CHAPTER V
THE GREAT AQUEDUCT
The Birmingham reservoirs are a chain of lakes artificially produced bydamming up the River Elan, a tributary of the Wye. The great aqueductwhich carries the water from the Elan, eighty miles across country,travelling through hills and bridging valleys, runs past Ludlow andCleobury Mortimer, through the Wyre Forest to Kidderminster, and on toBirmingham itself through Frankley, where there is a large storagereservoir from which the water is distributed.
The scenery was bleak and desolate. Before us the sun was sinking in aflood of crimson light. We walked briskly, the long legs of the Russiancarrying him swiftly over the uneven ground while I trotted beside him.Before the last rays of the sun had died away we saw the black outlineof the Caban Loch dam before us, and caught the sheen of water beyond.On the north lay the river Elan and on the south the steep side of amountain towered up against the luminous sky. The road runs along theleft bank of the river bounded by a series of bold and abrupt crags thatrise to a height of some eight hundred feet above the level of thewater. Just below the Caban Dam is a house occupied by an inspector incharge of the gauge apparatus that is used to measure the outflow ofwater from the huge natural reservoirs. The lights from his housetwinkled through the growing darkness as we drew near, and we skirted itby a short detour and pressed on.
"How long does water take to get from here to Birmingham?" askedSarakoff as we climbed up to the edge of the first lake.
"It travels about a couple of miles an hour," I replied. "So that meansabout a day and a half."
We spoke in low voices, for we were afraid of detection. The presence oftwo visitors at that hour might well have attracted attention.
"A day and a half! Then the bacillus has a long journey to take." Hestopped at the margin of the water and stared across the shadowy lake."Yes, it has a long journey to take, for it will go round the wholeworld."
The last glow in the sky tinted the calm sheet of water a deep bloodcolour. Sarakoff opened his bag and took out a couple of tubes.
He pulled the cotton-wool plugs out of the tubes, and with a long wire,loosened the gelatinous contents. Then, inverting the tubes he flungthem into the lake close to the beginning of the huge aqueduct.
I stared as the tubes vanished from sight, feeling that it was too lateto regret what had now been done, for nothing could collect thosemillions of bacilli, that had been set free in the water. Already someof them had perhaps entered the dark cavernous mouth of the firstculvert to start on their slow journey to Birmingham. The light fadedfrom the sky and darkness spread swiftly over the lake. Sarakoff emptiedthe remaining tubes calmly and then turned his footsteps in thedirection of Rhayader. I waited a moment longer in the deep silence ofthat lonely spot; and then with a shiver followed my friend. Thebacillus had been let loose on the world.