CHAPTER VII "To-morrow we Disappear into the Unknown"

IwillnotborethosewhomthisnarrativemayreachbyanaccountofourluxuriousvoyageupontheBoothliner,norwillItellofourweek'sstayatPara(savethatIshouldwishtoacknowledgethegreatkindnessofthePereiradaPintaCompanyinhelpingustogettogetherourequipment).Iwillalsoalludeverybrieflytoourriverjourney,upawide,slow-moving,clay-tintedstream,inasteamerwhichwaslittlesmallerthanthatwhichhadcarriedusacrosstheAtlantic.EventuallywefoundourselvesthroughthenarrowsofObidosandreachedthetownofManaos.HerewewererescuedfromthelimitedattractionsofthelocalinnbyMr.Shortman,therepresentativeoftheBritishandBrazilianTradingCompany.InhishospitableFazendawespentourtimeuntilthedaywhenwewereempoweredtoopentheletterofinstructionsgiventousbyProfessorChallenger.BeforeIreachthesurprisingeventsofthatdateIwoulddesiretogiveaclearersketchofmycomradesinthisenterprise,andoftheassociateswhomwehadalreadygatheredtogetherinSouthAmerica.Ispeakfreely,andIleavetheuseofmymaterialtoyourowndiscretion,Mr.McArdle,sinceitisthroughyourhandsthatthisreportmustpassbeforeitreachestheworld. ThescientificattainmentsofProfessorSummerleearetoowellknownformetotroubletorecapitulatethem.Heisbetterequippedforaroughexpeditionofthissortthanonewouldimagineatfirstsight.Histall,gaunt,stringyfigureisinsensibletofatigue,andhisdry,half-sarcastic,andoftenwhollyunsympatheticmannerisuninfluencedbyanychangeinhissurroundings.Thoughinhissixty-sixthyear,Ihaveneverheardhimexpressanydissatisfactionattheoccasionalhardshipswhichwehavehadtoencounter.Ihadregardedhispresenceasanencumbrancetotheexpedition,but,asamatteroffact,Iamnowwellconvincedthathispowerofenduranceisasgreatasmyown.Intemperheisnaturallyacidandsceptical.FromthebeginninghehasneverconcealedhisbeliefthatProfessorChallengerisanabsolutefraud,thatweareallembarkeduponanabsurdwild-goosechaseandthatwearelikelytoreapnothingbutdisappointmentanddangerinSouthAmerica,andcorrespondingridiculeinEngland.Sucharetheviewswhich,withmuchpassionatedistortionofhisthinfeaturesandwaggingofhisthin,goat-likebeard,hepouredintoourearsallthewayfromSouthamptontoManaos.Sincelandingfromtheboathehasobtainedsomeconsolationfromthebeautyandvarietyoftheinsectandbirdlifearoundhim,forheisabsolutelywhole-heartedinhisdevotiontoscience.Hespendshisdaysflittingthroughthewoodswithhisshot-gunandhisbutterfly-net,andhiseveningsinmountingthemanyspecimenshehasacquired.Amonghisminorpeculiaritiesarethatheiscarelessastohisattire,uncleaninhisperson,exceedinglyabsent-mindedinhishabits,andaddictedtosmokingashortbriarpipe,whichisseldomoutofhismouth.Hehasbeenuponseveralscientificexpeditionsinhisyouth(hewaswithRobertsoninPapua),andthelifeofthecampandthecanoeisnothingfreshtohim. LordJohnRoxtonhassomepointsincommonwithProfessorSummerlee,andothersinwhichtheyaretheveryantithesistoeachother.Heistwentyyearsyounger,buthassomethingofthesamespare,scraggyphysique.Astohisappearance,Ihave,asIrecollect,describeditinthatportionofmynarrativewhichIhaveleftbehindmeinLondon.Heisexceedinglyneatandpriminhisways,dressesalwayswithgreatcareinwhitedrillsuitsandhighbrownmosquito-boots,andshavesatleastonceaday.Likemostmenofaction,heislaconicinspeech,andsinksreadilyintohisownthoughts,butheisalwaysquicktoansweraquestionorjoininaconversation,talkinginaqueer,jerky,half-humorousfashion.Hisknowledgeof