Загублений світ

The Outlying Pickets of the New World

           Climbingplantsaremonstrousandluxuriant,butotherswhichhaveneverbeenknowntoclimbelsewherelearntheartasanescapefromthatsombershadow,sothatthecommonnettle,thejasmine,andeventhejacitarapalmtreecanbeseencirclingthestemsofthecedarsandstrivingtoreachtheircrowns.Ofanimallifetherewasnomovementamidthemajesticvaultedaisleswhichstretchedfromusaswewalked,butaconstantmovementfaraboveourheadstoldofthatmultitudinousworldofsnakeandmonkey,birdandsloth,whichlivedinthesunshine,andlookeddowninwonderatourtiny,dark,stumblingfiguresintheobscuredepthsimmeasurablybelowthem.Atdawnandatsunsetthehowlermonkeysscreamedtogetherandtheparrakeetsbrokeintoshrillchatter,butduringthehothoursofthedayonlythefulldroneofinsects,likethebeatofadistantsurf,filledtheear,whilenothingmovedamidthesolemnvistasofstupendoustrunks,fadingawayintothedarknesswhichheldusin.Oncesomebandy-legged,lurchingcreature,anant-eaterorabear,scuttledclumsilyamidtheshadows.ItwastheonlysignofearthlifewhichIsawinthisgreatAmazonianforest.

           Andyettherewereindicationsthatevenhumanlifeitselfwasnotfarfromusinthosemysteriousrecesses.Onthethirddayoutwewereawareofasingulardeepthrobbingintheair,rhythmicandsolemn,comingandgoingfitfullythroughoutthemorning.Thetwoboatswerepaddlingwithinafewyardsofeachotherwhenfirstweheardit,andourIndiansremainedmotionless,asiftheyhadbeenturnedtobronze,listeningintentlywithexpressionsofterrorupontheirfaces.

           "Whatisit,then?"Iasked.

           "Drums,"saidLordJohn,carelessly;"wardrums.Ihaveheardthembefore."

           "Yes,sir,wardrums,"saidGomez,thehalf-breed."WildIndians,bravos,notmansos;theywatchuseverymileoftheway;killusiftheycan."

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Roboto Lora
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