Затерянный мир
To-morrow we Disappear into the Unknown
FromthebeginninghehasneverconcealedhisbeliefthatProfessorChallengerisanabsolutefraud,thatweareallembarkeduponanabsurdwild-goosechaseandthatwearelikelytoreapnothingbutdisappointmentanddangerinSouthAmerica,andcorrespondingridiculeinEngland.Sucharetheviewswhich,withmuchpassionatedistortionofhisthinfeaturesandwaggingofhisthin,goat-likebeard,hepouredintoourearsallthewayfromSouthamptontoManaos.Sincelandingfromtheboathehasobtainedsomeconsolationfromthebeautyandvarietyoftheinsectandbirdlifearoundhim,forheisabsolutelywhole-heartedinhisdevotiontoscience.Hespendshisdaysflittingthroughthewoodswithhisshot-gunandhisbutterfly-net,andhiseveningsinmountingthemanyspecimenshehasacquired.Amonghisminorpeculiaritiesarethatheiscarelessastohisattire,uncleaninhisperson,exceedinglyabsent-mindedinhishabits,andaddictedtosmokingashortbriarpipe,whichisseldomoutofhismouth.Hehasbeenuponseveralscientificexpeditionsinhisyouth(hewaswithRobertsoninPapua),andthelifeofthecampandthecanoeisnothingfreshtohim.
LordJohnRoxtonhassomepointsincommonwithProfessorSummerlee,andothersinwhichtheyaretheveryantithesistoeachother.Heistwentyyearsyounger,buthassomethingofthesamespare,scraggyphysique.Astohisappearance,Ihave,asIrecollect,describeditinthatportionofmynarrativewhichIhaveleftbehindmeinLondon.Heisexceedinglyneatandpriminhisways,dressesalwayswithgreatcareinwhitedrillsuitsandhighbrownmosquito-boots,andshavesatleastonceaday.Likemostmenofaction,heislaconicinspeech,andsinksreadilyintohisownthoughts,butheisalwaysquicktoansweraquestionorjoininaconversation,talkinginaqueer,jerky,half-humorousfashion.Hisknowledgeoftheworld,andveryespeciallyofSouthAmerica,issurprising,andhehasawhole-heartedbeliefinthepossibilitiesofourjourneywhichisnottobedashedbythesneersofProfessorSummerlee.
