Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
Itwasnotmorethanfortyfeetacrossatthemouth,butitrapidlycloseduntilitendedinanacuteangle,toostraightandsmoothforanascent.Certainlyitwasnotthiswhichourpioneerhadattemptedtoindicate.Wemadeourwayback—thewholegorgewasnotmorethanaquarterofamiledeep—andthensuddenlythequickeyesofLordJohnfelluponwhatwewereseeking.Highupaboveourheads,amidthedarkshadows,therewasonecircleofdeepergloom.Surelyitcouldonlybetheopeningofacave.
Thebaseofthecliffwasheapedwithloosestonesatthespot,anditwasnotdifficulttoclamberup.Whenwereachedit,alldoubtwasremoved.Notonlywasitanopeningintotherock,butonthesideofittherewasmarkedonceagainthesignofthearrow.Herewasthepoint,andthisthemeansbywhichMapleWhiteandhisill-fatedcomradehadmadetheirascent.
Weweretooexcitedtoreturntothecamp,butmustmakeourfirstexplorationatonce.LordJohnhadanelectrictorchinhisknapsack,andthishadtoserveusaslight.Headvanced,throwinghislittleclearcircletofyellowradiancebeforehim,whileinsinglefilewefollowedathisheels.
Thecavehadevidentlybeenwater-worn,thesidesbeingsmoothandthefloorcoveredwithroundedstones.Itwasofsuchasizethatasinglemancouldjustfitthroughbystooping.Forfiftyyardsitranalmoststraightintotherock,andthenitascendedatanangleofforty-five.
