Затерянный мир
The Outlying Pickets of the New World
Thedarkindicatevegetabledecay,whiletheotherspointtoclayeysoil.Twicewecameacrossrapids,andineachcasemadeaportageofhalfamileorsotoavoidthem.Thewoodsoneithersidewereprimeval,whicharemoreeasilypenetratedthanwoodsofthesecondgrowth,andwehadnogreatdifficultyincarryingourcanoesthroughthem.HowshallIeverforgetthesolemnmysteryofit?TheheightofthetreesandthethicknessofthebolesexceededanythingwhichIinmytown-bredlifecouldhaveimagined,shootingupwardsinmagnificentcolumnsuntil,atanenormousdistanceaboveourheads,wecoulddimlydiscernthespotwheretheythrewouttheirside-branchesintoGothicupwardcurveswhichcoalescedtoformonegreatmattedroofofverdure,throughwhichonlyanoccasionalgoldenrayofsunshineshotdownwardstotraceathindazzlinglineoflightamidstthemajesticobscurity.Aswewalkednoiselesslyamidthethick,softcarpetofdecayingvegetationthehushfelluponoursoulswhichcomesuponusinthetwilightoftheAbbey,andevenProfessorChallenger’sfull-chestednotessankintoawhisper.Alone,Ishouldhavebeenignorantofthenamesofthesegiantgrowths,butourmenofsciencepointedoutthecedars,thegreatsilkcottontrees,andtheredwoodtrees,withallthatprofusionofvariousplantswhichhasmadethiscontinentthechiefsuppliertothehumanraceofthosegiftsofNaturewhichdependuponthevegetableworld,whileitisthemostbackwardinthoseproductswhichcomefromanimallife.Vividorchidsandwonderfulcoloredlichenssmolderedupontheswarthytree-trunksandwhereawanderingshaftoflightfellfulluponthegoldenallamanda,thescarletstar-clustersofthetacsonia,ortherichdeepblueofipomaea,theeffectwasasadreamoffairyland.Inthesegreatwastesofforest,life,whichabhorsdarkness,struggleseverupwardstothelight.Everyplant,eventhesmallerones,curlsandwrithestothegreensurface,twiningitselfrounditsstrongerandtallerbrethrenintheeffort.
