Затерянный мир
To-morrow we Disappear into the Unknown
"Yourcommonsensewill,Iamsure,sustainmyobjectionandrealizethatitwasbetterthatIshoulddirectmyownmovementsandappearonlyattheexactmomentwhenmypresencewasneeded.Thatmomenthasnowarrived.Youareinsafehands.Youwillnotnowfailtoreachyourdestination.FromhenceforthItakecommandofthisexpedition,andImustaskyoutocompleteyourpreparationsto-night,sothatwemaybeabletomakeanearlystartinthemorning.Mytimeisofvalue,andthesamethingmaybesaid,nodoubt,inalesserdegreeofyourown.Ipropose,therefore,thatwepushonasrapidlyaspossible,untilIhavedemonstratedwhatyouhavecometosee."
LordJohnRoxtonhascharteredalargesteamlaunch,theEsmeralda,whichwastocarryusuptheriver.Sofarasclimategoes,itwasimmaterialwhattimewechoseforourexpedition,asthetemperaturerangesfromseventy-fivetoninetydegreesbothsummerandwinter,withnoappreciabledifferenceinheat.Inmoisture,however,itisotherwise;fromDecembertoMayistheperiodoftherains,andduringthistimetheriverslowlyrisesuntilitattainsaheightofnearlyfortyfeetaboveitslow-watermark.Itfloodsthebanks,extendsingreatlagoonsoveramonstrouswasteofcountry,andformsahugedistrict,calledlocallytheGapo,whichisforthemostparttoomarshyforfoot-travelandtooshallowforboating.AboutJunethewatersbegintofall,andareattheirlowestatOctoberorNovember.Thusourexpeditionwasatthetimeofthedryseason,whenthegreatriveranditstributariesweremoreorlessinanormalcondition.
Thecurrentoftheriverisaslightone,thedropbeingnotgreaterthaneightinchesinamile.Nostreamcouldbemoreconvenientfornavigation,sincetheprevailingwindissouth-east,andsailingboatsmaymakeacontinuousprogresstothePeruvianfrontier,droppingdownagainwiththecurrent.
