Затерянный мир
Who could have Foreseen it?
Somuchwehavegainedbythisclearvisionofourfirstpterodactyl.Itwasworthastolensuppertobringtwosuchmentogether.
Butifprehistoriclifeexistedupontheplateauitwasnotsuperabundant,forwehadnofurtherglimpseofitduringthenextthreedays.Duringthistimewetraversedabarrenandforbiddingcountry,whichalternatedbetweenstonydesertanddesolatemarshesfullofmanywild-fowl,uponthenorthandeastofthecliffs.Fromthatdirectiontheplaceisreallyinaccessible,and,wereitnotforahardishledgewhichrunsattheverybaseoftheprecipice,weshouldhavehadtoturnback.Manytimeswewereuptoourwaistsintheslimeandblubberofanold,semi-tropicalswamp.Tomakemattersworse,theplaceseemedtobeafavoritebreeding-placeoftheJaracacasnake,themostvenomousandaggressiveinSouthAmerica.Againandagainthesehorriblecreaturescamewrithingandspringingtowardsusacrossthesurfaceofthisputridbog,anditwasonlybykeepingourshot-gunsforeverreadythatwecouldfeelsafefromthem.Onefunnel-shapeddepressioninthemorass,ofalividgreenincolorfromsomelichenwhichfesteredinit,willalwaysremainasanightmarememoryinmymind.Itseemstohavebeenaspecialnestofthesevermins,andtheslopeswerealivewiththem,allwrithinginourdirection,foritisapeculiarityoftheJaracacathathewillalwaysattackmanatfirstsight.Thereweretoomanyforustoshoot,sowefairlytooktoourheelsandranuntilwewereexhausted.
