Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Poison Belt Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

It is imperative that now at once, while these stupendous events are still clear in my mind, Ishould set them down with that exactness of detail which time may blur. But even as I do so, I amoverwhelmed by the wonder of the fact that it should be our little group of the "Lost World"-Professor Challenger, Professor Summerlee, Lord John Roxton, and myself-who have passedthrough this amazing experience. When, some years ago, I chronicled in the Daily Gazette our epoch-making journey in SouthAmerica, I little thought that it should ever fall to my lot to tell an even stranger personal experience, one which is unique in all human annals and must stand out in the records of history as a great peakamong the humble foothills which surround it. The event itself will always be marvellous, but thecircumstances that we four were together at the time of this extraordinary episode came about in amost natural and, indeed, inevitable fashion. I will explain the events which led up to it as shortlyand as clearly as I can, though I am well aware that the fuller the detail upon such a subject the morewelcome it will be to the reader, for the public curiosity has been and still is insatiable