Затерянный мир
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
ThepeacefulpenetrationofMapleWhiteLandwasthepressingsubjectbeforeus.Wehadtheevidenceofourowneyesthattheplacewasinhabitedbysomeunknowncreatures,andtherewasthatofMapleWhite’ssketch-booktoshowthatmoredreadfulandmoredangerousmonstersmightstillappear.Thattheremightalsoprovetobehumanoccupantsandthattheywereofamalevolentcharacterwassuggestedbytheskeletonimpaleduponthebamboos,whichcouldnothavegottherehaditnotbeendroppedfromabove.Oursituation,strandedwithoutpossibilityofescapeinsuchaland,wasclearlyfullofdanger,andourreasonsendorsedeverymeasureofcautionwhichLordJohn’sexperiencecouldsuggest.Yetitwassurelyimpossiblethatweshouldhaltontheedgeofthisworldofmysterywhenourverysoulsweretinglingwithimpatiencetopushforwardandtoplucktheheartfromit.
Wethereforeblockedtheentrancetoourzarebabyfillingitupwithseveralthornybushes,andleftourcampwiththestoresentirelysurroundedbythisprotectinghedge.Wethenslowlyandcautiouslysetforthintotheunknown,followingthecourseofthelittlestreamwhichflowedfromourspring,asitshouldalwaysserveusasaguideonourreturn.
Hardlyhadwestartedwhenwecameacrosssignsthattherewereindeedwondersawaitingus.
