Ностромо
Chapter 8
TheIndianboysleanedidlyagainstthelonglineoflittlecradlewagonsstandingempty;thescreenersandore-breakerssquattedontheirheelssmokinglongcigars;thegreatwoodenshootsslantingovertheedgeofthetunnelplateauweresilent;andonlytheceaseless,violentrushofwaterintheopenflumescouldbeheard,murmuringfiercely,withthesplashandrumbleofrevolvingturbine-wheels,andthethuddingmarchofthestampspoundingtopowderthetreasurerockontheplateaubelow.Theheadsofgangs,distinguishedbybrassmedalshangingontheirbarebreasts,marshalledtheirsquads;andatlastthemountainwouldswallowone-halfofthesilentcrowd,whiletheotherhalfwouldmoveoffinlongfilesdownthezigzagpathsleadingtothebottomofthegorge.Itwasdeep;and,farbelow,athreadofvegetationwindingbetweentheblazingrockfacesresembledaslendergreencord,inwhichthreelumpyknotsofbananapatches,palm-leafroots,andshadytreesmarkedtheVillageOne,VillageTwo,VillageThree,housingtheminersoftheGouldConcession.
WholefamilieshadbeenmovingfromthefirsttowardsthespotintheHiguerotarange,whencetherumourofworkandsafetyhadspreadoverthepastoralCampo,forcingitswayalso,evenasthewatersofahighflood,intothenooksandcranniesofthedistantbluewallsoftheSierras.
