Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tarzan 13 - Tarzan at the Earth's Core

7/23/2019 Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tarzan 13 - Tarzan at the Earth's Core

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Tarzan 13 - Tarzan at the Earth's Core

by

Edgar Rice BurroughsFOREWORD PELLUCIDAR, as every schoolboy knows, is a world within a world, lyin, as itdoes, !"on the inner s!r#ace o# the hollow s"here, which is the Earth$It was discovered by David Innes and Abner Perry !"on the occasion when they %ade the trialtri" !"on the %echanical "ros"ector invented by Perry, wherewith they ho"ed to locate new bedso# anthracite coal$ Owin, however, to their inability to de#lect the nose o# the "ros"ector, a#ter ithad started downward into the Earth&s cr!st, they bored straiht thro!h #or #ive h!ndred %iles,and !"on the third day, when Perry was already !nconscio!s owin to the cons!%"tion o# theirstock o# o'yen, and David was #ast losin conscio!sness, the nose o# the "ros"ector brokethro!h the cr!st o# the inner world and the cabin was #illed with #resh air$In the years that have intervened, weird advent!res have be#allen these two e'"lorers$ Perry hasnever ret!rned to the o!ter cr!st, and Innes b!t once ( !"on that occasion when he %ade thedi##ic!lt and danero!s ret!rn tri" in the "ros"ector #or the "!r"ose o# brinin back to the e%"irehe had #o!nded in the inner world the %eans to bestow !"on his "ri%itive "eo"le o# the stone ae

the civili)ation o# the twentieth cent!ry$*!t what with battles with "ri%itive %en and still %ore "ri%itive beasts and re"tiles, the advanceo# the e%"ire o# Pell!cidar toward civili)ation has been s%all+ and in so #ar as the reat area o#the inner world is concerned, or the co!ntless %illions o# its tee%in li#e o# another ae than o!rs,David Innes and Abner Perry %iht never have e'isted$When one considers that these land and water areas !"on the s!r#ace o# Pell!cidar are ino""osite relationshi" to the sa%e areas !"on the o!ter cr!st, so%e sliht conce"tion o# the vaste'tent o# this %ihty world within a world %ay be drea%ed$he land area o# the o!ter world co%"rises so%e #i#ty ( three %illion s-!are %iles, or one (-!arter o# the total area o# the earth&s s!r#ace+ while within Pell!cidar three ( -!arters o# thes!r#ace is land, so that .!nle, %o!ntain, #orest and "lain stretch inter%inably over /01,//2,222s-!are %iles+ nor are the oceans with their area o# 1/,342,222 s-!are %iles o# any %ean orniardly e'tent$

h!s, considerin the land area only, we have the strane ano%aly o# a larer world within as%aller one, b!t then Pell!cidar is a world o# deviation #ro% what we o# the o!ter cr!st have co%eto acce"t as !nalterable laws o# nat!re$In the e'act center o# the earth hans Pell!cidar&s s!n, a tiny orb co%"ared with o!rs, b!ts!##icient to ill!%inate Pell!cidar and #lood her tee%in .!nles with war%th and li#e ( ivin rays$5er s!n hanin th!s "er"et!ally at )enith, there is no niht !"on Pell!cidar, b!t always anendless eternity o# noon$here bein no stars and no a""arent %ove%ent o# the s!n, Pell!cidar has no "oints o# co%"ass+nor has she any hori)on since her s!r#ace c!rves always !"ward in all directions #ro% theobserver, so that #ar above one&s line o# vision, "lain or sea or distant %o!ntain rane o onwardand !"ward !ntil lost in the ha)e o# the distance$ And aain, in a world where there is no s!n, nostars and no %oon, s!ch as we know, there can be no s!ch thin as ti%e, as we know it$ And so,in Pell!cidar, we have a ti%eless world which %!st necessarily be #ree #ro% those "ests who areconstantly callin o!r attention to 6the b!sy little bee6 and to the #act that 6ti%e is %oney$6 Whileti%e %ay be 6the so!l o# this world6 and the 6essence o# contracts,6 in the beati#ic e'istence o#Pell!cidar it is nothin and less than nothin$hrice in the "ast have we o# the o!ter world received co%%!nication #ro% Pell!cidar$ We knowthat Perry&s #irst reat i#t o# civili)ation to the stone ae was !n"owder$ We know that he#ollowed this with re"eatin ri#les, s%all shi"s o# war !"on which were %o!nted !ns o# no reatcaliber, and #inally we know that he "er#ected a radio$7nowin Perry as so%ethin o# an e%"iric, we were not s!r"rised to learn that his radio co!ld notbe t!ned in !"on any known wave or wave lenth o# the o!ter world, and it re%ained #or yo!n8ason 9ridley o# ar)ana, e'"eri%entin with his newly discovered 9ridley Wave, to "ick !" the


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#irst %essae #ro% Pell!cidar$he last word that we received #ro% Perry be#ore his %essaes #altered and died o!t was to thee##ect that David Innes, #irst E%"eror o# Pell!cidar, was lan!ishin in a dark d!neon in the lando# the 7orsars, #ar across continent and ocean #ro% his beloved land o# :ari, which lies !"on areat "latea! not #ar inland #ro% the L!ral A)$

Cha"ter I$AR;A< OF 5E APE: "a!sed to listen and to sni## the air$ 5ad yo! been there yo! co!ld nothave heard what he heard, or had yo! yo! co!ld not have inter"reted it$ =o! co!ld have s%ellednothin b!t the %!stiness o# decayin veetation, which blended with the aro%a o# rowinthins$he so!nds that ar)an heard ca%e #ro% a reat distance and were #aint even to his ears+ nor at#irst co!ld he de#initely ascribe the% to their tr!e so!rce, tho!h he conceived the i%"ression thatthey heralded the co%in o# a "arty o# %en$*!to the rhinoceros, antor the ele"hant or

his .!nle by these two ( #ooted harbiners o# stri#e$ A%on %any races o# %en he had #o!nd#riends, b!t this did not "revent hi% #ro% -!estionin the "!r"oses and the %otives o# whosoeverentered his do%ain$ And so today he %oved silently thro!h the %iddle terrace o# his lea#y way inthe direction o# the so!nds that he had heard$

As the distance closed between hi% and those he went to investiate, his keen ears cataloedthe so!nd o# "addin, naked #eet and the son o# native carriers as they sw!n alon beneaththeir heavy b!rdens$ And then to his nostrils ca%e the scent s"oor o# black %en and with it,#aintly, the s!estion o# another scent, and ar)an knew that a white %an was on sa#ari be#orethe head o# the col!%n ca%e in view alon the wide, well %arked a%e trail, above which theLord o# the 8!nle waited$


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69ood,6 said 9ridley+ and the sa#ari res!%ed its way, the "orters la!hin and sinin at the"ros"ect o# an early ca%"$It was not !ntil 8ason and ar)an were en.oyin their co##ee that evenin that the a"e ( %anreverted to the s!b.ect o# the A%erican&s visit$6And now,6 he said, 6what has bro!ht yo! all the way #ro% :o!thern Cali#ornia to the heart o#

A#rica>69ridley s%iled$ 6 E'"lain the whole "ro"osition to %e$665ave yo! ever heard o# the theory that the earth is a hollow s"here, containin a habitable worldwithin its interior>66he theory that has been de#initely re#!ted by scienti#ic investiation,6 re"lied the a"e ( %an$6*!t has it been re#!ted satis#actorily>6 asked 9ridley$6o the satis#action o# the scientists,6 re"lied ar)an$6And to %y satis#action, too,6 re"lied the A%erican, 6!ntil I recently received a %essae direct#ro% the inner world$66=o! s!r"rise %e,6 said the a"e ( %an$6And I, too, was s!r"rised, b!t the #act re%ains that I have been in radio co%%!nication with

Abner Perry in the inner world o# Pell!cidar and I have bro!ht a co"y o# that %essae with %eand also an a##idavit o# its a!thenticity #ro% a %an with whose na%e yo! are #a%iliar and who was

with %e when I received the %essae+ in #act, he was listenin in at the sa%e ti%e with %e$ 5erethey are$6Fro% a "ort#olio he took a letter which he handed to ar)an and a b!lky %an!scri"t bo!nd inboard covers$6I shall not take the ti%e to read yo! all o# the story o# anar o# Pell!cidar,6 said 9ridley, 6beca!sethere is a reat deal in it that is not essential to the e'"osition o# %y "lan$66As yo! will,6 said ar)an$ 6I a% listenin$6For hal# an ho!r 8ason 9ridley read e'cer"ts #ro% the %an!scri"t be#ore hi%$ 6his,6 he said,when he had co%"leted the readin, 6is what convinced %e o# the e'istence o# Pell!cidar, and itis the !n#ort!nate sit!ation o# David Innes that i%"elled %e to co%e to yo! with the "ro"osal thatwe !ndertake an e'"edition whose #irst "!r"ose shall be to resc!e hi% #ro% the d!neon o# the7orsars$66And how do yo! think this %ay be done>6 asked the a"e ( %an$ 6Are yo! convinced o# the

correctness o# Innes& theory that there is an entrance to the inner world at each "ole>66I a% #ree to con#ess that I do not know what to believe,6 re"lied the A%erican$ 6*!t a#ter Ireceived this %essae #ro% Perry I co%%enced to investiate and I discovered that the theory o#an inhabitable world at the center o# the earth with o"enins leadin into it at the north and so!th"oles is no new one and that there is %!ch evidence to s!""ort it$ I #o!nd a very co%"letee'"osition o# the theory in a book written abo!t /@32 and in another work o# %ore recent ti%e$herein I #o!nd what see%ed to be a reasonable e'"lanation o# %any well known "heno%enathat have not been satis#actorily e'"lained by any hy"othesis endorsed by science$66What, #or e'a%"le>6 asked ar)an$6Well, #or e'a%"le, war% winds and war% ocean c!rrents co%in #ro% the north and


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enco!ntered and re"orted by "ractically all arctic e'"lorers+ the "resence o# the li%bs andbranches o# trees with reen #oliae !"on the% #loatin so!thward #ro% the #ar north, #ar abovethe latit!de where any s!ch trees are #o!nd !"on the o!ter cr!st+ then there is the "heno%enono# the northern lihts, which in the liht o# David Innes& theory %ay easily be e'"lained as rays o#liht #ro% the central s!n o# the inner world, breakin occasionally thro!h the #o and clo!dbanks above the "olar o"enin$ Aain there is the "ollen, which o#ten thickly covers the snow andice in "ortions o# the "olar reions$ his "ollen co!ld not co%e #ro% elsewhere than the innerworld$ And in addition to all this is the insistence o# the #ar northern tribes o# Eski%os that their#ore#athers ca%e #ro% a co!ntry to the north$66Did not A%!ndson and Ellsworth in the 6 de%anded the a"e ( %an$6he answer to that is that the "olar o"enin is so lare that a shi", a diriible or an air"lane co!lddi" down over the ede into it a short distance and ret!rn witho!t ever bein aware o# the #act,b!t the %ost tenable theory is that in %ost instances e'"lorers have %erely #ollowed aro!nd theo!ter ri% o# the ori#ice, which wo!ld larely e'"lain the "ec!liar and %ysti#yin action o#co%"asses and other scienti#ic instr!%ents at "oints near the so ( called north "ole ( %atterswhich have reatly "!))led all arctic e'"lorers$66=o! are convinced then that there is not only an inner world b!t that there is an entrance to it atthe north "ole>6 asked ar)an$

6I a% convinced that there is an inner world, b!t I a% not convinced o# the e'istence o# a "olaro"enin,6 re"lied 9ridley$ 6I can only say that I believe there is s!##icient evidence to warrant theorani)ation o# an e'"edition s!ch as I have s!ested$66Ass!%in that a "olar o"enin into an inner world e'ists, by .!st what %eans do yo! "!r"oseacco%"lishin the discovery and e'"loration o# it>66he %ost "ractical %eans o# trans"ortation that e'ists today #or carryin o!t %y "lan wo!ld be as"ecially constr!cted riid airshi", b!ilt alon the lines o# the %odern ;e""elin$ :!ch a shi", !sinheli!% as, wo!ld show a hiher #actor o# sa#ety than any other %eans o# trans"ortation at o!rdis"osal$ I have iven the %atter considerable tho!ht and I #eel s!re that i# there is s!ch a "olaro"enin, the obstacles that wo!ld con#ront !s in an atte%"t to enter the inner world wo!ld be #arless than those enco!ntered by the


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little laboratory he had ried !" at his #ather&s %ission$66Where is this %an>6 de%anded 9ridley$6Dr$ von 5arben&s %ission is in the Ura%bi co!ntry,6 re"lied the a"e ( %an, 6abo!t #o!r %archeswest o# where we now are$6Far into the niht the two %en disc!ssed "lans #or the "ro.ect, #or ar)an was now thoro!hlyinterested, and the ne't day they t!rned back toward the Ura%bi co!ntry and von 5arben&s%ission, where they arrived on the #o!rth day and were reeted by Dr$ von 5arben and his son,Erich, as well as by the latter&s wi#e, the bea!ti#!l Favonia o# Castr!% ?are$It is not %y intention to weary yo! with a recital o# the details o# the orani)ation and e-!i"%ent o#the Pell!cidarian e'"edition, altho!h that "ortion o# it which relates to the search #or anddiscovery o# the native %ine containin the re%arkable %etal now known as 5arben ( ite, #illed asit was with advent!re and e'cite%ent, is well worth a vol!%e by itsel#$While ar)an and Erich von 5arben were locatin the %ine and trans"ortin the %etal to theseacoast, 8ason 9ridley was in Friedrichsha#en in cons!ltation with the enineers o# the co%"anyhe had chosen to constr!ct the s"ecially desined airshi" in which the atte%"t was to be %ade toreach the inner world$E'ha!stive tests were %ade o# the sa%"les o# 5arben ( ite bro!ht to Friedrichsha#en by 8ason9ridley$ Plans were drawn, and by the ti%e the shi"%ent o# the ore arrived everythin was inreadiness to co%%ence i%%ediate constr!ction, which was carried on secretly$ And si' %onthslater, when the O ( 002, as it was o##icially known, was ready to take the air, it was enerally

considered to be nothin %ore than a new desin o# the ordinary ty"e o# riid airshi", destined tobe !sed as a co%%on carrier !"on one o# the already n!%ero!s co%%ercial airways o# E!ro"e$he reat ciar ( sha"ed h!ll o# the O ( 002 was 4 #eet in lenth and /B2 #eet in dia%eter$ heinterior o# the h!ll was divided into si' lare, air ( tiht co%"art%ents, three o# which, r!nnin the#!ll lenth o# the shi", were above the %edial line and three below$ Inside the h!ll and r!nninalon each side o# the shi", between the !""er and lower vac!!% tanks, were lon corridors inwhich were located the enines, %otors and "!%"s, in addition to s!""lies o# asoline and oil$he internal location o# the enine roo% was %ade "ossible by the eli%ination o# #ire risk, which isan ever ( "resent so!rce o# daner in airshi"s which de"end #or their li#tin "ower !"on hydroenas, as well as to the absol!tely #ire"roo# constr!ction o# the O ( 002+ every "art o# which, with thee'ce"tion o# a #ew cabin #ittins and #!rnit!re, was o# 5arbenite, this %etal bein !sed thro!ho!te'ce"t #or certain b!shins and bearins in %otors, enerators and "ro"ellers$Connectin the "ort and starboard enine and #!el corridors were two transverse corridors, one

#orward and one a#t, while bisectin these transverse corridors were two cli%bin sha#tse'tendin #ro% the botto% o# the shi" to the to"$he !""er end o# the #orward cli%bin sha#t ter%inated in a s%all !n and observation cabin atthe to" o# the shi", alon which was a narrow walkin ( way e'tendin #ro% the #orward cabin to as%all t!rret near the tail o# the shi", where "rovision had been %ade #or #i'in a %achine !n$he %ain cabin, r!nnin alon the keel o# the shi", was an interal "art o# the h!ll, and beca!seo# this entirely riid constr!ction, which eli%inated the necessity #or cabins s!s"ended below theh!ll, the O ( 002 was e-!i""ed with landin ear in the #or% o# si', lare, heavily tired wheels"ro.ectin below the botto% o# the %ain cabin$ In the e'tre%e stern o# the keel cabin a s%allsco!t %ono"lane was carried in s!ch a way that it co!ld be lowered thro!h the botto% o# theshi" and la!nched while the O ( 002 was in #liht$Eiht air ( cooled %otors drove as %any "ro"ellers, which were arraned in "airs !"on either sideo# the shi" and staered in s!ch a %anner that the air #ro% the #orward "ro"ellers wo!ld not

inter#ere with those behind$he enines, develo"in B22 horse"ower, were ca"able o# drivin the shi" at a s"eed o# /2B%iles "er ho!r$In the O ( 002 the ordinary a'ial wire, which "asses the whole lenth o# the shi" thro!h thecenter, consisted o# a t!b!lar sha#t o# 5arbenite #ro% which s%aller t!b!lar braces radiated, likethe s"okes o# a wheel, to the t!b!lar irders, to which the 5arbenite "lates o# the o!ter envelo"ewere welded$Owin to the e'tre%e lihtness o# 5arbenite, the total weiht o# the shi" was 4B tons, while thetotal li#t o# its vac!!% tanks was 00B tons$For "!r"oses o# %ane!verin the shi" and to #acilitate landin, each o# the vac!!% tanks was


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e-!i""ed with a bank o# eiht air valves o"erated #ro% the control cabin at the #orward end o# thekeel+ while si' "!%"s, three in the starboard and three in the "ort enine corridors, weredesined to e'"el the air #ro% the tanks when it beca%e necessary to renew the vac!!%$ :"ecialr!dders and elevators were also o"erated #ro% the #orward control cabin as well as #ro% ana!'iliary "osition a#t in the "ort enine corridor, in the event that the control cabin steerin earsho!ld break down$In the %ain keel cabin were located the -!arters #or the o##icers and crew, !n and a%%!nitionroo%, "rovision roo%, alley, additional asoline and oil storae tanks, and water tanks, the latterso constr!cted that the contents o# any o# the% %iht be e%"tied instantaneo!sly in case o# ane%erency, while a "ro"ortion o# the asoline and oil tanks were sli" tanks that %iht be sli""edthro!h the botto% o# the shi" in cases o# e'tre%e e%erency when it was necessaryinstantaneo!sly to red!ce the weiht o# the load$his, then, brie#ly, was the reat, riid airshi" in which 8ason 9ridley and ar)an o# the A"esho"ed to discover the north "olar entrance to the inner world and resc!e David Innes, E%"eror o#Pell!cidar, #ro% the d!neons o# the 7orsars$

Cha"ter II$8U: *EFORE daybreak o# a clear 8!ne %ornin, the O ( 002 %oved slowly #ro% its hanar!nder its own "ower$ F!lly loaded and e-!i""ed, it was to %ake its test #liht !nder loadconditions identical with those which wo!ld obtain when it set #orth !"on its lon .o!rney$ he

three lower tanks were still #illed with air and she carried an e'cess o# water ballast s!##icient tooverco%e her e-!ilibri!%, so that while she %oved lihtly over the ro!nd she %oved with entiresa#ety and co!ld be %ane!vered al%ost as handily as an a!to%obile$

As she ca%e into the o"en her "!%"s co%%enced to e'"el the air #ro% the three lower tanks,and at the sa%e ti%e a "ortion o# her e'cess water ballast was slowly dischared, and al%osti%%ediately the h!e shi" rose slowly and race#!lly #ro% the ro!nd$he entire "ersonnel o# the shi"&s co%"any d!rin the test #liht was the sa%e that had beenselected #or the e'"edition$ ;!""ner, who had been chosen as ca"tain, had been in chare o# theconstr!ction o# the shi" and had a considerable "art in its desinin$ here were two %ates, on5orst and Dor#, who had been o##icers in the I%"erial air #orces, as also had the naviator,Lie!tenant ?ines$ In addition to these there were twelve enineers and eiht %echanics, a nerocook and two Fili"ino cabin ( boys$ar)an was co%%ander o# the e'"edition, with 8ason 9ridley as his lie!tenant, while the #ihtin

%en o# the shi" consisted o# ?!viro and nine o# his Wa)iri warriors$As the shi" rose race#!lly above the city, ;!""ner, who was at the controls, co!ld scarce restrainhis enth!sias%$6he sweetest thin I ever saw6 he e'clai%ed$ 6:he res"onds to the lihtest to!ch$66I a% not s!r"rised at that,6 said 5ines+ 6I knew she&d do it$ Why we&ve ot twice the crew weneed to handle her$66here yo! o aain, Lie!tenant,6 said ar)an, la!hin+ 6b!t do not think that %y insistence !"ona lare crew was based !"on any lack o# con#idence in the shi"$ We are oin into a straneworld$ We %ay be one a lon ti%e$ I# we reach o!r destination we shall have #ihtin, as each o#yo! %en who vol!nteered has been in#or%ed %any ti%es, so that while we %ay have twice as%any %en as we need #or the tri" in, we %ay yet #ind o!rselves short handed on the ret!rn

.o!rney, #or not all o# !s will ret!rn$66I s!""ose yo! are riht,6 said 5ines+ 6b!t with the #eel o# this shi" "er%eatin %e and the -!iet

"eace#!lness o# the scene below, daner and death see% re%ote$66I ho"e they are,6 ret!rned ar)an, 6and I ho"e that we shall ret!rn with every %an that oes o!twith !s, b!t I believe in bein "re"ared and to that end 9ridley and I have been st!dyinnaviation and we want yo! to ive !s a chance at so%e "ractical e'"erience be#ore we reacho!r destination$6;!""ner la!hed$ 6hey have yo! %arked already, 5ines,6 he said$he Lie!tenant rinned$ 6I&ll teach the% all I know,6 he said+ 6b!t I&ll bet the best dinner that can beserved in *erlin that i# this shi" ret!rns I&ll still be her naviator$66hat is a case o# heads ( I ( win, tails ( yo! ( lose,6 said 9ridley$6And to ret!rn to the s!b.ect o# "re"aredness,6 said ar)an, 6I a% oin to ask yo! to let %y


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Wa)iri hel" the %echanics and enineers$ hey are hihly intellient %en, -!ick to learn, and i#so%e cala%ity sho!ld overtake !s we cannot have too %any %en #a%iliar with the enines, andother %achinery o# the shi"$66=o! are riht,6 said ;!""ner, 6and I shall see that it is done$6he reat, shinin shi" sailed %a.estically north+ Ravensb!r #ell astern and hal# an ho!r later theso%ber ray ribbon o# the Dan!be lay below the%$he loner they were in the air the %ore enth!siastic ;!""ner beca%e$ 6I had every con#idence inthe s!ccess#!l o!tco%e o# the trial #liht,6 he said+ 6b!t I can ass!re yo! that I did not look #ors!ch "er#ection as I #ind in this shi"$ It %arks a new era in aerona!tics, and I a% convinced thatlon be#ore we cover the #o!r h!ndred %iles to 5a%b!r that we shall have established the entireair worthiness o# the O ( 002 to the entire satis#action o# each o# !s$66o 5a%b!r and ret!rn to Friedrichsha#en was to have been the ro!te o# the trial tri",6 saidar)an, 6b!t why t!rn back at 5a%b!r>6he others t!rned -!estionin eyes !"on hi% as the "!r"ort o# his -!ery sank ho%e$6=es, why>6 de%anded 9ridley$;!""ner shr!ed his sho!lders$ 6We are #!lly e-!i""ed and "rovisioned,6 he said$6hen why waste eiht h!ndred %iles in ret!rnin to Friedrichsha#en>6 de%anded 5ines$6I# yo! are all areeable we shall contin!e toward the north,6 said ar)an$ And so it was that thetrial tri" o# the O ( 002 beca%e an act!al start !"on its lon .o!rney toward the interior o# theearth, and the secrecy that was desired #or the e'"edition was ins!red$

he "lan had been to #ollow the enth ?eridian east o# 9reenwich north to the "ole$ *!t to avoidattractin !nnecessary notice a sliht deviation #ro% this co!rse was #o!nd desirable, and theshi" "assed to the west o# 5a%b!r and o!t across the waters o# the


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:o reat was the nervo!s strain !"on all o# the% that #or ho!rs at a ti%e scarcely a word wase'chaned$6Look6 e'clai%ed 5ines s!ddenly$ 6here is o"en water .!st ahead o# !s$66hat, o# co!rse, we %iht e'"ect,6 said ;!""ner, 6even i# there is no "olar o"enin, and yo!know that I have been ske"tical abo!t that ever since 9ridley #irst e'"lained his theory to %e$66I think,6 said 9ridley, with a s%ile, 6that really I a% the only one in the "arty who has had any#aith at all in the theory, b!t "lease do not call it %y theory #or it is not, and even I sho!ld not havebeen s!r"rised had the theory "roven to be a #alse one$ *!t i# any o# yo! has been watchin thes!n #or the last #ew ho!rs, I think that yo! will have to aree with %e that even tho!h there %aybe no "olar o"enin into an inner world, there %!st be a reat de"ression at this "oint in theearth&s cr!st and that we had one down into it #or a considerable distance, #or yo! will notice thatthe %idniht s!n is %!ch lower than it sho!ld be and that the #!rther we contin!e !"on thisco!rse the lower it dro"s ( event!ally it will set co%"letely, and i# I a% not %!ch %istaken we shallsoon see the liht o# the eternal noonday s!n o# Pell!cidar$6:!ddenly the tele"hone ran and 5ines "!t the receiver to his ear$ 6ery ood, sir,6 he said, a#tera %o%ent, and h!n !"$ 6It was on 5orst, Ca"tain, re"ortin #ro% the observation cabin$ 5e hassihted land dead ahead$66Land6 e'clai%ed ;!""ner$ 6he only land o!r chart shows in this direction is :iberia$66:iberia lies over a tho!sand %iles so!th o# @B, and we cannot be over three h!ndred %iles so!tho# @B,6 said 9ridley$

6hen we have either discovered a new arctic land, or we are a""roachin the northern #rontierso# Pell!cidar,6 said Lie!tenant 5ines$6And that is .!st what we are doin,6 said 9ridley$ 6Look at yo!r ther%o%eter$66he devil6 e'clai%ed ;!""ner$ 6It is only twenty derees above )ero Fahrenheit$66=o! can see the land "lainly now,6 said ar)an$ 6It looks desolate eno!h, b!t there are only little"atches o# snow here and there$66his corres"onds with the land Innes described north o# 7orsar,6 said 9ridley$Word was -!ickly "assed aro!nd the shi" to the other o##icers and the crew that there was reasonto believe that the land below the% was Pell!cidar$ E'cite%ent ran hih, and every %an whoco!ld s"are a %o%ent #ro% his d!ties was alo#t on the walkinway, or "eerin thro!h "ortholes#or a li%"se o# the inner world$:teadily the O ( 002 #ored so!thward and .!st as the ri% o# the %idniht s!n disa""eared #ro%view below the hori)on astern, the low o# Pell!cidar&s central s!n was "lainly visible ahead$

he nat!re o# the landsca"e below was chanin ra"idly$ he barren land had #allen astern, theshi" had crossed a rane o# wooded hills and now be#ore it lay a reat #orest that stretched onand on see%inly c!rvin !"ward to be lost event!ally in the ha)e o# the distance$ his wasindeed Pell!cidar ( the Pell!cidar o# which 8ason 9ridley had drea%ed$*eyond the #orest lay a rollin "lain dotted with cl!%"s o# trees, a well(watered "lain thro!hwhich wo!nd n!%ero!s strea%s, which e%"tied into a lare river at its o""osite side$9reat herds o# a%e were ra)in in the o"en "ast!re land and nowhere was there siht o# %an$6his looks like heaven to %e,6 said ar)an o# the A"es, 6Let !s land, Ca"tain$6:lowly the reat shi" ca%e to earth as air was taken into the lower vac!!% tanks$:hort ladders were r!n o!t, #or the botto% o# the cabin was only si' #eet above the ro!nd, and"resently the entire shi"&s co%"any, with the e'ce"tion o# a watch o# an o##icer and two %en, wereknee dee" in the l!sh rasses o# Pell!cidar$6I tho!ht we %iht et so%e #resh %eat,6 said ar)an, 6b!t the shi" has #rihtened all the a%e

away$66Fro% the -!antity o# it I saw, we shall not have to o #ar to ba so%e,6 said Dor#$6What we need %ost riht now, however, is rest,6 said ar)an$ 6For weeks every %an has beenworkin at hih "itch in co%"letin the "re"aration #or the e'"edition and I do!bt i# one o# !s hashad over two ho!rs slee" in the last three days$ I s!est that we re%ain here !ntil we are allthoro!hly rested and then take !" a syste%atic search #or the city o# 7orsar$6he "lan %et with eneral a""roval and "re"arations were %ade #or a stay o# several days$6I believe,6 said 9ridley to Ca"tain ;!""ner, 6that it wo!ld be well to iss!e strict orders that no oneis to leave the shi", or rather its close vicinity, witho!t "er%ission #ro% yo! and that no one beallowed to vent!re #ar a#ield e'ce"t in "arties co%%anded by an o##icer, #or we have every


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ass!rance that we shall %eet with savae %en and #ar %ore savae beasts everywhere withinPell!cidar$66I ho"e that yo! will e'ce"t %e #ro% that order,6 said ar)an, s%ilin$6I believe that yo! can take care o# yo!rsel# in any co!ntry,6 said ;!""ner$6And I can certainly h!nt to better e##ect alone than I can with a "arty,6 said the a"e ( %an$6In any event,6 contin!ed ;!""ner, 6the order co%es #ro% yo! as co%%ander, and no one willco%"lain i# yo! e'e%"t yo!rsel# #ro% its "rovisions since I a% s!re that none o# the rest o# !s is"artic!larly an'io!s to wander abo!t Pell!cidar alone$6O##icers and %en, with the e'ce"tion o# the watch, which chaned every #o!r ho!rs, sle"t theclock aro!nd$ar)an o# the A"es was the #irst to co%"lete his slee" and leave the shi"$ 5e had discarded theclothin that had enc!%bered and annoyed hi% since he had le#t his own A#rican .!nle to .oin inthe "re"aration o# the O ( 002, and it was no #a!ltlessly attired Enlish%an that ca%e #ro% thecabin and dro""ed to the ro!nd below, b!t instead an al%ost naked and "ri%itive warrior, ar%edwith h!ntin kni#e, s"ear, a bow and arrows, and the lon ro"e which ar)an always carried, #or inthe h!nt he "re#erred the wea"ons o# his yo!th to the #irear%s o# civili)ation$Lie!tenant Dor#, the only o##icer on d!ty at the ti%e, saw hi% de"art and watched with !n#einedad%iration as the black ( haired .!nle lord %oved across the o"en "lain and disa""eared in the#orest$here were trees that were #a%iliar to the eyes o# the a"e ( %an and trees s!ch as he had never

seen be#ore, b!t it was a #orest and that was eno!h to l!re ar)an o# the A"es and "er%it hi% to#oret the last #ew weeks that had been s"ent a%idst the distaste#!l s!rro!ndins o# civili)ation$5e was ha""y to be #ree #ro% the shi", too, and, while he liked all his co%"anions, he was yetlad to be alone$In the #irst #liht o# his new ( #o!nd #reedo% ar)an was like a boy released #ro% school$Unha%"ered by the hated vest%ents o# civili)ation, o!t o# siht o# anythin that %iht evenre%otely re%ind hi% o# the atrocities with which %an scars the #ace o# nat!re, he #illed his l!nswith the #ree air o# Pell!cidar, lea"ed into a nearby tree and sw!n away thro!h the #orest, hisonly concern #or the %o%ent the .oyo!sness o# e'!ltant vitality and li#e$ On he s"ed thro!h the"ri%eval #orest o# Pell!cidar$ :trane birds, startled by his swi#t and silent "assae, #lewscrea%in #ro% his "ath, and strane beasts sl!nk to cover beneath hi%$ *!t ar)an did not care+he was not h!ntin+ he was not even searchin #or the new in this new world$ For the %o%ent hewas only livin$

While this %ood do%inated hi% ar)an ave no tho!ht to the "assae o# ti%e any %ore than hehad iven tho!ht to the ti%elessness o# Pell!cidar, whose noonday s!n, hanin "er"et!ally at)enith, ives a lie to !s o# the o!ter cr!st who r!sh #rantically thro!h li#e in %ad and #!tile e##ortto beat the earth in her revol!tions$


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ca!ht in as "ri%itive a snare as was ever laid #or !nwary beasts$A rawhide noose, attached to the downbent li%b o# an overhanin tree, had been b!ried in thetrail alon which he had been "assin and he had str!ck the trier ( that was the whole story$*!t its se-!el %iht have had less !n#ort!nate "ossibilities had the noose not "inioned his ar%sto his sides as it closed abo!t hi%$5e h!n abo!t si' #eet above the trail, ca!ht sec!rely abo!t the hi"s, the noose i%"risonin hisar%s between elbows and wrists and "inionin the% sec!rely to his sides$ And to add to hisdisco%#ort and hel"lessness, he sw!n head downward, s"innin di))ily like a h!%an "l!%b (bob$5e tried to draw an ar% #ro% the encirclin noose so that he %iht reach his h!ntin kni#e and#ree hi%sel#, b!t the weiht o# his body constantly drew the noose %ore tihtly abo!t hi% andevery e##ort !"on his "art see%ed b!t to strenthen the relentless ri" o# the rawhide that was"ressin dee" into his #lesh$5e knew that the snare %eant the "resence o# %en and that do!btless they wo!ld soon co%e toins"ect their noose, #or his own knowlede o# "ri%itive h!ntin ta!ht hi% that they wo!ld notleave their snares lon !ntended, since in the event o# a catch, i# they wo!ld have it at all, they%!st clai% it soon lest it #all "rey to carnivoro!s beasts or birds$ 5e wondered what sort o# "eo"lethey were and i# he %iht not %ake #riends with the%, b!t whatever they were he ho"ed that theywo!ld co%e be#ore the beasts o# "rey ca%e$ And while s!ch tho!hts were r!nnin thro!h his%ind, his keen ears ca!ht the so!nd o# a""roachin #ootste"s, b!t they were not the ste"s o#

%en$ Whatever was a""roachin was a""roachin across the wind and he co!ld detect no scents"oor+ nor, !"on the other hand, he reali)ed, co!ld the beast scent hi%$ It was co%in leis!relyand as it neared hi%, b!t be#ore it ca%e in siht alon the trail, he knew that it was a hoo#edani%al and, there#ore, that he had little reason to #ear its a""roach !nless, indeed, it %iht "roveto be so%e strane Pell!cidarian creat!re with characteristics entirely !nlike any that he knew!"on the o!ter cr!st$*!t even as he "er%itted these tho!hts "artially to reass!re hi%, there ca%e stronly to hisnostrils a scent that always ca!sed the short hairs !"on his head to rise, not in #ear b!t in nat!ralreaction to the "resence o# an hereditary ene%y$ It was not an odor that he had ever s%elledbe#ore$ It was not the scent s"oor o#


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within hi% no #!tile hysteria$ *!t to die witho!t a chance to #iht #or li#e was not s!ch an end asar)an o# the A"es wo!ld have chosen$ And now, as his body slowly revolved and his eyes weret!rned away #ro% the charin tha, his heart sank at the tho!ht that he was not even to bevo!chsa#ed the %eaer satis#action o# %eetin death #ace to #ace$In the brie# instant that he waited #or the i%"act, the air was rent by as horrid a screa% as hadever broken !"on the ears o# the a"e ( %an and the bellowin o# the b!ll rose s!ddenly to ahiher "itch and %inled with that other aweso%e so!nd$Once %ore the danlin body o# the a"e ( %an revolved and his eyes #ell !"on s!ch a scene ashad not been vo!chsa#ed to %en o# the o!ter world #or co!ntless aes$ U"on the %assivesho!lders and neck o# the reat tha cl!n a tier o# s!ch h!e "ro"ortions that ar)an co!ldscarce credit the testi%ony o# his own eyes$ 9reat saber(like t!sks, "ro.ectin #ro% the !""er .aw,were b!ried dee" in the neck o# the b!ll, which, instead o# tryin to esca"e, had sto""ed in itstracks and was endeavorin to dislode the reat beast o# "rey, swinin its h!e hornsbackward in an atte%"t to rake the livin death #ro% its sho!lders, or aain shakin its wholebody violently #or the sa%e "!r"ose and all the while bellowin in "ain and rae$9rad!ally the saber ( tooth chaned its "osition !ntil it had attained a hold s!ited to its "!r"ose$hen with lihtnin(like swi#tness it sw!n back a reat #orear% and delivered a sinle, terri#icblow on the side o# the tha&s head ( a titanic blow that cr!shed that %ihty sk!ll and dro""ed theh!e b!ll dead in its tracks$ And then the carnivore settled down to #east !"on its kill$D!rin the battle the saber ( tooth had not noticed the a"e ( %an+ nor was it !ntil a#ter he had

co%%enced to #eed !"on the tha that his eye was attracted by the revolvin body swinin !"onthe trail a #ew yards away$ Instantly the beast sto""ed #eedin+ his head lowered and #lattened+his !""er li" t!rned back in a hideo!s snarl$ 5e watched the a"e ( %an$ Low, %enacin rowlsr!%bled #ro% his caverno!s throat+ his lon, sin!o!s tail lashed anrily as slowly he arose #ro%the body o# his kill and advanced toward ar)an o# the A"es$

Cha"ter III$5E E**I


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9ridley rinned$ 6I&ll dro" down and have a little walk,6 he said$ 6I&ll be back in #i#teen %in!tes$5ave yo! seen anythin o# Lord 9reystoke>66


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reat .aws, ar%ed with an in#inite n!%ber o# lon, shar" teeth$ Its head was elonated above theeyes and ca%e to a shar" "oint$ It was "er#ectly i%%ense and %!st have had a win s"read o# atleast twenty #eet$ While I was watchin it, it dro""ed s!ddenly to earth only a short distancebeyond the shi", and when it arose aain it was carryin in its talons so%e ani%al that %!st havebeen #!lly as lare as ood si)ed shee", with which it #lew away witho!t a""arent e##ort$ hat thecreat!re is carnivoro!s is evident as is also the #act that it has s!##icient strenth to carry away a%an$6Robert 8ones covered his lare %o!th with a "ink "al% and with h!nched and shakin sho!lderst!rned and ti" ( toed #ro% the roo%$ Once in the alley with the door closed, he ave hi%sel# overto !nrestrained %irth$ 6What is the %atter with yo!>6 asked ictor$6Lawd ( a ( %assy6 e'clai%ed Robert$ 6Ah all!s tho!ht so%e o& de% e%&n in dat dere

Advent!ro!s Cl!b in *!%%inha% co!ld lie so%e, b!t, sh!cks, dey ain&t in it with this Lie!tenantDor#$ Did yo! all heah hi% tell abo!t dat #lyin& snake what carries o## shee">6*!t back in the %ess roo% the white %en took Dor#&s state%ent %ore serio!sly$6hat wo!ld be a "terodactyl,6 said ;!""ner$6=es,6 re"lied Dor#$ 6I classi#ied it as a Pteranodon$66Don&t yo! think we o!ht to send o!t a search "arty>6 asked 9ridley$6I a% a#raid 9reystoke wo!ld not like it,6 re"lied ;!""ner$6It co!ld o o!t !nder the !ise o# a h!ntin "arty,6 s!ested Dor#$6I# he has not ret!rned within an ho!r,6 said ;!""ner, 6we shall have to do so%ethin o# the sort$6

5ines and on 5orst now entered the %ess roo%, and when they learned o# ar)an&s absence#ro% the shi" and had heard #ro% Dor# a descri"tion o# so%e o# the ani%als that he %iht haveenco!ntered, they were e-!ally as a""rehensive as the others o# his sa#ety$6We %iht cr!ise aro!nd a bit, sir,6 s!ested on 5orst to ;!""ner$6*!t s!""ose he ret!rns to this s"ot d!rin o!r absence>6 asked 9ridley$6Co!ld yo! ret!rn the shi" to this anchorae aain>6 in-!ired ;!""ner$6I do!bt it,6 re"lied the Lie!tenant$ 6O!r instr!%ents are al%ost worthless !nder the conditionse'istin in Pell!cidar$66hen we had better re%ain where we are,6 said 9ridley, 6!ntil he ret!rns$66*!t i# we send a searchin "arty a#ter hi% on #oot, what ass!rance have we that it will be able to#ind its way back to the shi">6 de%anded ;!""ner$6hat will not be so di##ic!lt,6 said 9ridley$ 6We can always bla)e o!r trail as we o and th!s easilyretrace o!r ste"s$6

6=es, that is so,6 areed ;!""ner$6:!""ose,6 said 9ridley, 6that on 5orst and I o o!t with ?!viro and his Wa)iri$ hey aree'"erienced trackers, "ri%e #ihtin %en and they certainly know the .!nle$66


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"ractice, b!t when they o o!t a#ter lions or rhino they leave their ri#les behind and take theirs"ears and arrows$66A#ter they have seen what I saw,6 said Dor#, 6they will have %ore res"ect #or an e'"ress ri#le$66:ee that they take "lenty o# a%%!nition, on 5orst,6 said 9ridley, 6#or #ro% what I have seen inthis co!ntry we shall not have to carry any "rovisions$66A %an who co!ld not live o## this co!ntry wo!ld starve to death in a %eat %arket,6 said ;!""ner$on 5orst le#t to carry o!t 9ridley&s orders while the latter ret!rned to his cabin to "re"are #or thee'"edition$he o##icers and crew re%ainin with the O ( 002 were all on hand to bid #arewell to thee'"edition startin o!t in search o# ar)an o# the A"es, and as the ten stalwart Wa)iri warriors%arched away behind 9ridley and on 5orst, Robert 8ones, watchin #ro% the alley door,swelled with "ride$ 6De% niahs is sho n!# hot babies,6 he e'clai%ed$ 6All de% #lyin& snakesbettah clear o!t de co!ntry now$6 With the others Robert watched the little "arty as it crossed the"lain and !ntil it had disa""eared within the dark "recincts o# the #orest !"on the o""osite side$hen he lanced !" at the noonday s!n, shook his head, elevated his "al%s in resination andt!rned back into his alley$

Al%ost i%%ediately a#ter the "arty had le#t the shi", 9ridley directed ?!viro to take the lead andwatch #or ar)an&s trail since, o# the entire "arty, he was the %ost e'"erienced tracker+ nor did theWa)iri chie#tain have any di##ic!lty in #ollowin the s"oor o# the a"e ( %an across the "lain andinto the #orest, b!t here, beneath a reat tree, it disa""eared$

6he *i *wana took to the trees here,6 said ?!viro, 6and no %an lives who can #ollow his s"oorthro!h the lower, the %iddle or the !""er terraces$66What do yo! s!est, then, ?!viro>6 asked 9ridley$6I# this were his own .!nle,6 re"lied the warrior, 6I sho!ld #eel s!re that when he took to the treeshe wo!ld %ove in a straiht line toward the "lace he wished to o+ !nless he ha""ened to beh!ntin, in which case his direction wo!ld be in#l!enced by the sin and scent o# a%e$66Do!btless he was h!ntin here,6 said on 5orst$6I# he was h!ntin,6 said ?!viro, 6he wo!ld have %oved in a straiht line !ntil he ca!ht the scents"oor o# a%e or ca%e to a well(beaten a%e trail$66And then what wo!ld he do>6 asked 9ridley$65e %iht wait above the trail,6 re"lied ?!viro, 6or he %iht #ollow it$ In a new co!ntry like this, Ithink he wo!ld #ollow it, #or he has always been interested in e'"lorin every new co!ntry heentered$6

6hen let !s "!sh straiht into the #orest in this sa%e direction !ntil we strike a a%e trail,6 said9ridley$?!viro and three o# his warriors went ahead, c!ttin br!sh where it was necessary and bla)inthe trees at #re-!ent intervals that they %iht %ore easily retrace their ste"s to the shi"$ With theaid o# a s%all "ocket co%"ass 9ridley directed the line o# advance, which otherwise it wo!ld havebeen di##ic!lt to hold acc!rately beneath the eternal noonday s!n, whose war% rays #iltered downthro!h the #oliae o# the #orest$69od What a #orest6 e'clai%ed on 5orst$ 6o search #or a %an here is like the "roverbialsearch #or the needle in a haystack$66E'ce"t,6 said 9ridley, 6that one %iht stand a sliht chance o# #indin the needle$66Perha"s we had better #ire a shot occasionally,6 s!ested on 5orst$6E'cellent,6 said 9ridley$ 6he ri#les carry a %!ch heavier chare and %ake a lo!der re"ort thano!r revolvers$6

A#ter warnin the others o# his intention, he directed one o# the blacks to #ire three shots atintervals o# a #ew seconds, #or neither 9ridley nor on 5orst was ar%ed with ri#les, each o# theo##icers carryin two$1B caliber Colts$ herea#ter, at intervals o# abo!t hal# an ho!r, a sinle shotwas #ired, b!t as the searchin "arty #orced its way on into the #orest each o# its %e%bersbeca%e loo%ily i%"ressed with the #!tility o# their search$Presently the nat!re o# the #orest chaned$ he trees were set less closely toether and the!nderbr!sh, while still #or%in an al%ost i%"enetrable screen, was less dense than it had beenhereto#ore and here they ca%e !"on a wide a%e trail, worn by co!ntless hoo#s and "added #eetto a de"th o# two #eet or %ore below the s!r#ace o# the s!rro!ndin ro!nd, and here 8ason9ridley bl!ndered$


15/96

6We won&t bother abo!t bla)in the trees as lon as we #ollow this trail,6 he said to ?!viro,6e'ce"t at s!ch "laces as it %ay #ork or be crossed by other trails$6It was, a#ter all, a -!ite nat!ral %istake since a #ew bla)ed trees alon the trail wo!ld not serveany "!r"ose in #ollowin it back when they wished to ret!rn$he oin here was easier and as the Wa)iri warriors sw!n alon at a brisk "ace, the %ilesdro""ed -!ickly behind the% and already had the noonday s!n so cast its s"ell !"on the% thatthe ele%ent o# ti%e see%ed not to enter into their calc!lations, while the tee%in li#e abo!t the%absorbed the attention o# blacks and whites alike$:trane %onkeys, so%e o# the% startlinly %an(like in a""earance and o# lare si)e, watchedthe% "ass$ *irds o# both ay and so%ber "l!%ae scattered "rotestinly be#ore their advance,and aain di% b!lks loo%ed thro!h the !nderrowth and the so!nd o# "added #eel waseverywhere$

At ti%es they wo!ld "ass thro!h a stretch o# #orest as silent as the to%b, and then aain theysee%ed to be s!rro!nded by a bedla% o# hideo!s rowls and roars and screa%s$6I&d like to see so%e o# those #ellows,6 said on 5orst, a#ter a "artic!larly savae o!tb!rst o#so!nd$6I a% s!r"rised that we haven&t,6 re"lied 9ridley+ 6b!t I i%aine that they are a little bit leery o# !sriht now, not alone on acco!nt o# o!r n!%bers b!t beca!se o# the, to the%, strane and!n#a%iliar, odors which %!st s!rro!nd !s$ hese wo!ld nat!rally increase the s!s"icion which%!st have been aro!sed by the so!nd o# o!r shots$6

65ave yo! noticed,6 said on 5orst, 6that %ost o# the noise see%s to co%e #ro% behind !s+ I%ean the %ore savae, rowlin so!nds$ I have heard s-!eals and noises that so!nded like thetr!%"etin o# ele"hants to the riht and to the le#t and ahead, b!t only an occasional rowl or roarsee%s to co%e #ro% these directions and then always at a considerable distance$66I can&t acco!nt #or it,6 re"lied on 5orst$ 6It is as tho!h we were %ovin alon in the center o# a"rocession with all the savae carnivores behind !s$66his "er"et!al noonday s!n has its co%"ensations,6 re%arked 9ridley with a la!h, 6#or at leastit ins!res that we shall not have to s"end the niht here$6

At that instant the attention o# the two %en was attracted by an e'cla%ation #ro% one o# theWa)iri behind the%$ 6Look, *wana Look6 cried the %an, "ointin back alon the trail$ Followinthe direction o# the Wa)iri&s e'tended #iner, 9ridley and on 5orst saw a h!e beast slinkinslowly alon the trail in their rear$69od6 e'clai%ed on 5orst, 6and I tho!ht Dor# was e'aeratin$6

6It doesn&t see% "ossible,6 e'clai%ed 9ridley, 6that #ive h!ndred %iles below o!r #eet a!to%obilesare dashin thro!h crowded streets lined by enor%o!s b!ildins+ that there the telera"h, thetele"hone and the radio are so co%%on"lace as to e'cite no co%%ent+ that co!ntless tho!sandslive o!t their entire lives witho!t ever havin to !se a wea"on in sel# ( de#ense, and yet at thesa%e instant we stand here #acin a saber ( tooth tier in s!rro!ndins that %ay not have e'isted!"on the o!ter cr!st #or a %illion years$66Look at the%6 e'clai%ed on 5orst$ 6I# there is one there are a do)en o# the%$66:hall we #ire, *wana>6 asked one o# the Wa)iri$ 6


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And into the clearin, alon n!%ero!s trails that see%ed to center at this s"ot, ca%e as strane a"rocession as the eyes o# these %en had ever rested !"on$ here were reat o'(like creat!reswith shay coats and wide ( s"readin horns$ here were red deer and sloths o# iantic si)e$here were %astodon and %a%%oth, and a h!e, ele"hantine creat!re that rese%bled anele"hant and yet did not see% to be an ele"hant at all$ Its reat head was #o!r #eet lon and three#eet wide$ It had a short, "ower#!l tr!nk and #ro% its lower .aw %ihty t!sks c!rved downward,their "oints bendin inward toward the body$ At the sho!lder it stood at least ten #eet #ro% thero!nd, and in lenth it %!st have been #!lly twenty #eet$ *!t what rese%blance it bore to anele"hant was lessened by its s%all, "i(like ears$he two white %en, %o%entarily #orettin the tiers behind the% in their a%a)e%ent at the sihtahead, halted and looked with wonder !"on the h!e atherin o# creat!res within the clearin$6Did yo! ever see anythin like it>6 e'clai%ed 9ridley$6


17/96

only a solid %ass o# lea"in, "l!nin, terri#ied beasts$


18/96

ar)an o# the A"es wo!ld have "re#erred to die #ihtin, i# he %!st die+ yet he #elt a certain thrill ashe conte%"lated the %ani#icence o# the reat beast that Fate had chosen to ter%inate hisearthly career$ 5e #elt no #ear, b!t a certain sense o# antici"ation o# what wo!ld #ollow a#ter death$he Lord o# the 8!nle s!bscribed to no creed$ ar)an o# the A"es was not a ch!rch %an+ yet likethe %a.ority o# those who have always lived close to nat!re he was, in a sense, intenselyreliio!s$ 5is inti%ate knowlede o# the st!"endo!s #orces o# nat!re, o# her wonders and her%iracles had i%"ressed hi% with the #act that their !lti%ate oriin lay #ar beyond the conce"tion o#the #inite %ind o# %an, and th!s incalc!lably re%ote #ro% the #arthest bo!nds o# science$ Whenhe tho!ht o# 9od he liked to think o# 5i% "ri%itively, as a "ersonal 9od$ And while he reali)edthat he knew nothin o# s!ch %atters, he liked to believe that a#ter death, he wo!ld live aain$?any tho!hts "assed -!ickly thro!h his %ind as the saber ( tooth advanced !"on hi%$ 5e waswatchin the lon, listenin #ans that so soon were to be b!ried in his #lesh when his attentionwas attracted by a so!nd a%on the trees abo!t hi%$ hat the reat cat had heard too wasevident, #or it sto""ed in its tracks and a)ed !" into the #oliae o# the trees above$ And thenar)an heard a r!stlin in the branches directly overhead, and lookin !" he saw what a""earedto be a orilla larin down !"on hi%$wo %ore savae #aces showed thro!h the #oliae above hi% and then in other trees abo!t heca!ht li%"ses o# si%ilar shay #or%s and #ierce #aces$ 5e saw that they were like orillas, andyet !nlike the%+ that in so%e res"ects they were %ore %an than orilla, and in others %ore orillathan %an$ 5e ca!ht li%"ses o# reat cl!bs wielded by hairy hands, and when his eyes ret!rned

to the saber ( tooth he saw that the reat beast had hesitated in its advance and was snarlin androwlin anrily as its eyes roved !"ward and aro!nd at the savae creat!res larin down !"onit$It was only #or a %o%ent that the cat "a!sed in its advance !"on the a"e ( %an$ :narlin anrily,it %oved #orward aain and as it did so, one o# the creat!res in the tree above ar)an reacheddown, and sei)in the ro"e that held hi% danlin in %id ( air, drew hi% swi#tly !"ward$ henseveral thins occ!rred si%!ltaneo!sly ( the saber ( tooth lea"ed to retrieve its "rey and a do)enheavy c!dels h!rtled thro!h the air #ro% the s!rro!ndin trees, strikin the reat cat heavily!"on head and body with the res!lt that the talons that %!st otherwise have inevitably beeni%bedded in the #lesh o# the a"e ( %an ra)ed har%lessly by hi%, and an instant later he wasdrawn well !" a%on the branches o# the tree, where he was sei)ed by three hairy br!tes whoseattit!de s!ested that he %iht have been as well o## had he been le#t to the tender %ercies o#the saber ( tooth$

wo o# the%, one on either side, sei)ed an ar% and the third ras"ed hi% by the throat with onehand while he held his c!del "oised above his head in the other$ And then #ro% the li"s o# thecreat!re #acin hi% ca%e a so!nd that #ell as startlinly !"on the ears o# the a"e ( %an as hadthe #irst !ne'"ected roar o# the saber ( tooth, b!t with #ar di##erent e##ect$67a ( oda6 said the creat!re #acin ar)an$ In the lan!ae o# the a"es o# his own .!nle 7a (oda %ay be ro!hly inter"reted accordin to its in#lection as a co%%and to s!rrender, or as aninterroation, 6do yo! s!rrender>6 or as a declaration o# s!rrender$his word, co%in #ro% the li"s o# a hairy orilla %an o# the inner world, s!ested "ossibilities o#the %ost startlin nat!re$ For years ar)an had considered the lan!ae o# the reat a"es as the"ri%itive root lan!ae o# created thins$ he reat a"es, the lesser a"es, the orillas, thebaboons and the %onkeys !tili)ed this with vario!s derees o# re#ine%ent and %any o# its wordswere !nderstood by .!nle ani%als o# other s"ecies and by %any o# the birds+ b!t, "erha"s, a#terthe #ashion that o!r do%estic ani%als have learned %any o# the words in o!r vocab!lary, with this

di##erence that the lan!ae o# the reat a"es has do!btless "ersisted !nchaned #or co!ntlessaes$hat these orilla %en o# the inner world !sed even one word o# this lan!ae s!ested one o#two "ossibilities ( either they held an oriin in co%%on with the creat!res o# the o!ter cr!st, orelse that the laws o# evol!tion and "roress were so constant that this was the only #or% o#"ri%itive lan!ae that co!ld have been "ossible to any creat!res e%erin #ro% the lowerorders toward the estate o# %an$ *!t the s!estion that i% ( "ressed ar)an %ost vividly wasthat this sinle word, !ttered by the creat!re ras"in hi% by the throat, "ost!lated #a%iliarity onthe "art o# his #ierce ca"tors with the entire a"e lan!ae that he had !sed since boyhood$67a ( oda>6 in-!ired the b!ll$


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67a ( oda,6 said ar)an o# the A"es$he br!te, #acin ar)an, hal# lowered his c!del as tho!h he were s!r"rised to hear the"risoner answer in his own ton!e$ 6Who are yo!>6 he de%anded in the lan!ae o# the reata"es$6I a% ar)an ( %ihty h!nter, %ihty #ihter,6 re"lied the a"e ( %an$6What are yo! doin in ?&wa ( lot&s co!ntry>6 de%anded the orilla %an$6I co%e as a #riend,6 re"lied ar)an$ 6I have no -!arrel with yo!r "eo"le$6he #ellow had lowered his cl!b now, and #ro% other trees had co%e a score %ore o# the shaycreat!res !ntil the s!rro!ndin li%bs saed beneath their weiht$65ow did yo! learn the lan!ae o# the :aoths>6 de%anded the b!ll$ 6We have ca"t!red ilaksin the "ast, b!t yo! are the #irst one who ever s"oke or !nderstood o!r lan!ae$66It is the lan!ae o# %y "eo"le,6 re"lied ar)an$ 6As a little bal!, I learned it #ro% 7ala and othera"es o# the tribe o# 7erchak$66We never heard o# the tribe o# 7erchak,6 said the b!ll$6Perha"s he is not tellin the tr!th,6 said another$ 6Let !s kill hi%+ he is only a ilak$66


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be s"r!n by the #irst "assin ani%al$:o s!re were all their %ove%ents and so de#t their #iners, ar)an reali)ed that tho!h thesecreat!res looked like beasts they had lon since entered the estate o# %an$ Perha"s they werestill low in the scale o# evol!tion, b!t !n-!estionably they were %en with the brains o# %en andthe #aces and skins o# orillas$

As the :aoths %oved alon the .!nle trail they walked erect as %en walk, b!t in other waysthey re%inded ar)an o# the reat a"es who were his own "eo"le, #or they were iven neither tola!hter nor son and their tacit!rnity s!ested the s"eechlessness o# the alali$ hat certain o#their sense #ac!lties were %ore hihly develo"ed than in %an was evidenced by the reaterde"endence they "laced !"on their ears and noses than !"on their eyes in their !nre%ittin viilaainst s!r"rise by an ene%y$While by h!%an standards they %iht have been .!ded !ly and even hideo!s, they did not soi%"ress ar)an o# the A"es, who reconi)ed in the% a certain "ri%itive %a.esty o# bearin and%ien s!ch as %iht well have been e'"ected o# "ioneers !"on the #rontiers o# h!%anity$It is so%eti%es the c!sto% o# theorists to "ict!re o!r "ri%ordial "roenitors as ti%id, #ear#!lcreat!res, #leein #ro% the wo%b to the rave in constant terror o# the co!ntless savae creat!resthat beset their entire e'istence$ *!t as it does not see% reasonable that a creat!re so "oorlye-!i""ed #or o##ense and de#ense co!ld have s!rvived witho!t co!rae, it see%s #ar %oreconsistent to ass!%e that with the dawnin o# reason ca%e a certain s!"eriority co%"le' ( a vastand at #irst st!"id eotis% ( that knew ca!tion, "erha"s, b!t not #ear+ nor is any other theory

tenable !nless we are to s!""ose that #ro% the loin o# a rabbit ( hearted creat!re s"ran %enwho h!nted the bison, the %a%%oth and the cave bear with cr!de s"ears ti""ed with stone$he :aoths o# Pell!cidar %ay have been analoo!s in the scale o# evol!tion to the


21/96

the% two b!lls ordinarily %!st need have one thro!h a lon "reli%inary o# sti## ( leed str!ttinand r!%bled invective be#ore either one la!nched hi%sel# !"on the other in deadly co%bat$ *!tthe %ind o# ar ( ash had #!nctioned with like celerity, so %!ch so that decision and action hada""eared to be al%ost si%!ltaneo!s$he i%"act o# the heavy body o# ar ( ash to""led o ( yad #ro% the branch !"on which he hadbeen standin, b!t so nat!rally arboreal were the two reat creat!res that even as they #ell theyreached o!t and sei)ed the sa%e branch and still #ihtin, each with his #ree hand and his heavy#ans, they h!n there a second breakin their #all, and then dro""ed to the ro!nd$ hey #o!htal%ost silently e'ce"t #or low rowls, ar ( ash seekin the .!!lar o# o ( yad with those shar",white #ans that had iven hi% his na%e$ o ( yad, his every #ac!lty concentrated !"on de#ense,ke"t the rinnin .aws #ro% his #lesh and s!ddenly twistin -!ickly aro!nd, tore loose #ro% the"ower#!l #iners o# his o""onent and so!ht sa#ety in #liht$ *!t like a #ootball "layer, ar ( ashla!nched hi%sel# thro!h the air+ his lon hairy ar%s encircled the les o# the #leein o ( yad,brinin hi% heavily to the ro!nd, and an instant later the "ower#!l aressor was on the back o#his o""onent and o ( yad&s .!!lar was at the %ercy o# his #oe, b!t the reat .aws o# ar ( ashdid not close$67a ( oda>6 he in-!ired$67a ( oda,6 rowled o ( yad, and instantly ar ( ash arose #ro% the body o# the other b!ll$With the aility o# a %onkey the victor lea"ed back into the branches o# the tree$ 6Re%ove thebonds #ro% the wrists o# the ilak,6 he said, and at the sa%e ti%e he lared #erocio!sly abo!t hi%

to see i# there was another so %!tino!sly %inded as o ( yad+ b!t none s"oke and none ob.ectedas one o# the :aoths who had draed ar)an !" into the tree !ntied the bonds that sec!red hiswrists$6I# he tries to r!n away #ro% !s,6 said ar ( ash, 6kill hi%$6When his bonds were re%oved ar)an e'"ected that the :aoths wo!ld take his kni#e away #ro%hi%$ 5e had lost his s"ear and bow and %ost o# his arrows at the instant that the snare hadsna""ed hi% #ro% the ro!nd, b!t tho!h they had lain in "lain view in the trail beneath the snarethe :aoths had "aid no attention to the%+ nor did they now "ay any attention to his kni#e$ 5ewas s!re they %!st have seen it and he co!ld not !nderstand their lack o# concern reardin it,!nless they were inorant o# its "!r"ose or held hi% in s!ch conte%"t that they did not consider itworth the e##ort to disar% hi%$Presently o ( yad sneaked back into the tree, b!t he h!ddled s!llenly by hi%sel#, a"art #ro% theothers$

Faintly, #ro% a distance, ar)an heard so%ethin a""roachin$ 5e heard it .!st a %o%ent be#orethe :aoths heard it$6hey co%e6 anno!nced ar ( ash$6?&wa ( lot co%es,6 said another, lancin at o ( yad$


22/96

6We can have a dance,6 s!ested one o# ar)an&s ca"tors$ 6We have eaten and sle"t %anyti%es since we have danced, ?&wa ( lot$6

As the :aoths, !ided by ar ( ash, "roceeded alon the trail towards the body o# the tha, theshes with bal!s rowled savaely when one o# the little ones chanced to co%e near to ar)an$he b!lls eyed hi% s!s"icio!sly and all see%ed !neasy beca!se o# his "resence$ In these and inother ways the :aoths were re%iniscent o# the a"es o# the tribe o# 7erchak and to s!ch ane'tent was this tr!e that ar)an, altho!h a "risoner a%on the%, #elt stranely at ho%e in thisnew environ%ent$

A short distance ahead o# the a"e ( %an walked ?&wa ( lot, kin o# the tribe, and at ?&wa ( lot&selbow was o ( yad$ he two s"oke in low tones and #ro% the #re-!ent lances they cast at ar (ash, who walked ahead o# the%, it was evident that he was the s!b.ect o# their conversation, thee##ect o# which !"on ?&wa ( lot see%ed to be hihly dist!rbin$ar)an co!ld see that the shay chie#tain was workin hi%sel# into a #ren)y o# rae, the incitinca!se o# which was evidently the in#or%ation that o ( yad was i%"artin to hi%$ he lattersee%ed to be atte%"tin to oad hi% to reater #!ry, a #act which see%ed to be now a""arent toevery %e%ber o# the tribe with the e'ce"tion o# ar ( ash, who was walkin in the lead, ahead o#?&wa ( lot and o ( yad, #or "ractically every other eye was t!rned !"on the kin, whose evidente'cite%ent had i%"arted a certain #ierce restlessness to the other %e%bers o# his "arty$ *!t itwas not !ntil they had co%e within siht o# the body o# the tha that the stor% broke and then,witho!t warnin, ?&wa ( lot sw!n his heavy cl!b and lea"ed #orward toward ar ( ash with the

very evident intention o# brainin hi% #ro% behind$I# the li#e o# the a"e ( %an in his constant battle #or s!rvival had ta!ht hi% to act -!ickly, it alsohad ta!ht hi% to think -!ickly$ 5e knew that in all his savae co%"any he had no #riends, b!t healso knew that ar ( ash, #ro% very st!bbornness and to s"ite o ( yad, %iht alone be e'"ectedto be#riend hi% and now it a""eared that ar ( ash hi%sel# %iht need a #riend, #or it was evidentthat no hand was to be raised in de#ense o# hi% nor any voice in warnin$ And so ar)an o# the

A"es, "ro%"ted both by considerations o# sel# ( interest and #air "lay, took %atters in his ownhands with s!ch s!ddenness that he had already acted be#ore any hand co!ld be raised to sto"hi%$67ree ( ah, ar ( ash6 he cried, and at the sa%e instant he s"ran -!ickly #orward, br!shin o( yad aside with a sinle swee" o# a iant ar% that sent the :aoth headlon into the !nderbr!shborderin the trail$

At the warnin cry o# 67ree ( ah,6 which in the lan!ae o# the reat a"es is synony%o!s to

beware, ar ( ash wheeled abo!t to see the in#!riated ?&wa ( lot with !"raised cl!b al%ost !"onhi% and then he saw so%ethin else which %ade his savae eyes widen in s!r"rise$ he straneilak, who% he had taken "risoner, had lea"ed close to ?&wa ( lot #ro% behind$ A s%ooth,bron)ed ar% sli""ed -!ickly abo!t the kin&s neck and tihtened$ he ilak t!rned and stoo"edand s!rin #orward with the kin across his hi" threw the reat hairy b!ll co%"letely over hishead and sent hi% s"rawlin at the #eet o# his astonished warriors$ hen the ilak lea"ed to ar (ash&s side and, wheelin, #aced the tribe with ar ( ash$ Instantly a score o# cl!bs were raisedaainst the two$ 6:hall we re%ain and #iht, ar ( ash>6 de%anded the a"e ( %an$6hey will kill !s,6 said ar ( ash$ 6I# yo! were not a ilak, we %iht esca"e thro!h the trees, b!tas yo! cannot esca"e we shall have to re%ain and #iht$66Lead the way,6 said ar)an$ 6here is no :aoth trail that ar)an cannot #ollow$66Co%e then,6 said ar ( ash, and as he s"oke he h!rled his cl!b into the #aces o# the onco%inwarriors and, t!rnin, #led alon the trail$ A do)en %ihty bo!nds he took and then lea"ed to the

branch o# an overhanin tree, and close behind hi% ca%e the hairless ilak$?&wa ( lot&s hairy warrior b!lls "!rs!ed the two #or a short distance and then ave !" the chase asar)an was con#ident that they wo!ld, since a%on his own "eo"le it had !s!ally beenconsidered s!##icient to r!n a recalcitrant b!ll o!t o# the tribe and, !nless he insisted !"onret!rnin, no "artic!lar e##ort was %ade to %olest hi%$

As soon as it beca%e evident that "!rs!it had been abandoned the :aoth halted a%on thebranches o# a h!e tree$ 6I a% ar ( ash,6 he said, as ar)an sto""ed near hi%$6I a% ar)an,6 re"lied the a"e ( %an$6Why did yo! warn %e>6 asked ar ( ash$6I told yo! that I did not co%e a%on yo! as an ene%y,6 re"lied ar)an, 6and when I saw that o (


23/96

yad had s!cceeded in !rin ?&wa ( lot to kill yo!, I warned yo! beca!se it was yo! that ke"t theb!lls #ro% killin %e when I was ca"t!red$66What were yo! doin in the co!ntry o# the :aoths>6 asked ar ( ash$6I was h!ntin,6 re"lied ar)an$6Where do yo! want to o now>6 asked the :aoth$6I shall ret!rn to %y "eo"le,6 re"lied ar)an$6Where are they>6ar)an o# the A"es hesitated$ 5e looked !"ward toward the s!n, whose rays were #ilterin downthro!h the #oliae o# the #orest$ 5e looked abo!t hi%, everywhere was #oliae$ here wasnothin in the #oliae nor !"on the boles or branches o# the trees to indicate direction$ ar)an o#the A"es was lost

Cha"ter $8A:O< 9RIDLE=, lookin down #ro% the branches o# the tree in which he had #o!nd sanct!ary,was held by a certain horrible #ascination as he watched the #east o# the reat cats$he scene that he had .!st witnessed ( this st!"endo!s s"ectacle o# savaery ( s!ested to hi%so%ethin o# what li#e !"on the o!ter cr!st %!st have been at the dawn o# h!%anity$he s!estion was borne in !"on hi% that "erha"s this scene which he had witnessed %ihtill!strate an i%"ortant ca!se o# the e'tinction o# all o# these ani%als !"on the o!ter cr!st$he action o# the reat saber ( tooth tiers o# Pell!cidar in ro!ndin !" the other beasts o# the

#orest and drivin the% to this clearin #or sla!hter evidenced a develo"%ent o# intellience #arbeyond that attained by the carnivores o# the o!ter world o# the "resent day, s!ch concertedaction by any reat n!%ber #or the co%%on ood bein !nknown$9ridley saw the vast n!%ber o# ani%als that had been sla!htered and %ost o# the% !selessly,since there was %ore #lesh there than the s!rvivin tiers co!ld cons!%e be#ore it reached astae o# "!tre#action that wo!ld render it !n"alatable even to one o# the reat cats$ And this #acts!ested the conviction that the c!nnin o# the tiers had reached a "lane where it %ihtreasonably be e'"ected to react !"on the%selves and event!ally ca!se their e'tinction, #or intheir savae #!ry and l!st #or #lesh they had sla!htered indiscri%inately %ales and #e%ales,yo!n and old$ I# this sla!hter went on !nchecked #or aes, the nat!ral "rey o# the tiers %!stbeco%e e'tinct and then, oaded by starvation, they wo!ld #all !"on one another$he last stae o# the ascendancy o# the reat cats !"on the o!ter cr!st %!st have been short andterrible and so event!ally it wo!ld "rove here in Pell!cidar$

And .!st as the reat cats %ay have reached a "oint where their %ental develo"%ent had s"elledtheir own doo%, so in the "recedin era the iantic, carnivoro!s dinosa!rs o# the 8!rassic %aysi%ilarly have ca!sed the e'tinction o# their own conte%"oraries and then o# the%selves$ 9ridley was s!re that there wo!ld be so%ethin a#ter %an, who is!n-!estionably the Creator&s reatest bl!nder, co%binin as he does all the vices o# "recedinty"es #ro% invertebrates to %a%%als, while "ossessin #ew o# their virt!es$

As s!ch tho!hts were #orced !"on his %ind by the scene below hi% they were acco%"anied byothers o# %ore i%%ediate i%"ortance+ #irst o# which was concern #or his #ellows$


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he s!b.ect o# second consideration was that o# his own esca"e and ret!rn to the O ( 002$ 5ehad it in his %ind that at niht#all the beasts %iht retire and !nconscio!sly he lanced !"ward atthe s!n to note the ti%e, when the reali)ation ca%e to hi% that there wo!ld never be any niht,that #orever thro!ho!t all eternity it wo!ld be noon here$ And then he bean to wonder how lonhe had been one #ro% the shi", b!t when he lanced at his watch he reali)ed that that %eantnothin$ he ho!r hand %iht have %ade an entire circle since he had last looked at it, #or in thee'cite%ent o# all that had trans"ired since they had le#t the O ( 002 how %iht the %ind o# %an,!naided, co%"!te ti%e>*!t he knew that event!ally the beasts %!st et their #ill and leave$ A#ter the%, however, therewo!ld be the hyaenodons and the .ackals with their #ierce co!sins, the wild dos$ As he watchedthese, sittin at a res"ect#!l distance #ro% the tiers or slinkin h!nrily in the backro!nd, hereali)ed that they %iht easily "rove as %!ch o# a bar to his esca"e as the saber ( tooth tiersthe%selves$he hyaenodons es"ecially were %ost disco!rain to conte%"late$ heir bodies were as lareas that o# a #!ll rown %asti##$ hey walked !"on short, "ower#!l les and their broad .aws were%assive and stron$ Dark, shay hair covered their backs and sides, t!rnin to white !"on theirbreasts and bellies$9nawin h!ner assailed 8ason 9ridley and also an over"owerin desire to slee", convincinhi% that he %!st have been %any ho!rs away #ro% the O ( 002, and yet the beasts beneath hi%contin!ed to #eed$

A dead tha lay at the #oot o# the tree in which the A%erican ke"t his lonely viil$ :o #ar it had notbeen #ed !"on and the nearest tier was #i#ty yards away$ 9ridley was h!nry, so h!nry that heeyed the tha coveto!sly$ 5e lanced abo!t hi%, %eas!rin the distance #ro% the tree to thenearest tier and tryin to co%"!te the lenth o# ti%e that it wo!ld take hi% to cla%ber back tosa#ety sho!ld he descend to the ro!nd$ 5e had seen the tiers in action and he knew how swi#tlythey co!ld cover ro!nd and that one o# the% co!ld lea" al%ost as hih as the branch !"onwhich he sat$

Altoether the chance o# s!ccess see%ed sliht #or the "lan he had in %ind in the event that thenearest tier took e'ce"tion to it$ *!t reat tho!h the daner was, h!ner won$ 9ridley drew hish!ntin kni#e and lowered hi%sel# ently to the ro!nd, kee"in an alert eye !"on the nearesttier$ !ickly he sliced several lon stri"s o# #lesh #ro% the tha&s hind -!arter$he tara #eedin #i#ty yards away looked !"$ 8ason sliced another stri", ret!rned his kni#e to itssheath and cli%bed -!ickly back to sa#ety$ he tara lowered its head !"on its kill and closed its

eyes$he A%erican athered dead twis and s%all branches that still cl!n to the livin tree and withthe% he b!ilt a s%all #ire in a reat crotch$5ere he cooked so%e o# the %eat o# the tha+ the edes were charred, the inside was raw, b!t8ason 9ridley co!ld have sworn that never be#ore in his li#e had he tasted s!ch delicio!s #ood$5ow lon his c!linary activities e%"loyed hi%, he did not know, b!t when he lanced down aainat the clearin he saw that %ost o# the tiers had -!itted their kills and were %ovin leis!relytoward the #orest, their distended bellies "roclai%in how well they had s!r#eited the%selves$ Andas the tiers retired, the hyaenodons, the wild dos and the .ackals closed in to the #east$he hyaenodons ke"t the others away and 9ridley saw another lon wait ahead o# hi%+ nor washe %istaken$ And when the hyaenodons had had their #ill and one, the wild dos ca%e and ke"tthe .ackals away$In the %eanti%e 9ridley had #ashioned a r!de "lat#or% a%on the branches o# the tree, and here

he had sle"t, awakenin re#reshed b!t assailed by a thirst that was al%ost over"owerin$he wild dos were leavin now and 9ridley deter%ined to wait no loner$ Already the odor o#decayin #lesh was warnin hi% o# worse to co%e and there was the #ear too that the tiers %ihtret!rn to their kills$Descendin #ro% the tree he skirted the clearin, kee"in close to the #orest and searchin #or thetrail by which his "arty had entered the clearin$ he wild dos, slinkin away, t!rned to rowl athi%, barin %enacin #ans$ *!t knowin how well their bellies were #illed, he entertained little#ear o# the%+ while #or the .ackals he harbored that conte%"t which is co%%on a%on allcreat!res$9ridley was dis%ayed to note that %any trails entered the clearin+ nor co!ld he reconi)e any


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distin!ishin %ark that %iht s!est the one by which he had co%e$ Whatever #oot"rints his"arty had le#t had been entirely obliterated by the "ads o# the carnivores$5e tried to reconstr!ct his "assae across the clearin to the tree in which he had #o!nd sa#etyand by this %eans he hit !"on a trail to #ollow, altho!h he had no ass!rance that it was the rihttrail$ he ba##lin noonday s!n shinin down !"on hi% see%ed to ta!nt hi% with his hel"lessness$

As he "roceeded alone down the lonely trail, reali)in that at any instant he %iht co%e #ace to#ace with so%e terrible beast o# a lon dead "ast, 8ason 9ridley wondered how the a"e(like"roenitors o# %an had s!rvived to trans%it any o# their characteristics however !n"leasant to a"osterity$ hat he co!ld live to reach the O ( 002 he %!ch do!bted$ he idea that he %iht live totake a %ate and raise a #a%ily was "re"ostero!s$While the eneral as"ect o# the #orest thro!h which he was "assin see%ed #a%iliar, he reali)edthat this %iht be tr!e no %atter what trail he was !"on and now he re"roached hi%sel# #or nothavin had the trees alon the trail bla)ed$ What a st!"id ass he had been, he tho!ht+ b!t hisrerets were not so %!ch #or hi%sel# as #or the others, whose sa#ety had been in his hands$


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6Abo!t two "oints to "ort$66I see it,6 said Dor#$ 6It&s either 9ridley or on 5orst, and whoever it is he is alone$66ake ten o# the crew at once, Lie!tenant,6 said ;!""ner, t!rnin to Dor#$ 6:ee that they are wellar%ed and o o!t and %eet hi%$ Lose no ti%e,6 he sho!ted a#ter the Lie!tenant, who had alreadystarted down the cli%bin sha#t$he two o##icers !"on the to" o# the O ( 002 watched Dor# and his "arty as it set o!t to %eet the%an they co!ld see tr!din steadily toward the shi"$ hey watched the% as they a""roachedone another, tho!h, owin to the conto!r o# the land, which was rollin, neither Dor# nor the %anhe had one to %eet ca!ht siht o# one another !ntil they were less than a h!ndred yards a"art$It was then that the Lie!tenant reconi)ed the other as 8ason 9ridley$

As they hastened #orward and clas"ed hands it was ty"ical o# the %an that 9ridley&s #irst wordswere an in-!iry relative to the %issin %e%bers o# the "arty$Dor# shook his head$ 6=o! are the only one that has ret!rned,6 he said$he eaer liht died o!t o# 9ridley&s eyes and he s!ddenly looked very tired and %!ch older ashe reeted the enineers and %echanics who %ade !" the "arty that had co%e to escort hi%back to the shi"$6I have been within siht o# the shi" #or a lon ti%e,6 he said$ 65ow lon, I do not know$ I broke %ywatch back in the #orest a way tryin to beat a tier !" a tree$ hen another one treed %e .!st onthe ede o# the clearin in "lain view o# the shi"$ It see%s as tho!h I have been there a week$5ow lon have I been one, Dor#>6

6Abo!t seventy ( two ho!rs$69ridley&s #ace brihtened$ 6hen there is no reason to ive !" ho"e yet #or the others,6 he said$ 6Ihonestly tho!ht I had been one a week$ I have sle"t several ti%es, I never co!ld tell how lon+and then I have one #or what see%ed lon "eriods witho!t slee" beca!se I beca%e very tiredand e'cessively h!nry and thirsty$6D!rin the ret!rn %arch to the shi" 8ason insisted !"on hearin a detailed acco!nt o# everythinthat had ha""ened since his de"art!re, b!t it was not !ntil they had .oined ;!""ner and 5inesthat he narrated the advent!res that had be#allen hi% and his co%"anions d!rin their ill ( #atede'"edition$6he #irst thin I want,6 he told the% a#ter he had been reeted by ;!""ner and 5ines, 6is a bath,and then i# yo! will have *ob cook a co!"le o# cows I&ll ive yo! the details o# the e'"edition whileI a% eatin the%$ A co!"le o# hand#!ls o# *os Pri%ien!s and so%e wild #r!it have only whetted%y a""etite$

A hal# ho!r later, re#reshed by a bath, a shave and #resh clothin, he .oined the% in the %essroo%$

As the three %en seated the%selves, Robert 8ones entered #ro% the alley, his black #acewreathed in s%iles$6Ah&% s!ttinly lad to see yo! all, ?as& 8ason,6 said Robert$ 6Ah knew s!%"in was a ( oin& toha""en tho!h ( Ah knew we was a ( oin& to have ood l!ck$66Well, I&% lad to be back, *ob,6 said 9ridley, 6and I don&t know o# anyone that I a% ha""ier tosee than yo!, #or I s!re have %issed yo!r cookin$ *!t what %ade yo! think that we&re oin tohave ood l!ck>66Ah .es had a brie# conversation with %ah rabbit&s #oot$ Dat ole boy he never #ails %e$ We s!ah beo!t o& l!ck i# Ah lose hi%$66Oh, I&ve seen lots o# rabbits aro!nd, *ob,6 said ;!""ner$ 6We can et yo! a b!shel o# the% in noti%e$6

6=es s!h, Ca"&n, b!t yo! can&t et &e% in de dahk o# de %oon where dey ain&t no dahk an& deyain&t no %oon, an& othe&wise dey lacks e##iciency$66It&s a ood thin, then, that we bro!ht yo! alon,6 said 8ason, 6and a %ihty ood thin #orPell!cidar, #or she never has had a really e##ective rabbit&s #oot be#ore in all her e'istence$ *!t Ican see where yo!&re oin to need that rabbit&s #oot "retty badly yo!rsel# in abo!t a %in!te,*ob$665ow&s dat, s!h>6 de%anded Robert$&he s"irits tell %e that so%ethin is oin to ha""en to yo! i# yo! don&t et #ood onto this table ina h!rry,6 la!hed 9ridley$6=es s!h, co%in& riht !",6 e'clai%ed the black as he hastened into the alley$


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As 9ridley ate, he went over the advent!res o# the last seventy ( two ho!rs in care#!l detail andthe three %en so!ht to arrive at so%e de#inite con.ect!re as to the distance he had covered #ro%the shi" and the direction$6Do yo! think that yo! co!ld lead another "arty to the clearin where yo! beca%e se"arated #ro%on 5orst and the Wa)iri>6 asked ;!""ner$6=es, o# co!rse I co!ld,6 re"lied 9ridley, 6beca!se #ro% the "oint that we entered the #orest webla)ed the trees !" to the ti%e we reached the trail, which we #ollowed to the le#t$ In #act I wo!ldnot be needed at all and i# we decide to send o!t s!ch a "arty, I shall not acco%"any it$6he other o##icers looked at hi% in s!r"rise and #or a %o%ent there was an e%barrassed silence$6I have what I consider a better "lan,6 contin!ed 9ridley$ 6here are twenty ( seven o# !s le#t$ Inthe event o# absol!te necessity, twelve %en can o"erate the shi"$ hat will leave #i#teen to #or% anew searchin "arty$ Leavin %e o!t, yo! wo!ld have #o!rteen, and a#ter yo! have heard %y"lan, i# yo! decide !"on sendin o!t s!ch a "arty, I s!est that Lie!tenant Dor# co%%and it,leavin yo!, Ca"tain ;!""ner, and 5ines to naviate the shi" in the event that none o# !s ret!rns,or that yo! #inally decide to set o!t in search o# !s$66*!t I tho!ht that yo! were not oin,6 said ;!""ner$6I a% not oin with the searchin "arty$ I a% oin alone in the sco!t "lane, and %y advicewo!ld be that yo! send o!t no searchin "arty #or at least twenty ( #o!r ho!rs a#ter I de"art, #or inthat ti%e I shall either have located those who are %issin or have #ailed entirely$6;!""ner shook his head, d!bio!sly$ 65ines, Dor# and I have disc!ssed the #easibility o# !sin the

sco!t "lane,6 he said$ 65ines was very an'io!s to %ake the atte%"t altho!h he reali)es betterthan any o# !s that once a "ilot is o!t o# siht o# the O ( 002 he %ay never be able to locate itaain, #or yo! %!st re%e%ber that we know nothin concernin any o# the land%arks o# theco!ntry in the direction that o!r search %!st be "rosec!ted$66I have taken all that into consideration,6 re"lied 9ridley, 6and I reali)e that it is at best b!t a#orlorn ho"e$66Let %e !ndertake it,6 said 5ines$ 6I have had %ore #lyin e'"erience than any o# yo! with the"ossible e'ce"tion o# Ca"tain ;!""ner, and it is o!t o# the -!estion that we sho!ld risk losinhi%$66Any one o# yo! three is "robably better #itted to !ndertake s!ch a #liht than I,6 re"lied 9ridley+6b!t that does not relieve %e o# the res"onsibility$ I a% %ore res"onsible than any other %e%bero# this "arty #or o!r bein where we are and, there#ore, %y res"onsibility #or the sa#ety o# the%issin %e%bers o# the e'"edition is reater than that o# any o# the rest o# yo!$ Under the

circ!%stances, then, I co!ld not "er%it anyone else to !ndertake this #liht$ I think that yo! will all!nderstand and a""reciate how I #eel and that yo! will do %e the #avor to inter"ose no %oreob.ection$6It was several %in!tes therea#ter be#ore anyone s"oke, the #o!r see%in to be i%%ersed in theb!siness o# si""in their co##ee and s%okin their ciarettes$ It was ;!""ner who broke thesilence$6*e#ore yo! !ndertake this thin,6 he said, 6yo! sho!ld have a lon slee", and in the %eanti%ewe will et the "lane o!t and have it one over thoro!hly$ =o! %!st have every chance #ors!ccess that we can ive yo!$66hank yo!6 said 9ridley$ 6I s!""ose yo! are riht abo!t the slee"$ I hate to waste the ti%e, b!t i#yo! will call %e the %o%ent that the shi" is ready I shall o to %y cabin at once and et s!chslee" as I can in the %eanti%e$6While 9ridley sle"t, the sco!t "lane, carried a#t in the keel cabin, was lowered to the ro!nd,

where it !nderwent a care#!l ins"ection and test by the enineers and o##icers o# the O ( 002$Even be#ore the "lane was ready 9ridley a""eared at the cabin door o# the O ( 002 anddescended to the ro!nd$6=o! did not slee" lon,6 said ;!""ner$6I do not know how lon,6 said 9ridley, 6b!t I #eel rested and anyway I co!ld not have sle"t loner,knowin that those #ellows are o!t there so%ewhere waitin and ho"in #or s!ccor$66What ro!te do yo! e'"ect to #ollow,6 asked ;!""ner, 6and how are yo! "lannin to ins!re areasonable likelihood o# yo!r bein able to ret!rn>66I shall #ly directly over the #orest as #ar as I think it at all likely that they co!ld have %arched in theti%e that they have been absent, ass!%in that they beca%e absol!tely con#!sed and have


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traveled steadily away #ro% the shi"$ As soon as I have ained s!##icient altit!de to %ake anyobservation I shall try and s"ot so%e nat!ral land%ark, like a %o!ntain or a body o# water, nearthe shi" and #ro% ti%e to ti%e, as I "roceed, I shall %ake a note o# si%ilar land%arks, I believethat in this way I can easily #ind %y way back, since at the #!rthest I cannot "roceed over twoh!ndred and #i#ty %iles #ro% the O ( 002 and ret!rn to it with the #!el that I can carry$6A#ter I have reached the #!rthest "ossible li%its that I think the "arty co!ld have strayed, I shallco%%ence circlin, de"endin !"on the noise o# the %otor to attract their attention and, o#co!rse, ass!%in that they will #ind so%e %eans o# sinalin their "resence to %e, which theycan do even in wooded co!ntry by b!ildin s%!des$66=o! e'"ect to land>6 in-!ired ;!""ner, noddin at the heavy ri#le which 9ridley carried$6I# I #ind the% in o"en co!ntry, I shall land+ b!t even i# I do not #ind the% it %ay be necessary #or%e to co%e down and %y recent e'"eriences have ta!ht %e not to vent!re #ar in Pell!cidarwitho!t a ri#le$6

A#ter a care#!l ins"ection, 9ridley shook hands with the three re%ainin o##icers and bid #arewellto the shi"&s co%"any, all o# who% were an'io!s observers o# his "re"aration #or de"art!re$69ood ( bye, old %an,6 said ;!""ner, 6and %ay 9od and l!ck o with yo!$69ridley "ressed the hand o# the %an he had co%e to look !"on as a sta!nch and loyal #riend, andthen took his seat in the o"en cock"it o# the sco!t "lane$ wo %echanics s"!n the "ro"eller, the%otor roared and a %o%ent later the block was kicked away and the "lane rolled o!t across therassy %eadowland towards the #orest at the #ar side$ he watchers saw it rise swi#tly and %ake

a reat circle and they knew that 9ridley was lookin #or a land%ark$ wice it circled above theo"en "lain and then darted away across the #orest$It had not been !ntil he %ade that #irst circle that 8ason 9ridley had reali)ed the handica" thatthis hori)onless landsca"e o# Pell!cidar had "laced !"on his chances o# ret!rn$ 5e had tho!hto# a %o!ntain standin boldly o!t aainst the sky, #or s!ch a land%ark wo!ld have been al%ostconstantly within the rane o# his vision d!rin the entire #liht$here were %o!ntains in the distance, b!t they stood o!t aainst no backro!nd or bl!e sky nor!"on any hori)on$ hey si%"ly %ered with the landsca"e beyond the%, c!rvin !"ward in thedistance$ wice he circled, his keen eyes searchin #or any o!tstandin "oint in the to"ora"hy o#the co!ntry beneath hi%, b!t there was nothin that was %ore a""arent than the rassy "lain!"on which the O ( 002 rested$5e #elt that he co!ld not waste ti%e and #!el by searchin loner #or a land%ark that did not e'ist,and while he reali)ed that the "lain wo!ld be visible #or b!t a co%"aratively short distance he was

#orced to acce"t it as his sole !ide in lie! o# a better one$Roarin above the lea#y roo# o# the "ri%eval #orest, all that trans"ired !"on the ro!nd below washidden #ro% hi% and it was tantali)in to reali)e that he %iht have "assed directly over theheads o# the co%rads he so!ht, yet there was no other way$ Ret!rnin, he wo!ld either circle orhold an e'aerated )i ( )a co!rse, watchin care#!lly #or sin o# a sinal$For al%ost two ho!rs 8ason 9ridley held a straiht co!rse, "assin over #orest, "lain and rollin,hilly co!ntry, b!t nowhere did he see any sin o# those he so!ht$ Already he had reached theli%it o# the distance he had "lanned !"on co%in when there loo%ed ahead o# hi% in thedistance a rane o# lo#ty %o!ntains$ hese alone wo!ld have deter%ined hi% to t!rn back, sincehis .!d%ent told hi% that the lost %e%bers o# the "arty, sho!ld they have chanced to co%e this#ar, wo!ld be now have reali)ed that they were travelin in the wron direction$

As he banked to t!rn he ca!ht a li%"se o!t o# the corner o# an eye o# so%ethin in the airabove hi% and lookin -!ickly back, 8ason 9ridley ca!ht his breath in astonish%ent$

5overin now, al%ost above hi%, was a iantic creat!re, the enor%o!s s"read o# those winsal%ost e-!alled that o# the "lane he was "ilotin$ he %an had a sinle li%"se o# tre%endo!s.aws, ar%ed with %ihty teeth, in the very instant that he reali)ed that this %ihty anachronis%was bent !"on attackin hi%$9ridley was #lyin at an altit!de o# abo!t three tho!sand #eet when the h!e "teranodon la!ncheditsel# straiht at the shi"$ 8ason so!ht to el!de it by divin$ here was a terri#ic crash, a roar, as"linterin o# wood and a rindin o# %etal as the "teranodon swoo"ed down !"on its "rey and#!ll into the "ro"eller$What ha""ened then, ha""ened so -!ickly that 8ason 9ridley co!ld not have reconstr!cted thescene #ive seconds later$


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he "lane t!rned co%"letely over and at the sa%e instant 9ridley .!%"ed$ 5e .erked the ri" cordo# his "arach!te$ :o%ethin str!ck hi% on the head and he lost conscio!sness$

Cha"ter I$6W5ERE ARE yo!r "eo"le>6 ar ( ash asked aain$ar)an shook his head$ 6I do not know,6 he said$6Where is yo!r co!ntry>6 asked ar ( ash$6It is a lon way o##,6 re"lied the a"e ( %an$ 6It is not in Pell!cidar+6 b!t that the :aoth co!ld not!nderstand any %ore than he co!ld !nderstand that a creat!re %iht be lost at all, #or inherent inhi% was that sa%e ho%in instinct that %arked all the creat!res o# Pell!cidar and whichconstit!tes a wise "rovision o# nat!re in a world witho!t !idin celestial bodies$5ad it been "ossible to trans"ort ar ( ash instantly to any "oint within that %ihty inner world,elsewhere than !"on the s!r#ace o# an ocean, he co!ld have !nerrinly #o!nd his way to the verys"ot where he was born, and beca!se that "ower was instinctive he co!ld not !nderstand whyar)an did not "ossess it$6I know where there is a tribe o# %en,6 he said, "resently$ 6Perha"s they are yo!r "eo"le$ I shalllead yo! to the%$6

As ar)an had no idea as to the direction in which the shi" lay and as it was re%otely "ossiblethat ar ( ash was re#errin to the %e%bers o# the O ( 002 e'"edition, he #elt that he was as wello## #ollowin where ar ( ash led as elsewhere, and so he sini#ied his readiness to acco%"any

the :aoth$65ow lon since yo! saw this tribe o# %en,6 he asked a#ter a while, 6and how lon have they livedwhere yo! saw the%>6U"on the :aoth&s re"ly to these -!estions, the a"e ( %an #elt that he %iht deter%ine the"ossibility o# the %en to who% ar ( ash re#erred bein the %e%bers o# his own "arty, #or i# theywere newco%ers in the district then the chances were e'cellent that they were the "eo"le heso!ht+ b!t his -!estions elicited no satis#actory re"ly #or the e'cellent reason that ti%e %eantnothin to ar ( ash$ And so the two set o!t !"on a leis!rely search #or the tribe o# %en that ar (ash knew o#$ It was leis!rely beca!se #or ar ( ash ti%e did not e'ist+ nor had it ever been avery i%"ortant #actor in the e'istence o# the a"e ( %an, e'ce"t in occasional %o%ents o#e%erency$hey were a stranely assorted "air ( one a creat!re .!st standin !"on the threshold o#h!%anity, the other an Enlish Lord in his own riht, who was, at the sa%e ti%e, in %any res"ects

as "ri%itive as the savae, shay b!ll into whose co%"anionshi" chance had thrown hi%$At #irst ar ( ash had been inclined to look with conte%"t !"on this creat!re o# another race,which he considered #ar in#erior to his own in strenth, aility, co!rae and woodcra#t, b!t he soonca%e to hold the a"e ( %an in vast res"ect$ And beca!se he co!ld res"ect his "rowess hebeca%e attached to hi% in bonds o# loyalty that were as closely akin to #riendshi" as the savaenat!re o# his "ri%itive %ind "er%itted$hey h!nted toether and #o!ht toether$ hey sw!n thro!h the trees when the reat catsh!nted !"on the ro!nd, or they #ollowed a%e trails aes old beneath the hoary trees o#Pell!cidar or o!t across her rollin, rassy, #lower ( s"anled %eadowland$hey lived well !"on the #at o# the land #or both were %ihty h!nters$ar)an #ashioned a new bow and arrows and a sto!t s"ear, and these, at #irst, the :aoth re#!sedeven to notice, b!t "resently when he saw how easily and -!ickly they bro!ht a%e to theirlarder he evinced a keen interest and ar)an ta!ht hi% how to !se the wea"ons and later how to

#ashion the%$he co!ntry thro!h which they traveled was well watered and was alive with a%e$ It was "artlywooded with reat stretches o# o"en land, where tre%endo!s herds o# herbivores ra)ed beneaththe eternal noonday s!n, and beca!se o# these reat herds the beasts o# "rey were n!%ero!s (and s!ch beastsar)an had tho!ht that there was no world like his own world and no .!nle like his own .!nle,b!t the %ore dee"ly he di""ed into the wonders o# Pell!cidar the %ore ena%ored he beca%e o#this savae, "ri%itive world, tee%in with the wild li#e he loved best$ hat there were #ew %enwas Pell!cidar&s chie#est reco%%endation$ 5ad there been none

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Edgar Rice Burroughs - Tarzan 13 - Tarzan at the Earth's Core