Загублений світ
Our Eyes have seen Great Wonders
Fromeverysidemen,women,andchildrenwererushingwildlyforshelter,swarmingupthestaircasesandintothecavesinamadstampede.
Lookingup,wecouldseethemwavingtheirarmsfromtherocksaboveandbeckoningtoustojointhemintheirrefuge.Wehadbothseizedourmagazineriflesandranouttoseewhatthedangercouldbe.SuddenlyfromthenearbeltoftreestherebrokeforthagroupoftwelveorfifteenIndians,runningfortheirlives,andattheirveryheelstwoofthosefrightfulmonsterswhichhaddisturbedourcampandpursuedmeuponmysolitaryjourney.Inshapetheywerelikehorribletoads,andmovedinasuccessionofsprings,butinsizetheywereofanincrediblebulk,largerthanthelargestelephant.Wehadneverbeforeseenthemsaveatnight,andindeedtheyarenocturnalanimalssavewhendisturbedintheirlairs,asthesehadbeen.Wenowstoodamazedatthesight,fortheirblotchedandwartyskinswereofacuriousfish-likeiridescence,andthesunlightstruckthemwithanever-varyingrainbowbloomastheymoved.
Wehadlittletimetowatchthem,however,forinaninstanttheyhadovertakenthefugitivesandweremakingadireslaughteramongthem.Theirmethodwastofallforwardwiththeirfullweightuponeachinturn,leavinghimcrushedandmangled,toboundonaftertheothers.ThewretchedIndiansscreamedwithterror,butwerehelpless,runastheywould,beforetherelentlesspurposeandhorribleactivityofthesemonstrouscreatures.
