Острів доктора Моро
The Evil-Looking Boatmen.
AsIstaredatthem,theymetmygaze;andthenfirstoneandthenanotherturnedawayfrommydirectstare,andlookedatmeinanodd,furtivemanner.ItoccurredtomethatIwasperhapsannoyingthem,andIturnedmyattentiontotheislandwewereapproaching.
Itwaslow,andcoveredwiththickvegetation,—chieflyakindofpalm,thatwasnewtome.Fromonepointathinwhitethreadofvapourroseslantinglytoanimmenseheight,andthenfrayedoutlikeadownfeather.Wewerenowwithintheembraceofabroadbayflankedoneitherhandbyalowpromontory.Thebeachwasofdull-greysand,andslopedsteeplyuptoaridge,perhapssixtyorseventyfeetabovethesea-level,andirregularlysetwithtreesandundergrowth.Halfwayupwasasquareenclosureofsomegreyishstone,whichIfoundsubsequentlywasbuiltpartlyofcoralandpartlyofpumiceouslava.Twothatchedroofspeepedfromwithinthisenclosure.Amanstoodawaitingusatthewater’sedge.IfanciedwhilewewerestillfaroffthatIsawsomeotherandverygrotesque-lookingcreaturesscuttleintothebushesupontheslope;butIsawnothingoftheseaswedrewnearer.Thismanwasofamoderatesize,andwithablacknegroidface.Hehadalarge,almostlipless,mouth,extraordinarylankarms,longthinfeet,andbow-legs,andstoodwithhisheavyfacethrustforwardstaringatus.HewasdressedlikeMontgomeryandhiswhite-hairedcompanion,injacketandtrousersofblueserge.
