Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
Itwasthesiteofanoldencampment,withseveralemptyChicagomeattins,abottlelabeled"Brandy,"abrokentin-opener,andaquantityofothertravelers’debris.Acrumpled,disintegratednewspaperrevealeditselfastheChicagoDemocrat,thoughthedatehadbeenobliterated.
"Notmine,"saidChallenger."ItmustbeMapleWhite’s."
LordJohnhadbeengazingcuriouslyatagreattree-fernwhichovershadowedtheencampment."Isay,lookatthis,"saidhe."Ibelieveitismeantforasign-post."
Aslipofhardwoodhadbeennailedtothetreeinsuchawayastopointtothewestward.
"Mostcertainlyasign-post,"saidChallenger."Whatelse?Findinghimselfuponadangerouserrand,ourpioneerhasleftthissignsothatanypartywhichfollowshimmayknowthewayhehastaken.Perhapsweshallcomeuponsomeotherindicationsasweproceed."
Wedidindeed,buttheywereofaterribleandmostunexpectednature.Immediatelybeneaththeclifftheregrewaconsiderablepatchofhighbamboo,likethatwhichwehadtraversedinourjourney.Manyofthesestemsweretwentyfeethigh,withsharp,strongtops,sothatevenastheystoodtheymadeformidablespears.Wewerepassingalongtheedgeofthiscoverwhenmyeyewascaughtbythegleamofsomethingwhitewithinit.Thrustinginmyheadbetweenthestems,Ifoundmyselfgazingatafleshlessskull.Thewholeskeletonwasthere,buttheskullhaddetacheditselfandlaysomefeetnearertotheopen.
