Загублений світ
It was Dreadful in the Forest
Foramoment,asIsawitsshape,Ihopedthatitwasaniguanodon,whichIknewtobeharmless,but,ignorantasIwas,Isoonsawthatthiswasaverydifferentcreature.Insteadofthegentle,deer-shapedheadofthegreatthree-toedleaf-eater,thisbeasthadabroad,squat,toad-likefacelikethatwhichhadalarmedusinourcamp.Hisferociouscryandthehorribleenergyofhispursuitbothassuredmethatthiswassurelyoneofthegreatflesh-eatingdinosaurs,themostterriblebeastswhichhaveeverwalkedthisearth.Asthehugebrutelopedalongitdroppedforwarduponitsfore-pawsandbroughtitsnosetothegroundeverytwentyyardsorso.Itwassmellingoutmytrail.Sometimes,foraninstant,itwasatfault.ThenitwouldcatchitupagainandcomeboundingswiftlyalongthepathIhadtaken.
EvennowwhenIthinkofthatnightmarethesweatbreaksoutuponmybrow.WhatcouldIdo?Myuselessfowling-piecewasinmyhand.WhathelpcouldIgetfromthat?Ilookeddesperatelyroundforsomerockortree,butIwasinabushyjunglewithnothinghigherthanasaplingwithinsight,whileIknewthatthecreaturebehindmecouldteardownanordinarytreeasthoughitwereareed.Myonlypossiblechancelayinflight.Icouldnotmoveswiftlyovertherough,brokenground,butasIlookedroundmeindespairIsawawell-marked,hard-beatenpathwhichranacrossinfrontofme.Wehadseenseveralofthesort,therunsofvariouswildbeasts,duringourexpeditions.
