Путешествие на Луну
Stones Hill
OnanearerapproachBarbicanefoundhimselfinviewofalow,flatcountryofsomewhatbarrenaspect.Aftercoastingalongaseriesofcreeksaboundinginlobstersandoysters,theTampicoenteredthebayofEspirituSanto,whereshefinallyanchoredinasmallnaturalharbor,formedbytheembouchureoftheRiverHillisborough,atsevenP.M.,onthe22dofOctober.
Ourfourpassengersdisembarkedatonce."Gentlemen,"saidBarbicane,"wehavenotimetolose;tomorrowwemustobtainhorses,andproceedtoreconnoiterthecountry."
BarbicanehadscarcelysethisfootonshorewhenthreethousandoftheinhabitantsofTampaTowncameforthtomeethim,anhonorduetothepresidentwhohadsignalizedtheircountrybyhischoice.
Declining,however,everykindofovation,BarbicaneensconcedhimselfinaroomoftheFranklinHotel.
OnthemorrowsomeofthesmallhorsesoftheSpanishbreed,fullofvigorandoffire,stoodsnortingunderhiswindows;butinsteadoffoursteeds,herewerefifty,togetherwiththeirriders.Barbicanedescendedwithhisthreefellow-travelers;andmuchastonishedweretheyalltofindthemselvesinthemidstofsuchacavalcade.Heremarkedthateveryhorsemancarriedacarbineslungacrosshisshouldersandpistolsinhisholsters.
Onexpressinghissurpriseatthesepreparations,hewasspeedilyenlightenedbyayoungFloridan,whoquietlysaid:
"Sir,thereareSeminolesthere."
"WhatdoyoumeanbySeminoles?"
"Savageswhoscourtheprairies.Wethoughtitbest,therefore,toescortyouonyourroad."
