Затерянный мир
A Procession! A Procession!
ItwasnotuntiltheIverniawaswithinfivehundredmilesofSouthamptonthatthewirelessmessagesfrompaperafterpaperandagencyafteragency,offeringhugepricesforashortreturnmessageastoouractualresults,showedushowstrainedwastheattentionnotonlyofthescientificworldbutofthegeneralpublic.Itwasagreedamongus,however,thatnodefinitestatementshouldbegiventothePressuntilwehadmetthemembersoftheZoologicalInstitute,sinceasdelegatesitwasourcleardutytogiveourfirstreporttothebodyfromwhichwehadreceivedourcommissionofinvestigation.Thus,althoughwefoundSouthamptonfullofPressmen,weabsolutelyrefusedtogiveanyinformation,whichhadthenaturaleffectoffocussingpublicattentionuponthemeetingwhichwasadvertisedfortheeveningofNovember7th.Forthisgathering,theZoologicalHallwhichhadbeenthesceneoftheinceptionofourtaskwasfoundtobefartoosmall,anditwasonlyintheQueen’sHallinRegentStreetthataccommodationcouldbefound.ItisnowcommonknowledgethepromotersmighthaveventuredupontheAlbertHallandstillfoundtheirspacetooscanty.
Itwasforthesecondeveningafterourarrivalthatthegreatmeetinghadbeenfixed.Forthefirst,wehadeach,nodoubt,ourownpressingpersonalaffairstoabsorbus.OfmineIcannotyetspeak.ItmaybethatasitstandsfurtherfrommeImaythinkofit,andevenspeakofit,withlessemotion.
