Загублений світ
The most Wonderful Things have Happened
Allfiveweresittingup,balancingthemselvesupontheirbroad,powerfultailsandtheirhugethree-toedhind-feet,whilewiththeirsmallfive-fingeredfront-feettheypulleddownthebranchesuponwhichtheybrowsed.IdonotknowthatIcanbringtheirappearancehometoyoubetterthanbysayingthattheylookedlikemonstrouskangaroos,twentyfeetinlength,andwithskinslikeblackcrocodiles.
Idonotknowhowlongwestayedmotionlessgazingatthismarvelousspectacle.Astrongwindblewtowardsusandwewerewellconcealed,sotherewasnochanceofdiscovery.Fromtimetotimethelittleonesplayedroundtheirparentsinunwieldygambols,thegreatbeastsboundingintotheairandfallingwithdullthudsupontheearth.Thestrengthoftheparentsseemedtobelimitless,foroneofthem,havingsomedifficultyinreachingabunchoffoliagewhichgrewuponaconsiderable-sizedtree,puthisfore-legsroundthetrunkandtoreitdownasifithadbeenasapling.Theactionseemed,asIthought,toshownotonlythegreatdevelopmentofitsmuscles,butalsothesmalloneofitsbrain,forthewholeweightcamecrashingdownuponthetopofit,anditutteredaseriesofshrillyelpstoshowthat,bigasitwas,therewasalimittowhatitcouldendure.Theincidentmadeitthink,apparently,thattheneighborhoodwasdangerous,foritslowlylurchedoffthroughthewood,followedbyitsmateanditsthreeenormousinfants.
