Затерянный мир
The Outlying Pickets of the New World
LastnightChallengersaidthathenevercaredtowalkontheThamesEmbankmentandlookuptheriver,asitwasalwayssadtoseeone’sowneventualgoal.Heisconvinced,ofcourse,thatheisdestinedforWestminsterAbbey.Summerleerejoined,however,withasoursmile,bysayingthatheunderstoodthatMillbankPrisonhadbeenpulleddown.Challenger’sconceitistoocolossaltoallowhimtobereallyannoyed.Heonlysmiledinhisbeardandrepeated"Really!Really!"inthepityingtoneonewouldusetoachild.Indeed,theyarechildrenboth—theonewizenedandcantankerous,theotherformidableandoverbearing,yeteachwithabrainwhichhasputhiminthefrontrankofhisscientificage.Brain,character,soul—onlyasoneseesmoreoflifedoesoneunderstandhowdistinctiseach.
Theverynextdaywedidactuallymakeourstartuponthisremarkableexpedition.Wefoundthatallourpossessionsfittedveryeasilyintothetwocanoes,andwedividedourpersonnel,sixineach,takingtheobviousprecautionintheinterestsofpeaceofputtingoneProfessorintoeachcanoe.Personally,IwaswithChallenger,whowasinabeatifichumor,movingaboutasoneinasilentecstasyandbeamingbenevolencefromeveryfeature.Ihavehadsomeexperienceofhiminothermoods,however,andshallbethelesssurprisedwhenthethunderstormssuddenlycomeupamidstthesunshine.Ifitisimpossibletobeatyourease,itisequallyimpossibletobedullinhiscompany,foroneisalwaysinastateofhalf-tremulousdoubtastowhatsuddenturnhisformidabletempermaytake.
Fortwodayswemadeourwayupagood-sizedriversomehundredsofyardsbroad,anddarkincolor,buttransparent,sothatonecouldusuallyseethebottom.TheaffluentsoftheAmazonare,halfofthem,ofthisnature,whiletheotherhalfarewhitishandopaque,thedifferencedependingupontheclassofcountrythroughwhichtheyhaveflowed.
