Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
1. My Recall
Coppinger,whoonprinciplemakesoutheknowsallaboutthesethings,saysthatintheoldGuanchedaystheyhadladdersofgoatskinropewhichtheycouldpullupwhentheywereathome,andsokeepoutundesirablecallers;andasnootherplanoccurstome,perhapshemayberight.Anywaythemouthsofthecaveswereinamoreorlesslevelrowthirtyfeetbelowtheridgeofthecliff,andfiftyfeetabovethebottom;andSpanishcuriositydoesn’tgoinmuchwhereitcannotwalk.
Nowladderingsuchcavesfrombelowwouldhavebeencumbersome,butalightknottedropeiseasilycarried,andthoughitwouldhavebeenhardtoclimbupthis,ourplanwastodescendoneachcavemouthfromabove,andthenslipdowntothefootofthecliffs,andstartagainABINITIOforthenext.
Coppingerispluckyenough,andhehasagoodheadonaheight,butthereisnogettingoverthefactthatheisportlyandnearerfiftythanforty-five.Soyoucanseehemusthavebeenprettykeen.OfcourseIwentfirsteachtime,andgotintothecavemouth,anddidwhatIcouldtohelphimin;butwhenyouhavetowalkdownaverticalclifffacefly-fashion,withonlyathinbootlaceofaropeforsupport,itisnotmuchrealhelpthemanbelowcangive,exceptofferyouhisbestwishes.
IwantedtosavehimasmuchasIcould,andasthefirstthreecavesIclimbedtoweresmallandempty,seemingtobemerelystore-places,Iaskedhimtotakethemforgranted,andsavehimselftherest.
