Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
InwhatwildestonecouldIhaveconceivedthenatureofthecampaignwhichitshouldbemylottoreport!Herethenismyfirstdespatchfromafieldofbattle:
Ournumbershadbeenreinforcedduringthenightbyafreshbatchofnativesfromthecaves,andwemayhavebeenfourorfivehundredstrongwhenwemadeouradvance.Afringeofscoutswasthrownoutinfront,andbehindthemthewholeforceinasolidcolumnmadetheirwayupthelongslopeofthebushcountryuntilwewereneartheedgeoftheforest.Heretheyspreadoutintoalongstragglinglineofspearmenandbowmen.RoxtonandSummerleetooktheirpositionupontherightflank,whileChallengerandIwereontheleft.Itwasahostofthestoneagethatwewereaccompanyingtobattle—wewiththelastwordofthegunsmith’sartfromSt.James’StreetandtheStrand.
Wehadnotlongtowaitforourenemy.Awildshrillclamorrosefromtheedgeofthewoodandsuddenlyabodyofape-menrushedoutwithclubsandstones,andmadeforthecenteroftheIndianline.Itwasavaliantmovebutafoolishone,forthegreatbandy-leggedcreatureswereslowoffoot,whiletheiropponentswereasactiveascats.Itwashorribletoseethefiercebruteswithfoamingmouthsandglaringeyes,rushingandgrasping,butforevermissingtheirelusiveenemies,whilearrowafterarrowburieditselfintheirhides.Onegreatfellowranpastmeroaringwithpain,withadozendartsstickingfromhischestandribs.
