Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
Hethrustahollowreedintoitandcriedoutwithdelightlikeaschoolboythenhewasable,ontouchingitwithalightedmatch,tocauseasharpexplosionandablueflameatthefarendofthetube.Stillmorepleasedwashewhen,invertingaleathernpouchovertheendofthereed,andsofillingitwiththegas,hewasabletosenditsoaringupintotheair.
"Aninflammablegas,andonemarkedlylighterthantheatmosphere.Ishouldsaybeyonddoubtthatitcontainedaconsiderableproportionoffreehydrogen.TheresourcesofG.E.C.arenotyetexhausted,myyoungfriend.ImayyetshowyouhowagreatmindmoldsallNaturetoitsuse."Heswelledwithsomesecretpurpose,butwouldsaynomore.
Therewasnothingwhichwecouldseeupontheshorewhichseemedtomesowonderfulasthegreatsheetofwaterbeforeus.Ournumbersandournoisehadfrightenedalllivingcreaturesaway,andsaveforafewpterodactyls,whichsoaredroundhighaboveourheadswhiletheywaitedforthecarrion,allwasstillaroundthecamp.Butitwasdifferentoutupontherose-tintedwatersofthecentrallake.Itboiledandheavedwithstrangelife.Greatslate-coloredbacksandhighserrateddorsalfinsshotupwithafringeofsilver,andthenrolleddownintothedepthsagain.Thesand-banksfaroutwerespottedwithuncouthcrawlingforms,hugeturtles,strangesaurians,andonegreatflatcreaturelikeawrithing,palpitatingmatofblackgreasyleather,whichfloppeditswayslowlytothelake.
