Загублений світ
Who could have Foreseen it?
But,howeverthatmaybe,Ishouldexpecttofindthesurfaceoftheplateauslopeinwardswithaconsiderablesheetofwaterinthecenter,whichmaydrainoff,bysomesubterraneanchannel,intothemarshesoftheJaracacaSwamp."
"Orevaporationmightpreserveanequilibrium,"remarkedChallenger,andthetwolearnedmenwanderedoffintooneoftheirusualscientificarguments,whichwereascomprehensibleasChinesetothelayman.
Onthesixthdaywecompletedourfirstcircuitofthecliffs,andfoundourselvesbackatthefirstcamp,besidetheisolatedpinnacleofrock.Wewereadisconsolateparty,fornothingcouldhavebeenmoreminutethanourinvestigation,anditwasabsolutelycertainthattherewasnosinglepointwherethemostactivehumanbeingcouldpossiblyhopetoscalethecliff.TheplacewhichMapleWhite’schalk-markshadindicatedashisownmeansofaccesswasnowentirelyimpassable.
Whatwerewetodonow?Ourstoresofprovisions,supplementedbyourguns,wereholdingoutwell,butthedaymustcomewhentheywouldneedreplenishment.Inacoupleofmonthstherainsmightbeexpected,andweshouldbewashedoutofourcamp.Therockwasharderthanmarble,andanyattemptatcuttingapathforsogreataheightwasmorethanourtimeorresourceswouldadmit.Nowonderthatwelookedgloomilyateachotherthatnight,andsoughtourblanketswithhardlyawordexchanged.
