Затерянный мир
It’s Just the very Biggest Thing in the World
"Round-headed,"hemuttered."Brachycephalic,gray-eyed,black-haired,withsuggestionofthenegroid.Celtic,Ipresume?"
"IamanIrishman,sir."
"IrishIrish?"
"Yes,sir."
"That,ofcourse,explainsit.Letmesee;youhavegivenmeyourpromisethatmyconfidencewillberespected?Thatconfidence,Imaysay,willbefarfromcomplete.ButIampreparedtogiveyouafewindicationswhichwillbeofinterest.Inthefirstplace,youareprobablyawarethattwoyearsagoImadeajourneytoSouthAmerica—onewhichwillbeclassicalinthescientifichistoryoftheworld?TheobjectofmyjourneywastoverifysomeconclusionsofWallaceandofBates,whichcouldonlybedonebyobservingtheirreportedfactsunderthesameconditionsinwhichtheyhadthemselvesnotedthem.Ifmyexpeditionhadnootherresultsitwouldstillhavebeennoteworthy,butacuriousincidentoccurredtomewhiletherewhichopenedupanentirelyfreshlineofinquiry.
"Youareaware—orprobably,inthishalf-educatedage,youarenotaware—thatthecountryroundsomepartsoftheAmazonisstillonlypartiallyexplored,andthatagreatnumberoftributaries,someofthementirelyuncharted,runintothemainriver.Itwasmybusinesstovisitthislittle-knownback-countryandtoexamineitsfauna,whichfurnishedmewiththematerialsforseveralchaptersforthatgreatandmonumentalworkuponzoologywhichwillbemylife’sjustification.
