"Mike Resnick - Hunting The Snark" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

"He wrote _Jabberwocky_ and _The Hunting of the Snark_, along with the Alice
books." She stared at me. "Surely you're read them."

"I'm afraid not."

"No matter," she said with a shrug. "It was just a joke. Not a very funny
one."

In retrospect, I wish we'd found a Jabberwock.

****

_"Just the place for a Snark!" the Bellman cried,_

_As he landed his crew with care;_

_Supporting each man on the top of the tide_

_By a finger entwined in his hair._

****
Dodgson IV was lush and green, with huge rolling savannahs, thick forests with
trees growing hundreds of feet high, lots of large inland lakes, a trio of
freshwater oceans, an atmosphere slightly richer than Galactic Standard, and a
gravity that was actually a shade lighter than Standard.

While the Dabihs were setting up camp and erecting the self-contained safari
Bubbles near the ship, I sent Chajinka off to collect possible foodstuffs, then
took them to the ship's lab for analysis. It was even better than I'd hoped.

"I've got good news," I announced when I clambered back out of the ship. "There
are at least seventeen edible plant species. The bark of those trees with the
golden blossoms is also edible. The water's not totally safe, but it's close
enough so that if we irradiate it it'll be just fine."

"I didn't come here to eat fruits and berries or whatever the hell Blue Boy
found out there," said Marx gruffly. "Let's go hunting."

"I think it would be better for you and your friends to stay in camp for a day
while Chajinka and I scout out the territory and see what's out there. Just
unwind from the trip and get used to the atmosphere and the gravity."

"Why?" asked Desmond. "What's the difference if we go out today or tomorrow?"

"Once I see what we're up against, I'll be able to tell you which weapons to
take. And while we know there are carnivores, we have no idea whether they're
diurnal or nocturnal or both. No sense spending all day looking for a trophy
that only comes out at night."

"I hadn't thought of that." Desmond shrugged. "You're the boss."