"Burroughs, Edgar Rice - People That Time Forgot" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burroughs Edgar Rice)

We came to the cliffs beside the little river where it empties
into the bay with the great inland sea beyond. The cliffs were
weather-worn and rotted, and in one place a deep hollow ran
back beneath the overhanging stone for several feet, suggesting
shelter for the night. There were loose rocks strewn all about
with which I might build a barricade across the entrance to the
cave, and so I halted there and pointed out the place to Ajor,
trying to make her understand that we would spend the night there.

As soon as she grasped my meaning, she assented with the
Caspakian equivalent of an affirmative nod, and then touching
my rifle, motioned me to follow her to the river. At the bank
she paused, removed her belt and dagger, dropping them to the
ground at her side; then unfastening the lower edge of her
garment from the metal leg-band to which it was attached,
slipped it off her left shoulder and let it drop to the ground
around her feet. It was done so naturally, so simply and so
quickly that it left me gasping like a fish out of water.
Turning, she flashed a smile at me and then dived into the
river, and there she bathed while I stood guard over her.
For five or ten minutes she splashed about, and when she
emerged her glistening skin was smooth and white and beautiful.
Without means of drying herself, she simply ignored what to me
would have seemed a necessity, and in a moment was arrayed in
her simple though effective costume.

It was now within an hour of darkness, and as I was nearly
famished, I led the way back about a quarter of a mile to a
low meadow where we had seen antelope and small horses a short
time before. Here I brought down a young buck, the report of my
rifle sending the balance of the herd scampering for the woods,
where they were met by a chorus of hideous roars as the
carnivora took advantage of their panic and leaped among them.

With my hunting-knife I removed a hind-quarter, and then we
returned to camp. Here I gathered a great quantity of wood
from fallen trees, Ajor helping me; but before I built a fire,
I also gathered sufficient loose rock to build my barricade
against the frightful terrors of the night to come.

I shall never forget the expression upon Ajor's face as she saw
me strike a match and light the kindling beneath our camp-fire.
It was such an expression as might transform a mortal face with
awe as its owner beheld the mysterious workings of divinity.
It was evident that Ajor was quite unfamiliar with modern
methods of fire-making. She had thought my rifle and pistol
wonderful; but these tiny slivers of wood which from a magic
rub brought flame to the camp hearth were indeed miracles to her.

As the meat roasted above the fire, Ajor and I tried once again