Затерянный мир
Our Eyes have seen Great Wonders
Thisisachartofthecaves.What!Eighteenofthemallinarow,someshort,somedeep,somebranching,sameaswesawthem.It’samap,andhere’sacrossonit.What’sthecrossfor?Itisplacedtomarkonethatismuchdeeperthantheothers."
"Onethatgoesthrough,"Icried.
"Ibelieveouryoungfriendhasreadtheriddle,"saidChallenger."IfthecavedoesnotgothroughIdonotunderstandwhythisperson,whohaseveryreasontomeanuswell,shouldhavedrawnourattentiontoit.Butifitdoesgothroughandcomesoutatthecorrespondingpointontheotherside,weshouldnothavemorethanahundredfeettodescend."
"Ahundredfeet!"grumbledSummerlee.
"Well,ourropeisstillmorethanahundredfeetlong,"Icried."Surelywecouldgetdown."
"HowabouttheIndiansinthecave?"Summerleeobjected.
"TherearenoIndiansinanyofthecavesaboveourheads,"saidI."Theyareallusedasbarnsandstore-houses.Whyshouldwenotgoupnowatonceandspyouttheland?"
Thereisadrybituminouswoodupontheplateau—aspeciesofaraucaria,accordingtoourbotanist—whichisalwaysusedbytheIndiansfortorches.Eachofuspickedupafaggotofthis,andwemadeourwayupweed-coveredstepstotheparticularcavewhichwasmarkedinthedrawing.Itwas,asIhadsaid,empty,saveforagreatnumberofenormousbats,whichflappedroundourheadsasweadvancedintoit.
