Загублений світ
It’s Just the very Biggest Thing in the World
Therewerealsosomerathercommonplacepicturesofriverscenery,apaint-box,aboxofcoloredchalks,somebrushes,thatcurvedbonewhichliesuponmyinkstand,avolumeofBaxter’s‘MothsandButterflies,’acheaprevolver,andafewcartridges.Ofpersonalequipmentheeitherhadnoneorhehadlostitinhisjourney.SuchwerethetotaleffectsofthisstrangeAmericanBohemian.
"IwasturningawayfromhimwhenIobservedthatsomethingprojectedfromthefrontofhisraggedjacket.Itwasthissketch-book,whichwasasdilapidatedthenasyouseeitnow.Indeed,IcanassureyouthatafirstfolioofShakespearecouldnotbetreatedwithgreaterreverencethanthisrelichasbeensinceitcameintomypossession.Ihandittoyounow,andIaskyoutotakeitpagebypageandtoexaminethecontents."
Hehelpedhimselftoacigarandleanedbackwithafiercelycriticalpairofeyes,takingnoteoftheeffectwhichthisdocumentwouldproduce.
Ihadopenedthevolumewithsomeexpectationofarevelation,thoughofwhatnatureIcouldnotimagine.Thefirstpagewasdisappointing,however,asitcontainednothingbutthepictureofaveryfatmaninapea-jacket,withthelegend,"JimmyColverontheMail-boat,"writtenbeneathit.TherefollowedseveralpageswhichwerefilledwithsmallsketchesofIndiansandtheirways.Thencameapictureofacheerfulandcorpulentecclesiasticinashovelhat,sittingoppositeaverythinEuropean,andtheinscription:"LunchwithFraCristoferoatRosario."
