Затерянный мир
Who could have Foreseen it?
Presentlythisinclinebecameevensteeper,andwefoundourselvesclimbinguponhandsandkneesamonglooserubblewhichslidfrombeneathus.SuddenlyanexclamationbrokefromLordRoxton.
"It’sblocked!"saidhe.
Clusteringbehindhimwesawintheyellowfieldoflightawallofbrokenbasaltwhichextendedtotheceiling.
"Theroofhasfallenin!"
Invainwedraggedoutsomeofthepieces.Theonlyeffectwasthatthelargeronesbecamedetachedandthreatenedtorolldownthegradientandcrushus.Itwasevidentthattheobstaclewasfarbeyondanyeffortswhichwecouldmaketoremoveit.TheroadbywhichMapleWhitehadascendedwasnolongeravailable.
Toomuchcastdowntospeak,westumbleddownthedarktunnelandmadeourwaybacktothecamp.
Oneincidentoccurred,however,beforeweleftthegorge,whichisofimportanceinviewofwhatcameafterwards.
Wehadgatheredinalittlegroupatthebottomofthechasm,somefortyfeetbeneaththemouthofthecave,whenahugerockrolledsuddenlydownwards—andshotpastuswithtremendousforce.Itwasthenarrowestescapeforoneorallofus.Wecouldnotourselvesseewhencetherockhadcome,butourhalf-breedservants,whowerestillattheopeningofthecave,saidthatithadflownpastthem,andmustthereforehavefallenfromthesummit.Lookingupwards,wecouldseenosignofmovementaboveusamidstthegreenjunglewhichtoppedthecliff.
