Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
Wehaveshakenoffsomeofthathorribleinsectlifewhichisthebaneoftropicaltravel.Afewpalmsstillsurvive,andmanytree-ferns,buttheAmazoniantreeshavebeenallleftbehind.Itwaspleasanttoseetheconvolvulus,thepassion-flower,andthebegonia,allremindingmeofhome,hereamongtheseinhospitablerocks.TherewasaredbegoniajustthesamecolorasonethatiskeptinapotinthewindowofacertainvillainStreatham—butIamdriftingintoprivatereminiscence.
Thatnight—Iamstillspeakingofthefirstdayofourcircumnavigationoftheplateau—agreatexperienceawaitedus,andonewhichforeversetatrestanydoubtwhichwecouldhavehadastothewonderssonearus.
Youwillrealizeasyoureadit,mydearMr.McArdle,andpossiblyforthefirsttimethatthepaperhasnotsentmeonawild-goosechase,andthatthereisinconceivablyfinecopywaitingfortheworldwheneverwehavetheProfessor’sleavetomakeuseofit.IshallnotdaretopublishthesearticlesunlessIcanbringbackmyproofstoEngland,orIshallbehailedasthejournalisticMunchausenofalltime.Ihavenodoubtthatyoufeelthesamewayyourself,andthatyouwouldnotcaretostakethewholecreditoftheGazetteuponthisadventureuntilwecanmeetthechorusofcriticismandscepticismwhichsucharticlesmustofnecessityelicit.Sothiswonderfulincident,whichwouldmakesuchaheadlinefortheoldpaper,muststillwaititsturnintheeditorialdrawer.
