beside　the　red　dirt　roads。　Nobody　wanted　to　fight　in　the　jungle；　the　mercenaries　hated　it；　and　the　superstitious　Sambas　feared　it。　When　the　mercenaries　advanced；　the　rebels　often　fled　into　the　bush；　but　they　never　went　very　far；　and　Munro's　troops　never　pursued　them。　They　just　waited　for　them　to　e　out　again。
　Even　in。　the　1960s　the　jungle　remained　terra　incognita；　…an　unknown　land　with　the　power　to　hold　the　technology　of　mechanized　warfare　beyond　its　periphery。　And　with　good　reason；　Munro　thought。　Men　just　did　not　belong　there。　He　was　not　pleased　to　be　back。
　Elliot；　never　having　been　in　a　rain　forest；　was　fascinated。　The　jungle　was　different　…from　the　way　he　had　imagined　it　to　be。　He　was　totally　unprepared　for　the　scale…the　gigantic　trees　soaring　over　his　head；　the　trunks　as　broad　as　a　house；　the　thick　snaking　moss…covered　roots。　To　move　in　the　vast　space　beneath　these　trees　was　like　being　in　a　very　dark　cathedral：　the　sun　was　pletely　blocked；　and　he　could　not　get　an　exposure　reading　on　his　camera。
　He　had　also　expected　the　jungle　to　be　much　denser　than　it　was。　Their　party　moved　through　it　freely；　in　a　surprising　way　it　seemed　barren　and　silent…there　were　occasional　birdcalls　and　cries　from　monkeys；　but　otherwise　a　profound　stillness　settled　over　them。　And　it　was　oddly　monotonous：　although　he　saw　every　shade　of　green　in　the　foliage　and　the　clinging　creeper　vines；　there　were　few　flowers　or　blooms。　Even　the　occasional　orchids　seemed　pale　and　muted。
　He　had　expected　rotting　decay　at　every　turn；　but　that　was　not　true　either。　The　ground　underfoot　was　often　firm；　and　the　air　had　a　neutral　smell。　But　it　was　incredibly　hot；　and　it　seemed　as　though　everything　was　wet…the　leaves；　the　ground；　the　trunks　of　the　trees；　the　oppressively　still　air　itself；　trapped　under　the　overhanging　trees。
　Elliot　would　have　agreed　with　Stanley's　description　from　a　century　before：　〃Overhead　the　wide…spreading　branches　absolutely　shut　out　the　daylight。　。　We　marched　in　a　feeble　twilight。　。　。　The　dew　dropped　and　pattered　on　us　incessantly。　。　。　Our　clothes　were　heavily　saturated　with　it。
　Perspiration　exuded　from　every　pore；　for　the　atmosphere　was　stifling。　。　。　。　What　a　forbidding　aspect　had　the　Dark　Unknown　which　confronted　us！〃
　Because　Elliot　had　looked　forward　to　his　first　experience　of　the　equatorial　African　rain　forest；　he　was　surprised　at　how　quickly　he　felt　oppressed…and　how　soon　he　entertained　thoughts　of　leaving　again。　Yet　the　tropical　rain　forests　had　spawned　most　new　life　forms；　including　man。　The　jungle　was　not　one　uniform　environment　but　many　different　microenvironments；　arranged　vertically　like　a　layer　cake。　Each　microenvironment　supported　a　bewildering　profusion　of　plant　and　animal　life；　but　there　were　typically　few　members　of　each　species。　The　tropical　jungle　supported　four　times　as　many　species　of　animal　life　as　a　parable　temperate　forest。　As　he　walked　through　the　forest；　Elliot　found　himself　thinking　of　it　as　an　enormous　hot；　dark　womb；　a　place　where　new　species　were　nourished　in　unchanging　conditions　until　they　were　ready　to　migrate　out　to　the　harsher　and　more　variable　temperate　zones。　That　was　the　way　it　had　been　for　millions　of　years。
　
　Amy's　behavior　immediately　changed　as　she　entered　the　vast　humid　darkness　of　her　original　home。　In　retrospect；　Elliot　believed　he　could　have　predicted　her　reaction；　had　he　Thought　it　through　clearly。
　Amy　no　longer　kept　up　with　the　group。
　She　insisted　on　foraging　along　the　trail；　pausing　to　sit　and　chew　tender　shoots　and　grasses。　She　could　not　be　budged　or　hurried；　and　ignored　Elliot's　requests　that　she　stay　with　them。　She　ate　lazily；　a　pleasant；　rather　vacant　expression　on　her　face。　In　shafts　of　sunlight；　she　would　lie　on　her　back；　and　belch；　and　sigh　contentedly。
　〃What　the　hell　is　this　all　about？〃　Ross　asked；　annoyed。　They　were　not　making　good　time。
　〃She's　bee　a　gorilla　again；〃　Elliot　said。　〃Gorillas　are　vegetarians；　and　they　spend　nearly　all　day　eating；　they're　large　animals；　and　they　need　a　lot　of　food。〃　Amy　had　immediately　reverted　to　these　traits。
　〃Well；　can't　you　make　her　keep　up　with　us？〃
　〃I'm　trying。　She　won't　pay　attention　to　me。〃　And　he　knew　why…Amy　was　finally　back　in　a　world　where　Peter　Elliot　was　irrelevant；　where　she　herself　could　find　food　and　security　and　shelter；　and　everything　else　that　she　wanted。
　〃School's　out；〃　Munro　said；　summarizing　the　situation。　But　he　had　a　solution。　〃Leave　her；〃　he　said　crisply；　and　he　led　the　party　onward。　He　took　Elliot　firmly　by　the　elbow。　〃Don't　look　back；〃　he　said。　〃Just　walk　on。　Ignore　her。〃
　They　continued　for　several　minutes　in　silence。　Elliot　said；　〃She　may　not　follow　us。〃　〃e；　e；　Professor；〃　Munro　said。　〃I　thought　you　knew　about　gorillas。〃
　〃I　do；〃　Elliot　said。
　〃Then　you　know　there　are　none　in　this　part　of　the　rain　forest。〃
　Elliot　nodded；　he　had　seen　no　nests　or　spoor。　〃But　she　has　everything　she　needs　here。〃
　〃Not　everything；〃　Munro　said。　〃Not　without　other　gorillas　around。〃
　Like　all　higher　primates；　gorillas　were　social　animals。　They　lived　in　a　group；　and　they　were　not　fortable…or　safe…in　isolation。　In　fact；　most　primatologists　assumed　that　there　was　a　need　for　social　contact　as　strongly　perceived　as　hunger；　thirst；　or　fatigue。
　〃We're　her　troop；〃　Munro　said。　〃She　won't　let　us　get　far。〃
　Several　minutes　later；　Amy　came　crashing　through　the　underbrush　fifty　yards　ahead。　She　watched　the　group；　and　glared　at　Peter。
　〃Now　e　here；　Amy；〃　Munro　said；　〃and　I'll　tickle　you。〃　Amy　bounded　up　and　lay　on　her　back　in　front　of　him。　Munro　tickled　her。
　〃You　see；　Professor？　Nothing　to　it。〃
　Amy　never　strayed　far　from　the　group　again。
　
　If　Elliot　had　an　unfortable　sense　of　the　rain　forest　as　the　natural　domain　of　his　own　animal；　Karen　Ross　viewed　it　in　terms　of　earth　resources…in　which　it　was　poor。　She　was　not　fooled　by　the　luxuriant；　oversized　vegetation；　which　she　knew　represented　an　extraordinarily　efficient　ecosystem　built　in　virtually　barren　soil。*
　The　developing　nations　of　the　world　did　not　understand　this　fact；　once　cleared；　the　jungle　soil　yielded　disappointing　crops。　Yet　the　rain　forests　were　being　cleared　at　the　incredible　rate　of　fifty　acres　a　minute；　day　and　night。　The　rain　forests　of　the　world　had　circled　the　equator　in　a　green　belt　for　at　least　sixty　million　years…but　man　would　have　cleared　them　within　twenty　years。
　This　widespread　destruction　had　caused　some　alarm　Ross　did　not　share。　She　doubted　that　the　world　climate　would　change　or　the　atmospheric　oxygen　be　reduced。　Ross　was　not　an　alarmist；　and　not　impressed　by　the　calculations　of　those　who　were。　The　only　reason　she　felt　uneasy　was　that　the　forest　was　so　little　understood。　A　clearing　rate　of　fifty　acres　a　minute　meant　that　plant　and　animal　species　were　being　extinct　at　the　incredible　rate　of　one　species　per　hour。　Life　forms　that　had　evolved　for　millions　of　years　were　being　wiped　out　every　few　minutes；　and　no　one　could　predict　the　consequences　of　this　stupendous　rate　of　destruction。　The　extinction　of　species　was　proceeding　much　faster　than　anybody　recognized；　and　the　publicized　lists　of　〃endangered〃　species　told　only　a　fraction　of　the　story；　the　disaster　extended　all　the　way　down　the　animal　phyla　to　insects；　worms；　and　mosses。
　
　*　The　rain　forest　ecosystem　is　an　energy　utilization　plex　far　more　efficient　than　any　energy　conversion　system　developed　by　man。　See　C。　F。　Higgins　et　at。；　Energy　Resources　and　Ecosystem　Utilization　（Englewood　Cliffs；　N。J。　Prentice　Hall；　1977）。　pp。　232…255。
　
　The　reality　was　that　entire　ecosystems　were　being　destroyed　by　man　without　a　care　or　a　backward　glance。　And　these　ecosystems　were　for　the　most　part　mysterious；　poorly　understood。　Karen　Ross　felt　herself　plunged　into　a　world　entirely　different　from　the　exploitable　world　of　mineral　resources；　this　was　an　environment　in　which　plant　life　reigned　supreme。　It　was　no　wonder；　she　thought；　that　the　Egyptians　called　this　the　Land　of　Trees。　The　rain　forest　provided　a　hothouse　environment　for　plant　life；　an　environment　in　which　gigantic　plants　were　much　superior　to…and　much　favored　over…mammals；　including　the　insignificant　human　mammals　who　were　now　picking　their　way　through　its　perpetual　darkness。
　
　The　Kikuyu　porters　had　an　immediate　reaction　to　the　forest：　they　began　to　laugh　and　joke　and　make　as　much　noise　as　possible。　Ross　said　to　Kahega；　〃They　certainly　are　jolly。〃
　〃Oh；　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃They　are　warning。〃
　〃Warning？〃
　Kahega　explained　that　the　men　made　noise　to　warn　off　the　buffalo　and　leopards。　And　the　tembo；　he　added；　pointing　to　the　trail。
　〃Is　this　a　tembo　trail？〃　she　asked。
　Kahega　nodded。
　〃The　tembo　live　nearby？〃
　Kahega　laughed。　〃I　hope　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃Tembo。　Elephant。〃
　〃So　this　is　a　game　trail。　Will　we　see　elephants？〃
　〃Maybe　yes；　maybe　no；〃　Kahega　said。　〃I　hope　no。　They　are　very　big；　elephants。〃
　There　was　no　arguing　with　his　logic。　Ross　said；　〃They　tell　me　these　are　your　brothers；〃　nodding　down　the　line　of　porters。
　〃Yes；　they　are　my　brothers。〃
　〃Ah。〃
　〃But　you　mean　that　my　brothers；　we　have　the　same　mother？〃
　〃Yes；　you　have　the　same　mother。〃
　〃No；〃　Kahega　said。
　Ross　was　confused。　'You　are　not　real　brothers？〃
　〃Yes；　we　are　real　brothers。　But　we　do　not　have　the　same　mother。〃
　〃Then　why　are　you　brothers？〃
　〃Because　we　live　in　the　same　village。〃
　〃With　your　father　and　mother？〃
　Kahega　looked　shocked。　〃No；〃　he　said　emphatically。　〃Not　the　same　village。〃
　〃A　different　village；　then？〃
　〃Yes；　of　course…we　are　Kikuyu。〃
　Ross　was　perplexed。　Kahega　laughed。
　
　Kahega　offered　to　carry　the　electronic　equipment　that　Ross　had　slung　over　her　shoulder；　but　she　declined。　Ross　was　obliged　to　try　and　link　up　with　Houston　at　intervals　throughout　the　day；　and　at　noon　she　found　a　clear　window；　probably　because　the　consortium　jamming　operator　took　a　break　for　lunch。　She　managed　to　link　through　and　register　another　Field　Time…Position。
　The　console　read：
　 FILD　TME…POSITN　CHEK…10：03　H
　They　had　lost　nearly　an　hour　since　the　previous　check　the　night　before。　〃We've　got　to　go　fester；〃　she　told　Munro。
　〃Perhaps　you'd　prefer　to　jog；〃　Munro　said。　〃Very　good　exercise。〃　And　then；　because　he　decided　he　was　being　too　hard　on　her；　he　added；　〃A　lot　can　happen　between　here　and　Virunga。〃
　They　heard　the　distant　growl　of　thunder　and　minutes　later　were　drenched　in　a　torrential　rain；　the　drops　so　dense　and　heavy　that　they　actually　hurt。　The　rain　fell　solidly　for　the　next　hour；　then　stopped　as　abruptly　as　it　had　begun。　They　were　all　soaked　and　miserable；　and　when　Munro　called　a　halt　for　food；　Ross　did　not　protest。
　Amy　promptly　went　off　into　the　forest　to　forage；　the　porters　cooked　curried　meat　gravy　on　rice；　Munro；　Ross；　and
　Elliot　burned　leeches　off　their　legs　with　cigarettes。　The　leeches　were　swollen　with　blood。　〃I　didn't　even　notice　them；〃　Ross　sa