Знак четырех
VIII. The Baker Street Irregulars
Theselittledarts,too,couldonlybeshotinoneway.Theyarefromablow-pipe.Now,then,wherearewetofindoursavage?”
“SouthAmerican,”Ihazarded.
Hestretchedhishandup,andtookdownabulkyvolumefromtheshelf.“Thisisthefirstvolumeofagazetteerwhichisnowbeingpublished.Itmaybelookeduponastheverylatestauthority.Whathavewehere?‘AndamanIslands,situated340milestothenorthofSumatra,intheBayofBengal.’Hum!hum!What’sallthis?Moistclimate,coralreefs,sharks,PortBlair,convict-barracks,RutlandIsland,cottonwoods—Ah,hereweare.‘TheaboriginesoftheAndamanIslandsmayperhapsclaimthedistinctionofbeingthesmallestraceuponthisearth,thoughsomeanthropologistsprefertheBushmenofAfrica,theDiggerIndiansofAmerica,andtheTerradelFuegians.Theaverageheightisratherbelowfourfeet,althoughmanyfull-grownadultsmaybefoundwhoareverymuchsmallerthanthis.Theyareafierce,morose,andintractablepeople,thoughcapableofformingmostdevotedfriendshipswhentheirconfidencehasoncebeengained.’Markthat,Watson.Now,then,listentothis.‘Theyarenaturallyhideous,havinglarge,misshapenheads,small,fierceeyes,anddistortedfeatures.Theirfeetandhands,however,areremarkablysmall.SointractableandfiercearetheythatalltheeffortsoftheBritishofficialhavefailedtowinthemoverinanydegree.Theyhavealwaysbeenaterrortoshipwreckedcrews,brainingthesurvivorswiththeirstone-headedclubs,orshootingthemwiththeirpoisonedarrows
