When he had told him, Glenarvan said,—
"Could you not explain to him the object of our expedition, and why we must always proceed toward the east?"
"That would be very difficult," answered Paganel, "for an Indian understands nothing of geography."
"But," said the major seriously, "is it the history, or the historian, that he cannot understand?"
"Ah, MacNabb," said Paganel, "you still doubt my Spanish!"
"Try, my worthy friend."
"Very well."
Paganel turned to the Patagonian, and began a discourse, frequently interrupted for want of words and from the difficulty of explaining to a half-ignorant savage details which were rather incomprehensible to him.
The geographer was just then a curious sight. He gesticulated, articulated, and exerted himself in a hundred ways, while great drops of sweat rolled down his face. When his tongue could no longer move, his arm came to his aid. He dismounted, and traced on the sand a geographical map, with lines of latitude and longitude, the two oceans, and the road to Carmen. Never was professor in such embarrassment. Thalcave watched these manœuvres without showing whether he comprehended or not.
The lesson in geography lasted more than half an hour. At last Paganel ceased, wiped his face, which was wet with perspiration, and looked at the Patagonian.