20000 лье под водой

Chapter 20. The Torres Strait

           Aftercrossingaratherlargeprairie,wearrivedattheskirtsofalittlewoodthatwasenlivenedbythesongsandflightofalargenumberofbirds.

           "Thereareonlybirds,"saidConseil.

           "Buttheyareeatable,"repliedtheharpooner.

           "Idonotagreewithyou,friendNed,forIseeonlyparrotsthere."

           "FriendConseil,"saidNed,gravely,"theparrotislikepheasanttothosewhohavenothingelse."

           "And,"Iadded,"thisbird,suitablyprepared,isworthknifeandfork."

           Indeed,underthethickfoliageofthiswood,aworldofparrotswereflyingfrombranchtobranch,onlyneedingacarefuleducationtospeakthehumanlanguage.Forthemoment,theywerechatteringwithparrotsofallcolours,andgravecockatoos,whoseemedtomeditateuponsomephilosophicalproblem,whilstbrilliantredloriespassedlikeapieceofbuntingcarriedawaybythebreeze,papuans,withthefinestazurecolours,andinallavarietyofwingedthingsmostcharmingtobehold,butfeweatable.

           However,abirdpeculiartotheselands,andwhichhasneverpassedthelimitsoftheArrowandPapuanislands,waswantinginthiscollection.Butfortunereserveditformebeforelong.

           Afterpassingthroughamoderatelythickcopse,wefoundaplainobstructedwithbushes.Isawthenthosemagnificentbirds,thedispositionofwhoselongfeathersobligesthemtoflyagainstthewind.Theirundulatingflight,gracefulaerialcurves,andtheshadingoftheircolours,attractedandcharmedone’slooks.Ihadnotroubleinrecognisingthem.

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