Хребты безумия
V
ThesethingshadcomefromMesozoicgymnospermsandconifers—especiallyCretaceouscycads—andfromfanpalmsandearlyangiospermsofplainlyTertiarydate. NothingdefinitelylaterthanthePliocenecouldbediscovered. Intheplacingoftheseshutters—whoseedgesshowedtheformerpresenceofqueerandlong-vanishedhinges—usageseemedtobevaried—somebeingontheouterandsomeontheinnersideofthedeepembrasures. Theyseemedtohavebecomewedgedinplace,thussurvivingtherustingoftheirformerandprobablymetallicfixturesandfastenings.
Afteratimewecameacrossarowofwindows—inthebulgesofacolossalfive-edgedconeofundamagedapex—whichledintoavast,well-preservedroomwithstoneflooring;buttheseweretoohighintheroomtopermitdescentwithoutarope. Wehadaropewithus,butdidnotwishtobotherwiththistwenty-footdropunlessobligedto—especiallyinthisthinplateauairwheregreatdemandsweremadeupontheheartaction. Thisenormousroomwasprobablyahallorconcourseofsomesort,andourelectrictorchesshowedbold,distinct,andpotentiallystartlingsculpturesarrangedroundthewallsinbroad,horizontalbandsseparatedbyequallybroadstripsofconventionalarabesques. Wetookcarefulnoteofthisspot,planningtoenterhereunlessamoreeasilygainedinteriorwereencountered.
Finally,though,wedidencounterexactlytheopeningwewished;anarchwayaboutsixfeetwideandtenfeethigh,markingtheformerendofanaerialbridgewhichhadspannedanalleyaboutfivefeetabovethepresentlevelofglaciation. Thesearchways,ofcourse,wereflushwithupper-storyfloors,andinthiscaseoneofthefloorsstillexisted.
