Затерянный мир
The Outlying Pickets of the New World
Climbingplantsaremonstrousandluxuriant,butotherswhichhaveneverbeenknowntoclimbelsewherelearntheartasanescapefromthatsombershadow,sothatthecommonnettle,thejasmine,andeventhejacitarapalmtreecanbeseencirclingthestemsofthecedarsandstrivingtoreachtheircrowns.Ofanimallifetherewasnomovementamidthemajesticvaultedaisleswhichstretchedfromusaswewalked,butaconstantmovementfaraboveourheadstoldofthatmultitudinousworldofsnakeandmonkey,birdandsloth,whichlivedinthesunshine,andlookeddowninwonderatourtiny,dark,stumblingfiguresintheobscuredepthsimmeasurablybelowthem.Atdawnandatsunsetthehowlermonkeysscreamedtogetherandtheparrakeetsbrokeintoshrillchatter,butduringthehothoursofthedayonlythefulldroneofinsects,likethebeatofadistantsurf,filledtheear,whilenothingmovedamidthesolemnvistasofstupendoustrunks,fadingawayintothedarknesswhichheldusin.Oncesomebandy-legged,lurchingcreature,anant-eaterorabear,scuttledclumsilyamidtheshadows.ItwastheonlysignofearthlifewhichIsawinthisgreatAmazonianforest.
Andyettherewereindicationsthatevenhumanlifeitselfwasnotfarfromusinthosemysteriousrecesses.Onthethirddayoutwewereawareofasingulardeepthrobbingintheair,rhythmicandsolemn,comingandgoingfitfullythroughoutthemorning.Thetwoboatswerepaddlingwithinafewyardsofeachotherwhenfirstweheardit,andourIndiansremainedmotionless,asiftheyhadbeenturnedtobronze,listeningintentlywithexpressionsofterrorupontheirfaces.
"Whatisit,then?"Iasked.
"Drums,"saidLordJohn,carelessly;"wardrums.Ihaveheardthembefore."
"Yes,sir,wardrums,"saidGomez,thehalf-breed."WildIndians,bravos,notmansos;theywatchuseverymileoftheway;killusiftheycan."
