Затерянный мир
Who could have Foreseen it?
Theirheight,asweapproachedthem,seemedtomeinsomeplacestobegreaterthanhehadstated—runningupinpartstoatleastathousandfeet—andtheywerecuriouslystriated,inamannerwhichis,Ibelieve,characteristicofbasalticupheavals.SomethingofthesortistobeseeninSalisburyCragsatEdinburgh.Thesummitshowedeverysignofaluxuriantvegetation,withbushesneartheedge,andfartherbackmanyhightrees.Therewasnoindicationofanylifethatwecouldsee.
Thatnightwepitchedourcampimmediatelyunderthecliff—amostwildanddesolatespot.Thecragsaboveuswerenotmerelyperpendicular,butcurvedoutwardsatthetop,sothatascentwasoutofthequestion.ClosetouswasthehighthinpinnacleofrockwhichIbelieveImentionedearlierinthisnarrative.Itislikeabroadredchurchspire,thetopofitbeinglevelwiththeplateau,butagreatchasmgapingbetween.Onthesummitofittheregrewonehightree.Bothpinnacleandcliffwerecomparativelylow—somefiveorsixhundredfeet,Ishouldthink.
"Itwasonthat,"saidProfessorChallenger,pointingtothistree,"thatthepterodactylwasperched.Iclimbedhalf-wayuptherockbeforeIshothim.Iaminclinedtothinkthatagoodmountaineerlikemyselfcouldascendtherocktothetop,thoughhewould,ofcourse,benonearertotheplateauwhenhehaddoneso."
