Хребты безумия

           OfthelifeoftheOldOnes,bothundertheseaandafterpartofthemmigratedtoland,volumescouldbewritten. Thoseinshallowwaterhadcontinuedthefullestuseoftheeyesattheendsoftheirfivemainheadtentacles,andhadpracticedtheartsofsculptureandofwritinginquitetheusualway—thewritingaccomplishedwithastylusonwaterproofwaxensurfaces. Thoselowerdownintheoceandepths,thoughtheyusedacuriousphosphorescentorganismtofurnishlight,piecedouttheirvisionwithobscurespecialsensesoperatingthroughtheprismaticciliaontheirheads—senseswhichrenderedalltheOldOnespartlyindependentoflightinemergencies. Theirformsofsculptureandwritinghadchangedcuriouslyduringthedescent,embodyingcertainapparentlychemicalcoatingprocesses—probablytosecurephosphorescence—whichthebas-reliefscouldnotmakecleartous. Thebeingsmovedintheseapartlybyswimming—usingthelateralcrinoidarms—andpartlybywrigglingwiththelowertieroftentaclescontainingthepseudofeet. Occasionallytheyaccomplishedlongswoopswiththeauxiliaryuseoftwoormoresetsoftheirfanlikefoldingwings. Onlandtheylocallyusedthepseudofeet,butnowandthenflewtogreatheightsoroverlongdistanceswiththeirwings. Themanyslendertentaclesintowhichthecrinoidarmsbranchedwereinfinitelydelicate,flexible,strong,andaccurateinmuscular-nervouscoordination—ensuringtheutmostskillanddexterityinallartisticandothermanualoperations. 

           Thetoughnessofthethingswasalmostincredible. Eventheterrificpressureofthedeepestseabottomsappearedpowerlesstoharmthem. Veryfewseemedtodieatallexceptbyviolence,andtheirburialplaceswereverylimited.