From the side of the plateau on which we were, slopes of woodland, withoccasional glades, stretched down for five or six miles to the centrallake. I could see at my very feet the glade of the iguanodons, andfarther off was a round opening in th
e trees which marked the swamp ofthe pterodactyls. On the side facing me, however, the plateaupresented a very different aspect. There the basalt cliffs of theoutside were reproduced upon the inside, forming an escarpment abouttwo hundred feet high, with a woody slope beneath it. Along the baseof these red cliffs, some distance above the ground, I could see anumber of dark holes through the glass, which I conjectured to be themouths of caves. At the opening of one of these something white wasshimmering, but I was unable to make out what it was. I sat chartingthe country until the sun had set and it was so dark that I could nolonger distinguish details. Then I climbed down to my companionswaiting for me so eagerly at the bottom of the great tree. For once Iwas the hero of the expedition. Alone I had thought of it, and alone Ihad done it; and here was the chart which would save us a month's blindgroping among unknown dangers. Each of them shook me solemnly by thehand.
But before they discussed the details of my map I had to tell them ofmy encounter with the ape-man among the branches.
"He has been there all the time," said I.
"How do you know that?" asked Lord John.
"Because I have never been without that feeling that somethingmalevolent was watching us. I mentioned it to you, ProfessorChallenger."
"Our young friend certainly said something of the kind. He is also theone among us who is endowed with that Celtic temperament which wouldmake him sensitive to such impressions."
"The whole theory of telepathy----" began Summerlee, filling his pipe.
"Is too vast to be now discussed," said Challenger, with decision."Tell me, now," he added, with the air of a bishop addressing aSunday-school, "did you happen to observe whether the creature couldcross its thumb over its palm?"
"No, indeed."
"Had it a tail?"
"No."
"Was the foot prehensile?"
"I do not think it could have made off so fast among the branches if itcould not get a grip with its feet."
"In South America there are, if my memory serves me--you will check theobservation, Professor Summerlee--some thirty-six species of monkeys,but the anthropoid ape is unknown. It is clear, however, that heexists in this country, and that he is not the hairy, gorilla-likevariety, which is never seen out of Africa or the East." (I wasinclined to interpolate, as I looked at him, that I had seen his firstcousin in Kensington.) "This is a whiskered and colorless type, thelatter characteristic pointing to the fact that he spends his days inarboreal seclusion. The question which we have to face is whether heapproaches more closely to the ape or the man. In the latter case, hemay well approximate to what the vulgar have called the 'missing link.'The solution of this problem is our immediate duty."
"It is nothing of the sort," said Summerlee, abruptly. "Now that,through the intelligence and activity of Mr. Malone" (I cannot helpquoting the words), "we have got our chart, our one and only immediateduty is to get ourselves safe and sound out of this awful place."
"The flesh-pots of civilization," groaned Challenger.
"The ink-pots of civilization, sir. It is our task to put on recordwhat we have seen, and to leave the further exploration to others. Youall agreed as much before Mr. Malone got us the chart."
"Well," said Challenger, "I admit that my mind will be more at easewhen I am assured that the result of our expedition has been conveyedto our friends. How we are to get down from this place I have not asyet an idea. I have never yet encountered any problem, however, whichmy inventive brain was unable to solve, and I promise you thatto-morrow I will turn my attention to the question of our descent."And so the matter was allowed to rest.
But that evening, by the light of the fire and of a single candle, thefirst map of the lost world was elaborated. Every detail which I hadroughly noted from my watch-tower was drawn out in its relative place.Challenger's pencil hovered over the great blank which marked the lake.
"What shall we call it?" he asked.
"Why should you not take the chance of perpetuating your own name?"said Summerlee, with his usual touch of acidity.
"I trust, sir, that my name will have other and more personal claimsupon posterity," said Challenger, severely. "Any ignoramus can handdown his worthless memory by imposing it upon a mountain or a river. Ineed no such monument."
Summerlee, with a twisted smile, was about to make some fresh assaultwhen Lord John hastened to intervene.
"It's up to you, young fellah, to name the lake," said he. "You saw itfirst, and, by George, if you choose to put 'Lake Malone' on it, no onehas a better right."
"By all means. Let our young friend give it a name," said Challenger.
"Then," said I, blushing, I dare say, as I said it, "let it be namedLake Gladys."
"Don't you think the Central Lake would be more descriptive?" remarkedSummerlee.
"I should prefer Lake Gladys."
Challenger looked at me sympathetically, and shook his great head inmock disapproval. "Boys will be boys," said he. "Lake Gladys let itbe."