Дети капитана Гранта

           "Philosophy!thatwon’tkeepyoufromgettingdrenched."

           "No,butitwillwarmyou."

           "Well,"saidGlenarvan,"wehadbettergodowntoourfriends,andadvisethemtowrapthemselvesupintheirphilosophyandtheirponchosastightlyaspossible,andaboveall,tolayinastockofpatience,forweshallneeditbeforeverylong."

           Glenarvangavealastglanceattheangrysky.Thecloudsnowcovereditentirely;onlyadimstreakoflightshonefaintlyinthewest.Adarkshadowlayonthewater,anditcouldhardlybedistinguishedfromthethickvaporsaboveit.Therewasnosensationoflightorsound.Allwasdarknessandsilencearound.

           "Letusgodown,"saidGlenarvan;"thethunderwillsoonburstoverus."

           Onreturningtothebottomofthetree,theyfoundthemselves,totheirgreatsurprise,inasortofdimtwilight,producedbymyriadsofluminousspeckswhichappearedbuzzingconfusedlyoverthesurfaceofthewater.

           "Itisphosphorescence,Isuppose,"saidGlenarvan.

           "No,butphosphorescentinsects,positiveglow-worms,livingdiamonds,whichtheladiesofBuenosAyresconvertintomagnificentornaments."

           "What!"exclaimedRobert,"thosesparksflyingaboutareinsects!"

           "Yes,myboy."

           Robertcaughtoneinhishand,andfoundPaganelwasright.Itwasakindoflargedrone,aninchlong,andtheIndianscallit"tuco-tuco."ThiscuriousspecimenoftheCOLEOPTERAshedsitsradiancefromtwospotsinthefrontofitsbreast-plate,andthelightissufficienttoreadby.