Діти капітана Гранта

Wealth in the Wilderness

           Itwasarepulsive-lookinganimal,afootandahalflong,but,asPaganelchancedtokillit,ofcoursehethoughtitcharming.

           "Anadorablecreature,"hecalledit.

           Butthemostinterestingeventoftheday,byfar,wasthekangaroohunt.Aboutfouro’clock,thedogsrousedatroopofthesecuriousmarsupials.Thelittleonesretreatedprecipitatelyintothematernalpouch,andallthetroopdecampedinfile.Nothingcouldbemoreastonishingthantheenormousboundsofthekangaroo.Thehindlegsoftheanimalaretwiceaslongasthefrontones,andunbendlikeaspring.Attheheadoftheflyingtroopwasamalefivefeethigh,amagnificentspecimenofthemacropusgiganteus,an"oldman,"asthebushmensay.

           Forfourorfivemilesthechasewasvigorouslypursued.Thekangaroosshowednosignsofweariness,andthedogs,whohadreasonenoughtofeartheirstrongpawsandsharpnails,didnotcaretoapproachthem.Butatlast,wornoutwiththerace,thetroopstopped,andthe"oldman"leanedagainstthetrunkofatree,readytodefendhimself.Oneofthepointers,carriedawaybyexcitement,wentuptohim.Nextminutetheunfortunatebeastleapedintotheair,andfelldownagaincompletelyrippedup.

           Thewholepack,indeed,wouldhavehadlittlechancewiththesepowerfulmarsupia.Theyhadtodispatchthefellowwithrifles.Nothingbutballscouldbringdownthegiganticanimal.

           Justatthismoment,Robertwaswellnighthevictimofhisownimprudence.

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