20000 льє під водою

Chapter 16. Strolling the Plains

           Hefired;Iheardaslighthissing,andacreaturefellstunnedatsomedistancefromus.Itwasamagnificentsea-otter,anenhydrus,theonlyexclusivelymarinequadruped.Thisotterwasfivefeetlong,andmusthavebeenveryvaluable.Itsskin,chestnut-brownaboveandsilveryunderneath,wouldhavemadeoneofthosebeautifulfurssosoughtafterintheRussianandChinesemarkets:thefinenessandthelustreofitscoatwouldcertainlyfetchL80.Iadmiredthiscuriousmammal,withitsroundedheadornamentedwithshortears,itsroundeyes,andwhitewhiskerslikethoseofacat,withwebbedfeetandnails,andtuftedtail.Thispreciousanimal,huntedandtrackedbyfishermen,hasnowbecomeveryrare,andtakenrefugechieflyinthenorthernpartsofthePacific,orprobablyitsracewouldsoonbecomeextinct.

           CaptainNemo’scompaniontookthebeast,threwitoverhisshoulder,andwecontinuedourjourney.Foronehouraplainofsandlaystretchedbeforeus.Sometimesitrosetowithintwoyardsandsomeinchesofthesurfaceofthewater.Ithensawourimageclearlyreflected,drawninversely,andaboveusappearedanidenticalgroupreflectingourmovementsandouractions;inaword,likeusineverypoint,exceptthattheywalkedwiththeirheadsdownwardandtheirfeetintheair.

           AnothereffectInoticed,whichwasthepassageofthickcloudswhichformedandvanishedrapidly;butonreflectionIunderstoodthattheseseemingcloudswereduetothevaryingthicknessofthereedsatthebottom,andIcouldevenseethefleecyfoamwhichtheirbrokentopsmultipliedonthewater,andtheshadowsoflargebirdspassingaboveourheads,whoserapidflightIcoulddiscernonthesurfaceofthesea.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 115 з 384