Misha Williams

 72 
explorers have never travelled under the auspices of 
scientific bodies… 
 
Sound effect. Heckler :"Here-here!!" 
 
 
FAWCETT 
And I shall go despite a certain quantity of abuse, 
opposition and even hatred. I shall endure… and finally 
…..I shall….. unveil the truth!  
 
Sound:Havoc in the hall as the meeting breaks up. 
 NINA moves to FAWCETT.. 
 
NINA 
 (Sobbing violently) You were magnificent!… 
 
BRIAN 
Conan Doyle found it all screamingly funny and pinched 
the whole scene for his "Lost World" novel. So 
everyone was happy on our side. For a bit. 
 
BRIAN contemplates his parents who are now in an affectionate 
embrace.Blackout. 
 
  
                                     
SCENE THREE.  MATO GROSSO. A VOID NEAR SOME HUTS. 
 
BRIAN with small rucksack is waiting for something. Nearby, a gold 
prospector sits daydreaming; a ragged clothed man with beard and straw 
hat. Tinny Brazilian music on a transitor radio in the distance. BRIAN 
opens a conversation. 
 
BRIAN 
Boa tarde, senhor. 
 
The man grunts. Pause. 
 
BRIAN 
 (Shouting in the man's ear) Eu… viajo… para Rio 
Sangue! 
 
 

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 73 
MAN 
 Mmm. 
 
BRIAN starts to use extravagant sign language as he speaks. 
 
BRIAN 
Ora rapaz….eu necessito transporte para Rio 
Sangue…Oh, this language… 
 
MAN 
It is devilish tongue… 
 
BRIAN 
You speak some English? Good. I need transport to 
Blood River. River of Blood whatever it's called. Is 
there a canoe or something? 
 
MAN 
(Sniggering ominously) No one return from the River of 
Blood. Dangerous place. 
 
BRIAN 
I am determined to go.  
 
MAN 
Why you go? 
 
BRIAN 
That's my business, dear chap. 
 
MAN 
"Dear chap"? …."Dear chap"?…You…You remind me…of 
a man. 
 
BRIAN 
What man?  
 
MAN 
(Smiling inanely) A man…with a power! 
 
BRIAN 
(Awakening to amazement)…."The power of what?" 
 
 

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 74 
MAN 
"The power of Voodoo" 
 
BRIAN 
"Who do?" 
 
MAN 
"You do!" 
 
BRIAN and RALEIGH have recognized each other and race the lines very 
fast getting very excited.  
 
BRIAN 
"I do what" 
 
RALEIGH 
"Remind me of a man" 
 
BRIAN 
"What man?" 
 
RALEIGH 
"A man with a power!!" 
 
BRIAN 
"Power of what?" 
 
 
RALEIGH 
"The power of Voodoo!" 
 
BRIAN 
"WHO DO???" 
 
RALEIGH 
"YOU DO!!!" 
 
BRIAN 
"I DO WHAT???" 
 
RALEIGH 
'Remind me of Brian Fawcett. Dear chap…. 
 
 

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 75 
BRIAN 
Raleigh Rimell…in dago costume… 
 
RALEIGH 
I'm a garimpo! a gold prospector now.'Have to wear 
the uniform.  
 
 
They shake hands very emotionally.  BRIAN reacts slightly to RALEIGH'S 
hand. 
 
BRIAN 
You're… 
 
RALEIGH 
It's wet. It's the malaria. 
 
BRIAN 
Raleigh, I'm so sorry. Your mother's still alive, you 
know. She's over a hundred and you haven't written to 
her for forty years, you naughty boy.  
 
RALEIGH 
I know what you're going to ask. And I don't know the 
answer. I don't know what happened to them. Your 
father was an unusual man. But I should never have 
gone with him. I was tricked. I never knew that he'd 
planned to stay here with Jack and… 
 
BRIAN 
No one ever found you? 
 
RALEIGH 
A Swiss trapper. We were held by Indians. He said he 
was going to get help but he never found us again. He 
said other rescue parties had all looked eastward. In 
the opposite direction. At least we got released by the 
tribe who thought he'd bring back trouble. 
 
BRIAN 
Did Daddy wear rings? 
 
 
 

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 76 
RALEIGH 
Yes. He bought some magical Macumba rings in 
Cuiaba. 
 
BRIAN 
So unlike Daddy. Wearing rings. 
 
RALEIGH 
There was a coiled one with sapphire snake eyes. 
 
BRIAN 
Really. 
 
RALEIGH 
"Daddy" was very different here! Believe me Brian. 
Nature takes you over here. Brings out urges you 
never thought you had and …But it's a cruel life. I 
made a fortune when I found a diamond. Spent the lot 
in Salvador. Came back here in a gambling frenzy 
determined to find more. But I just find bits of gold 
dust which keep me going. This is not the place for 
you, Brian. It's evil. 
 
BRIAN 
It certainly is. I actually saw an empty coca cola can 
discarded in the virgin forest! 
 
RALEIGH 
People kill each other here for a coca cola. The virgin 
forest's all owned' you know. 
 
BRIAN 
By Indians. 
 
RALEIGH 
Hah! By oil companies, international capital, 
hamburger magnates. It was divided into squares like 
a chess board in committee rooms a hundred years 
ago. We poor are the shock troops who are clearing the 
natives and the jungle and when that's completed, 
they'll just come in and its goodbye to us little men.  
 
Gunshots. Raucous laughter. Manic samba music on a transistor. 
 

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