Загублений світ
Our Eyes have seen Great Wonders
Wesatisfiedourselvesthatwiththehelpofourropewecouldfindourwaydown,andthenreturned,rejoicing,toourcamptomakeourpreparationsforthenextevening.
Whatwedidwehadtodoquicklyandsecretly,sinceevenatthislasthourtheIndiansmightholdusback.Ourstoreswewouldleavebehindus,saveonlyourgunsandcartridges.ButChallengerhadsomeunwieldystuffwhichheardentlydesiredtotakewithhim,andoneparticularpackage,ofwhichImaynotspeak,whichgaveusmorelaborthanany.Slowlythedaypassed,butwhenthedarknessfellwewerereadyforourdeparture.Withmuchlaborwegotourthingsupthesteps,andthen,lookingback,tookonelastlongsurveyofthatstrangeland,soonIfeartobevulgarized,thepreyofhunterandprospector,buttoeachofusadreamlandofglamourandromance,alandwherewehaddaredmuch,sufferedmuch,andlearnedmuch—OURland,asweshalleverfondlycallit.Alonguponourlefttheneighboringcaveseachthrewoutitsruddycheeryfirelightintothegloom.FromtheslopebelowusrosethevoicesoftheIndiansastheylaughedandsang.Beyondwasthelongsweepofthewoods,andinthecenter,shimmeringvaguelythroughthegloom,wasthegreatlake,themotherofstrangemonsters.Evenaswelookedahighwhickeringcry,thecallofsomeweirdanimal,rangclearoutofthedarkness.ItwastheveryvoiceofMapleWhiteLandbiddingusgood-bye.Weturnedandplungedintothecavewhichledtohome
