Затерянный мир
For once I was the Hero
IhavedweltuptonowupontheterrorsofMapleWhiteLand;buttherewasanothersidetothesubject,forallthatmorningwewanderedamonglovelyflowers—mostly,asIobserved,whiteoryellowincolor,thesebeing,asourprofessorsexplained,theprimitiveflower-shades.Inmanyplacesthegroundwasabsolutelycoveredwiththem,andaswewalkedankle-deeponthatwonderfulyieldingcarpet,thescentwasalmostintoxicatinginitssweetnessandintensity.ThehomelyEnglishbeebuzzedeverywherearoundus.Manyofthetreesunderwhichwepassedhadtheirbranchesboweddownwithfruit,someofwhichwereoffamiliarsorts,whileothervarietieswerenew.Byobservingwhichofthemwerepeckedbythebirdsweavoidedalldangerofpoisonandaddedadeliciousvarietytoourfoodreserve.Inthejunglewhichwetraversedwerenumeroushard-troddenpathsmadebythewildbeasts,andinthemoremarshyplaceswesawaprofusionofstrangefootmarks,includingmanyoftheiguanodon.Onceinagroveweobservedseveralofthesegreatcreaturesgrazing,andLordJohn,withhisglass,wasabletoreportthattheyalsowerespottedwithasphalt,thoughinadifferentplacetotheonewhichwehadexaminedinthemorning.Whatthisphenomenonmeantwecouldnotimagine.
Wesawmanysmallanimals,suchasporcupines,ascalyant-eater,andawildpig,piebaldincolorandwithlongcurvedtusks.
