Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
HaveInotsaidthatIwasagay-hearted,golden,beardedgiantofanirresponsibleboythathadnevergrownup?Withscarceapang,whentheSparwehrs’water-caskswerefilled,IleftRaaKookandhispleasantland,leftLei-Leiandallherflower-garlandedsisters,andwithlaughteronmylipsandfamiliarship-smellssweetinmynostrils,sailedaway,sea-cunyoncemore,underCaptainJohannesMaartens.
Amarvellouswandering,thatwhichfollowedontheoldSparwehr.Wewereinquestofnewlandsofsilkandspices.Intruth,wefoundfevers,violentdeaths,pestilentialparadiseswheredeathandbeautykeptcharnel-housetogether.ThatoldJohannesMaartens,withnohintofromanceinthatstolidfaceandgrizzlysquareheadofhis,soughttheislandsofSolomon,theminesofGolconda—ay,hesoughtoldlostAtlantiswhichhehopedtofindstillafloatunscuppered.Andhefoundhead-hunting,tree-dwellinganthropophagiinstead.
Welandedonstrangeislands,sea-poundedontheirshoresandsmokingattheirsummits,wherekinky-hairedlittleanimal-menmademonkey-wailingsinthejungle,plantedtheirforestrun-wayswiththornsandstake-pits,andblewpoisonedsplintersintousfromoutthetwilightjunglebush.Andwhatsoevermanofuswaswasp-stungbysuchasplinterdiedhorriblyandhowling.
