Пятнадцатилетний капитан

Some of Dick Sand’s Notes

           Twentysoldiershavetornsomebranchesfromresinoustreeswhosebrancheswereabovewater.Lividlightsinthedarkness.

           ThisisthecauseofthecriesIheard.Anattackofcrocodiles;twelveorfifteenofthosemonstershavethrownthemselvesinthedarknessontheflankofthecaravan.

           Womenandchildrenhavebeenseizedandcarriedawaybythecrocodilestotheir"pasturelands"soLivingstonecallsthosedeepholeswherethisamphibiousanimaldepositsitsprey,afterhavingdrownedit,foritonlyeatsitwhenithasreachedacertaindegreeofdecomposition.

           Ihavebeenrudelygrazedbythescalesofoneofthesecrocodiles.Anadultslavehasbeenseizednearmeandtornfromtheforkthatheldhimbytheneck.Theforkwasbroken.Whatacryofdespair!Whatahowlofgrief!Ihearitstill!

           May7thand8th.Thenextdaytheycountthevictims.Twentyslaveshavedisappeared.

           AtdaybreakIlookforTomandhiscompanions.Godbepraised!theyareliving.Alas!oughtItopraiseGod?Isonenothappiertobedonewithallthismisery!

           Tomisattheheadoftheconvoy.AtamomentwhenhissonBatmadeaturn,theforkwaspresentedobliquely,andTomwasabletoseeme.

           IsearchinvainforoldNan.Issheinthecentralgroup?orhassheperishedduringthatfrightfulnight?

           Thenextday,passedthelimitoftheinundatedplain,aftertwenty-fourhoursinthewater.Wehaltonahill.Thesundriesusalittle.Weeat,butwhatmiserablefood!Alittletapioca,afewhandfulsofmaize.Nothingbutthetroubledwatertodrink.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 320 из 464