Themostwonderfulthingshavehappenedandarecontinuallyhappeningtous.AllthepaperthatIpossessconsistsoffiveoldnote-booksandalotofscraps,andIhaveonlytheonestylographicpencilbutsolongasIcanmovemyhandIwillcontinuetosetdownourexperiencesandimpressions,for,sincewearetheonlymenofthewholehumanracetoseesuchthings,itisofenormousimportancethatIshouldrecordthemwhilsttheyarefreshinmymemoryandbeforethatfatewhichseemstobeconstantlyimpendingdoesactuallyovertakeus.WhetherZambocanatlasttaketheseletterstotheriver,orwhetherIshallmyselfinsomemiraculouswaycarrythembackwithme,or,finally,whethersomedaringexplorer,cominguponourtrackswiththeadvantage,perhaps,ofaperfectedmonoplane,shouldfindthisbundleofmanuscript,inanycaseIcanseethatwhatIamwritingisdestinedtoimmortalityasaclassicoftrueadventure.
OnthemorningafterourbeingtrappedupontheplateaubythevillainousGomezwebegananewstageinourexperiences.Thefirstincidentinitwasnotsuchastogivemeaveryfavorableopinionoftheplacetowhichwehadwandered.AsIrousedmyselffromashortnapafterdayhaddawned,myeyesfelluponamostsingularappearanceuponmyownleg.Mytrouserhadslippedup,exposingafewinchesofmyskinabovemysock.Onthisthererestedalarge,purplishgrape.Astonishedatthesight,Ileanedforwardtopickitoff,when,tomyhorror,itburstbetweenmyfingerandthumb,squirtingbloodineverydirection.Mycryofdisgusthadbroughtthetwoprofessorstomyside.
"Mostinteresting,"saidSummerlee,bendingovermyshin."Anenormousblood-tick,asyet,Ibelieve,unclassified."
"Thefirst-fruitsofourlabors,"saidChallengerinhisbooming,pedanticfashion."WecannotdolessthancallitIxodesMaloni.Theverysmallinconvenienceofbeingbitten,myyoungfriend,cannot,Iamsure,weighwithyouasagainstthegloriousprivilegeofhavingyournameinscribedinthedeathlessrollofzoology.Unhappilyyouhavecrushedthisfinespecimenatthemomentofsatiation."
"Filthyvermin!"Icried.
ProfessorChallengerraisedhisgreateyebrowsinprotest,andplacedasoothingpawuponmyshoulder.
"Youshouldcultivatethescientificeyeandthedetachedscientificmind,"saidhe."Toamanofphilosophictemperamentlikemyselftheblood-tick,withitslancet-likeproboscisanditsdistendingstomach,isasbeautifulaworkofNatureasthepeacockor,forthatmatter,theauroraborealis.Itpainsmetohearyouspeakofitinsounappreciativeafashion.Nodoubt,withduediligence,wecansecuresomeotherspecimen."
"Therecan