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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.07/27/01*END* + + + + + + + + + + + +Created by Judith Boss, Omaha, Nebraska + + + + + +PELLUCIDAR + +By Edgar Rice Burroughs + + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + PROLOGUE + I LOST ON PELLUCIDAR + II TRAVELING WITH TERROR + III SHOOTING THE CHUTES--AND AFTER + IV FRIENDSHIP AND TREACHERY + V SURPRISES + VI A PENDENT WORLD + VII FROM PLIGHT TO PLIGHT + VIII CAPTIVE + IX HOOJA'S CUTTHROATS APPEAR + X THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON + XI ESCAPE + XII KIDNAPED! + XIII RACING FOR LIFE + XIV GORE AND DREAMS + XV CONQUEST AND PEACE + + + + + +PROLOGUE + +SEVERAL YEARS had elapsed since I had found the op-portunity to do +any big-game hunting; for at last I had my plans almost perfected +for a return to my old stamping-grounds in northern Africa, where +in other days I had had excellent sport in pursuit of the king of +beasts. + +The date of my departure had been set; I was to leave in two weeks. +No schoolboy counting the lagging hours that must pass before the +beginning of "long vacation" released him to the delirious joys of +the sum-mer camp could have been filled with greater im-patience +or keener anticipation. + +And then came a letter that started me for Africa twelve days ahead +of my schedule. + +Often am I in receipt of letters from strangers who have found +something in a story of mine to commend or to condemn. My interest +in this department of my correspondence is ever fresh. I opened +this particular letter with all the zest of pleasurable anticipation +with which I had opened so many others. The post-mark (Algiers) +had aroused my interest and curiosity, es-pecially at this time, +since it was Algiers that was presently to witness the termination +of my coming sea voyage in search of sport and adventure. + +Before the reading of that letter was completed lions and lion-hunting +had fled my thoughts, and I was in a state of excitement bordering +upon frenzy. + +It--well, read it yourself, and see if you, too, do not find food +for frantic conjecture, for tantalizing doubts, and for a great +hope. + +Here it is: + +DEAR SIR: I think that I have run across one of the most remarkable +coincidences in modern literature. But let me start at the beginning: + +I am, by profession, a wanderer upon the face of the earth. I have +no trade--nor any other occupation. + +My father bequeathed me a competency; some remoter ancestors lust +to roam. I have combined the two and invested them carefully and +without extravagance. + +I became interested in your story, At the Earth's Core, not so much +because of the probability of the tale as of a great and abiding +wonder that people should be paid real money for writing such +impossible trash. You will pardon my candor, but it is necessary +that you understand my mental attitude toward this particular +story--that you may credit that which fol-lows. + +Shortly thereafter I started for the Sahara in search of a rather +rare species of antelope that is to be found only occasionally +within a limited area at a certain season of the year. My chase +led me far from the haunts of man. + +It was a fruitless search, however, in so far as antelope is +concerned; but one night as I lay courting sleep at the edge of a +little cluster of date-palms that surround an ancient well in the +midst of the arid, shifting sands, I suddenly became conscious of +a strange sound coming apparently from the earth beneath my head. + +It was an intermittent ticking! + +No reptile or insect with which I am familiar re-produces any such +notes. I lay for an hour--listening intently. + +At last my curiosity got the better of me. I arose, lighted my +lamp and commenced to investigate. + +My bedding lay upon a rug stretched directly upon the warm sand. +The noise appeared to be coming from beneath the rug. I raised +it, but found nothing--yet, at intervals, the sound continued. + +I dug into the sand with the point of my hunting-knife. A few inches +below the surface of the sand I encountered a solid substance that +had the feel of wood beneath the sharp steel. + +Excavating about it, I unearthed a small wooden box. From this +receptacle issued the strange sound that I had heard. + +How had it come here? + +What did it contain? + +In attempting to lift it from its burying place I dis-covered that +it seemed to be held fast by means of a very small insulated cable +running farther into the sand beneath it. + +My first impulse was to drag the thing loose by main strength; +but fortunately I thought better of this and fell to examining the +box. I soon saw that it was covered by a hinged lid, which was +held closed by a simple screwhook and eye. + +It took but a moment to loosen this and raise the cover, when, to +my utter astonishment, I discovered an ordinary telegraph instrument +clicking away within. + +"What in the world," thought I, "is this thing doing here?" + +That it was a French military instrument was my first guess; but +really there didn't seem much likelihood that this was the correct +explanation, when one took into account the loneliness and remoteness +of the spot. + +As I sat gazing at my remarkable find, which was tick-ing and +clicking away there in the silence of the desert night, trying to +convey some message which I was unable to interpret, my eyes fell +upon a bit of paper lying in the bottom of the box beside the +instrument. I picked it up and examined it. Upon it were written +but two letters: + +D. I. + +They meant nothing to me then. I was baffled. + +Once, in an interval of silence upon the part of the receiving +instrument, I moved the sending-key up and down a few times. +Instantly the receiving mechanism commenced to work frantically. + +I tried to recall something of the Morse Code, with which I had +played as a little boy--but time had obliterated it from my memory. +I became almost frantic as I let my imagination run riot among the +possibilities for which this clicking instrument might stand. + +Some poor devil at the unknown other end might be in dire need of +succor. The very franticness of the instrument's wild clashing +betokened something of the kind. + +And there sat I, powerless to interpret, and so power-less to help! + +It was then that the inspiration came to me. In a flash there +leaped to my mind the closing paragraphs of the story I had read +in the club at Algiers: + +Does the answer lie somewhere upon the bosom of the broad Sahara, +at the ends of two tiny wires, hidden beneath a lost cairn? + +The idea seemed preposterous. Experience and in-telligence combined +to assure me that there could be no slightest grain of truth or +possibility in your wild tale--it was fiction pure and simple. + +And yet where WERE the other ends of those wires? + +What was this instrument--ticking away here in the great Sahara--but +a travesty upon the possible! + +Would I have believed in it had I not seen it with my own eyes? + +And the initials--D. I.--upon the slip of paper! + +David's initials were these--David Innes. + +I smiled at my imaginings. I ridiculed the assumption that there +was an inner world and that these wires led downward through the +earth's crust to the surface of Pellucidar. And yet-- + +Well, I sat there all night, listening to that tantalizing clicking, +now and then moving the sending-key just to let the other end know +that the instrument had been discovered. In the morning, after +carefully returning the box to its hole and covering it over with +sand, I called my servants about me, snatched a hurried breakfast, +mounted my horse, and started upon a forced march for Algiers. + +I arrived here today. In writing you this letter I feel that I am +making a fool of myself. + +There is no David Innes. + +There is no Dian the Beautiful. + +There is no world within a world. + +Pellucidar is but a realm of your imagination--noth-ing more. + +BUT-- + +The incident of the finding of that buried telegraph instrument +upon the lonely Sahara is little short of uncanny, in view of your +story of the adventures of David Innes. + +I have called it one of the most remarkable coinci-dences in +modern fiction. I called it literature before, but--again pardon +my candor--your story is not. + +And now--why am I writing you? + +Heaven knows, unless it is that the persistent clicking of that +unfathomable enigma out there in the vast silences of the Sahara +has so wrought upon my nerves that reason refuses longer to function +sanely. + +I cannot hear it now, yet I know that far away to the south, all +alone beneath the sands, it is still pounding out its vain, frantic +appeal. + +It is maddening + +It is your fault--I want you to release me from it. + +Cable me at once, at my expense, that there was no basis of fact +for your story, At the Earth's Core. + +Very respectfully yours, + +COGDON NESTOR, + +--and--Club, + +Algiers. + +June 1st,--. + + + +Ten minutes after reading this letter I had cabled Mr. Nestor as +follows: + + +Story true. Await me Algiers. + + +As fast as train and boat would carry me, I sped toward my destination. +For all those dragging days my mind was a whirl of mad conjecture, +of frantic hope, of numbing fear. + +The finding of the telegraph-instrument practically assured me that +David Innes had driven Perry's iron mole back through the earth's +crust to the buried world of Pellucidar; but what adventures had +befallen him since his return? + +Had he found Dian the Beautiful, his half-savage mate, safe among +his friends, or had Hooja the Sly One succeeded in his nefarious +schemes to abduct her? + +Did Abner Perry, the lovable old inventor and pale-ontologist, +still live? + +Had the federated tribes of Pellucidar succeeded in overthrowing +the mighty Mahars, the dominant race of reptilian monsters, and +their fierce, gorilla-like sol-diery, the savage Sagoths? + +I must admit that I was in a state bordering upon nervous prostration +when I entered the -and-Club, in Algiers, and inquired for Mr. +Nestor. A moment later I was ushered into his presence, to find +myself clasping hands with the sort of chap that the world holds +only too few of. + +He was a tall, smooth-faced man of about thirty, clean-cut, straight, +and strong, and weather-tanned to the hue of a desert Arab. I +liked him immensely from the first, and I hope that after our three +months together in the desert country--three months not entirely +lack-ing in adventure--he found that a man may be a writer of +"impossible trash" and yet have some redeem-ing qualities. + +The day following my arrival at Algiers we left for the south, +Nestor having made all arrangements in advance, guessing, as he +naturally did, that I could be coming to Africa for but a single +purpose--to hasten at once to the buried telegraph-instrument and +wrest its secret from it. + +In addition to our native servants, we took along an English +telegraph-operator named Frank Downes. Nothing of interest enlivened +our journey by rail and caravan till we came to the cluster of +date-palms about the ancient well upon the rim of the Sahara. + +It was the very spot at which I first had seen David Innes. If he +had ever raised a cairn above the telegraph instrument no sign of +it remained now. Had it not been for the chance that caused Cogdon +Nestor to throw down his sleeping rug directly over the hidden +instru-ment, it might still be clicking there unheard--and this +story still unwritten. + +When we reached the spot and unearthed the little box the instrument +was quiet, nor did repeated attempts upon the part of our telegrapher +succeed in winning a response from the other end of the line. +After several days of futile endeavor to raise Pellucidar, we had +be-gun to despair. I was as positive that the other end of that +little cable protruded through the surface of the inner world as +I am that I sit here today in my study--when about midnight of the +fourth day I was awakened by the sound of the instrument. + +Leaping to my feet I grasped Downes roughly by the neck and dragged +him out of his blankets. He didn't need to be told what caused +my excitement, for the instant he was awake he, too, heard the +long-hoped for click, and with a whoop of delight pounced upon the +instrument. + +Nestor was on his feet almost as soon as I. The three of us huddled +about that little box as if our lives depended upon the message it +had for us. + +Downes interrupted the clicking with his sending-key. The noise +of the receiver stopped instantly. + +"Ask who it is, Downes," I directed. + +He did so, and while we awaited the Englishman's translation of +the reply, I doubt if either Nestor or I breathed. + +"He says he's David Innes," said Downes. "He wants to know who we +are." + +"Tell him," said I; "and that we want to know how he is--and all +that has befallen him since I last saw him." + +For two months I talked with David Innes almost every day, and +as Downes translated, either Nestor or I took notes. From these, +arranged in chronological order, I have set down the following +account of the further adventures of David Innes at the earth's +core, practically in his own words. + + + + +CHAPTER I + +LOST ON PELLUCIDAR + +The Arabs, of whom I wrote you at the end of my last letter (Innes +began), and whom I thought to be enemies intent only upon murdering +me, proved to be exceed-ingly friendly--they were searching for +the very band of marauders that had threatened my existence. The +huge rhamphorhynchus-like reptile that I had brought back with me +from the inner world--the ugly Mahar that Hooja the Sly One had +substituted for my dear Dian at the moment of my departure--filled +them with wonder and with awe. + +Nor less so did the mighty subterranean prospector which had carried +me to Pellucidar and back again, and which lay out in the desert +about two miles from my camp. + +With their help I managed to get the unwieldy tons of its great +bulk into a vertical position--the nose deep in a hole we had dug +in the sand and the rest of it supported by the trunks of date-palms +cut for the purpose. + +It was a mighty engineering job with only wild Arabs and their +wilder mounts to do the work of an electric crane--but finally it +was completed, and I was ready for departure. + +For some time I hesitated to take the Mahar back with me. She +had been docile and quiet ever since she had discovered herself +virtually a prisoner aboard the "iron mole." It had been, of course, +impossible for me to communicate with her since she had no auditory +organs and I no knowledge of her fourth-dimension, sixth-sense +method of communication. + +Naturally I am kind-hearted, and so I found it beyond me to leave +even this hateful and repulsive thing alone in a strange and hostile +world. The result was that when I entered the iron mole I took +her with me. + +That she knew that we were about to return to Pellucidar was +evident, for immediately her manner changed from that of habitual +gloom that had pervaded her, to an almost human expression of +contentment and delight. + +Our trip through the earth's crust was but a repetition of my +two former journeys between the inner and the outer worlds. This +time, however, I imagine that we must have maintained a more +nearly perpendicular course, for we accomplished the journey in a +few min-utes' less time than upon the occasion of my first journey +through the five-hundred-mile crust. just a trifle less than +seventy-two hours after our departure into the sands of the Sahara, +we broke through the surface of Pellucidar. + +Fortune once again favored me by the slightest of margins, for when +I opened the door in the prospector's outer jacket I saw that we +had missed coming up through the bottom of an ocean by but a few +hundred yards. + +The aspect of the surrounding country was entirely unfamiliar +to me--I had no conception of precisely where I was upon the one +hundred and twenty-four million square miles of Pellucidar's vast +land surface. + +The perpetual midday sun poured down its torrid rays from zenith, +as it had done since the beginning of Pellucidarian time--as it +would continue to do to the end of it. Before me, across the wide +sea, the weird, horizonless seascape folded gently upward to meet +the sky until it lost itself to view in the azure depths of distance +far above the level of my eyes. + +How strange it looked! How vastly different from the flat and puny +area of the circumscribed vision of the dweller upon the outer +crust! + +I was lost. Though I wandered ceaselessly throughout a lifetime, +I might never discover the whereabouts of my former friends of this +strange and savage world. Never again might I see dear old Perry, +nor Ghak the Hairy One, nor Dacor the Strong One, nor that other +infinitely precious one--my sweet and noble mate, Dian the Beautiful! + +But even so I was glad to tread once more the surface of Pellucidar. +Mysterious and terrible, grotesque and savage though she is in many +of her aspects, I can not but love her. Her very savagery appealed +to me, for it is the savagery of unspoiled Nature. + +The magnificence of her tropic beauties enthralled me. Her mighty +land areas breathed unfettered free-dom. + +Her untracked oceans, whispering of virgin wonders unsullied by +the eye of man, beckoned me out upon their restless bosoms. + +Not for an instant did I regret the world of my nativity. I was +in Pellucidar. I was home. And I was content. + +As I stood dreaming beside the giant thing that had brought +me safely through the earth's crust, my travel-ing companion, the +hideous Mahar, emerged from the interior of the prospector and +stood beside me. For a long time she remained motionless. + +What thoughts were passing through the convolutions of her reptilian +brain? + +I do not know. + +She was a member of the dominant race of Pel-lucidar. By a strange +freak of evolution her kind had first developed the power of reason +in that world of anomalies. + +To her, creatures such as I were of a lower order. As Perry had +discovered among the writings of her kind in the buried city of +Phutra, it was still an open question among the Mahars as to whether +man pos-sessed means of intelligent communication or the power of +reason. + +Her kind believed that in the center of all-pervading solidity +there was a single, vast, spherical cavity, which was Pellucidar. +This cavity had been left there for the sole purpose of providing +a place for the creation and propagation of the Mahar race. +Everything within it had been put there for the uses of the Mahar. + +I wondered what this particular Mahar might think now. I found +pleasure in speculating upon just what the effect had been upon her +of passing through the earth's crust, and coming out into a world +that one of even less intelligence than the great Mahars could +easily see was a different world from her own Pel-lucidar. + +What had she thought of the outer world's tiny sun? + +What had been the effect upon her of the moon and myriad stars of +the clear African nights? + +How had she explained them? + +With what sensations of awe must she first have watched the sun +moving slowly across the heavens to disappear at last beneath the +western horizon, leaving in his wake that which the Mahar had never +before witnessed--the darkness of night? For upon Pellucidar there +is no night. The stationary sun hangs forever in the center of +the Pellucidarian sky--directly overhead. + +Then, too, she must have been impressed by the wondrous mechanism +of the prospector which had bored its way from world to world and +back again. And that it had been driven by a rational being must +also have occurred to her. + +Too, she bad seen me conversing with other men upon the earth's +surface. She had seen the arrival of the caravan of books and arms, +and ammunition, and the balance of the heterogeneous collection which +I had crammed into the cabin of the iron mole for trans-portation +to Pellucidar. + +She had seen all these evidences of a civilization and brain-power +transcending in scientific achieve-ment anything that her race had +produced; nor once had she seen a creature of her own kind. + +There could have been but a single deduction in the mind of the +Mahar--there were other worlds than Pellucidar, and the gilak was +a rational being. + +Now the creature at my side was creeping slowly toward the near-by +sea. At my hip hung a long-barreled six-shooter--somehow I had +been unable to find the same sensation of security in the newfangled +auto-matics that had been perfected since my first departure from +the outer world--and in my hand was a heavy express rifle. + +I could have shot the Mahar with ease, for I knew intuitively that +she was escaping--but I did not. + +I felt that if she could return to her own kind with the story of +her adventures, the position of the human race within Pellucidar +would be advanced immensely at a single stride, for at once man +would take his proper place in the considerations of the reptilia. + +At the edge of the sea the creature paused and looked back at me. +Then she slid sinuously into the surf. + +For several minutes I saw no more of her as she luxuriated in the +cool depths. + +Then a hundred yards from shore she rose and there for another +short while she floated upon the surface. + +Finally she spread her giant wings, flapped them vigorously a score +of times and rose above the blue sea. A single time she circled +far aloft--and then straight as an arrow she sped away. + +I watched her until the distant haze enveloped her and she had +disappeared. I was alone. + +My first concern was to discover where within Pel-lucidar I might +be--and in what direction lay the land of the Sarians where Ghak +the Hairy One ruled. + +But how was I to guess in which direction lay Sari? + +And if I set out to search--what then? + +Could I find my way back to the prospector with its priceless +freight of books, firearms, ammunition, scien-tific instruments, +and still more books--its great library of reference works upon +every conceivable branch of ap-plied sciences? + +And if I could not, of what value was all this vast storehouse +of potential civilization and progress to be to the world of my +adoption? + +Upon the other hand, if I remained here alone with it, what could +I accomplish single-handed? + +Nothing. + +But where there was no east, no west, no north, no south, no stars, +no moon, and only a stationary mid-day sun, how was I to find my +way back to this spot should ever I get out of sight of it? + +I didn't know. + +For a long time I stood buried in deep thought, when it occurred +to me to try out one of the compasses I had brought and ascertain +if it remained steadily fixed upon an unvarying pole. I reentered +the prospector and fetched a compass without. + +Moving a considerable distance from the prospector that the needle +might not be influenced by its great bulk of iron and steel I turned +the delicate instrument about in every direction. + +Always and steadily the needle remained rigidly fixed upon a point +straight out to sea, apparently pointing toward a large island some +ten or twenty miles distant. This then should be north. + +I drew my note-book from my pocket and made a careful topographical +sketch of the locality within the range of my vision. Due north +lay the island, far out upon the shimmering sea. + +The spot I had chosen for my observations was the top of a large, +flat boulder which rose six or eight feet above the turf. This +spot I called Greenwich. The boulder was the "Royal Observatory." + +I had made a start! I cannot tell you what a sense of relief was +imparted to me by the simple fact that there was at least one spot +within Pellucidar with a familiar name and a place upon a map. + +It was with almost childish joy that I made a little circle in my +note-book and traced the word Greenwich beside it. + +Now I felt I might start out upon my search with some assurance of +finding my way back again to the prospector. + +I decided that at first I would travel directly south in the hope +that I might in that direction find some familiar landmark. It +was as good a direction as any. This much at least might be said +of it. + +Among the many other things I had brought from the outer world were +a number of pedometers. I slipped three of these into my pockets +with the idea that I might arrive at a more or less accurate mean +from the registrations of them all. + +On my map I would register so many paces south, so many east, so +many west, and so on. When I was ready to return I would then do +so by any route that I might choose. + +I also strapped a considerable quantity of ammuni-tion across my +shoulders, pocketed some matches, and hooked an aluminum fry-pan +and a small stew-kettle of the same metal to my belt. + +I was ready--ready to go forth and explore a world! + +Ready to search a land area of 124,110,000 square miles for my +friends, my incomparable mate, and good old Perry! + +And so, after locking the door in the outer shell of the prospector, +I set out upon my quest. Due south I traveled, across lovely +valleys thick-dotted with graz-ing herds. + +Through dense primeval forests I forced my way and up the slopes +of mighty mountains searching for a pass to their farther sides. + +Ibex and musk-sheep fell before my good old revolver, so that I +lacked not for food in the higher altitudes. The forests and the +plains gave plentifully of fruits and wild birds, antelope, aurochsen, +and elk. + +Occasionally, for the larger game animals and the gigantic beasts +of prey, I used my express rifle, but for the most part the revolver +filled all my needs. + +There were times, too, when faced by a mighty cave bear, a saber-toothed +tiger, or huge felis spelaea, black-maned and terrible, even my +powerful rifle seemed pitifully inadequate--but fortune favored +me so that I passed unscathed through adventures that even the +recollection of causes the short hairs to bristle at the nape of +my neck. + +How long I wandered toward the south I do not know, for shortly +after I left the prospector something went wrong with my watch, and +I was again at the mercy of the baffling timelessness of Pellucidar, +forging steadily ahead beneath the great, motionless sun which +hangs eternally at noon. + +I ate many times, however, so that days must have elapsed, possibly +months with no familiar landscape rewarding my eager eyes. + +I saw no men nor signs of men. Nor is this strange, for Pellucidar, +in its land area, is immense, while the human race there is very +young and consequently far from numerous. + +Doubtless upon that long search mine was the first human foot to +touch the soil in many places--mine the first human eye to rest +upon the gorgeous wonders of the landscape. + +It was a staggering thought. I could not but dwell upon it often +as I made my lonely way through this virgin world. Then, quite +suddenly, one day I stepped out of the peace of manless primality +into the presence of man--and peace was gone. + +It happened thus: + +I had been following a ravine downward out of a chain of lofty hills +and had paused at its mouth to view the lovely little valley that +lay before me. At one side was tangled wood, while straight ahead +a river wound peacefully along parallel to the cliffs in which the +hills terminated at the valley's edge. + +Presently, as I stood enjoying the lovely scene, as insatiate for +Nature's wonders as if I had not looked upon similar landscapes +countless times, a sound of shouting broke from the direction of +the woods. That the harsh, discordant notes rose from the throats +of men I could not doubt. + +I slipped behind a large boulder near the mouth of the ravine and +waited. I could hear the crashing of underbrush in the forest, +and I guessed that whoever came came quickly--pursued and pursuers, +doubtless. + +In a short time some hunted animal would break into view, and a +moment later a score of half-naked savages would come leaping after +with spears or club or great stone-knives. + +I had seen the thing so many times during my life within Pellucidar +that I felt that I could anticipate to a nicety precisely what I +was about to witness. I hoped that the hunters would prove friendly +and be able to direct me toward Sari. + +Even as I was thinking these thoughts the quarry emerged from the +forest. But it was no terrified four-footed beast. Instead, what +I saw was an old man--a terrified old man! + +Staggering feebly and hopelessly from what must have been some very +terrible fate, if one could judge from the horrified expressions +he continually cast behind him toward the wood, he came stumbling +on in my direction. + +He had covered but a short distance from the forest when I beheld +the first of his pursuers--a Sagoth, one of those grim and terrible +gorilla-men who guard the mighty Mahars in their buried cities, +faring forth from time to time upon slave-raiding or punitive +expeditions against the human race of Pellucidar, of whom the +dominant race of the inner world think as we think of the bison or +the wild sheep of our own world. + +Close behind the foremost Sagoth came others until a full dozen +raced, shouting after the terror-stricken old man. They would be +upon him shortly, that was plain. + +One of them was rapidly overhauling him, his back-thrown spear-arm +testifying to his purpose. + +And then, quite with the suddenness of an unex-pected blow, I realized +a past familiarity with the gait and carriage of the fugitive. + +Simultaneously there swept over me the staggering fact that the +old man was--PERRY! That he was about to die before my very eyes +with no hope that I could reach him in time to avert the awful +catastrophe--for to me it meant a real catastrophe! + +Perry was my best friend. + +Dian, of course, I looked upon as more than friend. She was my +mate--a part of me. + +I had entirely forgotten the rifle in my hand and the revolvers at +my belt; one does not readily syn-chronize his thoughts with the +stone age and the twentieth century simultaneously. + +Now from past habit I still thought in the stone age, and in my +thoughts of the stone age there were no thoughts of firearms. + +The fellow was almost upon Perry when the feel of the gun in my hand +awoke me from the lethargy of terror that had gripped me. From behind +my boulder I threw up the heavy express rifle--a mighty engine of +destruction that might bring down a cave bear or a mammoth at a +single shot--and let drive at the Sagoth's broad, hairy breast. + +At the sound of the shot he stopped stock-still. His spear dropped +from his hand. + +Then he lunged forward upon his face. + +The effect upon the others was little less remarkable. Perry +alone could have possibly guessed the meaning of the loud report +or explained its connection with the sudden collapse of the Sagoth. +The other gorilla-men halted for but an instant. Then with renewed +shrieks of rage they sprang forward to finish Perry. + +At the same time I stepped from behind my boul-der, drawing one of +my revolvers that I might conserve the more precious ammunition of +the express rifle. Quickly I fired again with the lesser weapon. + +Then it was that all eyes were directed toward me. Another Sagoth +fell to the bullet from the revolver; but it did not stop his +companions. They were out for revenge as well as blood now, and +they meant to have both. + +As I ran forward toward Perry I fired four more shots, dropping +three of our antagonists. Then at last the remaining seven wavered. +It was too much for them, this roaring death that leaped, invisible, +upon them from a great distance. + +As they hesitated I reached Perry's side. I have never seen such +an expression upon any man's face as that upon Perry's when he +recognized me. I have no words wherewith to describe it. There +was not time to talk then--scarce for a greeting. I thrust the +full, loaded revolver into his hand, fired the last shot in my own, +and reloaded. There were but six Sagoths left then. + +They started toward us once more, though I could see that they were +terrified probably as much by the noise of the guns as by their +effects. They never reached us. Half-way the three that remained +turned and fled, and we let them go. + +The last we saw of them they were disappearing into the tangled +undergrowth of the forest. And then Perry turned and threw his +arms about my neck and, burying his old face upon my shoulder, wept +like a child. + + + +CHAPTER II + +TRAVELING WITH TERROR + +We made camp there beside the peaceful river. There Perry told me +all that had befallen him since I had departed for the outer crust. + +It seemed that Hooja had made it appear that I had intentionally +left Dian behind, and that I did not purpose ever returning to +Pellucidar. He told them that I was of another world and that I +had tired of this and of its inhabitants. + +To Dian he had explained that I had a mate in the world to which I +was returning; that I had never intended taking Dian the Beautiful +back with me; and that she had seen the last of me. + +Shortly afterward Dian had disappeared from the camp, nor had Perry +seen or heard aught of her since. + +He had no conception of the time that had elapsed since I had +departed, but guessed that many years had dragged their slow way +into the past. + +Hooja, too, had disappeared very soon after Dian had left. The +Sarians, under Ghak the Hairy One, and the Amozites under Dacor +the Strong One, Dian's brother, had fallen out over my supposed +defection, for Ghak would not believe that I had thus treacher-ously +deceived and deserted them. + +The result had been that these two powerful tribes had fallen upon +one another with the new weapons that Perry and I had taught them +to make and to use. Other tribes of the new federation took sides +with the original disputants or set up petty revolutions of their +own. + +The result was the total demolition of the work we had so well +started. + +Taking advantage of the tribal war, the Mahars had gathered their +Sagoths in force and fallen upon one tribe after another in rapid +succession, wreaking awful havoc among them and reducing them for +the most part to as pitiable a state of terror as that from which +we had raised them. + +Alone of all the once-mighty federation the Sarians and the Amozites +with a few other tribes continued to maintain their defiance of +the Mahars; but these tribes were still divided among themselves, +nor had it seemed at all probable to Perry when he had last been +among them that any attempt at re-amalgamation would be made. + +"And thus, your majesty," he concluded, "has faded back into the +oblivion of the Stone Age our wondrous dream and with it has gone +the First Empire of Pel-lucidar." + +We both had to smile at the use of my royal title, yet I was indeed +still "Emperor of Pellucidar," and some day I meant to rebuild what +the vile act of the treacherous Hooja had torn down. + +But first I would find my empress. To me she was worth forty +empires. + +"Have you no clue as to the whereabouts of Dian?" I asked. + +"None whatever," replied Perry. "It was in search of her that I +came to the pretty pass in which you dis-covered me, and from which, +David, you saved me. + +"I knew perfectly well that you had not intentionally deserted +either Dian or Pellucidar. I guessed that in some way Hooja the +Sly One was at the bottom of the matter, and I determined to go to +Amoz, where I guessed that Dian might come to the protection of her +brother, and do my utmost to convince her, and through her Dacor +the Strong One, that we had all been victims of a treacherous plot +to which you were no party. + +"I came to Amoz after a most trying and terrible journey, only to +find that Dian was not among her brother's people and that they +knew naught of her whereabouts. + +"Dacor, I am sure, wanted to be fair and just, but so great were +his grief and anger over the disap-pearance of his sister that he +could not listen to reason, but kept repeating time and again that +only your return to Pellucidar could prove the honesty of your +intentions. + +"Then came a stranger from another tribe, sent I am sure at the +instigation of Hooja. He so turned the Amozites against me that +I was forced to flee their country to escape assassination. + +"In attempting to return to Sari I became lost, and then the Sagoths +discovered me. For a long time I eluded them, hiding in caves and +wading in rivers to throw them off my trail. + +"I lived on nuts and fruits and the edible roots that chance threw +in my way. + +"I traveled on and on, in what directions I could not even guess; +and at last I could elude them no longer and the end came as I had +long foreseen that it would come, except that I had not foreseen +that you would be there to save me." + +We rested in our camp until Perry had regained sufficient strength +to travel again. We planned much, rebuilding all our shattered +air-castles; but above all we planned most to find Dian. + +I could not believe that she was dead, yet where she might be in +this savage world, and under what frightful conditions she might +be living, I could not guess. + +When Perry was rested we returned to the prospector, where he fitted +himself out fully like a civilized human being--under-clothing, socks, +shoes, khaki jacket and breeches and good, substantial puttees. + +When I had come upon him he was clothed in rough sadak sandals, +a gee-string and a tunic fashioned from the shaggy hide of a thag. +Now he wore real clothing again for the first time since the +ape-folk had stripped us of our apparel that long-gone day that +had witnessed our advent within Pellucidar. + +With a bandoleer of cartridges across his shoulder, two six-shooters +at his hips, and a rifle in his hand he was a much rejuvenated +Perry. + +Indeed he was quite a different person altogether from the rather +shaky old man who had entered the prospector with me ten or +eleven years before, for the trial trip that had plunged us into +such wondrous ad-ventures and into such a strange and hitherto +un-dreamed-of-world. + +Now he was straight and active. His muscles, almost atrophied from +disuse in his former life, had filled out. + +He was still an old man of course, but instead of appearing ten +years older than he really was, as he had when we left the outer +world, he now appeared about ten years younger. The wild, free +life of Pel-lucidar had worked wonders for him. + +Well, it must need have done so or killed him, for a man of Perry's +former physical condition could not long have survived the dangers +and rigors of the primi-tive life of the inner world. + +Perry had been greatly interested in my map and in the "royal +observatory" at Greenwich. By use of the pedometers we had retraced +our way to the prospector with ease and accuracy. + +Now that we were ready to set out again we decided to follow +a different route on the chance that it might lead us into more +familiar territory. + +I shall not weary you with a repetition of the count-less adventures +of our long search. Encounters with wild beasts of gigantic size +were of almost daily occur-rence; but with our deadly express rifles +we ran com-paratively little risk when one recalls that previously +we had both traversed this world of frightful dangers inadequately +armed with crude, primitive weapons and all but naked. + +We ate and slept many times--so many that we lost count--and so I +do not know how long we roamed, though our map shows the distances +and direc-tions quite accurately. We must have covered a great many +thousand square miles of territory, and yet we had seen nothing +in the way of a familiar landmark, when from the heights of +a mountain-range we were crossing I descried far in the distance +great masses of billowing clouds. + +Now clouds are practically unknown in the skies of Pellucidar. The +moment that my eyes rested upon them my heart leaped. I seized +Perry's arm and, point-ing toward the horizonless distance, shouted: + +"The Mountains of the Clouds!" + +"They lie close to Phutra, and the country of our worst enemies, +the Mahars," Perry remonstrated. + +"I know it," I replied, "but they give us a starting-point from +which to prosecute our search intelligently. They are at least a +familiar landmark. + +"They tell us that we are upon the right trail and not wandering +far in the wrong direction. + +"Furthermore, close to the Mountains of the Clouds dwells a good +friend, Ja the Mezop. You did not know him, but you know all that +he did for me and all that he will gladly do to aid me. + +"At least he can direct us upon the right direction toward Sari." + +"The Mountains of the Clouds constitute a mighty range," replied +Perry. "They must cover an enormous territory. How are you +to find your friend in all the great country that is visible from +their rugged flanks?" + +"Easily," I answered him, "for Ja gave me minute di-rections. I +recall almost his exact words: + +"'You need merely come to the foot of the highest peak of the +Mountains of the Clouds. There you will find a river that flows +into the Lural Az. + +"'Directly opposite the mouth of the river you will see three large +islands far out--so far that they are barely discernible. The one +to the extreme left as you face them from the mouth of the river +is Anoroc, where I rule the tribe of Anoroc.'" + +And so we hastened onward toward the great cloud-mass that was to +be our guide for several weary marches. At last we came close to +the towering crags, Alp-like in their grandeur. + +Rising nobly among its noble fellows, one stupendous peak reared +its giant head thousands of feet above the others. It was he whom +we sought; but at its foot no river wound down toward any sea. + +"It must rise from the opposite side," suggested Perry, casting +a rueful glance at the forbidding heights that barred our further +progress. "We cannot endure the arctic cold of those high flung +passes, and to traverse the endless miles about this interminable +range might re-quire a year or more. The land we seek must lie +upon the opposite side of the mountains." + +"Then we must cross them," I insisted. + +Perry shrugged. + +"We can't do it, David," he repeated, "We are dressed for the +tropics. We should freeze to death among the snows and glaciers +long before we had discovered a pass to the opposite side." + +"We must cross them," I reiterated. "We will cross them." + +I had a plan, and that plan we carried out. It took some time. + +First we made a permanent camp part way up the slopes where there +was good water. Then we set out in search of the great, shaggy +cave bear of the higher altitudes. + +He is a mighty animal--a terrible animal. He is but little larger +than his cousin of the lesser, lower hills; but he makes up for it +in the awfulness of his ferocity and in the length and thickness +of his shaggy coat. It was his coat that we were after. + +We came upon him quite unexpectedly. I was trudg-ing in advance +along a rocky trail worn smooth by the padded feet of countless +ages of wild beasts. At a shoul-der of the mountain around which +the path ran I came face to face with the Titan. + +I was going up for a fur coat. He was coming down for breakfast. +Each realized that here was the very thing he sought. + +With a horrid roar the beast charged me. + +At my right the cliff rose straight upward for thou-sands of feet. + +At my left it dropped into a dim, abysmal canon. + +In front of me was the bear. + +Behind me was Perry. + +I shouted to him in warning, and then I raised my rifle and fired +into the broad breast of the creature. There was no time to take +aim; the thing was too close upon me. + +But that my bullet took effect was evident from the howl of rage +and pain that broke from the frothing jowls. It didn't stop him, +though. + +I fired again, and then he was upon me. Down I went beneath his +ton of maddened, clawing flesh and bone and sinew. + +I thought my time had come. I remember feeling sorry for poor old +Perry, left all alone in this inhos-pitable, savage world. + +And then of a sudden I realized that the bear was gone and that I +was quite unharmed. I leaped to my feet, my rifle still clutched +in my hand, and looked about for my antagonist. + +I thought that I should find him farther down the trail, probably +finishing Perry, and so I leaped in the direction I supposed him +to be, to find Perry perched upon a pro-jecting rock several feet +above the trail. My cry of warn-ing had given him time to reach +this point of safety. + +There he squatted, his eyes wide and his mouth ajar, the picture +of abject terror and consternation. + +"Where is he?" he cried when he saw me. "Where is he?" + +"Didn't he come this way?" I asked, + +"Nothing came this way," replied the old man. "But I heard his +roars--he must have been as large as an elephant." + +"He was," I admitted; "but where in the world do you suppose he +disappeared to?" + +Then came a possible explanation to my mind. I re-turned to the +point at which the bear had hurled me down and peered over the edge +of the cliff into the abyss below. + +Far, far down I saw a small brown blotch near the bottom of the +canon. It was the bear. + +My second shot must have killed him, and so his dead body, after +hurling me to the path, had toppled over into the abyss. I shivered +at the thought of how close I, too, must have been to going over +with him. + +It took us a long time to reach the carcass, and arduous labor to +remove the great pelt. But at last the thing was accomplished, +and we returned to camp dragging the heavy trophy behind us. + +Here we devoted another considerable period to scraping and curing +it. When this was done to our satisfaction we made heavy boots, +trousers, and coats of the shaggy skin, turning the fur in. + +From the scraps we fashioned caps that came down around our ears, +with flaps that fell about our shoulders and breasts. We were now +fairly well equipped for our search for a pass to the opposite side +of the Mountains of the Clouds. + +Our first step now was to move our camp upward to the very edge +of the perpetual snows which cap this lofty range. Here we built +a snug, secure little hut, which we provisioned and stored with +fuel for its di-minutive fireplace. + +With our hut as a base we sallied forth in search of a pass across +the range. + +Our every move was carefully noted upon our maps which we now kept +in duplicate. By this means we were saved tedious and unnecessary +retracing of ways already explored. + +Systematically we worked upward in both directions from our base, +and when we had at last discovered what seemed might prove a feasible +pass we moved our be-longings to a new hut farther up. + +It was hard work--cold, bitter, cruel work. Not a step did we take +in advance but the grim reaper strode silently in our tracks. + +There were the great cave bears in the timber, and gaunt, lean +wolves--huge creatures twice the size of our Canadian timber-wolves. +Farther up we were as-sailed by enormous white bears--hungry, +devilish fellows, who came roaring across the rough glacier tops +at the first glimpse of us, or stalked us stealthily by scent when +they had not yet seen us. + +It is one of the peculiarities of life within Pellucidar that man +is more often the hunted than the hunter. Myriad are the huge-bellied +carnivora of this primitive world. Never, from birth to death, +are those great bellies sufficiently filled, so always are their +mighty owners prowling about in search of meat. + +Terribly armed for battle as they are, man presents to them +in his primal state an easy prey, slow of foot, puny of strength, +ill-equipped by nature with natural weapons of defense. + +The bears looked upon us as easy meat. Only our heavy rifles saved +us from prompt extinction. Poor Perry never was a raging lion at +heart, and I am convinced that the terrors of that awful period +must have caused him poignant mental anguish. + +When we were abroad pushing our trail farther and farther toward +the distant break which, we assumed, marked a feasible way across +the range, we never knew at what second some great engine of +clawed and fanged destruction might rush upon us from behind, or +lie in wait for us beyond an ice-hummock or a jutting shoulder of +the craggy steeps. + +The roar of our rifles was constantly shattering the world-old +silence of stupendous canons upon which the eye of man had never +before gazed. And when in the comparative safety of our hut we +lay down to sleep the great beasts roared and fought without the +walls, clawed and battered at the door, or rushed their colossal +frames headlong against the hut's sides until it rocked and trembled +to the impact. + +Yes, it was a gay life. + +Perry had got to taking stock of our ammunition each time we returned +to the hut. It became something of an obsession with him. + +He'd count our cartridges one by one and then try to figure how +long it would be before the last was ex-pended and we must either +remain in the hut until we starved to death or venture forth, empty, +to fill the belly of some hungry bear. + +I must admit that I, too, felt worried, for our progress was +indeed snail-like, and our ammunition could not last forever. In +discussing the problem, finally we came to the decision to burn +our bridges behind us and make one last supreme effort to cross +the divide. + +It would mean that we must go without sleep for a long period, and +with the further chance that when the time came that sleep could +no longer be denied we might still be high in the frozen regions +of perpetual snow and ice, where sleep would mean certain death, +exposed as we would be to the attacks of wild beasts and without +shelter from the hideous cold. + +But we decided that we must take these chances and so at last we +set forth from our hut for the last time, carrying such necessities +as we felt we could least afford to do without. The bears seemed +unusually troublesome and determined that time, and as we clambered +slowly upward beyond the highest point to which we had previously +attained, the cold became infinitely more intense. + +Presently, with two great bears dogging our footsteps we entered +a dense fog, + +We had reached the heights that are so often cloud-wrapped for long +periods. We could see nothing a few paces beyond our noses. + +We dared not turn back into the teeth of the bears which we could +hear grunting behind us. To meet them in this bewildering fog +would have been to court instant death. + +Perry was almost overcome by the hopelessness of our situation. +He flopped down on his knees and began to pray. + +It was the first time I had heard him at his old habit since my +return to Pellucidar, and I had thought that he had given up his +little idiosyncrasy; but he hadn't. Far from it. + +I let him pray for a short time undisturbed, and then as I was about +to suggest that we had better be pushing along one of the bears in +our rear let out a roar that made the earth fairly tremble beneath +our feet. + +It brought Perry to his feet as if he had been stung by a wasp, +and sent him racing ahead through the blind-ing fog at a gait that +I knew must soon end in disaster were it not checked. + +Crevasses in the glacier-ice were far too frequent to permit +of reckless speed even in a clear atmosphere, and then there were +hideous precipices along the edges of which our way often led us. +I shivered as I thought of the poor old fellow's peril. + +At the top of my lungs I called to him to stop, but he did not +answer me. And then I hurried on in the di-rection he had gone, +faster by far than safety dictated. + +For a while I thought I heard him ahead of me, but at last, though +I paused often to listen and to call to him, I heard nothing more, +not even the grunting of the bears that had been behind us. All +was deathly silence--the silence of the tomb. About me lay the +thick, impenetrable fog. + +I was alone. Perry was gone--gone forever, I had not the slightest +doubt. + +Somewhere near by lay the mouth of a treacherous fissure, and far +down at its icy bottom lay all that was mortal of my old friend, +Abner Perry. There would his body he preserved in its icy sepulcher +for countless ages, until on some far distant day the slow-moving +river of ice had wound its snail-like way down to the warmer level, +there to disgorge its grisly evidence of grim tragedy, and what in +that far future age, might mean baffling mystery. + + + +CHAPTER III + +SHOOTING THE CHUTES--AND AFTER + +Through the fog I felt my way along by means of my compass. I no +longer heard the bears, nor did I encoun-ter one within the fog. + +Experience has since taught me that these great beasts are as +terror-stricken by this phenomenon as a landsman by a fog at sea, +and that no sooner does a fog envelop them than they make the best +of their way to lower levels and a clear atmosphere. It was well +for me that this was true. + +I felt very sad and lonely as I crawled along the diffi-cult footing. +My own predicament weighed less heavily upon me than the loss of +Perry, for I loved the old fellow. + +That I should ever win the opposite slopes of the range I began +to doubt, for though I am naturally sanguine, I imagine that the +bereavement which had befallen me had cast such a gloom over my +spirits that I could see no slightest ray of hope for the future. + +Then, too, the blighting, gray oblivion of the cold, damp clouds +through which I wandered was distress-ing. Hope thrives best in +sunlight, and I am sure that it does not thrive at all in a fog. + +But the instinct of self-preservation is stronger than hope. It +thrives, fortunately, upon nothing. It takes root upon the brink +of the grave, and blossoms in the jaws of death. Now it flourished +bravely upon the breast of dead hope, and urged me onward and upward +in a stern endeavor to justify its existence. + +As I advanced the fog became denser. I could see nothing beyond +my nose. Even the snow and ice I trod were invisible. + +I could not see below the breast of my bearskin coat. I seemed to +be floating in a sea of vapor. + +To go forward over a dangerous glacier under such conditions was +little short of madness; but I could not have stopped going had I +known positively that death lay two paces before my nose. In the +first place, it was too cold to stop, and in the second, I should +have gone mad but for the excitement of the perils that beset each +forward step. + +For some time the ground had been rougher and steeper, until I +had been forced to scale a considerable height that had carried me +from the glacier entirely. I was sure from my compass that I was +following the right general direction, and so I kept on. + +Once more the ground was level. From the wind that blew about me +I guessed that I must be upon some ex-posed peak of ridge. + +And then quite suddenly I stepped out into space. Wildly I turned +and clutched at the ground that had slipped from beneath my feet. + +Only a smooth, icy surface was there. I found nothing to clutch +or stay my fall, and a moment later so great was my speed that +nothing could have stayed me. + +As suddenly as I had pitched into space, with equal suddenness did +I emerge from the fog, out of which I shot like a projectile from +a cannon into clear daylight. My speed was so great that I could +see nothing about me but a blurred and indistinct sheet of smooth +and frozen snow, that rushed past me with express-train velocity. + +I must have slid downward thousands of feet before the steep incline +curved gently on to a broad, smooth, snow-covered plateau. Across +this I hurtled with slowly diminishing velocity, until at last +objects about me began to take definite shape. + +Far ahead, miles and miles away, I saw a great valley and mighty +woods, and beyond these a broad expanse of water. In the nearer +foreground I discerned a small, dark blob of color upon the shimmering +whiteness of the snow. + +"A bear," thought I, and thanked the instinct that had impelled +me to cling tenaciously to my rifle during the moments of my awful +tumble. + +At the rate I was going it would be but a moment before I should be +quite abreast the thing; nor was it long before I came to a sudden +stop in soft snow, upon which the sun was shining, not twenty paces +from the object of my most immediate apprehension. + +It was standing upon its hind legs waiting for me. As I scrambled +to my feet to meet it, I dropped my gun in the snow and doubled up +with laughter. + +It was Perry. + +The expression upon his face, combined with the relief I felt at +seeing him again safe and sound, was too much for my overwrought +nerves. + +"David!" he cried. "David, my boy! God has been good to an old +man. He has answered my prayer." + +It seems that Perry in his mad flight had plunged over the brink +at about the same point as that at which I had stepped over it +a short time later. Chance had done for us what long periods of +rational labor had failed to accomplish. + +We had crossed the divide. We were upon the side of the Mountains +of the Clouds that we had for so long been attempting to reach. + +We looked about. Below us were green trees and warm jungles. In +the distance was a great sea. + +"The Lural Az," I said, pointing toward its blue-green surface. + +Somehow--the gods alone can explain it--Perry, too, had clung to +his rifle during his mad descent of the icy slope. For that there +was cause for great rejoicing. + +Neither of us was worse for his experience, so after shaking the +snow from our clothing, we set off at a great rate down toward the +warmth and comfort of the forest and the jungle. + +The going was easy by comparison with the awful obstacles we had +had to encounter upon the opposite side of the divide. There were +beasts, of course, but we came through safely. + +Before we halted to eat or rest, we stood beside a little mountain +brook beneath the wondrous trees of the primeval forest in an +atmosphere of warmth and com-fort. It reminded me of an early June +day in the Maine Woods. + +We fell to work with our short axes and cut enough small trees to +build a rude protection from the fiercer beasts. Then we lay down +to sleep. + +How long we slept I do not know. Perry says that inasmuch as there +is no means of measuring time within Pellucidar, there can be no +such thing as time here, and that we may have slept an outer earthly +year, or we may have slept but a second. + +But this I know. We had stuck the ends of some of the saplings +into the ground in the building of our shelter, first stripping +the leaves and branches from them, and when we awoke we found that +many of them had thrust forth sprouts. + +Personally, I think that we slept at least a month; but who may +say? The sun marked midday when we closed our eyes; it was still in +the same position when we opened them; nor had it varied a hair's +breadth in the interim. + +It is most baffling, this question of elapsed time within Pellucidar. + +Anyhow, I was famished when we awoke. I think that it was the pangs +of hunger that awoke me. Ptarmigan and wild boar fell before my +revolver within a dozen moments of my awakening. Perry soon had +a roaring fire blazing by the brink of the little stream. + +It was a good and delicious meal we made. Though we did not eat the +entire boar, we made a very large hole in him, while the ptarmigan +was but a mouthful. + +Having satisfied our hunger, we determined to set forth at once in +search of Anoroc and my old friend, Ja the Mezop. We each thought +that by following the little stream downward, we should come upon +the large river which Ja had told me emptied into the Lural Az +op-posite his island. + +We did so; nor were we disappointed, for at last after a pleasant +journey--and what journey would not be pleasant after the hardships +we had endured among the peaks of the Mountains of the Clouds--we +came upon a broad flood that rushed majestically onward in the +di-rection of the great sea we had seen from the snowy slopes of +the mountains. + +For three long marches we followed the left bank of the growing +river, until at last we saw it roll its mighty volume into the vast +waters of the sea. Far out across the rippling ocean we described +three islands. The one to the left must be Anoroc. + +At last we had come close to a solution of our problem--the road +to Sari. + +But how to reach the islands was now the foremost question in our +minds. We must build a canoe. + +Perry is a most resourceful man. He has an axiom which carries the +thought-kernel that what man has done, man can do, and it doesn't +cut any figure with Perry whether a fellow knows how to do it or +not. + +He set out to make gunpowder once, shortly after our escape from +Phutra and at the beginning of the con-federation of the wild tribes +of Pellucidar. He said that some one, without any knowledge of the +fact that such a thing might be concocted, had once stumbled upon +it by accident, and so he couldn't see why a fellow who knew all +about powder except how to make it couldn't do as well. + +He worked mighty hard mixing all sorts of things together, until +finally he evolved a substance that looked like powder. He had +been very proud of the stuff, and had gone about the village of +the Sarians exhibiting it to every one who would listen to him, and +explaining what its purpose was and what terrific havoc it would +work, until finally the natives became so terrified at the stuff +that they wouldn't come within a rod of Perry and his invention. + +Finally, I suggested that we experiment with it and see what it +would do, so Perry built a fire, after placing the powder at a safe +distance, and then touched a glow-ing ember to a minute particle +of the deadly explosive. It extinguished the ember. + +Repeated experiments with it determined me that in searching for +a high explosive, Perry had stumbled upon a fire-extinguisher that +would have made his fortune for him back in our own world. + +So now he set himself to work to build a scientific canoe. I had +suggested that we construct a dugout, but Perry convinced me that +we must build something more in keeping with our positions of +supermen in this world of the Stone Age. + +"We must impress these natives with our superiority," he explained. +"You must not forget, David, that you are emperor of Pellucidar. +As such you may not with dignity approach the shores of a foreign +power in so crude a vessel as a dugout." + +I pointed out to Perry that it wasn't much more in-congruous for +the emperor to cruise in a canoe, than it was for the prime minister +to attempt to build one with his own hands. + +He had to smile at that; but in extenuation of his act he assured +me that it was quite customary for prime ministers to give their +personal attention to the building of imperial navies; "and this," +he said, "is the imperial navy of his Serene Highness, David I, +Emperor of the Federated Kingdoms of Pellucidar." + +I grinned; but Perry was quite serious about it. It had always seemed +rather more or less of a joke to me that I should be addressed as +majesty and all the rest of it. Yet my imperial power and dignity +had been a very real thing during my brief reign. + +Twenty tribes had joined the federation, and their chiefs had sworn +eternal fealty to one another and to me. Among them were many +powerful though savage na-tions. Their chiefs we had made kings; +their tribal lands kingdoms. + +We had armed them with bows and arrows and swords, in addition to +their own more primitive weapons. I had trained them in military +discipline and in so much of the art of war as I had gleaned from +extensive read-ing of the campaigns of Napoleon, Von Moltke, Grant, +and the ancients. + +We had marked out as best we could natural bounda-ries dividing +the various kingdoms. We had warned tribes beyond these boundaries +that they must not trespass, and we had marched against and severely +punished those who had. + +We had met and defeated the Mahars and the Sagoths. In short, we had +demonstrated our rights to empire, and very rapidly were we being +recognized and heralded abroad when my departure for the outer +world and Hooja's treachery had set us back. + +But now I had returned. The work that fate had undone must be done +again, and though I must need smile at my imperial honors, I none +the less felt the weight of duty and obligation that rested upon +my shoulders. + +Slowly the imperial navy progressed toward com-pletion. She was a +wondrous craft, but I had my doubts about her. When I voiced them +to Perry, he reminded me gently that my people for many generations +had been mine-owners, not ship-builders, and consequently I couldn't +be expected to know much about the matter. + +I was minded to inquire into his hereditary fitness to design +battleships; but inasmuch as I already knew that his father had been +a minister in a back-woods village far from the coast, I hesitated +lest I offend the dear old fellow. + +He was immensely serious about his work, and I must admit that in +so far as appearances went he did ex-tremely well with the meager +tools and assistance at his command. We had only two short axes +and our hunting-knives; yet with these we hewed trees, split them +into planks, surfaced and fitted them. + +The "navy" was some forty feet in length by ten feet beam. Her +sides were quite straight and fully ten feet high--"for the purpose," +explained Perry, "of adding dignity to her appearance and rendering +it less easy for an enemy to board her." + +As a matter of fact, I knew that he had had in mind the safety +of her crew under javelin-fire--the lofty sides made an admirable +shelter. Inside she reminded me of nothing so much as a floating +trench. There was also some slight analogy to a huge coffin. + +Her prow sloped sharply backward from the water-line--quite like a +line of battleship. Perry had designed her more for moral effect +upon an enemy, I think, than for any real harm she might inflict, +and so those parts which were to show were the most imposing. + +Below the water-line she was practically non-existent. She should +have had considerable draft; but, as the enemy couldn't have seen +it, Perry decided to do away with it, and so made her flat-bottomed. +It was this that caused my doubts about her. + +There was another little idiosyncrasy of design that escaped +us both until she was about ready to launch--there was no method +of propulsion. Her sides were far too high to permit the use of +sweeps, and when Perry suggested that we pole her, I remonstrated +on the grounds that it would be a most undignified and awk-ward +manner of sweeping down upon the foe, even if we could find or +wield poles that would reach to the bottom of the ocean. + +Finally I suggested that we convert her into a sailing vessel. When +once the idea took hold Perry was most enthusiastic about it, and +nothing would do but a four-masted, full-rigged ship. + +Again I tried to dissuade him, but he was simply crazy over the +psychological effect which the appearance of this strange and mighty +craft would have upon the natives of Pellucidar. So we rigged her +with thin hides for sails and dried gut for rope. + +Neither of us knew much about sailing a full-rigged ship; but that +didn't worry me a great deal, for I was confident that we should +never be called upon to do so, and as the day of launching approached +I was positive of it. + +We had built her upon a low bank of the river close to where it +emptied into the sea, and just above high tide. Her keel we had +laid upon several rollers cut from small trees, the ends of the +rollers in turn resting upon parallel tracks of long saplings. Her +stern was toward the water. + +A few hours before we were ready to launch her she made quite an +imposing picture, for Perry had insisted upon setting every shred +of "canvas." I told him that I didn't know much about it, but I was +sure that at launch-ing the hull only should have been completed, +every-thing else being completed after she had floated safely. + +At the last minute there was some delay while we sought a name +for her. I wanted her christened the Perry in honor both of her +designer and that other great naval genius of another world, Captain +Oliver Hazard Perry, of the United States Navy. But Perry was too +modest; he wouldn't hear of it. + +We finally decided to establish a system in the naming of the fleet. +Battle-ships of the first-class should bear the names of kingdoms +of the federation; armored cruisers the names of kings; cruisers the +names of cities, and so on down the line. Therefore, we decided to +name the first battle-ship Sari, after the first of the federated +kingdoms. + +The launching of the Sari proved easier than I con-templated. Perry +wanted me to get in and break some-thing over the bow as she floated +out upon the bosom of the river, but I told him that I should feel +safer on dry land until I saw which side up the Sari would float. + +I could see by the expression of the old man's face that my words +had hurt him; but I noticed that he didn't offer to get in himself, +and so I felt less contrition than I might otherwise. + +When we cut the ropes and removed the blocks that held the Sari in +place she started for the water with a lunge. Before she hit it +she was going at a reckless speed, for we had laid our tracks quite +down to the water, greased them, and at intervals placed rollers +all ready to receive the ship as she moved forward with stately +dignity. But there was no dignity in the Sari. + +When she touched the surface of the river she must have been going +twenty or thirty miles an hour. Her momentum carried her well out +into the stream, until she came to a sudden halt at the end of the +long line which we had had the foresight to attach to her bow and +fasten to a large tree upon the bank. + +The moment her progress was checked she promptly capsized. Perry +was overwhelmed. I didn't upbraid him, nor remind him that I had +"told him so." + +His grief was so genuine and so apparent that I didn't have the +heart to reproach him, even were I inclined to that particular sort +of meanness. + +"Come, come, old man!" I cried. "It's not as bad as it looks. +Give me a hand with this rope, and we'll drag her up as far as we +can; and then when the tide goes out we'll try another scheme. I +think we can make a go of her yet." + +Well, we managed to get her up into shallow water. When the tide +receded she lay there on her side in the mud, quite a pitiable +object for the premier battle-ship of a world--"the terror of the +seas" was the way Perry had occasionally described her. + +We had to work fast; but before the tide came in again we had +stripped her of her sails and masts, righted her, and filled her +about a quarter full of rock ballast. If she didn't stick too fast +in the mud I was sure that she would float this time right side +up. + +I can tell you that it was with palpitating hearts that we sat upon +the river-bank and watched that tide come slowly in. The tides +of Pellucidar don't amount to much by comparison with our higher +tides of the outer world, but I knew that it ought to prove ample +to float the Sari. + +Nor was I mistaken. Finally we had the satisfaction of seeing +the vessel rise out of the mud and float slowly upstream with the +tide. As the water rose we pulled her in quite close to the bank +and clambered aboard. + +She rested safely now upon an even keel; nor did she leak, for she +was well calked with fiber and tarry pitch. We rigged up a single +short mast and light sail, fastened planking down over the ballast +to form a deck, worked her out into midstream with a couple of +sweeps, and dropped our primitive stone anchor to await the turn +of the tide that would bear us out to sea. + +While we waited we devoted the time to the con-struction of an +upper deck, since the one immediately above the ballast was some +seven feet from the gunwale. The second deck was four feet above +this. In it was a large, commodious hatch, leading to the lower +deck. The sides of the ship rose three feet above the upper deck, +forming an excellent breastwork, which we loopholed at intervals +that we might lie prone and fire upon an enemy. + +Though we were sailing out upon a peaceful mission in search of +my friend Ja, we knew that we might meet with people of some other +island who would prove unfriendly. + +At last the tide turned. We weighed anchor. Slowly we drifted +down the great river toward the sea. + +About us swarmed the mighty denizens of the prim-eval deep--plesiosauri +and ichthyosauria with all their horrid, slimy cousins whose names +were as the names of aunts and uncles to Perry, but which I have +never been able to recall an hour after having heard them. + +At last we were safely launched upon the journey to which we had +looked forward for so long, and the results of which meant so much +to me. + + + +CHAPTER IV + +FRIENDSHIP AND TREACHERY + +The Sari proved a most erratic craft. She might have done well +enough upon a park lagoon if safely anchored, but upon the bosom +of a mighty ocean she left much to be desired. + +Sailing with the wind she did her best; but in quarter-ing or when +close-hauled she drifted terribly, as a nautical man might have +guessed she would. We couldn't keep within miles of our course, +and our progress was pitifully slow. + +Instead of making for the island of Anoroc, we bore far to the +right, until it became evident that we should have to pass between +the two right-hand islands and attempt to return toward Anoroc from +the opposite side. + +As we neared the islands Perry was quite overcome by their beauty. +When we were directly between two of them he fairly went into +raptures; nor could I blame him. + +The tropical luxuriance of the foliage that dripped almost to the +water's edge and the vivid colors of the blooms that shot the green +made a most gorgeous spectacle. + +Perry was right in the midst of a flowery panegyric on the wonders +of the peaceful beauty of the scene when a canoe shot out from the +nearest island. There were a dozen warriors in it; it was quickly +followed by a second and third. + +Of course we couldn't know the intentions of the strangers, but we +could pretty well guess them. + +Perry wanted to man the sweeps and try to get away from them, but +I soon convinced him that any speed of which the Sari was capable +would be far too slow to outdistance the swift, though awkward, +dugouts of the Mezops. + +I waited until they were quite close enough to hear me, and then I +hailed them. I told them that we were friends of the Mezops, and +that we were upon a visit to Ja of Anoroc, to which they replied +that they were at war with Ja, and that if we would wait a minute +they'd board us and throw our corpses to the azdyryths. + +I warned them that they would get the worst of it if they didn't +leave us alone, but they only shouted in derision and paddled swiftly +toward us. It was evident that they were considerably impressed by +the appear-ance and dimensions of our craft, but as these fellows +know no fear they were not at all awed. + +Seeing that they were determined to give battle, I leaned over the +rail of the Sari and brought the im-perial battle-squadron of the +Emperor of Pellucidar into action for the first time in the history +of a world. In other and simpler words, I fired my revolver at +the nearest canoe. + +The effect was magical. A warrior rose from his knees, threw his +paddle aloft, stiffened into rigidity for an instant, and then +toppled overboard. + +The others ceased paddling, and, with wide eyes, looked first at +me and then at the battling sea-things which fought for the corpse +of their comrade. To them it must have seemed a miracle that I +should be able to stand at thrice the range of the most powerful +javelin-thrower and with a loud noise and a smudge of smoke slay +one of their number with an invisible missile. + +But only for an instant were they paralyzed with wonder. Then, +with savage shouts, they fell once more to their paddles and forged +rapidly toward us. + +Again and again I fired. At each shot a warrior sank to the bottom +of the canoe or tumbled overboard. + +When the prow of the first craft touched the side of the Sari +it contained only dead and dying men. The other two dugouts were +approaching rapidly, so I turned my attention toward them. + +I think that they must have been commencing to have some doubts--those +wild, naked, red warriors--for when the first man fell in the +second boat, the others stopped paddling and commenced to jabber +among themselves. + +The third boat pulled up alongside the second and its crews joined +in the conference. Taking advantage of the lull in the battle, I +called out to the survivors to return to their shore. + +"I have no fight with you," I cried, and then I told them who I +was and added that if they would live in peace they must sooner or +later join forces with me. + +"Go back now to your people," I counseled them, "and tell them +that you have seen David I, Emperor of the Federated Kingdoms of +Pellucidar, and that single-handed he has overcome you, just as +be intends over-coming the Mahars and the Sagoths and any other +peoples of Pellucidar who threaten the peace and wel-fare of his +empire." + +Slowly they turned the noses of their canoes toward land. It was +evident that they were impressed; yet that they were loath to give +up without further con-testing my claim to naval supremacy was +also apparent, for some of their number seemed to be exhorting the +others to a renewal of the conflict. + +However, at last they drew slowly away, and the Sari, which had not +decreased her snail-like speed during this, her first engagement, +continued upon her slow, uneven way. + +Presently Perry stuck his head up through the hatch and hailed me. + +"Have the scoundrels departed?" he asked. "Have you killed them +all?" + +"Those whom I failed to kill have departed, Perry," I replied. + +He came out on deck and, peering over the side, descried the lone +canoe floating a short distance astern with its grim and grisly +freight. Farther his eyes wan-dered to the retreating boats. + +"David," said he at last, "this is a notable occasion. It is a great +day in the annals of Pellucidar. We have won a glorious victory. + +"Your majesty's navy has routed a fleet of the enemy thrice its +own size, manned by ten times as many men. Let us give thanks." + +I could scarce restrain a smile at Perry's use of the pronoun "we," +yet I was glad to share the rejoicing with him as I shall always +be glad to share everything with the dear old fellow. + +Perry is the only male coward I have ever known whom I could respect +and love. He was not created for fighting; but I think that if +the occasion should ever arise where it became necessary he would +give his life cheer-fully for me--yes, I KNOW it. + +It took us a long time to work around the islands and draw in close +to Anoroc. In the leisure afforded we took turns working on our +map, and by means of the compass and a little guesswork we set down +the shoreline we had left and the three islands with fair accuracy. + +Crossed sabers marked the spot where the first great naval engagement +of a world had taken place. In a note-book we jotted down, as had +been our custom, details that would be of historical value later. + +Opposite Anoroc we came to anchor quite close to shore. I knew +from my previous experience with the tortuous trails of the island +that I could never find my way inland to the hidden tree-village +of the Mezop chieftain, Ja; so we remained aboard the Sari, firing +our express rifles at intervals to attract the attention of the +natives. + +After some ten shots had been fired at considerable intervals a body +of copper-colored warriors appeared upon the shore. They watched +us for a moment and then I hailed them, asking the whereabouts of +my old friend Ja. + +They did not reply at once, but stood with their heads together +in serious and animated discussion. Continually they turned their +eyes toward our strange craft. It was evident that they were greatly +puzzled by our appear-ance as well as unable to explain the source +of the loud noises that had attracted their attention to us. At +last one of the warriors addressed us. + +"Who are you who seek Ja?" he asked. "What would you of our chief?" + +"We are friends," I replied. "I am David. Tell Ja that David, +whose life be once saved from a sithic, has come again to visit +him. + +"If you will send out a canoe we will come ashore. We cannot bring +our great warship closer in." + +Again they talked for a considerable time. Then two of them entered +a canoe that several dragged from its hiding-place in the jungle +and paddled swiftly toward us. + +They were magnificent specimens of manhood. Perry had never seen +a member of this red race close to be-fore. In fact, the dead men +in the canoe we had left astern after the battle and the survivors +who were paddling rapidly toward their shore were the first he ever +had seen. He had been greatly impressed by their physical beauty +and the promise of superior intelligence which their well-shaped +skulls gave. + +The two who now paddled out received us into their canoe with +dignified courtesy. To my inquiries relative to Ja they explained +that he had not been in the village when our signals were heard, +but that runners had been sent out after him and that doubtless he +was already upon his way to the coast. + +One of the men remembered me from the occasion of my former visit +to the island; he was extremely agree-able the moment that he came +close enough to recognize me. He said that Ja would be delighted to +welcome me, and that all the tribe of Anoroc knew of me by repute, +and had received explicit instructions from their chief-tain that +if any of them should ever come upon me to show me every kindness +and attention. + +Upon shore we were received with equal honor. While we stood +conversing with our bronze friends a tall warrior leaped suddenly +from the jungle. + +It was Ja. As his eyes fell upon me his face lighted with pleasure. +He came quickly forward to greet me after the manner of his tribe. + +Toward Perry he was equally hospitable. The old man fell in love +with the savage giant as completely as had I. Ja conducted us along +the maze-like trail to his strange village, where he gave over one +of the tree-houses for our exclusive use. + +Perry was much interested in the unique habitation, which resembled +nothing so much as a huge wasp's nest built around the bole of a +tree well above the ground. + +After we had eaten and rested Ja came to see us with a number of +his head men. They listened attentively to my story, which included +a narrative of the events lead-ing to the formation of the federated +kingdoms, the battle with the Mahars, my journey to the outer world, +and my return to Pellucidar and search for Sari and my mate. + +Ja told me that the Mezops had heard something of the federation +and had been much interested in it. He had even gone so far as to +send a party of warriors toward Sari to investigate the reports, +and to arrange for the entrance of Anoroc into the empire in case +it ap-peared that there was any truth in the rumors that one of +the aims of the federation was the overthrow of the Mahars. + +The delegation had met with a party of Sagoths. As there had been +a truce between the Mahars and the Mezops for many generations, +they camped with these warriors of the reptiles, from whom they +learned that the federation had gone to pieces. So the party +returned to Anoroc. + +When I showed Ja our map and explained its purpose to him, he was +much interested. The location of Anoroc, the Mountains of the +Clouds, the river, and the strip of seacoast were all familiar to +him. + +He quickly indicated the position of the inland sea and close beside +it, the city of Phutra, where one of the powerful Mahar nations had +its seat. He likewise showed us where Sari should be and carried +his own coast-line as far north and south as it was known to him. + +His additions to the map convinced us that Green-wich lay upon +the verge of this same sea, and that it might be reached by water +more easily than by the arduous crossing of the mountains or the +dangerous ap-proach through Phutra, which lay almost directly in +line between Anoroc and Greenwich to the northwest. + +If Sari lay upon the same water then the shore-line must bend far +back toward the southwest of Greenwich--an assumption which, by +the way, we found later to be true. Also, Sari was upon a lofty +plateau at the southern end of a mighty gulf of the Great Ocean. + +The location which Ja gave to distant Amoz puzzled us, for it +placed it due north of Greenwich, apparently in mid-ocean. As Ja +had never been so far and knew only of Amoz through hearsay, we +thought that he must be mistaken; but he was not. Amoz lies directly +north of Greenwich across the mouth of the same gulf as that upon +which Sari is. + +The sense of direction and location of these primitive Pellucidarians +is little short of uncanny, as I have had occasion to remark in +the past. You may take one of them to the uttermost ends of his +world, to places of which he has never even heard, yet without +sun or moon or stars to guide him, without map or compass, he will +travel straight for home in the shortest direction. + +Mountains, rivers, and seas may have to be gone around. but never +once does his sense of direction fail him--the homing instinct is +supreme. + +In the same remarkable way they never forget the location of any +place to which they have ever been, and know that of many of which +they have only heard from others who have visited them. + +In short, each Pellucidarian is a walking geography of his own +district and of much of the country contiguous thereto. It always +proved of the greatest aid to Perry and me; nevertheless we were +anxious to enlarge our map, for we at least were not endowed with +the homing instinct. + +After several long councils it was decided that, in order to expedite +matters, Perry should return to the prospector with a strong party +of Mezops and fetch the freight I had brought from the outer world. +Ja and his warriors were much impressed by our firearms, and were +also anxious to build boats with sails. + +As we had arms at the prospector and also books on boat-building +we thought that it might prove an ex-cellent idea to start these +naturally maritime people upon the construction of a well built +navy of staunch sailing-vessels. I was sure that with definite +plans to go by Perry could oversee the construction of an adequate +flotilla. + +I warned him, however, not to be too ambitious, and to forget about +dreadnoughts and armored cruisers for a while and build instead a +few small sailing-boats that could be manned by four or five men. + +I was to proceed to Sari, and while prosecuting my search for Dian +attempt at the same time the rehabili-tation of the federation. +Perry was going as far as possible by water, with the chances that +the entire trip might be made in that manner, which proved to be +the fact. + +With a couple of Mezops as companions I started for Sari. In order +to avoid crossing the principal range of the Mountains of the Clouds +we took a route that passed a little way south of Phutra. We had +eaten four times and slept once, and were, as my companions told +me, not far from the great Mahar city, when we were sud-denly +confronted by a considerable band of Sagoths. + +They did not attack us, owing to the peace which exists between +the Mahars and the Mezops, but I could see that they looked upon +me with considerable sus-picion. My friends told them that I was +a stranger from a remote country, and as we had previously planned +against such a contingency I pretended ignorance of the language +which the human beings of Pellucidar em-ploy in conversing with +the gorilla-like soldiery of the Mahars. + +I noticed, and not without misgivings, that the leader of the Sagoths +eyed me with an expression that be-tokened partial recognition. +I was sure that he had seen me before during the period of my +incarceration in Phutra and that he was trying to recall my identity. + +It worried me not a little. I was extremely thankful when we bade +them adieu and continued upon our journey. + +Several times during the next few marches I became acutely conscious +of the sensation of being watched by unseen eyes, but I did not +speak of my suspicions to my companions. Later I had reason to +regret my reticence, for-- + +Well, this is how it happened: + +We had killed an antelope and after eating our fill I had lain down +to sleep. The Pellucidarians, who seem seldom if ever to require +sleep, joined me in this instance, for we had had a very trying +march along the northern foothills of the Mountains of the Clouds, +and now with their bellies filled with meat they seemed ready for +slumber. + +When I awoke it was with a start to find a couple of huge Sagoths +astride me. They pinioned my arms and legs, and later chained my +wrists behind my back. Then they let me up. + +I saw my companions; the brave fellows lay dead where they had +slept, javelined to death without a chance at self-defense. + +I was furious. I threatened the Sagoth leader with all sorts of +dire reprisals; but when he heard me speak the hybrid language that +is the medium of communication between his kind and the human race +of the inner world he only grinned, as much as to say, "I thought +so!" + +They had not taken my revolvers or ammunition away from me because +they did not know what they were; but my heavy rifle I had lost. +They simply left it where it had lain beside me. + +So low in the scale of intelligence are they, that they had not +sufficient interest in this strange object even to fetch it along +with them. + +I knew from the direction of our march that they were taking me +to Phutra. Once there I did not need much of an imagination to +picture what my fate would be. It was the arena and a wild thag or +fierce tarag for me--unless the Mahars elected to take me to the +pits. + +In that case my end would be no more certain, though infinitely +more horrible and painful, for in the pits I should be subjected +to cruel vivisection. From what I had once seen of their methods +in the pits of Phutra I knew them to be the opposite of merciful, +whereas in the arena I should be quickly despatched by some savage +beast. + +Arrived at the underground city, I was taken im-mediately before +a slimy Mahar. When the creature had received the report of the +Sagoth its cold eyes glistened with malice and hatred as they were +turned balefully upon me. + +I knew then that my identity had been guessed. With a show of +excitement that I had never before seen evinced by a member of the +dominant race of Pellucidar, the Mahar hustled me away, heavily +guarded, through the main avenue of the city to one of the principal +buildings. + +Here we were ushered into a great hall where presently many Mahars +gathered. + +In utter silence they conversed, for they have no oral speech since +they are without auditory nerves. Their method of communication +Perry has likened to the pro-jection of a sixth sense into a fourth +dimension, where it becomes cognizable to the sixth sense of their +audience. + +Be that as it may, however, it was evident that I was the subject +of discussion, and from the hateful looks bestowed upon me not a +particularly pleasant subject. + +How long I waited for their decision I do not know, but it must +have been a very long time. Finally one of the Sagoths addressed +me. He was acting as interpreter for his masters. + +"The Mahars will spare your life," he said, "and re-lease you on +one condition." + +"And what is that condition?" I asked, though I could guess its +terms. + +"That you return to them that which you stole from the pits of +Phutra when you killed the four Mahars and escaped," he replied. + +I had thought that that would be it. The great secret upon which +depended the continuance of the Mahar race was safely hid where +only Dian and I knew. + +I ventured to imagine that they would have given me much more than +my liberty to have it safely in their keeping again; but after +that--what? + +Would they keep their promises? + +I doubted it. With the secret of artificial propagation once more +in their hands their numbers would soon be made so to overrun the +world of Pellucidar that there could be no hope for the eventual +supremacy of the human race, the cause for which I so devoutly +hoped, for which I had consecrated my life, and for which I was +not willing to give my life. + +Yes! In that moment as I stood before the heartless tribunal I felt +that my life would be a very little thing to give could it save +to the human race of Pellucidar the chance to come into its own by +insuring the eventual extinction of the hated, powerful Mahars. + +"Come!" exclaimed the Sagoths. "The mighty Mahars await your +reply." + +"You may say to them," I answered, "that I shall not tell them +where the great secret is hid." + +When this had been translated to them there was a great beating of +reptilian wings, gaping of sharp-fanged jaws, and hideous hissing. +I thought that they were about to fall upon me on the spot, and so +I laid my hands upon my revolvers; but at length they became more +quiet and presently transmitted some command to my Sagoth guard, +the chief of which laid a heavy hand upon my arm and pushed me +roughly before him from the audience-chamber. + +They took me to the pits, where I lay carefully guarded. I was +sure that I was to be taken to the vivi-section laboratory, and +it required all my courage to fortify myself against the terrors +of so fearful a death. In Pellucidar, where there is no time, +death-agonies may endure for eternities. + +Accordingly, I had to steel myself against an endless doom, which +now stared me in the face! + + + +CHAPTER V + +SURPRISES + +But at last the allotted moment arrived--the moment for which I +had been trying to prepare myself, for how long I could not even +guess. A great Sagoth came and spoke some words of command to +those who watched over me. I was jerked roughly to my feet and +with little consideration hustled upward toward the higher levels. + +Out into the broad avenue they conducted me, where, amid huge +throngs of Mahars, Sagoths, and heavily guarded slaves, I was led, +or, rather, pushed and shoved roughly, along in the same direction +that the mob moved. I had seen such a concourse of people once +be-fore in the buried city of Phutra; I guessed, and rightly, that +we were bound for the great arena where slaves who are condemned +to death meet their end. + +Into the vast amphitheater they took me, stationing me at the +extreme end of the arena. The queen came, with her slimy, sickening +retinue. The seats were filled. The show was about to commence. + +Then, from a little doorway in the opposite end of the structure, +a girl was led into the arena. She was at a considerable distance +from me. I could not see her features. + +I wondered what fate awaited this other poor victim and myself, +and why they had chosen to have us die together. My own fate, or +rather, my thought of it, was submerged in the natural pity I felt +for this lone girl, doomed to die horribly beneath the cold, cruel +eyes of her awful captors. Of what crime could she be guilty that +she must expiate it in the dreaded arena? + +As I stood thus thinking, another door, this time at one of the +long sides of the arena, was thrown open, and into the theater of +death slunk a mighty tarag, the huge cave tiger of the Stone Age. +At my sides were my re-volvers. My captors had not taken them from +me, be-cause they did not yet realize their nature. Doubtless they +thought them some strange manner of war-club, and as those who are +condemned to the arena are per-mitted weapons of defense, they let +me keep them. + +The girl they had armed with a javelin. A brass pin would have been +almost as effective against the ferocious monster they had loosed +upon her. + +The tarag stood for a moment looking about him--first up at the +vast audience and then about the arena. He did not seem to see me +at all, but his eyes fell presently upon the girl. A hideous roar +broke from his titanic lungs--a roar which ended in a long-drawn +scream that is more human than the death-cry of a tortured woman--more +human but more awesome. I could scarce restrain a shudder. + +Slowly the beast turned and moved toward the girl. Then it was +that I came to myself and to a realization of my duty. Quickly and +as noiselessly as possible I ran down the arena in pursuit of the +grim creature. As I ran I drew one of my pitifully futile weapons. +Ah! Could I but have had my lost express-gun in my hands at that +moment! A single well-placed shot would have crumbled even this +great monster. The best I could hope to ac-complish was to divert +the thing from the girl to myself and then to place as many bullets +as possible in it before it reached and mauled me into insensibility +and death. + +There is a certain unwritten law of the arena that vouchsafes freedom +and immunity to the victor, be he beast or human being--both of +whom, by the way, are all the same to the Mahar. That is, they +were accus-tomed to look upon man as a lower animal before Perry +and I broke through the Pellucidarian crust, but I imagine that +they were beginning to alter their views a trifle and to realize +that in the gilak--their word for human being--they had a highly +organized, reasoning being to contend with. + +Be that as it may, the chances were that the tarag alone would +profit by the law of the arena. A few more of his long strides, +a prodigious leap, and he would be upon the girl. I raised +a revolver and fired. The bullet struck him in the left hind leg. +It couldn't have damaged him much; but the report of the shot +brought him around, facing me. + +I think the snarling visage of a huge, enraged, saber-toothed tiger +is one of the most terrible sights in the world. Especially if +he be snarling at you and there be nothing between the two of you +but bare sand. + +Even as he faced me a little cry from the girl carried my eyes +beyond the brute to her face. Hers was fastened upon me with an +expression of incredulity that baffles description. There was both +hope and horror in them, too. + +"Dian!" I cried. "My Heavens, Dian!" + +I saw her lips form the name David, as with raised javelin she +rushed forward upon the tarag. She was a tigress then--a primitive +savage female defending her loved one. Before she could reach the +beast with her puny weapon, I fired again at the point where the +tarag's neck met his left shoulder. If I could get a bullet through +there it might reach his heart. The bullet didn't reach his heart, +but it stopped him for an instant. + +It was then that a strange thing happened. I heard a great hissing +from the stands occupied by the Mahars, and as I glanced toward +them I saw three mighty thipdars--the winged dragons that guard the +queen, or, as Perry calls them, pterodactyls--rise swiftly from +their rocks and dart lightning-like, toward the center of the arena. +They are huge, powerful reptiles. One of them, with the advantage +which his wings might give him, would easily be a match for a cave +bear or a tarag. + +These three, to my consternation, swooped down upon the tarag as +he was gathering himself for a final charge upon me. They buried +their talons in his back and lifted him bodily from the arena as +if he had been a chicken in the clutches of a hawk. + +What could it mean? + +I was baffled for an explanation; but with the tarag gone I lost +no time in hastening to Dian's side. With a little cry of delight +she threw herself into my arms. So lost were we in the ecstasy of +reunion that neither of us--to this day--can tell what became of +the tarag. + +The first thing we were aware of was the presence of a body of +Sagoths about us. Gruffly they commanded us to follow them. They +led us from the arena and back through the streets of Phutra to the +audience chamber in which I had been tried and sentenced. Here we +found ourselves facing the same cold, cruel tribunal. + +Again a Sagoth acted as interpreter. He explained that our lives +bad been spared because at the last moment Tu-al-sa had returned +to Phutra, and seeing me in the arena had prevailed upon the queen +to spare my life. + +"Who is Tu-al-sa?" I asked. + +"A Mahar whose last male ancestor was--ages ago--the last of the +male rulers among the Mahars," he replied. + +"Why should she wish to have my life spared?" + +He shrugged his shoulders and then repeated my question to the +Mahar spokesman. When the latter had explained in the strange +sign-language that passes for speech between the Mahars and their +fighting men the Sagoth turned again to me: + +"For a long time you had Tu-al-sa in your power," he explained. +"You might easily have killed her or aban-doned her in a strange +world--but you did neither. You did not harm her, and you brought +her back with you to Pellucidar and set her free to return to +Phutra. This is your reward." + +Now I understood. The Mahar who had been my in-voluntary companion +upon my return to the outer world was Tu-al-sa. This was the first +time that I had learned the lady's name. I thanked fate that I +had not left her upon the sands of the Sahara--or put a bullet in +her, as I had been tempted to do. I was surprised to discover that +gratitude was a characteristic of the dominant race of Pellucidar. +I could never think of them as aught but cold-blooded, brainless +reptiles, though Perry had de-voted much time in explaining to me +that owing to a strange freak of evolution among all the genera +of the inner world, this species of the reptilia had advanced to +a position quite analogous to that which man holds upon the outer +crust. + +He had often told me that there was every reason to believe from their +writings, which he had learned to read while we were incarcerated +in Phutra, that they were a just race, and that in certain branches +of science and arts they were quite well advanced, especially in +genetics and metaphysics, engineering and architecture. + +While it had always been difficult for me to look upon these things +as other than slimy, winged crocodiles--which, by the way, they do +not at all resemble--I was now forced to a realization of the fact +that I was in the hands of enlightened creatures--for justice and +grati-tude are certain hallmarks of rationality and culture. + +But what they purposed for us further was of most imminent interest +to me. They might save us from the tarag and yet not free us. +They looked upon us yet, to some extent, I knew, as creatures of +a lower order, and so as we are unable to place ourselves in the +position of the brutes we enslave--thinking that they are happier +in bondage than in the free fulfilment of the purposes for which +nature intended them--the Mahars, too, might consider our welfare +better conserved in captivity than among the dangers of the savage +freedom we craved. Naturally, I was next impelled to inquire their +further intent. + +To my question, put through the Sagoth interpreter, I received the +reply that having spared my life they con-sidered that Tu-al-sa's +debt of gratitude was canceled. They still had against me, however, +the crime of which I had been guilty--the unforgivable crime of +stealing the great secret. They, therefore, intended holding Dian +and me prisoners until the manuscript was returned to them. + +They would, they said, send an escort of Sagoths with me to fetch +the precious document from its hiding-place, keeping Dian at Phutra +as a hostage and releasing us both the moment that the document +was safely restored to their queen. + +There was no doubt but that they had the upper hand. However, +there was so much more at stake than the liberty or even the lives +of Dian and myself, that I did not deem it expedient to accept +their offer without giving the matter careful thought. + +Without the great secret this maleless race must even-tually become +extinct. For ages they had fertilized their eggs by an artificial +process, the secret of which lay hidden in the little cave of +a far-off valley where Dian and I had spent our honeymoon. I was +none too sure that I could find the valley again, nor that I cared +to. So long as the powerful reptilian race of Pellucidar continued +to propagate, just so long would the position of man within the +inner world be jeopardized. There could not be two dominant races. + +I said as much to Dian. + +"You used to tell me," she replied, "of the wonderful things you +could accomplish with the inventions of your own world. Now you +have returned with all that is necessary to place this great power +in the hands of the men of Pellucidar. + +"You told me of great engines of destruction which would cast a +bursting ball of metal among our enemies, killing hundreds of them +at one time. + +"You told me of mighty fortresses of stone which a thousand men +armed with big and little engines such as these could hold forever +against a million Sagoths. + +"You told me of great canoes which moved across the water without +paddles, and which spat death from holes in their sides. + +"All these may now belong to the men of Pellucidar. Why should we +fear the Mahars? + +"Let them breed! Let their numbers increase by thou-sands. They +will be helpless before the power of the Emperor of Pellucidar. + +"But if you remain a prisoner in Phutra, what may we accomplish? + +"What could the men of Pellucidar do without you to lead them? + +"They would fight among themselves, and while they fought the +Mahars would fall upon them, and even though the Mahar race should +die out, of what value would the emancipation of the human race be +to them without the knowledge, which you alone may wield, to guide +them toward the wonderful civilization of which you have told me +so much that I long for its comforts and luxuries as I never before +longed for anything. + +"No, David; the Mahars cannot harm us if you are at liberty. Let +them have their secret that you and I may return to our people, +and lead them to the conquest of all Pellucidar." + +It was plain that Dian was ambitious, and that her ambition had not +dulled her reasoning faculties. She was right. Nothing could be +gained by remaining bottled up in Phutra for the rest of our lives. + +It was true that Perry might do much with the con-tents of the +prospector, or iron mole, in which I had brought down the implements +of outer-world civiliza-tion; but Perry was a man of peace. He +could never weld the warring factions of the disrupted federation. +He could never win new tribes to the empire. He would fiddle around +manufacturing gun-powder and trying to improve upon it until some +one blew him up with his own invention. He wasn't practical. He +never would get anywhere without a balance-wheel--without some one +to direct his energies. + +Perry needed me and I needed him. If we were going to do anything +for Pellucidar we must be free to do it together. + +The outcome of it all was that I agreed to the Mahars' proposition. +They promised that Dian would be well treated and protected from +every indignity during my absence. So I set out with a hundred +Sagoths in search of the little valley which I had stumbled upon +by acci-dent, and which I might and might not find again. + +We traveled directly toward Sari. Stopping at the camp where I had +been captured I recovered my express rifle, for which I was very +thankful. I found it lying where I had left it when I had been +overpowered in my sleep by the Sagoths who bad captured me and +slain my Mezop companions. + +On the way I added materially to my map, an occu-pation which did +not elicit from the Sagoths even a shadow of interest. I felt +that the human race of Pelluci-dar had little to fear from these +gorilla-men. They were fighters--that was all. We might even use +them later ourselves in this same capacity. They had not sufficient +brain power to constitute a menace to the advancement of the human +race. + +As we neared the spot where I hoped to find the little valley +I became more and more confident of success. Every landmark was +familiar to me, and I was sure now that I knew the exact location +of the cave. + +It was at about this time that I sighted a number of the half-naked +warriors of the human race of Pellucidar. They were marching across +our front. At sight of us they halted; that there would be a fight +I could not doubt. These Sagoths would never permit an opportunity +for the capture of slaves for their Mahar masters to escape them. + +I saw that the men were armed with bows and arrows, long lances +and swords, so I guessed that they must have been members of the +federation, for only my people had been thus equipped. Before +Perry and I came the men of Pellucidar had only the crudest weapons +wherewith to slay one another. + +The Sagoths, too, were evidently expecting battle. With savage +shouts they rushed forward toward the human warriors. + +Then a strange thing happened. The leader of the human beings +stepped forward with upraised hands. The Sagoths ceased their +war-cries and advanced slowly to meet him. There was a long parley +during which I could see that I was often the subject of their +discourse. The Sagoths' leader pointed in the direction in which +I had told him the valley lay. Evidently he was explaining the +nature of our expedition to the leader of the warriors. It was +all a puzzle to me. + +What human being could be upon such excellent terms with the +gorilla-men? + +I couldn't imagine. I tried to get a good look at the fellow, +but the Sagoths had left me in the rear with a guard when they +had advanced to battle, and the dis-tance was too great for me to +recognize the features of any of the human beings. + +Finally the parley was concluded and the men con-tinued on their +way while the Sagoths returned to where I stood with my guard. It +was time for eating, so we stopped where we were and made our meal. +The Sa-goths didn't tell me who it was they had met, and I did not +ask, though I must confess that I was quite curious. + +They permitted me to sleep at this halt. Afterward we took up the +last leg of our journey. I found the valley without difficulty +and led my guard directly to the cave. At its mouth the Sagoths +halted and I entered alone. + +I noticed as I felt about the floor in the dim light that there +was a pile of fresh-turned rubble there. Presently my hands came +to the spot where the great secret had been buried. There was a +cavity where I had carefully smoothed the earth over the hiding-place +of the docu-ment--the manuscript was gone! + +Frantically I searched the whole interior of the cave several times +over, but without other result than a com-plete confirmation of +my worst fears. Someone had been here ahead of me and stolen the +great secret. + +The one thing within Pellucidar which might free Dian and me was +gone, nor was it likely that I should ever learn its whereabouts. +If a Mahar had found it, which was quite improbable, the chances +were that the dominant race would never divulge the fact that they +had recovered the precious document. If a cave man had happened +upon it he would have no conception of its meaning or value, and +as a consequence it would be lost or destroyed in short order. + +With bowed head and broken hopes I came out of the cave and told +the Sagoth chieftain what I had dis-covered. It didn't mean much +to the fellow, who doubt-less had but little better idea of the +contents of the document I had been sent to fetch to his masters +than would the cave man who in all probability had dis-covered it. + +The Sagoth knew only that I had failed in my mission, so he took +advantage of the fact to make the return journey to Phutra as +disagreeable as possible. I did not rebel, though I had with me +the means to destroy them all. I did not dare rebel because of +the consequences to Dian. I intended demanding her release on the +grounds that she was in no way guilty of the theft, and that my +failure to recover the document had not lessened the value of the +good faith I had had in offering to do so. The Mahars might keep +me in slavery if they chose, but Dian should be returned safely to +her people. + +I was full of my scheme when we entered Phutra and I was conducted +directly to the great audience-chamber. The Mahars listened to the +report of the Sagoth chief-tain, and so difficult is it to judge +their emotions from their almost expressionless countenance, that +I was at a loss to know how terrible might be their wrath as they +learned that their great secret, upon which rested the fate of +their race, might now be irretrievably lost. + +Presently I could see that she who presided was com-municating +something to the Sagoth interpreter--doubt-less something to be +transmitted to me which might give me a forewarning of the fate +which lay in store for me. One thing I had decided definitely: If +they would not free Dian I should turn loose upon Phutra with my +little arsenal. Alone I might even win to freedom, and if I could +learn where Dian was imprisoned it would be worth the attempt to +free her. My thoughts were inter-rupted by the interpreter. + +"The mighty Mahars," he said, "are unable to reconcile your statement +that the document is lost with your action in sending it to them +by a special messenger. They wish to know if you have so soon +forgotten the truth or if you are merely ignoring it." + +"I sent them no document," I cried. "Ask them what they mean." + +"They say," he went on after conversing with the Mahar for a moment, +"that just before your return to Phutra, Hooja the Sly One came, +bringing the great secret with him. He said that you had sent him +ahead with it, asking him to deliver it and return to Sari where +you would await him, bringing the girl with him." + +"Dian?" I gasped. "The Mahars have given over Dian into the keeping +of Hooja." + +"Surely," he replied. "What of it? She is only a gilak," as you +or I would say, "She is only a cow." + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A PENDENT WORLD + +The Mahars set me free as they had promised, but with strict +injunctions never to approach Phutra or any other Mahar city. They +also made it perfectly plain that they considered me a dangerous +creature, and that having wiped the slate clean in so far as they +were under obligations to me, they now considered me fair prey. +Should I again fall into their hands, they intimated it would go +ill with me. + +They would not tell me in which direction Hooja had set forth with +Dian, so I departed from Phutra, filled with bitterness against +the Mahars, and rage toward the Sly One who had once again robbed +me of my greatest treasure. + +At first I was minded to go directly back to Anoroc; but upon second +thought turned my face toward Sari, as I felt that somewhere in +that direction Hooja would travel, his own country lying in that +general direction. + +Of my journey to Sari it is only necessary to say that it was +fraught with the usual excitement and adventure, incident to all +travel across the face of savage Pellucidar. The dangers, however, +were greatly reduced through the medium of my armament. I often +wondered how it had happened that I had ever survived the first ten +years of my life within the inner world, when, naked and primitively +armed, I had traversed great areas of her beast-ridden surface. + +With the aid of my map, which I had kept with great care during my +march with the Sagoths in search of the great secret, I arrived at +Sari at last. As I topped the lofty plateau in whose rocky cliffs +the principal tribe of Sarians find their cave-homes, a great hue +and cry arose from those who first discovered me. + +Like wasps from their nests the hairy warriors poured from their +caves. The bows with their poison-tipped arrows, which I had +taught them to fashion and to use, were raised against me. Swords +of hammered iron--another of my innovations--menaced me, as with +lusty shouts the horde charged down. + +It was a critical moment. Before I should be recog-nized I might +be dead. It was evident that all semblance of intertribal relationship +had ceased with my going, and that my people had reverted to their +former savage, suspicious hatred of all strangers. My garb must +have puzzled them, too, for never before of course had they seen +a man clothed in khaki and puttees. + +Leaning my express rifle against my body I raised both hands aloft. +It was the peace-sign that is recognized everywhere upon the surface +of Pellucidar. The charging warriors paused and surveyed me. I +looked for my friend Ghak, the Hairy One, king of Sari, and presently +I saw him coming from a distance. Ah, but it was good to see his +mighty, hairy form once more! A friend was Ghak--a friend well worth +the having; and it had been some time since I had seen a friend. + +Shouldering his way through the throng of warriors, the mighty +chieftain advanced toward me. There was an expression of puzzlement +upon his fine features. He crossed the space between the warriors +and myself, halt-ing before me. + +I did not speak. I did not even smile. I wanted to see if Ghak, +my principal lieutenant, would recognize me. For some time he +stood there looking me over carefully. His eyes took in my large +pith helmet, my khaki jacket, and bandoleers of cartridges, the two +revolvers swinging at my hips, the large rifle resting against my +body. Still I stood with my hands above my head. He examined my +puttees and my strong tan shoes--a little the worse for wear now. +Then he glanced up once more to my face. As his gaze rested there +quite steadily for some moments I saw recognition tinged with awe +creep across his countenance. + +Presently without a word he took one of my hands in his and dropping +to one knee raised my fingers to his lips. Perry had taught them +this trick, nor ever did the most polished courtier of all the +grand courts of Europe perform the little act of homage with greater +grace and dignity. + +Quickly I raised Ghak to his feet, clasping both his hands in mine. +I think there must have been tears in my eyes then--I know I felt +too full for words. The king of Sari turned toward his warriors. + +"Our emperor has come back," he announced. "Come hither and--" + +But he got no further, for the shouts that broke from those savage +throats would have drowned the voice of heaven itself. I had never +guessed how much they thought of me. As they clustered around, +almost fighting for the chance to kiss my hand, I saw again the +vision of empire which I had thought faded forever. + +With such as these I could conquer a world. With such as these I +WOULD conquer one! If the Sarians had remained loyal, so too would +the Amozites be loyal still, and the Kalians, and the Suvians, +and all the great tribes who had formed the federation that was to +eman-cipate the human race of Pellucidar. + +Perry was safe with the Mezops; I was safe with the Sarians; now +if Dian were but safe with me the future would look bright indeed. + +It did not take long to outline to Ghak all that had befallen +me since I had departed from Pellucidar, and to get down to the +business of finding Dian, which to me at that moment was of even +greater importance than the very empire itself. + +When I told him that Hooja had stolen her, he stamped his foot in +rage. + +"It is always the Sly One!" he cried. "It was Hooja who caused +the first trouble between you and the Beautiful One. + +"It was Hooja who betrayed our trust, and all but caused our +recapture by the Sagoths that time we escaped from Phutra. + +"It was Hooja who tricked you and substituted a Mahar for Dian when +you started upon your return journey to your own world. + +"It was Hooja who schemed and lied until he had turned the kingdoms +one against another and de-stroyed the federation. + +"When we had him in our power we were foolish to let him live. +Next time--" + +Ghak did not need to finish his sentence. + +"He has become a very powerful enemy now," I re-plied. "That he is +allied in some way with the Mahars is evidenced by the familiarity of +his relations with the Sagoths who were accompanying me in search +of the great secret, for it must have been Hooja whom I saw conversing +with them just before we reached the valley. Doubtless they told +him of our quest and he hastened on ahead of us, discovered the +cave and stole the document. Well does he deserve his appellation +of the Sly One." + +With Ghak and his head men I held a number of consultations. The +upshot of them was a decision to com-bine our search for Dian with +an attempt to rebuild the crumbled federation. To this end twenty +warriors were despatched in pairs to ten of the leading kingdoms, +with instructions to make every effort to discover the where-abouts +of Hooja and Dian, while prosecuting their missions to the chieftains +to whom they were sent. + +Ghak was to remain at home to receive the various delegations which +we invited to come to Sari on the business of the federation. Four +hundred warriors were started for Anoroc to fetch Perry and the +contents of the prospector, to the capitol of the empire, which +was also the principal settlements of the Sarians. + +At first it was intended that I remain at Sari, that I might be in +readiness to hasten forth at the first report of the discovery of +Dian; but I found the inaction in the face of my deep solicitude +for the welfare of my mate so galling that scarce had the several +units departed upon their missions before I, too, chafed to be +actively engaged upon the search. + +It was after my second sleep, subsequent to the de-parture +of the warriors, as I recall that I at last went to Ghak with the +admission that I could no longer support the intolerable longing +to be personally upon the trail of my lost love. + +Ghak tried to dissuade me, though I could tell that his heart was +with me in my wish to be away and really doing something. It was +while we were arguing upon the subject that a stranger, with hands +above his head, entered the village. He was immediately surrounded +by warriors and conducted to Ghak's presence. + +The fellow was a typical cave man--squat muscular, and hairy, and +of a type I had not seen before. His features, like those of all +the primeval men of Pellucidar, were regular and fine. His weapons +consisted of a stone ax and knife and a heavy knobbed bludgeon of +wood. His skin was very white. + +"Who are you?" asked Ghak. "And whence come you?" + +"I am Kolk, son of Goork, who is chief of the Thurians," replied the +stranger. "From Thuria I have come in search of the land of Amoz, +where dwells Dacor, the Strong One, who stole my sister, Canda, +the Grace-ful One, to be his mate. + +"We of Thuria had heard of a great chieftain who has bound together +many tribes, and my father has sent me to Dacor to learn if there +be truth in these stories, and if so to offer the services of Thuria +to him whom we have heard called emperor." + +"The stories are true," replied Ghak, "and here is the emperor of +whom you have heard. You need travel no farther." + +Kolk was delighted. He told us much of the wonderful resources of +Thuria, the Land of Awful Shadow, and of his long journey in search +of Amoz. + +"And why," I asked, "does Goork, your father, desire to join his +kingdom to the empire?" + +"There are two reasons," replied the young man. "For-ever have the +Mahars, who dwell beyond the Lidi Plains which lie at the farther +rim of the Land of Awful Shadow, taken heavy toll of our people, +whom they either force into lifelong slavery or fatten for their +feasts. We have heard that the great emperor makes successful war +upon the Mahars, against whom we should be glad to fight. + +"Recently has another reason come. Upon a great island which lies +in the Sojar Az, but a short distance from our shores, a wicked +man has collected a great band of outcast warriors of all tribes. +Even are there many Sagoths among them, sent by the Mahars to aid +the Wicked One. + +"This band makes raids upon our villages, and it is constantly +growing in size and strength, for the Mahars give liberty to any of +their male prisoners who will promise to fight with this band against +the enemies of the Mahars. It is the purpose of the Mahars thus +to raise a force of our own kind to combat the growth and menace +of the new empire of which I have come to seek information. All +this we learned from one of our own warriors who had pretended +to sympathize with this band and had then escaped at the first +opportunity." + +"Who could this man be," I asked Ghak, "who leads so vile a movement +against his own kind?" + +"His name is Hooja," spoke up Kolk, answering my question. + +Ghak and I looked at each other. Relief was written upon his +countenance and I know that it was beating strongly in my heart. +At last we had discovered a tan-gible clue to the whereabouts of +Hooja--and with the clue a guide! + +But when I broached the subject to Kolk he demurred. He had come +a long way, he explained, to see his sister and to confer with Dacor. +Moreover, he had instructions from his father which he could not +ignore lightly. But even so he would return with me and show me +the way to the island of the Thurian shore if by doing so we might +accomplish anything. + +"But we cannot," he urged. "Hooja is powerful. He has thousands +of warriors. He has only to call upon his Mahar allies to receive +a countless horde of Sagoths to do his bidding against his human +enemies. + +"Let us wait until you may gather an equal horde from the kingdoms +of your empire. Then we may march against Hooja with some show of +success. + +"But first must you lure him to the mainland, for who among you +knows how to construct the strange things that carry Hooja and his +band back and forth across the water? + +"We are not island people. We do not go upon the water. We know +nothing of such things." + +I couldn't persuade him to do more than direct me upon the way. +I showed him my map, which now in-cluded a great area of country +extending from Anoroc upon the east to Sari upon the west, and from +the river south of the Mountains of the Clouds north to Amoz. As +soon as I had explained it to him he drew a line with his finger, +showing a sea-coast far to the west and south of Sari, and a great +circle which he said marked the extent of the Land of Awful Shadow +in which lay Thuria. + +The shadow extended southeast of the coast out into the sea half-way +to a large island, which he said was the seat of Hooja's traitorous +government. The island itself lay in the light of the noonday sun. +Northwest of the coast and embracing a part of Thuria lay the Lidi +Plains, upon the northwestern verge of which was situ-ated the +Mahar city which took such heavy toll of the Thurians. + +Thus were the unhappy people now between two fires, with Hooja upon +one side and the Mahars upon the other. I did not wonder that they +sent out an appeal for succor. + +Though Ghak and Kolk both attempted to dissuade me, I was determined +to set out at once, nor did I delay longer than to make a copy of +my map to be given to Perry that he might add to his that which +I had set down since we parted. I left a letter for him as well, +in which among other things I advanced the theory that the Sojar +Az, or Great Sea, which Kolk mentioned as stretching eastward +from Thuria, might indeed be the same mighty ocean as that which, +swinging around the southern end of a continent ran northward along +the shore opposite Phutra, mingling its waters with the huge gulf +upon which lay Sari, Amoz, and Greenwich. + +Against this possibility I urged him to hasten the building of +a fleet of small sailing-vessels, which we might utilize should I +find it impossible to entice Hooja's horde to the mainland. + +I told Ghak what I had written, and suggested that as soon as he +could he should make new treaties with the various kingdoms of the +empire, collect an army and march toward Thuria--this of course +against the possi-bility of my detention through some cause or +other. + +Kolk gave me a sign to his father--a lidi, or beast of burden, +crudely scratched upon a bit of bone, and be-neath the lidi a +man and a flower; all very rudely done perhaps, but none the less +effective as I well knew from my long years among the primitive +men of Pellucidar. + +The lidi is the tribal beast of the Thurians; the man and the +flower in the combination in which they ap-peared bore a double +significance, as they constituted not only a message to the effect +that the bearer came in peace, but were also Kolk's signature. + +And so, armed with my credentials and my small arsenal, I set out +alone upon my quest for the dearest girl in this world or yours. + +Kolk gave me explicit directions, though with my map I do not believe +that I could have gone wrong. As a matter of fact I did not need +the map at all, since the principal landmark of the first half +of my journey, a gi-gantic mountainpeak, was plainly visible from +Sari, though a good hundred miles away. + +At the southern base of this mountain a river rose and ran in +a westerly direction, finally turning south and emptying into the +Sojar Az some forty miles northeast of Thuria. All that I had to +do was follow this river to the sea and then follow the coast to +Thuria. + +Two hundred and forty miles of wild mountain and primeval jungle, of +untracked plain, of nameless rivers, of deadly swamps and savage +forests lay ahead of me, yet never had I been more eager for +an adventure than now, for never had more depended upon haste and +success. + +I do not know how long a time that journey required, and only half +did I appreciate the varied wonders that each new march unfolded +before me, for my mind and heart were filled with but a single +image--that of a perfect girl whose great, dark eyes looked bravely +forth from a frame of raven hair. + +It was not until I had passed the high peak and found the river +that my eyes first discovered the pendent world, the tiny satellite +which hangs low over the surface of Pellucidar casting its perpetual +shadow always upon the same spot--the area that is known here as +the Land of Awful Shadow, in which dwells the tribe of Thuria. + +From the distance and the elevation of the highlands where I stood +the Pellucidarian noonday moon showed half in sunshine and half in +shadow, while directly be-neath it was plainly visible the round +dark spot upon the surface of Pellucidar where the sun has never +shone. From where I stood the moon appeared to hang so low above +the ground as almost to touch it; but later I was to learn that +it floats a mile above the surface--which seems indeed quite close +for a moon. + +Following the river downward I soon lost sight of the tiny planet +as I entered the mazes of a lofty forest. Nor did I catch another +glimpse of it for some time--several marches at least. However, when +the river led me to the sea, or rather just before it reached the +sea, of a sudden the sky became overcast and the size and luxuriance +of the vegetation diminished as by magic--as if an omni-potent hand +had drawn a line upon the earth, and said: + +"Upon this side shall the trees and the shrubs, the grasses and +the flowers, riot in profusion of rich colors, gigantic size and +bewildering abundance; and upon that side shall they be dwarfed +and pale and scant." + +Instantly I looked above, for clouds are so uncommon in the skies +of Pellucidar--they are practically unknown except above the +mightiest mountain ranges--that it had given me something of a start +to discover the sun obliterated. But I was not long in coming to +a realization of the cause of the shadow. + +Above me hung another world. I could see its moun-tains and +valleys, oceans, lakes, and rivers, its broad, grassy plains and +dense forests. But too great was the distance and too deep the +shadow of its under side for me to distinguish any movement as of +animal life. + +Instantly a great curiosity was awakened within me. The questions +which the sight of this planet, so tanta-lizingly close, raised in +my mind were numerous and unanswerable. + +Was it inhabited? + +If so, by what manner and form of creature? + +Were its people as relatively diminutive as their little world, or +were they as disproportionately huge as the lesser attraction of +gravity upon the surface of their globe would permit of their being? + +As I watched it, I saw that it was revolving upon an axis that lay +parallel to the surface of Pellucidar, so that during each revolution +its entire surface was once ex-posed to the world below and once +bathed in the heat of the great sun above. The little world had +that which Pellucidar could not have--a day and night, and--greatest +of boons to one outer-earthly born--time. + +Here I saw a chance to give time to Pellucidar, using this +mighty clock, revolving perpetually in the heavens, to record the +passage of the hours for the earth below. Here should be located +an observatory, from which might be flashed by wireless to every +corner of the em-pire the correct time once each day. That this +time would be easily measured I had no doubt, since so plain were +the landmarks upon the under surface of the satellite that it would +be but necessary to erect a simple instrument and mark the instant +of passage of a given landmark across the instrument. + +But then was not the time for dreaming; I must de-vote my mind to +the purpose of my journey. So I hastened onward beneath the great +shadow. As I ad-vanced I could not but note the changing nature +of the vegetation and the paling of its hues. + +The river led me a short distance within the shadow before it emptied +into the Sojar Az. Then I continued in a southerly direction along +the coast toward the village of Thuria, where I hoped to find Goork +and deliver to him my credentials. + +I had progressed no great distance from the mouth of the river when +I discerned, lying some distance at sea, a great island. This I +assumed to be the stronghold of Hooja, nor did I doubt that upon +it even now was Dian. + +The way was most difficult, since shortly after leaving the river +I encountered lofty cliffs split by numerous long, narrow fiords, +each of which necessitated a con-siderable detour. As the crow +flies it is about twenty miles from the mouth of the river to +Thuria, but be-fore I had covered half of it I was fagged. There +was no familiar fruit or vegetable growing upon the rocky soil of +the cliff-tops, and I would have fared ill for food had not a hare +broken cover almost beneath my nose. + +I carried bow and arrows to conserve my ammunition-supply, but so +quick was the little animal that I had no time to draw and fit a +shaft. In fact my dinner was a hundred yards away and going like +the proverbial bat when I dropped my six-shooter on it. It was +a pretty shot and when coupled with a good dinner made me quite +contented with myself. + +After eating I lay down and slept. When I awoke I was scarcely +so self-satisfied, for I had not more than opened my eyes before +I became aware of the presence, barely a hundred yards from me, of +a pack of some twenty huge wolf-dogs--the things which Perry insisted +upon calling hyaenodons--and almost simultaneously I discovered +that while I slept my revolvers, rifle, bow, arrows, and knife had +been stolen from me. + +And the wolf-dog pack was preparing to rush me. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +FROM PLIGHT TO PLIGHT + +I have never been much of a runner; I hate running. But if ever a +sprinter broke into smithereens all world's records it was I that +day when I fled before those hide-ous beasts along the narrow spit +of rocky cliff between two narrow fiords toward the Sojar Az. Just +as I reached the verge of the cliff the foremost of the brutes was +upon me. He leaped and closed his massive jaws upon my shoulder. + +The momentum of his flying body, added to that of my own, carried +the two of us over the cliff. It was a hideous fall. The cliff +was almost perpendicular. At its foot broke the sea against a +solid wall of rock. + +We struck the cliff-face once in our descent and then plunged into +the salt sea. With the impact with the water the hyaenodon released +his hold upon my shoulder. + +As I came sputtering to the surface I looked about for some tiny +foot- or hand-hold where I might cling for a moment of rest and +recuperation. The cliff itself offered me nothing, so I swam toward +the mouth of the fiord. + +At the far end I could see that erosion from above had washed down +sufficient rubble to form a narrow ribbon of beach. Toward this +I swam with all my strength. Not once did I look behind me, since +every unnecessary movement in swimming detracts so much from one's +endurance speed. Not until I had drawn myself safely out upon the +beach did I turn my eyes back toward the sea for the hyaenodon. +He was swimming slowly and apparently painfully toward the beach +upon where I stood. + +I watched him for a long time, wondering, why it was that such a +doglike animal was not a better swimmer. As he neared me I realized +that he was weakening rapidly. I had gathered a handful of stones +to be ready for his assault when he landed, but in a moment I let +them fall from my hands. It was evident that the brute either was +no swimmer or else was severely in-jured, for by now he was making +practically no head-way. Indeed, it was with quite apparent +difficulty that he kept his nose above the surface of the sea. + +He was not more than fifty yards from shore when he went under. I +watched the spot where he had disap-peared, and in a moment I saw +his head reappear. The look of dumb misery in his eyes struck a +chord in my breast, for I love dogs. I forgot that he was a vicious, +primordial wolf-thing--a man-eater, a scourge, and a terror. I +saw only the sad eyes that looked like the eyes of Raja, my dead +collie of the outer world. + +I did not stop to weigh and consider. In other words, I did not stop +to think, which I believe must be the way of men who do things--in +contradistinction to those who think much and do nothing. Instead, I +leaped back into the water and swam out toward the drowning beast. +At first he showed his teeth at my approach, but just before +I reached him he went under for the second time, so that I had to +dive to get him. + +I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, and though he weighed as +much as a Shetland pony, I managed to drag him to shore and well +up upon the beach. Here I found that one of his forelegs was +broken--the crash against the cliff-face must have done it. + +By this time all the fight was out of him, so that when I had +gathered a few tiny branches from some of the stunted trees that +grew in the crevices of the cliff, and returned to him he permitted +me to set his broken leg and bind it in splints. I had to tear +part of my shirt into bits to obtain a bandage, but at last the +job was done. Then I sat stroking the savage head and talking to +the beast in the man-dog talk with which you are familiar, if you +ever owned and loved a dog. + +When he is well, I thought, he probably will turn upon me and attempt +to devour me, and against that even-tuality I gathered together a +pile of rocks and set to work to fashion a stone-knife. We were +bottled up at the head of the fiord as completely as if we had been +behind prison bars. Before us spread the Sojar Az, and else-where +about us rose unscalable cliffs. + +Fortunately a little rivulet trickled down the side of the rocky +wall, giving us ample supply of fresh water--some of which I kept +constantly beside the hyaenodon in a huge, bowl-shaped shell, of +which there were count-less numbers among the rubble of the beach. + +For food we subsisted upon shellfish and an occa-sional bird that +I succeeded in knocking over with a rock, for long practice as a +pitcher on prep-school and varsity nines had made me an excellent +shot with a hand-thrown missile. + +It was not long before the hyaenodon's leg was suffi-ciently mended +to permit him to rise and hobble about on three legs. I shall +never forget with what intent in-terest I watched his first attempt. +Close at my hand lay my pile of rocks. Slowly the beast came to +his three good feet. He stretched himself, lowered his head, and +lapped water from the drinking-shell at his side, turned and looked +at me, and then hobbled off toward the cliffs. + +Thrice he traversed the entire extent of our prison, seeking, I +imagine, a loop-hole for escape, but finding none he returned in my +direction. Slowly he came quite close to me, sniffed at my shoes, +my puttees, my hands, and then limped off a few feet and lay down +again. + +Now that he was able to get around, I was a little un-certain as +to the wisdom of my impulsive mercy. + +How could I sleep with that ferocious thing prowling about the +narrow confines of our prison? + +Should I close my eyes it might be to open them again to the feel of +those mighty jaws at my throat. To say the least, I was uncomfortable. + +I have had too much experience with dumb animals to bank very +strongly on any sense of gratitude which may be attributed to them +by inexperienced sentimen-talists. I believe that some animals +love their masters, but I doubt very much if their affection is +the outcome of gratitude--a characteristic that is so rare as to +be only occasionally traceable in the seemingly unselfish acts of +man himself. + +But finally I was forced to sleep. Tired nature would be put off +no longer. I simply fell asleep, willy nilly, as I sat looking +out to sea. I had been very uncomfortable since my ducking in the +ocean, for though I could see the sunlight on the water half-way +toward the island and upon the island itself, no ray of it fell upon +us. We were well within the Land of Awful Shadow. A per-petual +half-warmth pervaded the atmosphere, but clothing was slow in +drying, and so from loss of sleep and great physical discomfort, I +at last gave way to nature's demands and sank into profound slumber. + +When I awoke it was with a start, for a heavy body was upon me. My +first thought was that the hyaenodon had at last attacked me, but +as my eyes opened and I struggled to rise, I saw that a man was +astride me and three others bending close above him. + +I am no weakling--and never have been. My experi-ence in the hard +life of the inner world has turned my thews to steel. Even such +giants as Ghak the Hairy One have praised my strength; but to it +is added another quality which they lack--science. + +The man upon me held me down awkwardly, leaving me many openings--one +of which I was not slow in taking advantage of, so that almost +before the fellow knew that I was awake I was upon my feet with +my arms over his shoulders and about his waist and had hurled him +heavily over my head to the hard rubble of the beach, where he lay +quite still. + +In the instant that I arose I had seen the hyaenodon lying asleep +beside a boulder a few yards away. So nearly was he the color of +the rock that he was scarcely discernible. Evidently the newcomers +had not seen him. + +I had not more than freed myself from one of my antagonists before +the other three were upon me. They did not work silently now, but +charged me with savage cries--a mistake upon their part. The fact +that they did not draw their weapons against me convinced me that +they desired to take me alive; but I fought as desper-ately as if +death loomed immediate and sure. + +The battle was short, for scarce had their first wild whoop +reverberated through the rocky fiord, and they had closed upon me, +than a hairy mass of demoniacal rage hurtled among us. + +It was the hyaenodon! + +In an instant he had pulled down one of the men, and with a single +shake, terrier-like, had broken his neck. Then he was upon another. +In their efforts to vanquish the wolf-dog the savages forgot all +about me, thus giv-ing me an instant in which to snatch a knife +from the loin-string of him who had first fallen and account for +another of them. Almost simultaneously the hyaenodon pulled down +the remaining enemy, crushing his skull with a single bite of those +fearsome jaws. + +The battle was over--unless the beast considered me fair prey, too. +I waited, ready for him with knife and bludgeon--also filched from +a dead foeman; but he paid no attention to me, falling to work +instead to devour one of the corpses. + +The beast bad been handicapped but little by his splinted leg; but +having eaten he lay down and com-menced to gnaw at the bandage. +I was sitting some little distance away devouring shellfish, of +which, by the way, I was becoming exceedingly tired. + +Presently, the hyaenodon arose and came toward me. I did not move. +He stopped in front of me and deliberately raised his bandaged leg +and pawed my knee. His act was as intelligible as words--he wished +the bandage removed. + +I took the great paw in one hand and with the other hand untied and +unwound the bandage, removed the splints and felt of the injured +member. As far as I could judge the bone was completely knit. The +joint was stiff; when I bent it a little the brute winced--but he +neither growled nor tried to pull away. Very slowly and gently I +rubbed the joint and applied pressure to it for a few moments. + +Then I set it down upon the ground. The hyaenodon walked around +me a few times, and then lay down at my side, his body touching +mine. I laid my hand upon his head. He did not move. Slowly, I +scratched about his ears and neck and down beneath the fierce jaws. +The only sign he gave was to raise his chin a trifle that I might +better caress him. + +That was enough! From that moment I have never again felt suspicion +of Raja, as I immediately named him. Somehow all sense of loneliness +vanished, too--I had a dog! I had never guessed precisely what it +was that was lacking to life in Pellucidar, but now I knew it was +the total absence of domestic animals. + +Man here had not yet reached the point where he might take the time +from slaughter and escaping slaugh-ter to make friends with any of +the brute creation. I must qualify this statement a trifle and say +that this was true of those tribes with which I was most familiar. +The Thurians do domesticate the colossal lidi, traversing the +great Lidi Plains upon the backs of these gro-tesque and stupendous +monsters, and possibly there may also be other, far-distant peoples +within the great world, who have tamed others of the wild things +of jungle, plain or mountain. + +The Thurians practice agriculture in a crude sort of way. It is +my opinion that this is one of the earliest steps from savagery to +civilization. The taming of wild beasts and their domestication +follows. + +Perry argues that wild dogs were first domesticated for hunting +purposes; but I do not agree with him. I believe that if their +domestication were not purely the result of an accident, as, for +example, my taming of the hyaenodon, it came about through the +desire of tribes who had previously domesticated flocks and herds +to have some strong, ferocious beast to guard their roam-ing +property. However, I lean rather more strongly to the theory of +accident. + +As I sat there upon the beach of the little fiord eating my unpalatable +shell-fish, I commenced to wonder how it had been that the four +savages had been able to reach me, though I had been unable to +escape from my natu-ral prison. I glanced about in all directions, +searching for an explanation. At last my eyes fell upon the bow +of a small dugout protruding scarce a foot from behind a large +boulder lying half in the water at the edge of the beach. + +At my discovery I leaped to my feet so suddenly that it brought +Raja, growling and bristling, upon all fours in an instant. For +the moment I had forgotten him. But his savage rumbling did not +cause me any uneasiness. He glanced quickly about in all directions +as if searching for the cause of my excitement. Then, as I walked +rapidly down toward the dugout, he slunk silently after me. + +The dugout was similar in many respects to those which I had seen +in use by the Mezops. In it were four paddles. I was much delighted, +as it promptly offered me the escape I had been craving. + +I pushed it out into water that would float it, stepped in and +called to Raja to enter. At first he did not seem to understand +what I wished of him, but after I had paddled out a few yards +he plunged through the surf and swam after me. When he had come +alongside I grasped the scruff of his neck, and after a considerable +struggle, in which I several times came near to over-turning the +canoe, I managed to drag him aboard, where he shook himself vigorously +and squatted down before me. + +After emerging from the fiord, I paddled southward along the coast, +where presently the lofty cliffs gave way to lower and more level +country. It was here some-where that I should come upon the +principal village of the Thurians. When, after a time, I saw in +the distance what I took to be huts in a clearing near the shore, I +drew quickly into land, for though I had been furnished credentials +by Kolk, I was not sufficiently familiar with the tribal characteristics +of these people to know whether I should receive a friendly welcome +or not; and in case I should not, I wanted to be sure of having +a canoe hidden safely away so that I might undertake the trip to +the island, in any event--provided, of course, that I escaped the +Thurians should they prove bellig-erent. + +At the point where I landed the shore was quite low. A forest of +pale, scrubby ferns ran down almost to the beach. Here I dragged +up the dugout, hiding it well within the vegetation, and with some +loose rocks built a cairn upon the beach to mark my cache. Then +I turned my steps toward the Thurian village. + +As I proceeded I began to speculate upon the possible actions of +Raja when we should enter the presence of other men than myself. The +brute was padding softly at my side, his sensitive nose constantly +atwitch and his fierce eyes moving restlessly from side to +side--nothing would ever take Raja unawares! + +The more I thought upon the matter the greater be-came my +perturbation. I did not want Raja to attack any of the people upon +whose friendship I so greatly depended, nor did I want him injured +or slain by them. + +I wondered if Raja would stand for a leash. His head as he paced +beside me was level with my hip. I laid my hand upon it caressingly. +As I did so he turned and looked up into my face, his jaws parting +and his red tongue lolling as you have seen your own dog's beneath +a love pat. + +"Just been waiting all your life to be tamed and loved, haven't +you, old man?" I asked. "You're nothing but a good pup, and the +man who put the hyaeno in your name ought to be sued for libel." + +Raja bared his mighty fangs with upcurled, snarling lips and licked +my hand. + +"You're grinning, you old fraud, you!" I cried. "If you're not, +I'll eat you. I'll bet a doughnut you're nothing but some kid's +poor old Fido, masquerading around as a real, live man-eater." + +Raja whined. And so we walked on together toward Thuria--I talking +to the beast at my side, and he seem-ing to enjoy my company no +less than I enjoyed his. If you don't think it's lonesome wandering +all by yourself through savage, unknown Pellucidar, why, just +try it, and you will not wonder that I was glad of the company of +this first dog--this living replica of the fierce and now extinct +hyaenodon of the outer crust that hunted in savage packs the great +elk across the snows of southern France, in the days when the mastodon +roamed at will over the broad continent of which the British Isles +were then a part, and perchance left his footprints and his bones +in the sands of Atlantis as well. + +Thus I dreamed as we moved on toward Thuria. My dreaming was rudely +shattered by a savage growl from Raja. I looked down at him. He +had stopped in his tracks as one turned to stone. A thin ridge +of stiff hair bristled along the entire length of his spine. His +yel-low green eyes were fastened upon the scrubby jungle at our +right. + +I fastened my fingers in the bristles at his neck and turned my +eyes in the direction that his pointed. At first I saw nothing. +Then a slight movement of the bushes riveted my attention. I +thought it must be some wild beast, and was glad of the primitive +weapons I had taken from the bodies of the warriors who had attacked +me. + +Presently I distinguished two eyes peering at us from the vegetation. +I took a step in their direction, and as I did so a youth arose +and fled precipitately in the direction we had been going. Raja +struggled to be after him, but I held tightly to his neck, an act +which he did not seem to relish, for he turned on me with bared +fangs. + +I determined that now was as good a time as any to discover just +how deep was Raja's affection for me. One of us could be master, +and logically I was the one. He growled at me. I cuffed him +sharply across the nose. He looked it me for a moment in surprised +bewilderment, and then he growled again. I made another feint at +him, expecting that it would bring him at my throat; but in-stead +he winced and crouched down. + +Raja was subdued! + +I stooped and patted him. Then I took a piece of the rope that +constituted a part of my equipment and made a leash for him. + +Thus we resumed our journey toward Thuria. The youth who had seen +us was evidently of the Thurians. That he had lost no time in +racing homeward and spreading the word of my coming was evidenced +when we had come within sight of the clearing, and the village--the +first real village, by the way, that I had ever seen constructed +by human Pellucidarians. There was a rude rectangle walled with +logs and boulders, in which were a hundred or more thatched huts +of similar con-struction. There was no gate. Ladders that could +be re-moved by night led over the palisade. + +Before the village were assembled a great concourse of warriors. +Inside I could see the heads of women and children peering over the +top of the wall; and also, farther back, the long necks of lidi, +topped by their tiny heads. Lidi, by the way, is both the singular +and plural form of the noun that describes the huge beasts of +bur-den of the Thurians. They are enormous quadrupeds, eighty or +a hundred feet long, with very small heads perched at the top of +very long, slender necks. Their heads are quite forty feet from +the ground. Their gait is slow and deliberate, but so enormous +are their strides that, as a matter of fact, they cover the ground +quite rapidly. + +Perry has told me that they are almost identical with the fossilized +remains of the diplodocus of the outer crust's Jurassic age. I +have to take his word for it--and I guess you will, unless you know +more of such matters than I. + +As we came in sight of the warriors the men set up a great jabbering. +Their eyes were wide in astonishment--only, I presume, because +of my strange garmenture, but as well from the fact that I came +in company with a jalok, which is the Pellucidarian name of the +hyaenodon. + +Raja tugged at his leash, growling and showing his long white fangs. +He would have liked nothing better than to be at the throats of +the whole aggregation; but I held him in with the leash, though it +took all my strength to do it. My free hand I held above my head, +palm out, in token of the peacefulness of my mission. + +In the foreground I saw the youth who had discov-ered us, and +I could tell from the way he carried him-self that he was quite +overcome by his own importance. The warriors about him were all +fine looking fellows, though shorter and squatter than the Sarians +or the Amozites. Their color, too, was a bit lighter, owing, no +doubt, to the fact that much of their lives is spent within the +shadow of the world that hangs forever above their country. + +A little in advance of the others was a bearded fel-low tricked out +in many ornaments. I didn't need to ask to know that he was the +chieftain--doubtless Goork, father of Kolk. Now to him I addressed +myself. + +"I am David," I said, "Emperor of the Federated Kingdoms of +Pellucidar. Doubtless you have heard of me?" + +He nodded his head affirmatively. + +"I come from Sari," I continued, "where I just met Kolk, the son +of Goork. I bear a token from Kolk to his father, which will prove +that I am a friend." + +Again the warrior nodded. "I am Goork," he said. "Where is the +token?" + +"Here," I replied, and fished into the game-bag where I had placed +it. + +Goork and his people waited in silence. My hand searched the inside +of the bag. + +It was empty! + +The token had been stolen with my arms! + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +CAPTIVE + +When Goork and his people saw that I had no token they commenced +to taunt me. + +"You do not come from Kolk, but from the Sly One!" they cried. "He +has sent you from the island to spy upon us. Go away, or we will +set upon you and kill you." + +I explained that all my belongings had been stolen from me, and that +the robber must have taken the token too; but they didn't believe +me. As proof that I was one of Hooja's people, they pointed to my +weapons, which they said were ornamented like those of the is-land +clan. Further, they said that no good man went in company with a +jalok--and that by this line of reason-ing I certainly was a bad +man. + +I saw that they were not naturally a war-like tribe, for they +preferred that I leave in peace rather than force them to attack +me, whereas the Sarians would have killed a suspicious stranger +first and inquired into his purposes later. + +I think Raja sensed their antagonism, for he kept tug-ging at +his leash and growling ominously. They were a bit in awe of him, +and kept at a safe distance. It was evident that they could not +comprehend why it was that this savage brute did not turn upon me +and rend me. + +I wasted a long time there trying to persuade Goork to accept me +at my own valuation, but he was too canny. The best he would do +was to give us food, which he did, and direct me as to the safest +portion of the is-land upon which to attempt a landing, though even +as he told me I am sure that he thought my request for information +but a blind to deceive him as to my true knowledge of the insular +stronghold. + +At last I turned away from them--rather disheart-ened, for I had +hoped to be able to enlist a considerable force of them in an attempt +to rush Hooja's horde and rescue Dian. Back along the beach toward +the hidden canoe we made our way. + +By the time we came to the cairn I was dog-tired. Throwing myself +upon the sand I soon slept, and with Raja stretched out beside me +I felt a far greater security than I had enjoyed for a long time. + +I awoke much refreshed to find Raja's eyes glued upon me. The moment +I opened mine he rose, stretched himself, and without a backward +glance plunged into the jungle. For several minutes I could hear +him crash-ing through the brush. Then all was silent. + +I wondered if he had left me to return to his fierce pack. A feeling +of loneliness overwhelmed me. With a sigh I turned to the work of +dragging the canoe down to the sea. As I entered the jungle where +the dugout lay a hare darted from beneath the boat's side, and a +well-aimed cast of my javelin brought it down. I was hungry--I +had not realized it before--so I sat upon the edge of the canoe and +devoured my repast. The last remnants gone, I again busied myself +with preparations for my expedition to the island. + +I did not know for certain that Dian was there; but I surmised +as much. Nor could I guess what obstacles might confront me in +an effort to rescue her. For a time I loitered about after I had +the canoe at the water's edge, hoping against hope that Raja would +return; but be did not, so I shoved the awkward craft through the +surf and leaped into it. + +I was still a little downcast by the desertion of my new-found +friend, though I tried to assure myself that it was nothing but +what I might have expected. + +The savage brute had served me well in the short time that we had +been together, and had repaid his debt of gratitude to me, since he +had saved my life, or at least my liberty, no less certainly than +I had saved his life when he was injured and drowning. + +The trip across the water to the island was unevent-ful. I was +mighty glad to be in the sunshine again when I passed out of the +shadow of the dead world about half-way between the mainland and +the island. The hot rays of the noonday sun did a great deal toward +raising my spirits, and dispelling the mental gloom in which I had +been shrouded almost continually since entering the Land of Awful +Shadow. There is nothing more dis-piriting to me than absence of +sunshine. + +I had paddled to the southwestern point, which Goork said he +believed to be the least frequented por-tion of the island, as he +had never seen boats put off from there. I found a shallow reef +running far out into the sea and rather precipitous cliffs running +almost to the surf. It was a nasty place to land, and I realized +now why it was not used by the natives; but at last I man-aged, +after a good wetting, to beach my canoe and scale the cliffs. + +The country beyond them appeared more open and park-like than I +had anticipated, since from the main-land the entire coast that is +visible seems densely clothed with tropical jungle. This jungle, +as I could see from the vantage-point of the cliff-top, formed but +a relatively narrow strip between the sea and the more open forest +and meadow of the interior. Farther back there was a range of low +but apparently very rocky hills, and here and there all about were +visible flat-topped masses of rock--small mountains, in fact--which +reminded me of pictures I had seen of landscapes in New Mexico. +Altogether, the country was very much broken and very beautiful. +From where I stood I counted no less than a dozen streams winding +down from among the table-buttes and emptying into a pretty river +which flowed away in a northeasterly direction toward the op-posite +end of the island. + +As I let my eyes roam over the scene I suddenly be-came aware of +figures moving upon the flat top of a far-distant butte. Whether +they were beast or human, though, I could not make out; but at +least they were alive, so I determined to prosecute my search for +Hooja's stronghold in the general direction of this butte. + +To descend to the valley required no great effort. As I swung +along through the lush grass and the fragrant flowers, my cudgel +swinging in my hand and my javelin looped across my shoulders with +its aurochs-hide strap, I felt equal to any emergency, ready for +any danger. + +I had covered quite a little distance, and I was pass-ing through +a strip of wood which lay at the foot of one of the flat-topped +hills, when I became conscious of the sensation of being watched. +My life within Pellucidar has rather quickened my senses of sight, +hearing, and smell, and, too, certain primitive intuitive or +instinctive qualities that seem blunted in civilized man. But, +though I was positive that eyes were upon me, I could see no sign +of any living thing within the wood other than the many, gay-plumaged +birds and little monkeys which filled the trees with life, color, +and action. + +To you it may seem that my conviction was the re-sult of an +overwrought imagination, or to the actual reality of the prying +eyes of the little monkeys or the curious ones of the birds; but +there is a difference which I cannot explain between the sensation +of casual observation and studied espionage. A sheep might gaze at +you without transmitting a warning through your sub-jective mind, +because you are in no danger from a sheep. But let a tiger gaze +fixedly at you from ambush, and unless your primitive instincts +are completely cal-loused you will presently commence to glance +furtively about and be filled with vague, unreasoning terror. + +Thus was it with me then. I grasped my cudgel more firmly and +unslung my javelin, carrying it in my left hand. I peered to left +and right, but I saw nothing. Then, all quite suddenly, there fell +about my neck and shoulders, around my arms and body, a number of +pliant fiber ropes. + +In a jiffy I was trussed up as neatly as you might wish. One of +the nooses dropped to my ankles and was jerked up with a suddenness +that brought me to my face upon the ground. Then something heavy +and hairy sprang upon my back. I fought to draw my knife, but +hairy hands grasped my wrists and, dragging them be-hind my back, +bound them securely. + +Next my feet were bound. Then I was turned over upon my back to +look up into the faces of my captors. + +And what faces! Imagine if you can a cross between a sheep and a +gorilla, and you will have some concep-tion of the physiognomy of +the creature that bent close above me, and of those of the half-dozen +others that clustered about. There was the facial length and +great eyes of the sheep, and the bull-neck and hideous fangs of +the gorilla. The bodies and limbs were both man and gorilla-like. + +As they bent over me they conversed in a mono-syllabic tongue that +was perfectly intelligible to me. It was something of a simplified +language that had no need for aught but nouns and verbs, but such +words as it included were the same as those of the human beings +of Pellucidar. It was amplified by many gestures which filled in +the speech-gaps. + +I asked them what they intended doing with me; but, like our own +North American Indians when questioned by a white man, they pretended +not to understand me. One of them swung me to his shoulder as +lightly as if I had been a shoat. He was a huge creature, as were +his fellows, standing fully seven feet upon his short legs and +weighing considerably more than a quarter of a ton. + +Two went ahead of my bearer and three behind. In this order we +cut to the right through the forest to the foot of the hill where +precipitous cliffs appeared to bar our farther progress in this +direction. But my escort never paused. Like ants upon a wall, +they scaled that seemingly unscalable barrier, clinging, Heaven +knows how, to its ragged perpendicular face. During most of the +short journey to the summit I must admit that my hair stood on end. +Presently, however, we topped the thing and stood upon the level +mesa which crowned it. + +Immediately from all about, out of burrows and rough, rocky lairs, +poured a perfect torrent of beasts similar to my captors. They +clustered about, jabber-ing at my guards and attempting to get their +hands upon me, whether from curiosity or a desire to do me bodily +harm I did not know, since my escort with bared fangs and heavy +blows kept them off. + +Across the mesa we went, to stop at last before a large pile of +rocks in which an opening appeared. Here my guards set me upon +my feet and called out a word which sounded like "Gr-gr-gr!" and +which I later learned was the name of their king. + +Presently there emerged from the cavernous depths of the lair a +monstrous creature, scarred from a hundred battles, almost hairless +and with an empty socket where one eye had been. The other eye, +sheeplike in its mildness, gave the most startling appearance to +the beast, which but for that single timid orb was the most fearsome +thing that one could imagine. + +I had encountered the black, hairless, long-tailed ape--things of +the mainland--the creatures which Perry thought might constitute the +link between the higher orders of apes and man--but these brute-men +of Gr-gr-gr seemed to set that theory back to zero, for there was +less similarity between the black ape-men and these creatures than +there was between the latter and man, while both had many human +attributes, some of which were better developed in one species and +some in the other. + +The black apes were hairless and built thatched huts in their +arboreal retreats; they kept domesticated dogs and ruminants, in +which respect they were farther advanced than the human beings of +Pellucidar; but they appeared to have only a meager language, and +sported long, apelike tails. + +On the other hand, Gr-gr-gr's people were, for the most part, quite +hairy, but they were tailless and had a language similar to that +of the human race of Pellucidar; nor were they arboreal. Their +skins, where skin showed, were white. + +From the foregoing facts and others that I have noted during my +long life within Pellucidar, which is now passing through an age +analogous to some pre-glacial age of the outer crust, I am constrained +to the belief that evolution is not so much a gradual transition +from one form to another as it is an accident of breeding, either by +crossing or the hazards of birth. In other words, it is my belief +that the first man was a freak of nature--nor would one have to +draw over-strongly upon his credulity to be convinced that Gr-gr-gr +and his tribe were also freaks. + +The great man-brute seated himself upon a flat rock--his throne, +I imagine--just before the entrance to his lair. With elbows on +knees and chin in palms he re-garded me intently through his lone +sheep-eye while one of my captors told of my taking. + +When all had been related Gr-gr-gr questioned me. I shall not +attempt to quote these people in their own ab-breviated tongue--you +would have even greater diffi-culty in interpreting them than did +I. Instead, I shall put the words into their mouths which will +carry to you the ideas which they intended to convey. + +"You are an enemy," was Gr-gr-gr's initial declaration. "You belong +to the tribe of Hooja." + +Ah! So they knew Hooja and he was their enemy! Good! + +"I am an enemy of Hooja," I replied. "He has stolen my mate and +I have come here to take her away from him and punish Hooja." + +"How could you do that alone?" + +"I do not know," I answered, "but I should have tried had you not +captured me. What do you intend to do with me?" + +"You shall work for us." + +"You will not kill me?" I asked. + +"We do not kill except in self-defense," he replied; "self-defense +and punishment. Those who would kill us and those who do wrong +we kill. If we knew you were one of Hooja's people we might kill +you, for all Hooja's people are bad people; but you say you are an +enemy of Hooja. You may not speak the truth, but until we learn +that you have lied we shall not kill you. You shall work." + +"If you hate Hooja," I suggested, "why not let me, who hate him, +too, go and punish him?" + +For some time Gr-gr-gr sat in thought. Then he raised his head +and addressed my guard. + +"Take him to his work," he ordered. + +His tone was final. As if to emphasize it he turned and entered +his burrow. My guard conducted me far-ther into the mesa, where +we came presently to a tiny depression or valley, at one end of +which gushed a warm spring. + +The view that opened before me was the most sur-prising that I have +ever seen. In the hollow, which must have covered several hundred +acres, were numerous fields of growing things, and working all +about with crude implements or with no implements at all other than +their bare hands were many of the brute-men en-gaged in the first +agriculture that I had seen within Pellucidar. + +They put me to work cultivating in a patch of melons. + +I never was a farmer nor particularly keen for this sort of work, +and I am free to confess that time never had dragged so heavily +as it did during the hour or the year I spent there at that work. +How long it really was I do not know, of course; but it was all +too long. + +The creatures that worked about me were quite sim-ple and friendly. +One of them proved to be a son of Gr-gr-gr. He had broken some +minor tribal law, and was working out his sentence in the fields. +He told me that his tribe had lived upon this hilltop always, and +that there were other tribes like them dwelling upon other hilltops. +They had no wars and had always lived in peace and harmony, menaced +only by the larger carniv-ora of the island, until my kind had come +under a crea-ture called Hooja, and attacked and killed them when +they chanced to descend from their natural fortresses to visit +their fellows upon other lofty mesas. + +Now they were afraid; but some day they would go in a body and fall +upon Hooja and his people and slay them all. I explained to him +that I was Hooja's enemy, and asked, when they were ready to go, +that I be al-lowed to go with them, or, better still, that they +let me go ahead and learn all that I could about the village where +Hooja dwelt so that they might attack it with the best chance of +success. + +Gr-gr-gr's son seemed much impressed by my sug-gestion. He said +that when he was through in the fields he would speak to his father +about the matter. + +Some time after this Gr-gr-gr came through the fields where we were, +and his son spoke to him upon the sub-ject, but the old gentleman +was evidently in anything but a good humor, for he cuffed the +youngster and, turning upon me, informed me that he was convinced +that I had lied to him, and that I was one of Hooja's peo-ple. + +"Wherefore," he concluded, "we shall slay you as soon as the melons +are cultivated. Hasten, therefore." + +And hasten I did. I hastened to cultivate the weeds which grew among +the melon-vines. Where there had been one sickly weed before, I +nourished two healthy ones. When I found a particularly promising +variety of weed growing elsewhere than among my melons, I forthwith +dug it up and transplanted it among my charges. + +My masters did not seem to realize my perfidy. They saw me always +laboring diligently in the melon-patch, and as time enters not into +the reckoning of Pellucidar-ians--even of human beings and much +less of brutes and half brutes--I might have lived on indefinitely +through this subterfuge had not that occurred which took me out of +the melon-patch for good and all. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +HOOJA'S CUTTHROATS APPEAR + +I had built a little shelter of rocks and brush where I might crawl +in and sleep out of the perpetual light and heat of the noonday +sun. When I was tired or hungry I retired to my humble cot. + +My masters never interposed the slightest objection. As a matter +of fact, they were very good to me, nor did I see aught while I +was among them to indicate that they are ever else than a simple, +kindly folk when left to themselves. Their awe-inspiring size, +terrific strength, mighty fighting-fangs, and hideous appearance +are but the attributes necessary to the successful waging of their +constant battle for survival, and well do they employ them when +the need arises. The only flesh they eat is that of herbivorous +animals and birds. When they hunt the mighty thag, the prehistoric +bos of the outer crust, a single male, with his fiber rope, will +catch and kill the greatest of the bulls. + +Well, as I was about to say, I had this little shelter at the edge +of my melon-patch. Here I was resting from my labors on a certain +occasion when I heard a great hub-bub in the village, which lay +about a quarter of a mile away. + +Presently a male came racing toward the field, shout-ing excitedly. +As he approached I came from my shelter to learn what all the +commotion might be about, for the monotony of my existence in the +melon-patch must have fostered that trait of my curiosity from +which it had always been my secret boast I am peculiarly free. + +The other workers also ran forward to meet the mes-senger, who quickly +unburdened himself of his informa-tion, and as quickly turned and +scampered back toward the village. When running these beast-men +often go upon all fours. Thus they leap over obstacles that would +slow up a human being, and upon the level attain a speed that +would make a thoroughbred look to his laurels. The result in this +instance was that before I had more than assimilated the gist of +the word which had been brought to the fields, I was alone, watching +my co-workers speeding villageward. + +I was alone! It was the first time since my capture that no beast-man +had been within sight of me. I was alone! And all my captors were +in the village at the op-posite edge of the mesa repelling an attack +of Hooja's horde! + +It seemed from the messenger's tale that two of Gr-gr-gr's great +males had been set upon by a half-dozen of Hooja's cutthroats while +the former were peaceably returning from the thag hunt. The two +had returned to the village unscratched, while but a single one of +Hooja's half-dozen had escaped to report the outcome of the battle +to their leader. Now Hooja was coming to punish Gr-gr-gr's people. +With his large force, armed with the bows and arrows that Hooja +had learned from me to make, with long lances and sharp knives, I +feared that even the mighty strength of the beastmen could avail +them but little. + +At last had come the opportunity for which I waited! I was free to +make for the far end of the mesa, find my way to the valley below, +and while the two forces were engaged in their struggle, continue +my search for Hooja's village, which I had learned from the beast-men +lay farther on down the river that I had been following when taken +prisoner. + +As I turned to make for the mesa's rim the sounds of battle came +plainly to my ears--the hoarse shouts of men mingled with the +half-beastly roars and growls of the brute-folk. + +Did I take advantage of my opportunity? + +I did not. Instead, lured by the din of strife and by the desire +to deliver a stroke, however feeble, against hated Hooja, I wheeled +and ran directly toward the village. + +When I reached the edge of the plateau such a scene met my astonished +gaze as never before had startled it, for the unique battle-methods +of the half-brutes were rather the most remarkable I had ever +witnessed. Along the very edge of the cliff-top stood a thin line +of mighty males--the best rope-throwers of the tribe. A few feet +behind these the rest of the males, with the exception of about +twenty, formed a second line. Still farther in the rear all the +women and young children were clus-tered into a single group under +the protection of the re-maining twenty fighting males and all the +old males. + +But it was the work of the first two lines that in-terested me. +The forces of Hooja--a great horde of savage Sagoths and primeval +cave men--were work-ing their way up the steep cliff-face, their +agility but slightly less than that of my captors who had clambered +so nimbly aloft--even he who was burdened by my weight. + +As the attackers came on they paused occasionally wherever a +projection gave them sufficient foothold and launched arrows and +spears at the defenders above them. During the entire battle both +sides hurled taunts and insults at one another--the human beings +naturally excelling the brutes in the coarseness and vileness of +their vilification and invective. + +The "firing-line" of the brute-men wielded no weapon other than +their long fiber nooses. When a foeman came within range of them +a noose would settle unerringly about him and be would be dragged, +fighting and yell-ing, to the cliff-top, unless, as occasionally +occurred, he was quick enough to draw his knife and cut the rope +above him, in which event he usually plunged down-ward to a no less +certain death than that which awaited him above. + +Those who were hauled up within reach of the power-ful clutches of +the defenders had the nooses snatched from them and were catapulted +back through the first line to the second, where they were seized +and killed by the simple expedient of a single powerful closing of +mighty fangs upon the backs of their necks. + +But the arrows of the invaders were taking a much heavier toll +than the nooses of the defenders and I fore-saw that it was but a +matter of time before Hooja's forces must conquer unless the brute-men +changed their tactics, or the cave men tired of the battle. + +Gr-gr-gr was standing in the center of the first line. All about +him were boulders and large fragments of broken rock. I approached +him and without a word toppled a large mass of rock over the edge +of the cliff. It fell directly upon the head of an archer, crush-ing +him to instant death and carrying his mangled corpse with it to +the bottom of the declivity, and on its way brushing three more of +the attackers into the here-after. + +Gr-gr-gr turned toward me in surprise. For an in-stant he appeared +to doubt the sincerity of my motives. I felt that perhaps my time +had come when he reached for me with one of his giant paws; but I +dodged him, and running a few paces to the right hurled down another +missile. It, too, did its allotted work of destruc-tion. Then I +picked up smaller fragments and with all the control and accuracy +for which I had earned justly deserved fame in my collegiate days +I rained down a hail of death upon those beneath me. + +Gr-gr-gr was coming toward me again. I pointed to the litter of +rubble upon the cliff-top. + +"Hurl these down upon the enemy!" I cried to him. "Tell your +warriors to throw rocks down upon them!" + +At my words the others of the first line, who had been interested +spectators of my tactics, seized upon great boulders or bits of +rock, whichever came first to their hands, and, without, waiting +for a command from Gr-gr-gr, deluged the terrified cave men with +a perfect avalanche of stone. In less than no time the cliff-face +was stripped of enemies and the village of Gr-gr-gr was saved. + +Gr-gr-gr was standing beside me when the last of the cave men +disappeared in rapid flight down the valley. He was looking at me +intently. + +"Those were your people," he said. "Why did you kill them?" + +"They were not my people," I returned. "I have told you that before, +but you would not believe me. Will you believe me now when I tell +you that I hate Hooja and his tribe as much as you do? Will you +believe me when I tell you that I wish to be the friend of Gr-gr-gr?" + +For some time he stood there beside me, scratching his head. Evidently +it was no less difficult for him to readjust his preconceived +conclusions than it is for most human beings; but finally the +idea percolated--which it might never have done had he been a man, +or I might qualify that statement by saying had he been some men. +Finally he spoke. + +"Gilak," he said, "you have made Gr-gr-gr ashamed. He would have +killed you. How can he reward you?" + +"Set me free," I replied quickly. + +"You are free," he said. "You may go down when you wish, or you +may stay with us. If you go you may always return. We are your +friends." + +Naturally, I elected to go. I explained all over again to Gr-gr-gr +the nature of my mission. He listened atten-tively; after I had +done he offered to send some of his people with me to guide me to +Hooja's village. I was not slow in accepting his offer. + +First, however, we must eat. The hunters upon whom Hooja's men had +fallen had brought back the meat of a great thag. There would be +a feast to commemorate the victory--a feast and dancing. + +I had never witnessed a tribal function of the brute-folk, though +I had often heard strange sounds coming from the village, where I +had not been allowed since my capture. Now I took part in one of +their orgies. + +It will live forever in my memory. The combination of bestiality +and humanity was oftentimes pathetic, and again grotesque or horrible. +Beneath the glaring noonday sun, in the sweltering heat of the +mesa-top, the huge, hairy creatures leaped in a great circle. They +coiled and threw their fiber-ropes; they hurled taunts and insults +at an imaginary foe; they fell upon the carcass of the thag and +literally tore it to pieces; and they ceased only when, gorged, +they could no longer move. + +I had to wait until the processes of digestion had re-leased my +escort from its torpor. Some had eaten until their abdomens were +so distended that I thought they must burst, for beside the thag +there had been fully a hundred antelopes of various sizes and varied +degrees of decomposition, which they had unearthed from bur-ial +beneath the floors of their lairs to grace the banquet-board. + +But at last we were started--six great males and myself. Gr-gr-gr +had returned my weapons to me, and at last I was once more upon +my oft-interrupted way toward my goal. Whether I should find Dian +at the end of my journey or no I could not even surmise; but I was +none the less impatient to be off, for if only the worst lay in +store for me I wished to know even the worst at once. + +I could scarce believe that my proud mate would still be alive in +the power of Hooja; but time upon Pellucidar is so strange a thing +that I realized that to her or to him only a few minutes might have +elapsed since his subtle trickery had enabled him to steal her away +from Phutra. Or she might have found the means either to repel +his advances or escape him. + +As we descended the cliff we disturbed a great pack of large hyena-like +beasts--hyaena spelaeus, Perry calls them--who were busy among the +corpses of the cave men fallen in battle. The ugly creatures were +far from the cowardly things that our own hyenas are reputed to +be; they stood their ground with bared fangs as we approached them. +But, as I was later to learn, so for-midable are the brute-folk +that there are few even of the larger carnivora that will not make +way for them when they go abroad. So the hyenas moved a little +from our line of march, closing in again upon their feasts when we +had passed. + +We made our way steadily down the rim of the beau-tiful river which +flows the length of the island, coming at last to a wood rather +denser than any that I had be-fore encountered in this country. +Well within this forest my escort halted. + +"There!" they said, and pointed ahead. "We are to go no farther." + +Thus having guided me to my destination they left me. Ahead of me, +through the trees, I could see what appeared to be the foot of a +steep hill. Toward this I made my way. The forest ran to the very +base of a cliff, in the face of which were the mouths of many +caves. They appeared untenanted; but I decided to watch for a +while before venturing farther. A large tree, densely foliaged, +offered a splendid vantage-point from which to spy upon the cliff, +so I clambered among its branches where, securely hidden, I could +watch what transpired about the caves. + +It seemed that I had scarcely settled myself in a comfortable +position before a party of cave men emerged from one of the smaller +apertures in the cliff-face, about fifty feet from the base. They +descended into the forest and disappeared. Soon after came sev-eral +others from the same cave, and after them, at a short interval, a +score of women and children, who came into the wood to gather fruit. +There were several war-riors with them--a guard, I presume. + +After this came other parties, and two or three groups who passed +out of the forest and up the cliff-face to enter the same cave. +I could not understand it. All who came out had emerged from the +same cave. All who returned reentered it. No other cave gave +evidence of habitation, and no cave but one of extraordinary size +could have accommodated all the people whom I had seen pass in and +out of its mouth. + +For a long time I sat and watched the coming and going of great +numbers of the cave-folk. Not once did one leave the cliff by +any other opening save that from which I had seen the first party +come, nor did any re-enter the cliff through another aperture. + +What a cave it must be, I thought, that houses an en-tire tribe! +But dissatisfied of the truth of my surmise, I climbed higher among +the branches of the tree that I might get a better view of other +portions of the cliff. High above the ground I reached a point +whence I could see the summit of the hill. Evidently it was +a flat-topped butte similar to that on which dwelt the tribe of +Gr-gr-gr. + +As I sat gazing at it a figure appeared at the very edge. It was +that of a young girl in whose hair was a gorgeous bloom plucked from +some flowering tree of the forest. I had seen her pass beneath me +but a short while before and enter the small cave that had swallowed +all of the returning tribesmen. + +The mystery was solved. The cave was but the mouth of a passage +that led upward through the cliff to the summit of the hill. It +served merely as an avenue from their lofty citadel to the valley +below. + +No sooner had the truth flashed upon me than the realization came +that I must seek some other means of reaching the village, for to +pass unobserved through this well-traveled thoroughfare would be +impossible. At the moment there was no one in sight below me, so +I slid quickly from my arboreal watch-tower to the ground and moved +rapidly away to the right with the intention of circling the hill +if necessary until I had found an un-watched spot where I might +have some slight chance of scaling the heights and reaching the +top unseen. + +I kept close to the edge of the forest, in the very midst of which +the hill seemed to rise. Though I carefully scanned the cliff as +I traversed its base, I saw no sign of any other entrance than that +to which my guides had led me. + +After some little time the roar of the sea broke upon my ears. +Shortly after I came upon the broad ocean which breaks at this +point at the very foot of the great hill where Hooja had found safe +refuge for himself and his villains. + +I was just about to clamber along the jagged rocks which lie at +the base of the cliff next to the sea, in search of some foothold +to the top, when I chanced to see a canoe rounding the end of the +island. I threw my-self down behind a large boulder where I could +watch the dugout and its occupants without myself being seen. + +They paddled toward me for a while and then, about a hundred yards +from me, they turned straight in toward the foot of the frowning +cliffs. From where I was it seemed that they were bent upon +self-destruction, since the roar of the breakers beating upon the +perpen-dicular rock-face appeared to offer only death to any one +who might venture within their relentless clutch. + +A mass of rock would soon hide them from my view; but so keen was +the excitement of the instant that I could not refrain from crawling +forward to a point whence I could watch the dashing of the small +craft to pieces on the jagged rocks that loomed before her, al-though +I risked discovery from above to accomplish my design. + +When I had reached a point where I could again see the dugout, I was +just in time to see it glide un-harmed between two needle-pointed +sentinels of granite and float quietly upon the unruffled bosom of +a tiny cove. + +Again I crouched behind a boulder to observe what would next transpire; +nor did I have long to wait. The dugout, which contained but two +men, was drawn close to the rocky wall. A fiber rope, one end of +which was tied to the boat, was made fast about a projection of +the cliff face. + +Then the two men commenced the ascent of the almost perpendicular +wall toward the summit several hundred feet above. I looked on in +amazement, for, splendid climbers though the cave men of Pellucidar +are, I never before had seen so remarkable a feat per-formed. +Upwardly they moved without a pause, to dis-appear at last over +the summit. + +When I felt reasonably sure that they had gone for a while at least +I crawled from my hiding-place and at the risk of a broken neck +leaped and scrambled to the spot where their canoe was moored. + +If they had scaled that cliff I could, and if I couldn't I should +die in the attempt. + +But when I turned to the accomplishment of the task I found it easier +than I had imagined it would be, since I immediately discovered +that shallow hand and foot-holds had been scooped in the cliff's +rocky face, forming a crude ladder from the base to the summit. + +At last I reached the top, and very glad I was, too. Cautiously +I raised my head until my eyes were above the cliff-crest. Before +me spread a rough mesa, liberally sprinkled with large boulders. +There was no village in sight nor any living creature. + +I drew myself to level ground and stood erect. A few trees grew +among the boulders. Very carefully I ad-vanced from tree to tree +and boulder to boulder toward the inland end of the mesa. I stopped +often to listen and look cautiously about me in every direction. + +How I wished that I had my revolvers and rifle! I would not have +to worm my way like a scared cat toward Hooja's village, nor did I +relish doing so now; but Dian's life might hinge upon the success +of my venture, and so I could not afford to take chances. To +have met suddenly with discovery and had a score or more of armed +warriors upon me might have been very grand and heroic; but it would +have immediately put an end to all my earthly activities, nor have +accomplished aught in the service of Dian. + +Well, I must have traveled nearly a mile across that mesa without +seeing a sign of anyone, when all of a sud-den, as I crept around +the edge of a boulder, I ran plump into a man, down on all fours +like myself, crawl-ing toward me. + + + +CHAPTER X + +THE RAID ON THE CAVE-PRISON + +His head was turned over his shoulder as I first saw him--he was +looking back toward the village. As I leaped for him his eyes +fell upon me. Never in my life have I seen a more surprised mortal +than this poor cave man. Before he could utter a single scream +of warning or alarm I had my fingers on his throat and had dragged +him behind the boulder, where I proceeded to sit upon him, while +I figured out what I had best do with him. + +He struggled a little at first, but finally lay still, and so I +released the pressure of my fingers at his windpipe, for which I +imagine he was quite thankful--I know that I should have been. + +I hated to kill him in cold blood; but what else I was to do with +him I could not see, for to turn him loose would have been merely +to have the entire village aroused and down upon me in a moment. +The fellow lay looking up at me with the surprise still deeply +writ-ten on his countenance. At last, all of a sudden, a look of +recognition entered his eyes. + +"I have seen you before," he said. "I saw you in the arena at the +Mahars' city of Phutra when the thipdars dragged the tarag from +you and your mate. I never understood that. Afterward they put +me in the arena with two warriors from Gombul." + +He smiled in recollection. + +"It would have been the same had there been ten warriors from +Gombul. I slew them, winning my free-dom. Look!" + +He half turned his left shoulder toward me, exhibiting the newly +healed scar of the Mahars' branded mark. + +"Then," he continued, "as I was returning to my peo-ple I met some +of them fleeing. They told me that one called Hooja the Sly One +had come and seized our village, putting our people into slavery. +So I hurried hither to learn the truth, and, sure enough, here I +found Hooja and his wicked men living in my village, and my father's +people but slaves among them. + +"I was discovered and captured, but Hooja did not kill me. I am +the chief's son, and through me he hoped to win my father's warriors +back to the village to help him in a great war he says that he will +soon commence. + +"Among his prisoners is Dian the Beautiful One, whose brother, Dacor +the Strong One, chief of Amoz, once saved my life when he came to +Thuria to steal a mate. I helped him capture her, and we are good +friends. So when I learned that Dian the Beautiful One was Hooja's +prisoner, I told him that I would not aid him if he harmed her. + +"Recently one of Hooja's warriors overheard me talk-ing with +another prisoner. We were planning to combine all the prisoners, +seize weapons, and when most of Hooja's warriors were away, slay +the rest and retake our hilltop. Had we done so we could have held +it, for there are only two entrances--the narrow tunnel at one end +and the steep path up the cliffs at the other. + +"But when Hooja heard what we had planned he was very angry, and +ordered that I die. They bound me hand and foot and placed me in +a cave until all the warriors should return to witness my death; +but while they were away I heard someone calling me in a muffled +voice which seemed to come from the wall of the cave. When I replied +the voice, which was a woman's, told me that she had overheard all +that had passed between me and those who had brought me thither, +and that she was Dacor's sister and would find a way to help me. + +"Presently a little hole appeared in the wall at the point from which +the voice had come. After a time I saw a woman's hand digging with +a bit of stone. Dacor's sister made a hole in the wall between +the cave where I lay bound and that in which she had been confined, +and soon she was by my side and had cut my bonds. + +"We talked then, and I offered to make the attempt to take her away +and back to the land of Sari, where she told me she would be able +to learn the whereabouts of her mate. Just now I was going to the +other end of the island to see if a boat lay there, and if the way +was clear for our escape. Most of the boats are always away now, +for a great many of Hooja's men and nearly all the slaves are upon +the Island of Trees, where Hooja is hav-ing many boats built to +carry his warriors across the water to the mouth of a great river +which he discovered while he was returning from Phutra--a vast +river that empties into the sea there." + +The speaker pointed toward the northeast. "It is wide and smooth +and slow-running almost to the land of Sari," he added. + +"And where is Dian the Beautiful One now?" I asked. + +I had released my prisoner as soon as I found that he was Hooja's +enemy, and now the pair of us were squat-ting beside the boulder +while he told his story. + +"She returned to the cave where she had been im-prisoned," he +replied, "and is awaiting me there." + +"There is no danger that Hooja will come while you are away?" + +"Hooja is upon the Island of Trees," he replied. + +"Can you direct me to the cave so that I can find it alone?" I +asked. + +He said he could, and in the strange yet explicit fash-ion of the +Pellucidarians he explained minutely how I might reach the cave +where he had been imprisoned, and through the hole in its wall +reach Dian. + +I thought it best for but one of us to return, since two could +accomplish but little more than one and would double the risk of +discovery. In the meantime he could make his way to the sea and +guard the boat, which I told him lay there at the foot of the cliff. + +I told him to await us at the cliff-top, and if Dian came alone to +do his best to get away with her and take her to Sari, as I thought +it quite possible that, in case of detection and pursuit, it might +be necessary for me to hold off Hooja's people while Dian made her +way alone to where my new friend was to await her. I impressed +upon him the fact that he might have to resort to trick-ery or even +to force to get Dian to leave me; but I made him promise that he +would sacrifice everything, even his life, in an attempt to rescue +Dacor's sister. + +Then we parted--he to take up his position where he could watch the +boat and await Dian, I to crawl cau-tiously on toward the caves. +I had no difficulty in fol-lowing the directions given me by Juag, +the name by which Dacor's friend said he was called. There was the +leaning tree, my first point he told me to look for after rounding +the boulder where we had met. After that I crawled to the balanced +rock, a huge boulder resting upon a tiny base no larger than the +palm of your hand. + +From here I had my first view of the village of caves. A low bluff +ran diagonally across one end of the mesa, and in the face of this +bluff were the mouths of many caves. Zig-zag trails led up to them, +and narrow ledges scooped from the face of the soft rock connected +those upon the same level. + +The cave in which Juag had been confined was at the extreme end of +the cliff nearest me. By taking advan-tage of the bluff itself, +I could approach within a few feet of the aperture without being +visible from any other cave. There were few people about at the +time; most of these were congregated at the foot of the far end of +the bluff, where they were so engrossed in ex-cited conversation +that I felt but little fear of detection. However I exercised +the greatest care in approaching the cliff. After watching for a +while until I caught an in-stant when every head was turned away +from me, I darted, rabbitlike, into the cave. + +Like many of the man-made caves of Pellucidar, this one consisted +of three chambers, one behind another, and all unlit except for what +sunlight filtered in through the external opening. The result was +gradually increas-ing darkness as one passed into each succeeding +cham-ber. + +In the last of the three I could just distinguish objects, and that +was all. As I was groping around the walls for the hole that should +lead into the cave where Dian was imprisoned, I heard a man's voice +quite close to me. + +The speaker had evidently but just entered, for he spoke in a loud +tone, demanding the whereabouts of one whom he had come in search +of. + +"Where are you, woman?" he cried. "Hooja has sent for you." + +And then a woman's voice answered him: + +"And what does Hooja want of me?" + +The voice was Dian's. I groped in the direction of the sounds, +feeling for the hole. + +"He wishes you brought to the Island of Trees," replied the man; +"for he is ready to take you as his mate." + +"I will not go," said Dian. "I will die first." + +"I am sent to bring you, and bring you I shall." + +I could hear him crossing the cave toward her. + +Frantically I clawed the wall of the cave in which I was in an +effort to find the elusive aperture that would lead me to Dian's +side. + +I heard the sound of a scuffle in the next cave. Then my fingers +sank into loose rock and earth in the side of the cave. In an +instant I realized why I had been unable to find the opening while +I had been lightly feeling the surface of the walls--Dian had +blocked up the hole she had made lest it arouse suspicion and lead +to an early discovery of Juag's escape. + +Plunging my weight against the crumbling mass, I sent it crashing +into the adjoining cavern. With it came I, David, Emperor of +Pellucidar. I doubt if any other potentate in a world's history +ever made a more un-dignified entrance. I landed head first on +all fours, but I came quickly and was on my feet before the man in +the dark guessed what had happened. + +He saw me, though, when I arose and, sensing that no friend came +thus precipitately, turned to meet me even as I charged him. I had +my stone knife in my hand, and he had his. In the darkness of the +cave there was little opportunity for a display of science, though +even at that I venture to say that we fought a very pretty duel. + +Before I came to Pellucidar I do not recall that I ever had seen +a stone knife, and I am sure that I never fought with a knife of +any description; but now I do not have to take my hat off to any +of them when it comes to wielding that primitive yet wicked weapon. + +I could just see Dian in the darkness, but I knew that she could +not see my features or recognize me; and I enjoyed in anticipation, +even while I was fighting for her life and mine, her dear joy when +she should discover that it was I who was her deliverer. + +My opponent was large, but he also was active and no mean knife-man. +He caught me once fairly in the shoulder--I carry the scar yet, +and shall carry it to the grave. And then he did a foolish thing, +for as I leaped back to gain a second in which to calm the shock +of the wound he rushed after me and tried to clinch. He rather +neglected his knife for the moment in his greater desire to get +his hands on me. Seeing the opening, I swung my left fist fairly +to the point of his jaw. + +Down he went. Before ever he could scramble up again I was on him +and had buried my knife in his heart. Then I stood up--and there +was Dian facing me and peering at me through the dense gloom. + +"You are not Juag!" she exclaimed. "Who are you?" + +I took a step toward her, my arms outstretched. + +"It is I, Dian," I said. "It is David." + +At the sound of my voice she gave a little cry in which tears were +mingled--a pathetic little cry that told me all without words how +far hope had gone from her--and then she ran forward and threw +herself in my arms. I covered her perfect lips and her beautiful +face with kisses, and stroked her thick black hair, and told +her again and again what she already knew--what she had known for +years--that I loved her better than all else which two worlds had +to offer. We couldn't devote much time, though, to the happiness +of love-making, for we were in the midst of enemies who might +discover us at any moment. + +I drew her into the adjoining cave. Thence we made our way to the +mouth of the cave that had given me entrance to the cliff. Here I +reconnoitered for a mo-ment, and seeing the coast clear, ran swiftly +forth with Dian at my side. We dodged around the cliff-end, then +paused for an instant, listening. No sound reached our ears to +indicate that any had seen us, and we moved cautiously onward along +the way by which I had come. + +As we went Dian told me that her captors had in-formed her how close +I had come in search of her--even to the Land of Awful Shadow--and +how one of Hooja's men who knew me had discovered me asleep and +robbed me of all my possessions. And then how Hooja had sent four +others to find me and take me prisoner. But these men, she said, +had not yet re-turned, or at least she had not heard of their +return. + +"Nor will you ever," I responded, "for they have gone to that place +whence none ever returns." I then related my adventure with these +four. + +We had come almost to the cliff-edge where Juag should be awaiting +us when we saw two men walking rapidly toward the same spot from +another direction. They did not see us, nor did they see Juag, +whom I now discovered hiding behind a low bush close to the verge +of the precipice which drops into the sea at this point. As quickly +as possible, without exposing our-selves too much to the enemy, we +hastened forward that we might reach Juag as quickly as they. + +But they noticed him first and immediately charged him, for one +of them had been his guard, and they had both been sent to search +for him, his escape having been discovered between the time he +left the cave and the time when I reached it. Evidently they had +wasted precious moments looking for him in other portions of the +mesa. + +When I saw that the two of them were rushing him, I called out to +attract their attention to the fact that they had more than a single +man to cope with. They paused at the sound of my voice and looked +about. + +When they discovered Dian and me they exchanged a few words, and one +of them continued toward Juag while the other turned upon us. As +he came nearer I saw that he carried in his hand one of my six-shooters, +but he was holding it by the barrel, evidently mistaking it for +some sort of warclub or tomahawk. + +I could scarce refrain a grin when I thought of the wasted +possibilities of that deadly revolver in the hands of an untutored +warrior of the stone age. Had he but reversed it and pulled the +trigger he might still be alive; maybe he is for all I know, since +I did not kill him then. When he was about twenty feet from me +I flung my javelin with a quick movement that I had learned from +Ghak. He ducked to avoid it, and instead of receiving it in his +heart, for which it was intended, he got it on the side of the +head. + +Down he went all in a heap. Then I glanced toward Juag. He was +having a most exciting time. The fellow pitted against Juag was a +veritable giant; he was hack-ing and hewing away at the poor slave +with a villainous-looking knife that might have been designed for +butch-ering mastodons. Step by step, he was forcing Juag back +toward the edge of the cliff with a fiendish cunning that permitted +his adversary no chance to side-step the terrible consequences of +retreat in this direction. I saw quickly that in another moment +Juag must de-liberately hurl himself to death over the precipice +or be pushed over by his foeman. + +And as I saw Juag's predicament I saw, too, in the same instant, +a way to relieve him. Leaping quickly to the side of the fellow +I had just felled, I snatched up my fallen revolver. It was +a desperate chance to take, and I realized it in the instant that +I threw the gun up from my hip and pulled the trigger. There was +no time to aim. Juag was upon the very brink of the chasm. His +relentless foe was pushing him hard, beat-ing at him furiously with +the heavy knife. + +And then the revolver spoke--loud and sharp. The giant threw his +hands above his head, whirled about like a huge top, and lunged +forward over the precipice. + +And Juag? + +He cast a single affrighted glance in my direction--never before, +of course, had he heard the report of a firearm--and with a howl +of dismay he, too, turned and plunged headforemost from sight. +Horror-struck, I hastened to the brink of the abyss just in time +to see two splashes upon the surface of the little cove below. + +For an instant I stood there watching with Dian at my side. Then, +to my utter amazement, I saw Juag rise to the surface and swim +strongly toward the boat. + +The fellow had dived that incredible distance and come up unharmed! + +I called to him to await us below, assuring him that he need have +no fear of my weapon, since it would harm only my enemies. He +shook his head and mut-tered something which I could not hear at +so great a distance; but when I pushed him he promised to wait for +us. At the same instant Dian caught my arm and pointed toward the +village. My shot had brought a crowd of natives on the run toward +us. + +The fellow whom I had stunned with my javelin had regained consciousness +and scrambled to his feet. He was now racing as fast as he could +go back toward his people. It looked mighty dark for Dian and me +with that ghastly descent between us and even the begin-nings of +liberty, and a horde of savage enemies ad-vancing at a rapid run. + +There was but one hope. That was to get Dian started for the bottom +without delay. I took her in my arms just for an instant--I felt, +somehow, that it might be for the last time. For the life of me +I couldn't see how both of us could escape. + +I asked her if she could make the descent alone--if she were not +afraid. She smiled up at me bravely and shrugged her shoulders. +She afraid! So beautiful is she that I am always having difficulty +in remembering that she is a primitive, half-savage cave girl of the +stone age, and often find myself mentally limiting her ca-pacities +to those of the effete and overcivilized beauties of the outer +crust. + +"And you?" she asked as she swung over the edge of the cliff. + +"I shall follow you after I take a shot or two at our friends," I +replied. "I just want to give them a taste of this new medicine +which is going to cure Pellucidar of all its ills. That will stop +them long enough for me to join you. Now hurry, and tell Juag to +be ready to shove off the moment I reach the boat, or the instant +that it becomes apparent that I cannot reach it. + +"You, Dian, must return to Sari if anything happens to me, that +you may devote your life to carrying out with Perry the hopes and +plans for Pellucidar that are so dear to my heart. Promise me, +dear." + +She hated to promise to desert me, nor would she; only shaking her +head and making no move to descend. The tribesmen were nearing +us. Juag was shouting up to us from below. It was evident that +he realized from my actions that I was attempting to persuade Dian +to descend, and that grave danger threatened us from above. + +"Dive!" he cried. "Dive!" + +I looked at Dian and then down at the abyss below us. The cove +appeared no larger than a saucer. How Juag ever had hit it I could +not guess. + +"Dive!" cried Juag. "It is the only way--there is no time to climb +down." + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ESCAPE + +Dian glanced downward and shuddered. Her tribe were hill people--they +were not accustomed to swim-ming other than in quiet rivers and +placid lakelets. It was not the steep that appalled her. It was +the ocean--vast, mysterious, terrible. + +To dive into it from this great height was beyond her. I couldn't +wonder, either. To have attempted it myself seemed too preposterous +even for thought. Only one consideration could have prompted me +to leap headforemost from that giddy height--suicide; or at least +so I thought at the moment. + +"Quick!" I urged Dian. "You cannot dive; but I can hold them until +you reach safety." + +"And you?" she asked once more. "Can you dive when they come too +close? Otherwise you could not escape if you waited here until I +reached the bottom." + +I saw that she would not leave me unless she thought that I could +make that frightful dive as we had seen Juag make it. I glanced +once downward; then with a mental shrug I assured her that I would +dive the mo-ment that she reached the boat. Satisfied, she began +the descent carefully, yet swiftly. I watched her for a moment, +my heart in my mouth lest some slight mis-step or the slipping of +a finger-hold should pitch her to a frightful death upon the rocks +below. + +Then I turned toward the advancing Hoojans--"Hoosiers," Perry dubbed +them--even going so far as to christen this island where Hooja held +sway Indiana; it is so marked now upon our maps. They were coming +on at a great rate. I raised my revolver, took deliberate aim at +the foremost warrior, and pulled the trigger. With the bark of +the gun the fellow lunged forward. His head doubled beneath him. +He rolled over and over two or three times before he came to a +stop, to lie very quietly in the thick grass among the brilliant +wild flowers. + +Those behind him halted. One of them hurled a javelin toward me, +but it fell short--they were just beyond javelin-range. There were +two armed with bows and arrows; these I kept my eyes on. All of +them appeared awe-struck and frightened by the sound and effect of +the firearm. They kept looking from the corpse to me and jabbering +among themselves. + +I took advantage of the lull in hostilities to throw a quick glance +over the edge toward Dian. She was half-way down the cliff and +progressing finely. Then I turned back toward the enemy. One of +the bowmen was fitting an arrow to his bow. I raised my hand. + +"Stop!" I cried. "Whoever shoots at me or advances toward me I +shall kill as I killed him!" + +I pointed at the dead man. The fellow lowered his bow. Again +there was animated discussion. I could see that those who were +not armed with bows were urging something upon the two who were. + +At last the majority appeared to prevail, for simul-taneously the +two archers raised their weapons. At the same instant I fired +at one of them, dropping him in his tracks. The other, however, +launched his missile, but the report of my gun had given him such +a start that the arrow flew wild above my head. A second after +and he, too, was sprawled upon the sward with a round hole between +his eyes. It had been a rather good shot. + +I glanced over the edge again. Dian was almost at the bottom. I +could see Juag standing just beneath her with his hands upstretched +to assist her. + +A sullen roar from the warriors recalled my attention toward them. +They stood shaking their fists at me and yelling insults. From +the direction of the village I saw a single warrior coming to join +them. He was a huge fellow, and when he strode among them I could +tell by his bearing and their deference toward him that he was a +chieftain. He listened to all they had to tell of the happenings +of the last few minutes; then with a command and a roar he started +for me with the whole pack at his heels. All they had needed had +arrived--namely, a brave leader. + +I had two unfired cartridges in the chambers of my gun. I let the +big warrior have one of them, thinking that his death would stop +them all. But I guess they were worked up to such a frenzy of rage +by this time that nothing would have stopped them. At any rate, +they only yelled the louder as he fell and increased their speed +toward me. I dropped another with my remaining cartridge. + +Then they were upon me--or almost. I thought of my promise +to Dian--the awful abyss was behind me--a big devil with a huge +bludgeon in front of me. I grasped my six-shooter by the barrel +and hurled it squarely in his face with all my strength. + +Then, without waiting to learn the effect of my throw, I wheeled, +ran the few steps to the edge, and leaped as far out over that +frightful chasm as I could. I know something of diving, and all +that I know I put into that dive, which I was positive would be my +last. + +For a couple of hundred feet I fell in horizontal position. The +momentum I gained was terrific. I could feel the air almost as +a solid body, so swiftly I hurtled through it. Then my position +gradually changed to the vertical, and with hands outstretched +I slipped through the air, cleaving it like a flying arrow. Just +before I struck the water a perfect shower of javelins fell all +about. My enemies bad rushed to the brink and hurled their weapons +after me. By a miracle I was untouched. + +In the final instant I saw that I had cleared the rocks and was +going to strike the water fairly. Then I was in and plumbing the +depths. I suppose I didn't really go very far down, but it seemed +to me that I should never stop. When at last I dared curve my hands +upward and divert my progress toward the sur-face, I thought that +I should explode for air before I ever saw the sun again except +through a swirl of water. But at last my bead popped above the +waves, and I filled my lungs with air. + +Before me was the boat, from which Juag and Dian were clambering. +I couldn't understand why they were deserting it now, when we were +about to set out for the mainland in it; but when I reached its +side I under-stood. Two heavy javelins, missing Dian and Juag by +but a hair's breadth, had sunk deep into the bottom of the dugout +in a straight line with the grain of the wood, and split her almost +in two from stem to stern. She was useless. + +Juag was leaning over a near-by rock, his hand out-stretched to aid +me in clambering to his side; nor did I lose any time in availing +myself of his proffered as-sistance. An occasional javelin was +still dropping perilously close to us, so we hastened to draw as +close as possible to the cliffside, where we were compara-tively +safe from the missiles. + +Here we held a brief conference, in which it was decided that our +only hope now lay in making for the opposite end of the island as +quickly as we could, and utilizing the boat that I had hidden there, +to con-tinue our journey to the mainland. + +Gathering up three of the least damaged javelins that had fallen +about us, we set out upon our journey, keeping well toward the +south side of the island, which Juag said was less frequented by +the Hoojans than the central portion where the river ran. I think +that this ruse must have thrown our pursuers off our track, since +we saw nothing of them nor heard any sound of pursuit during the +greater portion of our march the length of the island. + +But the way Juag had chosen was rough and round-about, so that we +consumed one or two more marches in covering the distance than if +we had followed the river. This it was which proved our undoing. + +Those who sought us must have sent a party up the river immediately +after we escaped; for when we came at last onto the river-trail not +far from our destination, there can be no doubt but that we were +seen by Hoojans who were just ahead of us on the stream. The +result was that as we were passing through a clump of bush a score +of warriors leaped out upon us, and before we could scarce strike +a blow in defense, had disarmed and bound us. + +For a time thereafter I seemed to be entirely bereft of hope. I +could see no ray of promise in the future--only immediate death +for Juag and me, which didn't concern me much in the face of what +lay in store for Dian. + +Poor child! What an awful life she had led! From the moment that +I had first seen her chained in the slave caravan of the Mahars +until now, a prisoner of a no less cruel creature, I could recall +but a few brief intervals of peace and quiet in her tempestuous +ex-istence. Before I had known her, Jubal the Ugly One had pursued +her across a savage world to make her his mate. She had eluded +him, and finally I had slain him; but terror and privations, and +exposure to fierce beasts had haunted her footsteps during all +her lonely flight from him. And when I had returned to the outer +world the old trials had recommenced with Hooja in Jubal's role. +I could almost have wished for death to vouchsafe her that peace +which fate seemed to deny her in this life. + +I spoke to her on the subject, suggesting that we expire together. + +"Do not fear, David," she replied. "I shall end my life before +ever Hooja can harm me; but first I shall see that Hooja dies." + +She drew from her breast a little leathern thong, to the end of +which was fastened a tiny pouch. + +"What have you there?" I asked. + +"Do you recall that time you stepped upon the thing you call viper +in your world?" she asked. + +I nodded. + +"The accident gave you the idea for the poisoned arrows with which +we fitted the warriors of the em-pire," she continued. "And, too, +it gave me an idea. For a long time I have carried a viper's fang +in my bosom. It has given me strength to endure many dan-gers, for +it has always assured me immunity from the ultimate insult. I am +not ready to die yet. First let Hooja embrace the viper's fang." + +So we did not die together, and I am glad now that we did not. It +is always a foolish thing to con-template suicide; for no matter +how dark the future may appear today, tomorrow may hold for us +that which will alter our whole life in an instant, revealing to +us nothing but sunshine and happiness. So, for my part, I shall +always wait for tomorrow. + +In Pellucidar, where it is always today, the wait may not be so long, +and so it proved for us. As we were passing a lofty, flat-topped +hill through a park-like wood a perfect network of fiber ropes fell +suddenly about our guard, enmeshing them. A moment later a horde +of our friends, the hairy gorilla-men, with the mild eyes and long +faces of sheep leaped among them. + +It was a very interesting fight. I was sorry that my bonds +prevented me from taking part in it, but I urged on the brutemen +with my voice, and cheered old Gr-gr-gr, their chief, each time +that his mighty jaws crunched out the life of a Hoojan. When the +battle was over we found that a few of our captors had escaped, +but the majority of them lay dead about us. The gorilla-men paid +no further attention to them. Gr-gr-gr turned to me. + +"Gr-gr-gr and all his people are your friends," he said. "One +saw the warriors of the Sly One and fol-lowed them. He saw them +capture you, and then he flew to the village as fast as he could +go and told me all that he had seen. The rest you know. You did +much for Gr-gr-gr and Gr-gr-gr's people. We shall always do much +for you." + +I thanked him; and when I had told him of our escape and our +destination, he insisted on accom-panying us to the sea with a great +number of his fierce males. Nor were we at all loath to accept +his escort. We found the canoe where I had hidden it, and bidding +Gr-gr-gr and his warriors farewell, the three of us embarked for +the mainland. + +I questioned Juag upon the feasibility of attempting to cross to +the mouth of the great river of which he had told me, and up which +he said we might paddle almost to Sari; but he urged me not to +attempt it, since we had but a single paddle and no water or food. +I had to admit the wisdom of his advice, but the desire to explore +this great waterway was strong upon me, arousing in me at last a +determination to make the attempt after first gaining the mainland +and rectify-ing our deficiencies. + +We landed several miles north of Thuria in a little cove that +seemed to offer protection from the heavier seas which sometimes +run, even upon these usually pacific oceans of Pellucidar. Here I +outlined to Dian and Juag the plans I had in mind. They were to +fit the canoe with a small sail, the purposes of which I had to +explain to them both--since neither had ever seen or heard of such +a contrivance before. Then they were to hunt for food which we +could transport with us, and prepare a receptacle for water. + +These two latter items were more in Juag's line, but he kept muttering +about the sail and the wind for a long time. I could see that he +was not even half convinced that any such ridiculous contraption +could make a canoe move through the water. + +We hunted near the coast for a while, but were pot rewarded with any +particular luck. Finally we decided to hide the canoe and strike +inland in search of game. At Juag's suggestion we dug a hole +in the sand at the upper edge of the beach and buried the craft, +smooth-ing the surface over nicely and throwing aside the excess +material we had excavated. Then we set out away from the sea. +Traveling in Thuria is less arduous than under the midday sun which +perpetually glares down on the rest of Pellucidar's surface; but +it has its draw-backs, one of which is the depressing influence +exerted by the everlasting shade of the Land of Awful Shadow. + +The farther inland we went the darker it became, until we were +moving at last through an endless twi-light. The vegetation here +was sparse and of a weird, colorless nature, though what did grow +was wondrous in shape and form. Often we saw huge lidi, or beasts +of burden, striding across the dim landscape, browsing upon the +grotesque vegetation or drinking from the slow and sullen rivers +that run down from the Lidi Plains to empty into the sea in Thuria. + +What we sought was either a thag--a sort of gigantic elk--or one +of the larger species of antelope, the flesh of either of which +dries nicely in the sun. The bladder of the thag would make a +fine water-bottle, and its skin, I figured, would be a good sail. +We traveled a considerable distance inland, entirely crossing the +Land of Awful Shadow and emerging at last upon that portion of +the Lidi Plains which lies in the pleasant sunlight. Above us the +pendent world revolved upon its axis, filling me especially--and +Dian to an almost equal state--with wonder and insatiable curiosity +as to what strange forms of life existed among the hills and valleys +and along the seas and rivers, which we could plainly see. + +Before us stretched the horizonless expanses of vast Pellucidar, the +Lidi Plains rolling up about us, while hanging high in the heavens +to the northwest of us I thought I discerned the many towers which +marked the entrances to the distant Mahar city, whose in-habitants +preyed upon the Thurians. + +Juag suggested that we travel to the northeast, where, he said, +upon the verge of the plain we would find a wooded country in which +game should be plentiful. Acting upon his advice, we came at last +to a forest-jungle, through which wound innumerable game-paths. +In the depths of this forbidding wood we came upon the fresh spoor +of thag. + +Shortly after, by careful stalking, we came within javelin-range +of a small herd. Selecting a great bull, Juag and I hurled our +weapons simultaneously, Dian reserving hers for an emergency. The +beast staggered to his feet, bellowing. The rest of the herd was +up and away in an instant, only the wounded bull remaining, with +lowered head and roving eyes searching for the foe. + +Then Juag exposed himself to the view of the bull--it is a part of +the tactics of the hunt--while I stepped to one side behind a bush. +The moment that the savage beast saw Juag he charged him. Juag ran +straight away, that the bull might be lured past my hiding-place. +On he came--tons of mighty bestial strength and rage. + +Dian had slipped behind me. She, too, could fight a thag should +emergency require. Ah, such a girl! A rightful empress of a stone +age by every standard which two worlds might bring to measure her! + +Crashing down toward us came the bull thag, bel-lowing and snorting, +with the power of a hundred outer-earthly bulls. When he was +opposite me I sprang for the heavy mane that covered his huge neck. +To tangle my fingers in it was the work of but an instant. Then +I was running along at the beast's shoulder. + +Now, the theory upon which this hunting custom is based is one +long ago discovered by experience, and that is that a thag cannot +be turned from his charge once he has started toward the object of +his wrath, so long as he can still see the thing he charges. He +evidently believes that the man clinging to his mane is attempting +to restrain him from overtaking his prey, and so he pays no attention +to this enemy, who, of course, does not retard the mighty charge +in the least. + +Once in the gait of the plunging bull, it was but a slight matter +to vault to his back, as cavalrymen mount their chargers upon the +run. Juag was still run-ning in plain sight ahead of the bull. His +speed was but a trifle less than that of the monster that pursued +him. These Pellucidarians are almost as fleet as deer; because I +am not is one reason that I am always chosen for the close-in work +of the thag-hunt. I could not keep in front of a charging thag +long enough to give the killer time to do his work. I learned that +the first--and last--time I tried it. + +Once astride the bull's neck, I drew my long stone knife and, setting +the point carefully over the brute's spine, drove it home with +both hands. At the same in-stant I leaped clear of the stumbling +animal. Now, no vertebrate can progress far with a knife through +his spine, and the thag is no exception to the rule. + +The fellow was down instantly. As he wallowed Juag returned, and +the two of us leaped in when an opening afforded the opportunity +and snatched our javelins from his side. Then we danced about him, +more like two savages than anything else, until we got the opening +we were looking for, when simulta-neously, our javelins pierced +his wild heart, stilling it forever. + +The thag had covered considerable ground from the point at which I +had leaped upon him. When, after despatching him, I looked back for +Dian, I could see nothing of her. I called aloud, but receiving no +reply, set out at a brisk trot to where I had left her. I had no +difficulty in finding the self-same bush behind which we had hidden, +but Dian was not there. Again and again I called, to be rewarded +only by silence. Where could she be? What could have become of +her in the brief interval since I had seen her standing just behind +me? + + + +CHAPTER XII + +KIDNAPED! + +I searched about the spot carefully. At last I was re-warded by +the discovery of her javelin, a few yards from the bush that had +concealed us from the charging thag--her javelin and the indications +of a struggle revealed by the trampled vegetation and the overlap-ping +footprints of a woman and a man. Filled with consternation and +dismay, I followed these latter to where they suddenly disappeared +a hundred yards from where the struggle had occurred. There I saw +the huge imprints of a lidi's feet. + +The story of the tragedy was all too plain. A Thurian had either +been following us, or had accidentally espied Dian and taken a fancy +to her. While Juag and I had been engaged with the thag, he had +abducted her. I ran swiftly back to where Juag was working over +the kill. As I approached him I saw that some-thing was wrong in +this quarter as well, for the islander was standing upon the carcass +of the thag, his javelin poised for a throw. + +When I had come nearer I saw the cause of his belligerent attitude. +Just beyond him stood two large jaloks, or wolf-dogs, regarding him +intently--a male and a female. Their behavior was rather peculiar, +for they did not seem preparing to charge him. Rather, they were +contemplating him in an attitude of question-ing. + +Juag heard me coming and turned toward me with a grin. These +fellows love excitement. I could see by his expression that he was +enjoying in anticipation the battle that seemed imminent. But he +never hurled his javelin. A shout of warning from me stopped him, +for I had seen the remnants of a rope dangling from the neck of +the male jalok. + +Juag again turned toward me, but this time in sur-prise. I was +abreast him in a moment and, passing him, walked straight toward +the two beasts. As I did so the female crouched with bared fangs. +The male, however, leaped forward to meet me, not in deadly charge, +but with every expression of delight and joy which the poor animal +could exhibit. + +It was Raja--the jalok whose life I had saved, and whom I then had +tamed! There was no doubt that he was glad to see me. I now think +that his seeming desertion of me had been but due to a desire to +search out his ferocious mate and bring her, too, to live with me. + +When Juag saw me fondling the great beast he was filled with +consternation, but I did not have much time to spare to Raja while +my mind was filled with the grief of my new loss. I was glad to +see the brute, and I lost no time in taking him to Juag and making +him understand that Juag, too, was to be Raja's friend. With the +female the matter was more difficult, but Raja helped us out by +growling savagely at her whenever she bared her fangs against us. + +I told Juag of the disappearance of Dian, and of my suspicions as +to the explanation of the catastrophe. He wanted to start right +out after her, but I suggested that with Raja to help me it might +be as well were he to remain and skin the thag, remove its bladder, +and then return to where we had hidden the canoe on the beach. And +so it was arranged that he was to do this and await me there for +a reasonable time. I pointed to a great lake upon the surface of +the pendent world above us, telling him that if after this lake +had ap-peared four times I had not returned to go either by water +or land to Sari and fetch Ghak with an army. Then, calling Raja +after me, I set out after Dian and her abductor. First I took the +wolf dog to the spot where the man had fought with Dian. A few +paces behind us followed Raja's fierce mate. I pointed to the +ground where the evidences of the struggle were plainest and where +the scent must have been strong to Raja's nostrils. + +Then I grasped the remnant of leash that hung about his neck and +urged him forward upon the trail. He seemed to understand. With +nose to ground he set out upon his task. Dragging me after him, +he trotted straight out upon the Lidi Plains, turning his steps +in the direc-tion of the Thurian village. I could have guessed as +much! + +Behind us trailed the female. After a while she closed upon us, +until she ran quite close to me and at Raja's side. It was not +long before she seemed as easy in my company as did her lord and +master. + +We must have covered considerable distance at a very rapid pace, +for we had re-entered the great shadow, when we saw a huge lidi +ahead of us, moving leisurely across the level plain. Upon its +back were two human figures. If I could have known that the jaloks +would not harm Dian I might have turned them loose upon the lidi +and its master; but I could not know, and so dared take no chances. + +However, the matter was taken out of my hands presently when Raja +raised his head and caught sight of his quarry. With a lunge that +hurled me flat and jerked the leash from my hand, he was gone with +the speed of the wind after the giant lidi and its riders. At his +side raced his shaggy mate, only a trifle smaller than he and no +whit less savage. + +They did not give tongue until the lidi itself dis-covered them and +broke into a lumbering, awkward, but none the less rapid gallop. +Then the two hound-beasts commenced to bay, starting with a low, +plaintive note that rose, weird and hideous, to terminate in a series +of short, sharp yelps. I feared that it might be the hunting-call +of the pack; and if this were true, there would be slight chance +for either Dian or her abductor--or myself, either, as far as +that was concerned. So I redoubled my efforts to keep pace with +the hunt; but I might as well have attempted to distance the bird +upon the wing; as I have often reminded you, I am no runner. In +that instance it was just as well that I am not, for my very +slowness of foot played into my hands; while had I been fleeter, +I might have lost Dian that time forever. + +The lidi, with the hounds running close on either side, had +almost disappeared in the darkness that en-veloped the surrounding +landscape, when I noted that it was bearing toward the right. This +was accounted for by the fact that Raja ran upon his left side, +and unlike his mate, kept leaping for the great beast's shoul-der. +The man on the lidi's back was prodding at the hyaenodon with his +long spear, but still Raja kept springing up and snapping. + +The effect of this was to turn the lidi toward the right, and the +longer I watched the procedure the more convinced I became that +Raja and his mate were work-ing together with some end in view, +for the she-dog merely galloped steadily at the lidi's right about +op-posite his rump. + +I had seen jaloks hunting in packs, and I recalled now what for the +time I had not thought of--the several that ran ahead and turned +the quarry back toward the main body. This was precisely what Raja +and his mate were doing--they were turning the lidi back toward +me, or at least Raja was. Just why the female was keeping out of +it I did not understand, unless it was that she was not entirely +clear in her own mind as to precisely what her mate was attempt-ing. + +At any rate, I was sufficiently convinced to stop where I was and +await developments, for I could readily realize two things. One +was that I could never overhaul them before the damage was done if +they should pull the lidi down now. The other thing was that if +they did not pull it down for a few minutes it would have completed +its circle and returned close to where I stood. + +And this is just what happened. The lot of them were almost, +swallowed up in the twilight for a mo-ment. Then they reappeared +again, but this time far to the right and circling back in my +general direction. I waited until I could get some clear idea of +the right spot to gain that I might intercept the lidi; but even as +I waited I saw the beast attempt to turn still more to the right--a +move that would have carried him far to my left in a much more +circumscribed circle than the hyaenodons had mapped out for him. +Then I saw the female leap forward and head him; and when he would +have gone too far to the left, Raja sprang, snapping at his shoulder +and held him straight. + +Straight for me the two savage beasts were driving their quarry! +It was wonderful. + +It was something else, too, as I realized while the monstrous beast +neared me. It was like standing in the middle of the tracks in +front of an approaching express-train. But I didn't dare waver; +too much de-pended upon my meeting that hurtling mass of terrified +flesh with a well-placed javelin. So I stood there, wait-ing to +be run down and crushed by those gigantic feet, but determined to +drive home my weapon in the broad breast before I fell. + +The lidi was only about a hundred yards from me when Raja gave a +few barks in a tone that differed materially from his hunting-cry. +Instantly both he and his mate leaped for the long neck of the +ruminant. + +Neither missed. Swinging in mid-air, they hung te-naciously, their +weight dragging down the creature's head and so retarding its speed +that before it had reached me it was almost stopped and devoting +all its energies to attempting to scrape off its attackers with +its forefeet. + +Dian had seen and recognized me, and was trying to extricate herself +from the grasp of her captor, who, handicapped by his strong and +agile prisoner, was un-able to wield his lance effectively upon the +two jaloks. At the same time I was running swiftly toward them. + +When the man discovered me he released his hold upon Dian and sprang +to the ground, ready with his lance to meet me. My javelin was no +match for his longer weapon, which was used more for stabbing than +as a missile. Should I miss him at my first cast, as was quite +probable, since he was prepared for me, I would have to face his +formidable lance with nothing more than a stone knife. The outlook +was scarcely entrancing. Evidently I was soon to be absolutely at +his mercy. + +Seeing my predicament, he ran toward me to get rid of one antagonist +before he had to deal with the other two. He could not guess, of +course, that the two jaloks were hunting with me; but he doubtless +thought that after they had finished the lidi they would make after +the human prey--the beasts are notorious killers, often slaying +wantonly. + +But as the Thurian came Raja loosened his hold upon the lidi and +dashed for him, with the female close after. When the man saw +them he yelled to me to help him, protesting that we should both +be killed if we did not fight together. But I only laughed at him +and ran toward Dian. + +Both the fierce beasts were upon the Thurian simul-taneously--he +must have died almost before his body tumbled to the ground. Then +the female wheeled to-ward Dian. I was standing by her side as +the thing charged her, my javelin ready to receive her. + +But again Raja was too quick for me. I imagined he thought she was +making for me, for he couldn't have known anything of my relations +toward Dian. At any rate he leaped full upon her back and dragged +her down. There ensued forthwith as terrible a battle as one would +wish to see if battles were gaged by volume of noise and riotousness +of action. I thought that both the beasts would be torn to shreds. + +When finally the female ceased to struggle and rolled over on her +back, her forepaws limply folded, I was sure that she was dead. +Raja stood over her, growling, his jaws close to her throat. Then +I saw that neither of them bore a scratch. The male had simply +admin-istered a severe drubbing to his mate. It was his way of +teaching her that I was sacred. + +After a moment he moved away and let her rise, when she set about +smoothing down her rumpled coat, while he came stalking toward +Dian and me. I had an arm about Dian now. As Raja came close I +caught him by the neck and pulled him up to me. There I stroked +him and talked to him, bidding Dian do the same, until I think he +pretty well understood that if I was his friend, so was Dian. + +For a long time he was inclined to be shy of her, often baring his +teeth at her approach, and it was a much longer time before the +female made friends with us. But by careful kindness, by never +eating without sharing our meat with them, and by feeding them from +our hands, we finally won the confidence of both animals. However, +that was a long time after. + +With the two beasts trotting after us, we returned to where we had +left Juag. Here I had the dickens' own time keeping the female from +Juag's throat. Of all the venomous, wicked, cruel-hearted beasts +on two worlds, I think a female hyaenodon takes the palm. + +But eventually she tolerated Juag as she had Dian and me, and the +five of us set out toward the coast, for Juag had just completed +his labors on the thag when we arrived. We ate some of the meat +before starting, and gave the hounds some. All that we could we +car-ried upon our backs. + +On the way to the canoe we met with no mishaps. Dian told me that +the fellow who had stolen her had come upon her from behind while +the roaring of the thag had drowned all other noises, and that the +first she had known he had disarmed her and thrown her to the back +of his lidi, which had been lying down close by waiting for him. +By the time the thag had ceased bellowing the fellow had got well +away upon his swift mount. By holding one palm over her mouth he +had prevented her calling for help. + +"I thought," she concluded, "that I should have to use the viper's +tooth, after all." + +We reached the beach at last and unearthed the canoe. Then we +busied ourselves stepping a mast and rigging a small sail--Juag +and I, that is--while Dian cut the thag meat into long strips for +drying when we should be out in the sunlight once more. + +At last all was done. We were ready to embark. I had no difficulty +in getting Raja aboard the dugout; but Ranee--as we christened her +after I had ex-plained to Dian the meaning of Raja and its feminine +equivalent--positively refused for a time to follow her mate aboard. +In fact, we had to shove off without her. After a moment, however, +she plunged into the water and swam after us. + +I let her come alongside, and then Juag and I pulled her in, she +snapping and snarling at us as we did so; but, strange to relate, +she didn't offer to attack us after we had ensconced her safely in +the bottom alongside Raja. + +The canoe behaved much better under sail than I had hoped--infinitely +better than the battle-ship Sari had--and we made good progress +almost due west across the gulf, upon the opposite side of which +I hoped to find the mouth of the river of which Juag had told me. + +The islander was much interested and impressed by the sail and its +results. He had not been able to under-stand exactly what I hoped +to accomplish with it while we were fitting up the boat; but when +he saw the clumsy dugout move steadily through the water with-out +paddles, he was as delighted as a child. We made splendid headway +on the trip, coming into sight of land at last. + +Juag had been terror-stricken when he had learned that I intended +crossing the ocean, and when we passed out of sight of land be was +in a blue funk. He said that he had never heard of such a thing +before in his life, and that always he had understood that those +who ventured far from land never returned; for how could they find +their way when they could see no land to steer for? + +I tried to explain the compass to him; and though he never really +grasped the scientific explanation of it, yet he did learn to +steer by it quite as well as I. We passed several islands on the +journey--islands which Juag told me were entirely unknown to his +own island folk. Indeed, our eyes may have been the first ever to +rest upon them. I should have liked to stop off and explore them, +but the business of empire would brook no unnecessary delays. + +I asked Juag how Hooja expected to reach the mouth of the river +which we were in search of if he didn't cross the gulf, and the +islander explained that Hooja would undoubtedly follow the coast +around. For some time we sailed up the coast searching for the +river, and at last we found it. So great was it that I thought it +must be a mighty gulf until the mass of driftwood that came out upon +the first ebb tide convinced me that it was the mouth of a river. +There were the trunks of trees uprooted by the undermining of the +river banks, giant creepers, flowers, grasses, and now and then +the body of some land animal or bird. + +I was all excitement to commence our upward jour-ney when there +occurred that which I had never before seen within Pellucidar--a +really terrific wind-storm. It blew down the river upon us with +a ferocity and sud-denness that took our breaths away, and before +we could get a chance to make the shore it became too late. The +best that we could do was to hold the scud-ding craft before the +wind and race along in a smother of white spume. Juag was terrified. +If Dian was, she hid it; for was she not the daughter of a once +great chief, the sister of a king, and the mate of an emperor? + +Raja and Ranee were frightened. The former crawled close to my +side and buried his nose against me. Finally even fierce Ranee +was moved to seek sympathy from a human being. She slunk to Dian, +pressing close against her and whimpering, while Dian stroked her +shaggy neck and talked to her as I talked to Raja. + +There was nothing for us to do but try to keep the canoe right side +up and straight before the wind. For what seemed an eternity the +tempest neither increased nor abated. I judged that we must have +blown a hun-dred miles before the wind and straight out into an +unknown sea! + +As suddenly as the wind rose it died again, and when it died it +veered to blow at right angles to its former course in a gentle +breeze. I asked Juag then what our course was, for he had had +the compass last. It had been on a leather thong about his neck. +When he felt for it, the expression that came into his eyes told +me as plainly as words what had happened--the compass was lost! +The compass was lost! + +And we were out of sight of land without a single celestial body to +guide us! Even the pendent world was not visible from our position! + +Our plight seemed hopeless to me, but I dared not let Dian and Juag +guess how utterly dismayed I was; though, as I soon discovered, +there was nothing to be gained by trying to keep the worst from +Juag--he knew it quite as well as I. He had always known, from +the legends of his people, the dangers of the open sea beyond the +sight of land. The compass, since he had learned its uses from +me, had been all that he had to buoy his hope of eventual salvation +from the watery deep. He had seen how it had guided me across +the water to the very coast that I desired to reach, and so he had +implicit confidence in it. Now that it was gone, his confidence +had departed, also. + +There seemed but one thing to do; that was to keep on sailing +straight before the wind--since we could travel most rapidly along +that course--until we sighted land of some description. If it +chanced to be the mainland, well and good; if an island--well, we +might live upon an island. We certainly could not live long in +this little boat, with only a few strips of dried thag and a few +quarts of water left. + +Quite suddenly a thought occurred to me. I was surprised that it +had not come before as a solution to our problem. I turned toward +Juag. + +"You Pellucidarians are endowed with a wonderful instinct," +I reminded him, "an instinct that points the way straight to your +homes, no matter in what strange land you may find yourself. Now +all we have to do is let Dian guide us toward Amoz, and we shall +come in a short time to the same coast whence we just were blown." + +As I spoke I looked at them with a smile of re-newed hope; but there +was no answering smile in their eyes. It was Dian who enlightened +me. + +"We could do all this upon land," she said. "But upon the water +that power is denied us. I do not know why; but I have always heard +that this is true--that only upon the water may a Pellucidarian be +lost. This is, I think, why we all fear the great ocean so--even +those who go upon its surface in canoes. Juag has told us that +they never go beyond the sight of land." + +We had lowered the sail after the blow while we were discussing the +best course to pursue. Our little craft had been drifting idly, +rising and falling with the great waves that were now diminishing. +Sometimes we were upon the crest--again in the hollow. As Dian +ceased speaking she let her eyes range across the limitless expanse +of billowing waters. We rose to a great height upon the crest of +a mighty wave. As we topped it Dian gave an exclamation and pointed +astern. + +"Boats!" she cried. "Boats! Many, many boats!" + +Juag and I leaped to our feet; but our little craft had now dropped +to the trough, and we could see nothing but walls of water close +upon either hand. We waited for the next wave to lift us, and +when it did we strained our eyes in the direction that Dian had +indicated. Sure enough, scarce half a mile away were several boats, +and scattered far and wide behind us as far as we could see were +many others! We could not make them out in the distance or in the +brief glimpse that we caught of them before we were plunged again +into the next wave canon; but they were boats. + +And in them must be human beings like ourselves. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +RACING FOR LIFE + +At last the sea subsided, and we were able to get a better view of +the armada of small boats in our wake. There must have been two +hundred of them. Juag said that he had never seen so many boats +before in all his life. Where had they come from? Juag was first +to hazard a guess. + +"Hooja," he said, "was building many boats to carry his warriors to +the great river and up it toward Sari. He was building them with +almost all his warriors and many slaves upon the Island of Trees. +No one else in all the history of Pellucidar has ever built so many +boats as they told me Hooja was building. These must be Hooja's +boats." + +"And they were blown out to sea by the great storm just as we were," +suggested Dian. + +"There can be no better explanation of them," I agreed. + +"What shall we do?" asked Juag. + +"Suppose we make sure that they are really Hooja's people," suggested +Dian. "It may be that they are not, and that if we run away from +them before we learn definitely who they are, we shall be running +away from a chance to live and find the mainland. They may be a +people of whom we have never even heard, and if so we can ask them +to help us--if they know the way to the mainland." + +"Which they will not,' interposed Juag. + +"Well," I said, "it can't make our predicament any more trying to +wait until we find out who they are. They are heading for us now. +Evidently they have spied our sail, and guess that we do not belong +to their fleet." + +"They probably want to ask the way to the mainland themselves," +said Juag, who was nothing if not a pes-simist. + +"If they want to catch us, they can do it if they can paddle faster +than we can sail," I said. "If we let them come close enough to +discover their identity, and can then sail faster than they can +paddle, we can get away from them anyway, so we might as well wait." + +And wait we did. + +The sea calmed rapidly, so that by the time the foremost canoe had +come within five hundred yards of us we could see them all plainly. +Every one was headed for us. The dugouts, which were of unusual +length, were manned by twenty paddlers, ten to a side. Besides +the paddlers there were twenty-five or more warriors in each boat. + +When the leader was a hundred yards from us Dian called our attention +to the fact that several of her crew were Sagoths. That convinced +us that the flotilla was indeed Hooja's. I told Juag to hail them +and get what information he could, while I remained in the bottom +of our canoe as much out of sight as possible. Dian lay down at +full length in the bottom; I did not want them to see and recognize +her if they were in truth Hooja's people. + +"Who are you?" shouted Juag, standing up in the boat and making a +megaphone of his palms. + +A figure arose in the bow of the leading canoe--a figure that I +was sure I recognized even before he spoke. + +"I am Hooja!" cried the man, in answer to Juag. + +For some reason he did not recognize his former prisoner and +slave--possibly because he had so many of them. + +"I come from the Island of Trees," he continued. "A hundred of +my boats were lost in the great storm and all their crews drowned. +Where is the land? What are you, and what strange thing is that +which flutters from the little tree in the front of your canoe?" + +He referred to our sail, flapping idly in the wind. + +"We, too, are lost," replied Juag. "We know not where the land +is. We are going back to look for it now." + +So saying he commenced to scull the canoe's nose before the wind, +while I made fast the primitive sheets that held our crude sail. +We thought it time to be going. + +There wasn't much wind at the time, and the heavy, lumbering dugout +was slow in getting under way. I thought it never would gain any +momentum. And all the while Hooja's canoe was drawing rapidly +nearer, propelled by the strong arms of his twenty paddlers. Of +course, their dugout was much larger than ours, and, consequently, +infinitely heavier and more cum-bersome; nevertheless, it was +coming along at quite a clip, and ours was yet but barely moving. +Dian and I remained out of sight as much as possible, for the two +craft were now well within bow-shot of one an-other, and I knew +that Hooja had archers. + +Hooja called to Juag to stop when he saw that our craft was moving. +He was much interested in the sail, and not a little awed, as I +could tell by his shouted remarks and questions. Raising my head, +I saw him plainly. He would have made an excellent target for one +of my guns, and I had never been sorrier that I had lost them. + +We were now picking up speed a trifle, and he was not gaining upon +us so fast as at first. In consequence, his requests that we stop +suddenly changed to com-mands as he became aware that we were trying +to escape him. + +"Come back!" he shouted. "Come back, or I'll fire!" + +I use the word fire because it more nearly translates into English +the Pellucidarian word trag, which covers the launching of any +deadly missile. + +But Juag only seized his paddle more tightly--the paddle that +answered the purpose of rudder, and com-menced to assist the wind +by vigorous strokes. Then Hooja gave the command to some of his +archers to fire upon us. I couldn't lie hidden in the bottom of +the boat, leaving Juag alone exposed to the deadly shafts, so I +arose and, seizing another paddle, set to work to help him. Dian +joined me, though I did my best to persuade her to remain sheltered; +but being a woman, she must have her own way. + +The instant that Hooja saw us he recognized us. The whoop of +triumph he raised indicated how certain he was that we were about +to fall into his hands. A shower of arrows fell about us. Then +Hooja caused his men to cease firing--he wanted us alive. None of +the mis-siles struck us, for Hooja's archers were not nearly the +marksmen that are my Sarians and Amozites. + +We had now gained sufficient headway to hold our own on about +even terms with Hooja's paddlers. We did not seem to be gaining, +though; and neither did they. How long this nerve-racking experience +lasted I cannot guess, though we had pretty nearly finished our +meager supply of provisions when the wind picked up a bit and we +commenced to draw away. + +Not once yet had we sighted land, nor could I understand it, since +so many of the seas I had seen before were thickly dotted with +islands. Our plight was anything but pleasant, yet I think that +Hooja and his forces were even worse off than we, for they had no +food nor water at all. + +Far out behind us in a long line that curved upward in the distance, +to be lost in the haze, strung Hooja's two hundred boats. But +one would have been enough to have taken us could it have come +alongside. We had drawn some fifty yards ahead of Hooja--there +had been times when we were scarce ten yards in advance-and were +feeling considerably safer from capture. Hooja's men, working in +relays, were com-mencing to show the effects of the strain under +which they had been forced to work without food or water, and I think +their weakening aided us almost as much as the slight freshening +of the wind. + +Hooja must have commenced to realize that he was going to lose +us, for he again gave orders that we be fired upon. Volley after +volley of arrows struck about us. The distance was so great by this +time that most of the arrows fell short, while those that reached +us were sufficiently spent to allow us to ward them off with our +paddles. However, it was a most exciting ordeal. + +Hooja stood in the bow of his boat, alternately urging his men to +greater speed and shouting epithets at me. But we continued to +draw away from him. At last the wind rose to a fair gale, and we +simply raced away from our pursuers as if they were standing still. +Juag was so tickled that he forgot all about his hunger and thirst. +I think that he had never been entirely recon-ciled to the heathenish +invention which I called a sail, and that down in the bottom of +his heart he believed that the paddlers would eventually overhaul +us; but now he couldn't praise it enough. + +We had a strong gale for a considerable time, and eventually dropped +Hooja's fleet so far astern that we could no longer discern them. +And then--ah, I shall never forget that moment--Dian sprang to her +feet with a cry of "Land!" + +Sure enough, dead ahead, a long, low coast stretched across our +bow. It was still a long way off, and we couldn't make out whether +it was island or mainland; but at least it was land. If ever +shipwrecked mariners were grateful, we were then. Raja and Ranee +were commencing to suffer for lack of food, and I could swear that +the latter often cast hungry glances upon us, though I am equally +sure that no such hideous thoughts ever entered the head of her +mate. We watched them both most closely, however. Once while +stroking Ranee I managed to get a rope around her neck and make her +fast to the side of the boat. Then I felt a bit safer for Dian. +It was pretty close quarters in that little dugout for three human +beings and two practically wild, man-eating dogs; but we had to +make the best of it, since I would not listen to Juag's sug-gestion +that we kill and eat Raja and Ranee. + +We made good time to within a few miles of the shore. Then the wind +died suddenly out. We were all of us keyed up to such a pitch of +anticipation that the blow was doubly hard to bear. And it was a +blow, too, since we could not tell in what quarter the wind might +rise again; but Juag and I set to work to paddle the remaining +distance. + +Almost immediately the wind rose again from pre-cisely the opposite +direction from which it had formerly blown, so that it was mighty +hard work making progress against it. Next it veered again so that +we had to turn and run with it parallel to the coast to keep from +being swamped in the trough of the seas. + +And while we were suffering all these disappoint-ments Hooja's +fleet appeared in the distance! + +They evidently had gone far to the left of our course, for they were +now almost behind us as we ran parallel to the coast; but we were +not much afraid of being overtaken in the wind that was blowing. The +gale kept on increasing, but it was fitful, swooping down upon us +in great gusts and then going almost calm for an instant. It was +after one of these momentary calms that the catastrophe occurred. +Our sail hung limp and our momentum decreased when of a sudden +a par-ticularly vicious squall caught us. Before I could cut the +sheets the mast had snapped at the thwart in which it was stepped. + +The worst had happened; Juag and I seized paddles and kept the +canoe with the wind; but that squall was the parting shot of the +gale, which died out immediately after, leaving us free to make +for the shore, which we lost no time in attempting. But Hooja had +drawn closer in toward shore than we, so it looked as if he might +head us off before we could land. However, we did our best to +distance him, Dian taking a paddle with us. + +We were in a fair way to succeed when there ap-peared, pouring +from among the trees beyond the beach, a horde of yelling, painted +savages, brandishing all sorts of devilish-looking primitive weapons. +So menac-ing was their attitude that we realized at once the folly +of attempting to land among them. + +Hooja was drawing closer to us. There was no wind. We could not +hope to outpaddle him. And with our sail gone, no wind would help +us, though, as if in derision at our plight, a steady breeze was +now blowing. But we had no intention of sitting idle while our +fate overtook us, so we bent to our paddles and, keeping parallel +with the coast, did our best to pull away from our pursuers. + +It was a grueling experience. We were weakened by lack of food. We +were suffering the pangs of thirst. Capture and death were close +at hand. Yet I think that we gave a good account of ourselves +in our final effort to escape. Our boat was so much smaller and +lighter than any of Hooja's that the three of us forced it ahead +almost as rapidly as his larger craft could go under their twenty +paddles. + +As we raced along the coast for one of those seem-ingly interminable +periods that may draw hours into eternities where the labor is +soul-searing and there is no way to measure time, I saw what I took +for the opening to a bay or the mouth of a great river a short +distance ahead of us. I wished that we might make for it; but +with the menace of Hooja close behind and the screaming natives +who raced along the shore paral-lel to us, I dared not attempt it. + +We were not far from shore in that mad flight from death. Even +as I paddled I found opportunity to glance occasionally toward +the natives. They were white, but hideously painted. From their +gestures and weapons I took them to be a most ferocious race. I +was rather glad that we had not succeeded in landing among them. + +Hooja's fleet had been in much more compact forma-tion when we +sighted them this time than on the occasion following the tempest. +Now they were moving rapidly in pursuit of us, all well within the +radius of a mile. Five of them were leading, all abreast, and were +scarce two hundred yards from us. When I glanced over my shoulder +I could see that the archers had already fitted arrows to their +bows in readiness to fire upon us the moment that they should draw +within range. + +Hope was low in my breast. I could not see the slightest chance +of escaping them, for they were over-hauling us rapidly now, since +they were able to work their paddles in relays, while we three were +rapidly wearying beneath the constant strain that had been put upon +us. + +It was then that Juag called my attention to the rift in the +shore-line which I had thought either a bay or the mouth of a great +river. There I saw moving slowly out into the sea that which filled +my soul with wonder. + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +GORE AND DREAMS + +It was a two-masted felucca with lateen sails! The craft was long +and low. In it were more than fifty men, twenty or thirty of whom +were at oars with which the craft was being propelled from the lee +of the land. I was dumbfounded. + +Could it be that the savage, painted natives I had seen on shore +had so perfected the art of navigation that they were masters of +such advanced building and rigging as this craft proclaimed? It +seemed impossible! And as I looked I saw another of the same type +swing into view and follow its sister through the narrow strait +out into the ocean. + +Nor were these all. One after another, following closely upon one +another's heels, came fifty of the trim, graceful vessels. They +were cutting in between Hooja's fleet and our little dugout, + +When they came a bit closer my eyes fairly popped from my head +at what I saw, for in the eye of the leading felucca stood a man +with a sea-glass leveled upon us. Who could they be? Was there +a civilization within Pellucidar of such wondrous advancement as +this? Were there far-distant lands of which none of my people had +ever heard, where a race had so greatly outstripped all other races +of this inner world? + +The man with the glass had lowered it and was shouting to us. I +could not make out his words, but presently I saw that he was +pointing aloft. When I looked I saw a pennant fluttering from the +peak of the forward lateen yard--a red, white, and blue pen-nant, +with a single great white star in a field of blue. + +Then I knew. My eyes went even wider than they had before. It +was the navy! It was the navy of the empire of Pellucidar which I +had instructed Perry to build in my absence. It was MY navy! + +I dropped my paddle and stood up and shouted and waved my hand. +Juag and Dian looked at me as if I had gone suddenly mad. When I +could stop shouting I told them, and they shared my joy and shouted +with me. + +But still Hooja was coming nearer, nor could the leading felucca +overhaul him before he would be along-side or at least within +bow-shot. + +Hooja must have been as much mystified as we were as to the identity +of the strange fleet; but when he saw me waving to them he evidently +guessed that they were friendly to us, so he urged his men to +redouble their efforts to reach us before the felucca cut him off. + +He shouted word back to others of his fleet--word that was passed +back until it had reached them all--directing them to run alongside +the strangers and board them, for with his two hundred craft +and his eight or ten thousand warriors he evidently felt equal to +over-coming the fifty vessels of the enemy, which did not seem to +carry over three thousand men all told. + +His own personal energies he bent to reaching Dian and me first, +leaving the rest of the work to his other boats. I thought that +there could be little doubt that he would be successful in so far +as we were concerned, and I feared for the revenge that he might +take upon us should the battle go against his force, as I was sure +it would; for I knew that Perry and his Mezops must have brought +with them all the arms and ammunition that had been contained in +the prospector. But I was not prepared for what happened next. + +As Hooja's canoe reached a point some twenty yards from us a great +puff of smoke broke from the bow of the leading felucca, followed +almost simultaneously by a terrific explosion, and a solid shot +screamed close over the heads of the men in Hooja's craft, raising +a great splash where it clove the water just beyond them. + +Perry had perfected gunpowder and built cannon! It was marvelous! +Dian and Juag, as much surprised as Hooja, turned wondering eyes +toward me. Again the cannon spoke. I suppose that by comparison +with the great guns of modern naval vessels of the outer world it +was a pitifully small and inadequate thing; but here in Pellucidar, +where it was the first of its kind, it was about as awe-inspiring +as anything you might imagine. + +With the report an iron cannonball about five inches in diameter +struck Hooja's dugout just above the water-line, tore a great +splintering hole in its side, turned it over, and dumped its +occupants into the sea. + +The four dugouts that had been abreast of Hooja had turned to +intercept the leading felucca. Even now, in the face of what must +have been a withering catastrophe to them, they kept bravely on +toward the strange and terrible craft. + +In them were fully two hundred men, while but fifty lined the gunwale +of the felucca to repel them. The commander of the felucca, who +proved to be Ja, let them come quite close and then turned loose +upon them a volley of shots from small-arms. + +The cave men and Sagoths in the dugouts seemed to wither before +that blast of death like dry grass before a prairie fire. Those +who were not hit dropped their bows and javelins and, seizing +upon paddles, attempted to escape. But the felucca pursued them +relentlessly, her crew firing at will. + +At last I heard Ja shouting to the survivors in the dugouts--they +were all quite close to us now--offer-ing them their lives if they +would surrender. Perry was standing close behind Ja, and I knew +that this merciful action was prompted, perhaps commanded, by the +old man; for no Pellucidarian would have thought of showing leniency +to a defeated foe. + +As there was no alternative save death, the survivors surrendered +and a moment later were taken aboard the Amoz, the name that I +could now see printed in large letters upon the felucca's bow, and +which no one in that whole world could read except Perry and I. + +When the prisoners were aboard, Ja brought the felucca alongside +our dugout. Many were the willing hands that reached down to lift +us to her decks. The bronze faces of the Mezops were broad with +smiles, and Perry was fairly beside himself with joy. + +Dian went aboard first and then Juag, as I wished to help Raja and +Ranee aboard myself, well knowing that it would fare ill with any +Mezop who touched them. We got them aboard at last, and a great +com-motion they caused among the crew, who had never seen a wild +beast thus handled by man before. + +Perry and Dian and I were so full of questions that we fairly burst, +but we had to contain ourselves for a while, since the battle with +the rest of Hooja's fleet had scarce commenced. From the small +forward decks of the feluccas Perry's crude cannon were belching +smoke, flame, thunder, and death. The air trembled to the roar +of them. Hooja's horde, intrepid, savage fighters that they were, +were closing in to grapple in a last death-struggle with the Mezops +who manned our vessels. + +The handling of our fleet by the red island warriors of Ja's clan +was far from perfect. I could see that Perry had lost no time +after the completion of the boats in setting out upon this cruise. +What little the captains and crews had learned of handling feluccas +they must have learned principally since they embarked upon this +voyage, and while experience is an excellent teacher and had done +much for them, they still had a great deal to learn. In maneuvering +for position they were continually fouling one another, and on two +occasions shots from our batteries came near to striking our own +ships. + +No sooner, however, was I aboard the flagship than I attempted to +rectify this trouble to some extent. By passing commands by word +of mouth from one ship to another I managed to get the fifty feluccas +into some sort of line, with the flag-ship in the lead. In this +formation we commenced slowly to circle the position of the enemy. +The dugouts came for us right along in an attempt to board us, but +by keeping on the move in one direction and circling, we managed +to avoid getting in each other's way, and were enabled to fire our +cannon and our small arms with less danger to our own comrades. + +When I had a moment to look about me, I took in the felucca on +which I was. I am free to confess that I marveled at the excellent +construction and stanch yet speedy lines of the little craft. That +Perry had chosen this type of vessel seemed rather remarkable, +for though I had warned him against turreted battle-ships, armor, +and like useless show, I had fully ex-pected that when I beheld +his navy I should find considerable attempt at grim and terrible +magnifi-cence, for it was always Perry's idea to overawe these +ignorant cave men when we had to contend with them in battle. But +I had soon learned that while one might easily astonish them with +some new engine of war, it was an utter impossibility to frighten +them into surrender. + +I learned later that Ja had gone carefully over the plans of various +craft with Perry. The old man had explained in detail all that the +text told him of them. The two had measured out dimensions upon +the ground, that Ja might see the sizes of different boats. Perry +had built models, and Ja had had him read carefully and explain all +that they could find relative to the handling of sailing vessels. +The result of this was that Ja was the one who had chosen the +felucca. It was well that Perry had had so excellent a balance +wheel, for he had been wild to build a huge frigate of the Nelsonian +era--he told me so himself. + +One thing that had inclined Ja particularly to the felucca was +the fact that it included oars in its equip-ment. He realized the +limitations of his people in the matter of sails, and while they +had never used oars, the implement was so similar to a paddle that +he was sure they quickly could master the art--and they did. As +soon as one hull was completed Ja kept it on the water constantly, +first with one crew and then with another, until two thousand red +warriors had learned to row. Then they stepped their masts and a +crew was told off for the first ship. + +While the others were building they learned to handle theirs. As +each succeeding boat was launched its crew took it out and practiced +with it under the tutorage of those who had graduated from the first +ship, and so on until a full complement of men had been trained +for every boat. + +Well, to get back to the battle: The Hoojans kept on coming at us, +and as fast as they came we mowed them down. It was little else +than slaughter. Time and time again I cried to them to surrender, +promising them their lives if they would do so. At last there were +but ten boatloads left. These turned in flight. They thought they +could paddle away from us--it was pitiful! I passed the word from +boat to boat to cease firing--not to kill another Hoojan unless they +fired on us. Then we set out after them. There was a nice little +breeze blowing and we bowled along after our quarry as gracefully +and as lightly as swans upon a park lagoon. As we approached them +I could see not only wonder but admiration in their eyes. I hailed +the nearest dugout. + +"Throw down your arms and come aboard us," I cried, "and you shall +not be harmed. We will feed you and return you to the mainland. +Then you shall go free upon your promise never to bear arms against +the Emperor of Pellucidar again!" + +I think it was the promise of food that interested them most. +They could scarce believe that we would not kill them. But when I +exhibited the prisoners we already had taken, and showed them that +they were alive and unharmed, a great Sagoth in one of the boats +asked me what guarantee I could give that I would keep my word. + +"None other than my word," I replied. "That I do not break." + +The Pellucidarians themselves are rather punctilious about this +same matter, so the Sagoth could understand that I might possibly +be speaking the truth. But he could not understand why we should +not kill them unless we meant to enslave them, which I had as much +as denied already when I had promised to set them free. Ja couldn't +exactly see the wisdom of my plan, either. He thought that we +ought to follow up the ten remaining dugouts and sink them all; +but I insisted that we must free as many as possible of our enemies +upon the mainland. + +"You see," I explained, "these men will return at once to Hooja's +Island, to the Mahar cities from which they come, or to the countries +from which they were stolen by the Mahars. They are men of two +races and of many countries. They will spread the story of our +victory far and wide, and while they are with us, we will let them +see and hear many other wonderful things which they may carry back +to their friends and their chiefs. It's the finest chance for free +publicity, Perry," I added to the old man, "that you or I have seen +in many a day." + +Perry agreed with me. As a matter of fact, he would have agreed +to anything that would have restrained us from killing the poor +devils who fell into our hands. He was a great fellow to invent +gunpowder and fire-arms and cannon; but when it came to using these +things to kill people, he was as tender-hearted as a chicken. + +The Sagoth who had spoken was talking to other Sagoths in his +boat. Evidently they were holding a council over the question of +the wisdom of surrender-ing. + +"What will become of you if you don't surrender to us?" I asked. +"If we do not open up our batteries on you again and kill you all, +you will simply drift about the sea helplessly until you die of +thirst and starvation. You cannot return to the islands, for you +have seen as well as we that the natives there are very numerous +and warlike. They would kill you the moment you landed." + +The upshot of it was that the boat of which the Sagoth speaker was +in charge surrendered. The Sagoths threw down their weapons, and +we took them aboard the ship next in line behind the Amoz. First +Ja had to impress upon the captain and crew of the ship that the +prisoners were not to be abused or killed. After that the remaining +dugouts paddled up and sur-rendered. We distributed them among +the entire fleet lest there be too many upon any one vessel. Thus +ended the first real naval engagement that the Pel-lucidarian seas +had ever witnessed--though Perry still insists that the action in +which the Sari took part was a battle of the first magnitude. + +The battle over and the prisoners disposed of and fed--and do not +imagine that Dian, Juag, and I, as well as the two hounds were not +fed also--I turned my attention to the fleet. We had the feluccas +close in about the flag-ship, and with all the ceremony of a medieval +potentate on parade I received the com-manders of the forty-nine +feluccas that accompanied the flag-ship--Dian and I together--the +empress and the emperor of Pellucidar. + +It was a great occasion. The savage, bronze warriors entered into +the spirit of it, for as I learned later dear old Perry had left +no opportunity neglected for impressing upon them that David was +emperor of Pellucidar, and that all that they were accomplishing and +all that he was accomplishing was due to the power, and redounded +to the glory of David. The old man must have rubbed it in pretty +strong, for those fierce warriors nearly came to blows in their +efforts to be among the first of those to kneel before me and kiss +my hand. When it came to kissing Dian's I think they enjoyed it +more; I know I should have. + +A happy thought occurred to me as I stood upon the little deck of +the Amoz with the first of Perry's primi-tive cannon behind me. +When Ja kneeled at my feet, and first to do me homage, I drew from +its scabbard at his side the sword of hammered iron that Perry +had taught him to fashion. Striking him lightly on the shoulder I +created him king of Anoroc. Each captain of the forty-nine other +feluccas I made a duke. I left it to Perry to enlighten them as +to the value of the honors I had bestowed upon them. + +During these ceremonies Raja and Ranee had stood beside Dian and me. +Their bellies had been well filled, but still they had difficulty +in permitting so much edible humanity to pass unchallenged. It was +a good education for them though, and never after did they find it +difficult to associate with the human race with-out arousing their +appetites. + +After the ceremonies were over we had a chance to talk with Perry +and Ja. The former told me that Ghak, king of Sari, had sent my +letter and map to him by a runner, and that he and Ja had at once +decided to set out on the completion of the fleet to ascertain the +correctness of my theory that the Lural Az, in which the Anoroc +Islands lay, was in reality the same ocean as that which lapped +the shores of Thuria under the name of Sojar Az, or Great Sea. + +Their destination had been the island retreat of Hooja, and they +had sent word to Ghak of their plans that we might work in harmony +with them. The tempest that had blown us off the coast of the +continent had blown them far to the south also. Shortly before +dis-covering us they had come into a great group of islands, from +between the largest two of which they were sail-ing when they saw +Hooja's fleet pursuing our dugout. + +I asked Perry if he had any idea as to where we were, or in +what direction lay Hooja's island or the continent. He replied +by producing his map, on which he had carefully marked the newly +discovered islands--there described as the Unfriendly Isles--which +showed Hooja's island northwest of us about two points West. + +He then explained that with compass, chronometer, log and reel, +they had kept a fairly accurate record of their course from the +time they had set out. Four of the feluccas were equipped with +these instruments, and all of the captains had been instructed in +their use. + +I was very greatly surprised at the ease with which these savages +had mastered the rather intricate detail of this unusual work, but +Perry assured me that they were a wonderfully intelligent race, +and had been quick to grasp all that he had tried to teach them. + +Another thing that surprised me was the fact that so much had been +accomplished in so short a time, for I could not believe that I had +been gone from Anoroc for a sufficient period to permit of building +a fleet of fifty feluccas and mining iron ore for the cannon and +balls, to say nothing of manufacturing these guns and the crude +muzzle-loading rifles with which every Mezop was armed, as well as +the gunpowder and ammunition they had in such ample quantities. + +"Time!" exclaimed Perry. "Well, how long were you gone from Anoroc +before we picked you up in the Sojar Az?" + +That was a puzzler, and I had to admit it. I didn't know how much +time had elapsed and neither did Perry, for time is nonexistent in +Pellucidar. + +"Then, you see, David," he continued, "I had almost unbelievable +resources at my disposal. The Mezops in-habiting the Anoroc +Islands, which stretch far out to sea beyond the three principal +isles with which you are familiar, number well into the millions, +and by far the greater part of them are friendly to Ja. Men, +women, and children turned to and worked the moment Ja ex-plained +the nature of our enterprise. + +"And not only were they anxious to do all in their power to hasten +the day when the Mahars should be overthrown, but--and this counted +for most of all--they are simply ravenous for greater knowledge +and for better ways of doing things. + +"The contents of the prospector set their imagina-tions to working +overtime, so that they craved to own, themselves, the knowledge +which had made it possible for other men to create and build the +things which you brought back from the outer world. + +"And then," continued the old man, "the element of time, or, rather, +lack of time, operated to my advantage. There being no nights, +there was no laying off from work--they labored incessantly stopping +only to eat and, on rare occasions, to sleep. Once we had discovered +iron ore we had enough mined in an incredibly short time to build +a thousand cannon. I had only to show them once how a thing should +be done, and they would fall to work by thousands to do it. + +"Why, no sooner had we fashioned the first muzzle-loader and they +had seen it work successfully, than fully three thousand Mezops +fell to work to make rifles. Of course there was much confusion +and lost motion at first, but eventually Ja got them in hand, +detailing squads of them under competent chiefs to certain work. + +"We now have a hundred expert gun-makers. On a little isolated +isle we have a great powder-factory. Near the iron-mine, which is +on the mainland, is a smelter, and on the eastern shore of Anoroc, +a well equipped ship-yard. All these industries are guarded by +forts in which several cannon are mounted and where warriors are +always on guard. + +"You would be surprised now, David, at the aspect of Anoroc. I am +surprised myself; it seems always to me as I compare it with the +day that I first set foot upon it from the deck of the Sari that +only a miracle could have worked the change that has taken place." + +"It is a miracle," I said; it is nothing short of a miracle to +transplant all the wondrous possibilities of the twen-tieth century +back to the Stone Age. It is a miracle to think that only five +hundred miles of earth separate two epochs that are really ages +and ages apart. + +"It is stupendous, Perry! But still more stupendous is the power +that you and I wield in this great world. These people look upon +us as little less than supermen. We must show them that we are +all of that. + +"We must give them the best that we have, Perry." + +"Yes," he agreed; "we must. I have been thinking a great deal +lately that some kind of shrapnel shell or ex-plosive bomb would +be a most splendid innovation in their warfare. Then there are +breech-loading rifles and those with magazines that I must hasten +to study out and learn to reproduce as soon as we get settled down +again; and--" + +"Hold on, Perry!" I cried. "I didn't mean these sorts of things +at all. I said that we must give them the best we have. What we +have given them so far has been the worst. We have given them war +and the munitions of war. In a single day we have made their wars +infinitely more terrible and bloody than in all their past ages +they have been able to make them with their crude, primitive weapons. + +"In a period that could scarcely have exceeded two outer earthly +hours, our fleet practically annihilated the largest armada of native +canoes that the Pellucidarians ever before had gathered together. +We butchered some eight thousand warriors with the twentieth-century +gifts we brought. Why, they wouldn't have killed that many warriors +in the entire duration of a dozen of their wars with their own +weapons! No, Perry; we've got to give them something better than +scientific methods of killing one another." + +The old man looked at me in amazement. There was reproach in his +eyes, too. + +"Why, David!" he said sorrowfully. "I thought that you would be +pleased with what I had done. We planned these things together, +and I am sure that it was you who suggested practically all of it. +I have done only what I thought you wished done and I have done it +the best that I know how." + +I laid my hand on the old man's shoulder. + +"Bless your heart, Perry!" I cried. "You've accom-plished miracles. +You have done precisely what I should have done, only you've done +it better. I'm not finding fault; but I don't wish to lose sight +myself, or let you lose sight, of the greater work which must grow +out of this preliminary and necessary carnage. First we must place +the empire upon a secure footing, and we can do so only by putting +the fear of us in the hearts of our enemies; but after that-- + +"Ah, Perry! That is the day I look forward to! When you and I can +build sewing-machines instead of battle-ships, harvesters of crops +instead of harvesters of men, plow-shares and telephones, schools +and colleges, printing-presses and paper! When our merchant marine +shall ply the great Pellucidarian seas, and cargoes of silks and +typewriters and books shall forge their ways where only hideous +saurians have held sway since time began!" + +"Amen!" said Perry. + +And Dian, who was standing at my side, pressed my hand. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CONQUEST AND PEACE + +The fleet sailed directly for Hooja's island, coming to anchor at +its north-eastern extremity before the flat-topped hill that had +been Hooja's stronghold. I sent one of the prisoners ashore to +demand an immediate sur-render; but as he told me afterward they +wouldn't be-lieve all that he told them, so they congregated on +the cliff-top and shot futile arrows at us. + +In reply I had five of the feluccas cannonade them. When they +scampered away at the sound of the terrific explosions, and at +sight of the smoke and the iron balls I landed a couple of hundred +red warriors and led them to the opposite end of the hill into the +tunnel that ran to its summit. Here we met a little resistance; +but a volley from the muzzle-loaders turned back those who disputed +our right of way, and presently we gained the mesa. Here again we +met resistance, but at last the remnant of Hooja's horde surrendered. + +Juag was with me, and I lost no time in returning to him and his +tribe the hilltop that had been their an-cestral home for ages +until they were robbed of it by Hooja. I created a kingdom of +the island, making Juag king there. Before we sailed I went to +Gr-gr-gr, chief of the beast-men, taking Juag with me. There the +three of us arranged a code of laws that would permit the brute-folk +and the human beings of the island to live in peace and harmony. +Gr-gr-gr sent his son with me back to Sari, capital of my empire, +that he might learn the ways of the human beings. I have hopes of +turning this race into the greatest agriculturists of Pellucidar. +When I returned to the fleet I found that one of the islanders of +Juag's tribe, who had been absent when we arrived, had just returned +from the mainland with the news that a great army was encamped in +the Land of Awful Shadow, and that they were threatening Thuria. I +lost no time in weighing anchors and setting out for the continent, +which we reached after a short and easy voyage. + +From the deck of the Amoz I scanned the shore through the glasses +that Perry had brought with him. When we were close enough +for the glasses to be of value I saw that there was indeed a vast +concourse of warriors entirely encircling the walled-village of +Goork, chief of the Thurians. As we approached smaller objects +became distinguishable. It was then that I discovered numerous +flags and pennants floating above the army of the besiegers. + +I called Perry and passed the glasses to him. + +"Ghak of Sari," I said. + +Perry looked through the lenses of a moment, and then turned to me +with a smile. + +"The red, white, and blue of the empire," he said. "It is indeed +your majesty's army." + +It soon became apparent that we had been sighted by those on shore, +for a great multitude of warriors had congregated along the beach +watching us. We came to anchor as close in as we dared, which with +our light feluccas was within easy speaking-distance of the shore. +Ghak was there and his eyes were mighty wide, too; for, as he told +us later, though he knew this must be Perry's fleet it was so +wonderful to him that he could not believe the testimony of his +own eyes even while he was watching it approach. + +To give the proper effect to our meeting I com-manded that each +felucca fire twenty-one guns as a salute to His Majesty Ghak, King +of Sari. Some of the gunners, in the exuberance of their enthusiasm, +fired solid shot; but fortunately they had sufficient good judg-ment +to train their pieces on the open sea, so no harm was done. After +this we landed--an arduous task since each felucca carried but a +single light dugout. + +I learned from Ghak that the Thurian chieftain, Goork, had been +inclined to haughtiness, and had told Ghak, the Hairy One, that +he knew nothing of me and cared less; but I imagine that the sight +of the fleet and the sound of the guns brought him to his senses, +for it was not long before he sent a deputation to me, inviting me +to visit him in his village. Here he apologized for the treatment +he had accorded me, very gladly swore allegiance to the empire, +and received in return the title of king. + +We remained in Thuria only long enough to arrange the treaty with +Goork, among the other details of which was his promise to furnish +the imperial army with a thousand lidi, or Thurian beasts of burden, +and drivers for them. These were to accompany Ghak's army back +to Sari by land, while the fleet sailed to the mouth of the great +river from which Dian, Juag, and I had been blown. + +The voyage was uneventful. We found the river easily, and sailed +up it for many miles through as rich and wonderful a plain as I +have ever seen. At the head of navigation we disembarked, leaving +a sufficient guard for the feluccas, and marched the remaining +distance to Sari. + +Ghak's army, which was composed of warriors of all the original +tribes of the federation, showing how suc-cessful had been his +efforts to rehabilitate the empire, marched into Sari some time +after we arrived. With them were the thousand lidi from Thuria. + +At a council of the kings it was decided that we should at +once commence the great war against the Mahars, for these haughty +reptiles presented the greatest obstacle to human progress within +Pellucidar. I laid out a plan of campaign which met with the +enthusiastic indorse-ment of the kings. Pursuant to it, I at once +despatched fifty lidi to the fleet with orders to fetch fifty cannon +to Sari. I also ordered the fleet to proceed at once to Anoroc, +where they were to take aboard all the rifles and ammunition that +had been completed since their departure, and with a full complement +of men to sail along the coast in an attempt to find a passage to +the inland sea near which lay the Mahars' buried city of Phutra. + +Ja was sure that a large and navigable river connected the sea of +Phutra with the Lural Az, and that, barring accident, the fleet +would be before Phutra as soon as the land forces were. + +At last the great army started upon its march. There were warriors +from every one of the federated kingdoms. All were armed either +with bow and arrows or muzzle-loaders, for nearly the entire Mezop +contingent had been enlisted for this march, only sufficient having +been left aboard the feluccas to man them properly. I divided the +forces into divisions, regiments, battalions, companies, and even +to platoons and sections, appointing the full complement of officers +and noncommissioned officers. On the long march I schooled them +in their duties, and as fast as one learned I sent him among the +others as a teacher. + +Each regiment was made up of about a thousand bowmen, and to each +was temporarily attached a com-pany of Mezop musketeers and a +battery of artillery--the latter, our naval guns, mounted upon the +broad backs of the mighty lidi. There was also one full regi-ment +of Mezop musketeers and a regiment of primitive spearmen. The rest +of the lidi that we brought with us were used for baggage animals +and to transport our women and children, for we had brought them +with us, as it was our intention to march from one Mahar city to +another until we had subdued every Mahar nation that menaced the +safety of any kingdom of the empire. + +Before we reached the plain of Phutra we were dis-covered by +a company of Sagoths, who at first stood to give battle; but upon +seeing the vast numbers of our army they turned and fled toward +Phutra. The result of this was that when we came in sight of the +hundred towers which mark the entrances to the buried city we found +a great army of Sagoths and Mahars lined up to give us battle. + +At a thousand yards we halted, and, placing our artillery upon a +slight eminence at either flank, we com-menced to drop solid shot +among them. Ja, who was chief artillery officer, was in command +of this branch of the service, and he did some excellent work, for +his Mezop gunners had become rather proficient by this time. The +Sagoths couldn't stand much of this sort of warfare, so they charged +us, yelling like fiends. We let them come quite close, and then +the musketeers who formed the first line opened up on them. + +The slaughter was something frightful, but still the remnants of +them kept on coming until it was a matter of hand-to-hand fighting. +Here our spearmen were of value, as were also the crude iron swords +with which most of the imperial warriors were armed. + +We lost heavily in the encounter after the Sagoths reached us; +but they were absolutely exterminated--not one remained even as a +prisoner. The Mahars, seeing how the battle was going, had hastened +to the safety of their buried city. When we had overcome their +gorilla-men we followed after them. + +But here we were doomed to defeat, at least tempo-rarily; for no +sooner had the first of our troops descended into the subterranean +avenues than many of them came stumbling and fighting their way +back to the surface, half-choked by the fumes of some deadly gas +that the reptiles had liberated upon them. We lost a number of +men here. Then I sent for Perry, who had remained discreetly in +the rear, and had him construct a little affair that I had had in +my mind against the possibility of our meeting with a check at the +entrances to the underground city. + +Under my direction he stuffed one of his cannon full of powder, +small bullets, and pieces of stone, almost to the muzzle. Then he +plugged the muzzle tight with a cone-shaped block of wood, hammered +and jammed in as tight as it could be. Next he inserted a long +fuse. A dozen men rolled the cannon to the top of the stairs +leading down into the city, first removing it from its carriage. +One of them then lit the fuse and the whole thing was given a shove +down the stairway, while the detachment turned and scampered to a +safe distance. + +For what seemed a very long time nothing happened. We had commenced +to think that the fuse had been put out while the piece was rolling +down the stairway, or that the Mahars had guessed its purpose and +ex-tinguished it themselves, when the ground about the entrance +rose suddenly into the air, to be followed by a terrific explosion +and a burst of smoke and flame that shot high in company with dirt, +stone, and fragments of cannon. + +Perry had been working on two more of these giant bombs as soon as +the first was completed. Presently we launched these into two of +the other entrances. They were all that were required, for almost +immediately after the third explosion a stream of Mahars broke +from the exits furthest from us, rose upon their wings, and soared +northward. A hundred men on lidi were despatched in pursuit, each +lidi carrying two riflemen in addition to its driver. Guessing +that the inland sea, which lay not far north of Phutra, was their +destination, I took a couple of regiments and followed. + +A low ridge intervenes between the Phutra plain where the city +lies, and the inland sea where the Ma-hars were wont to disport +themselves in the cool waters. Not until we had topped this ridge +did we get a view of the sea. + +Then we beheld a scene that I shall never forget so long as I may +live. + +Along the beach were lined up the troop of lidi, while a hundred +yards from shore the surface of the water was black with the long +snouts and cold, reptilian eyes of the Mahars. Our savage Mezop +riflemen, and the shorter, squatter, white-skinned Thurian drivers, +shading their eyes with their hands, were gazing seaward beyond +the Mahars, whose eyes were fastened upon the same spot. My heart +leaped when I discovered that which was chaining the attention of +them all. Twenty graceful feluccas were moving smoothly across +the waters of the sea toward the reptilian horde! + +The sight must have filled the Mahars with awe and consternation, +for never had they seen the like of these craft before. For a time +they seemed unable to do aught but gaze at the approaching fleet; +but when the Mezops opened on them with their muskets the reptiles +swam rapidly in the direction of the feluccas, evidently think-ing +that these would prove the easier to overcome. The commander of +the fleet permitted them to approach within a hundred yards. Then +he opened on them with all the cannon that could be brought to +bear, as well as with the small arms of the sailors. + +A great many of the reptiles were killed at the first volley. They +wavered for a moment, then dived; nor did we see them again for a +long time. + +But finally they rose far out beyond the fleet, and when the +feluccas came about and pursued them they left the water and flew +away toward the north. + +Following the fall of Phutra I visited Anoroc, where I found +the people busy in the shipyards and the factories that Perry had +established. I discovered something, too, that he had not told +me of--something that seemed infinitely more promising than the +powder-factory or the arsenal. It was a young man poring over +one of the books I had brought back from the outer world! He was +sitting in the log cabin that Perry had had built to serve as his +sleeping quarters and office. So absorbed was he that he did not +notice our entrance. Perry saw the look of as-tonishment in my +eyes and smiled. + +"I started teaching him the alphabet when we first reached the +prospector, and were taking out its con-tents," he explained. "He +was much mystified by the books and anxious to know of what use +they were. When I explained he asked me to teach him to read, and +so I worked with him whenever I could. He is very in-telligent and +learns quickly. Before I left he had made great progress, and as +soon as he is qualified he is going to teach others to read. It +was mighty hard work getting started, though, for everything had +to be translated into Pellucidarian. + +"It will take a long time to solve this problem, but I think that +by teaching a number of them to read and write English we shall +then be able more quickly to give them a written language of their +own." + +And this was the nucleus about which we were to build our great +system of schools and colleges--this almost naked red warrior, +sitting in Perry's little cabin upon the island of Anoroc, picking +out words letter by letter from a work on intensive farming. Now +we have-- + +But I'll get to all that before I finish. + +While we were at Anoroc I accompanied Ja in an expedition to South +Island, the southernmost of the three largest which form the Anoroc +group--Perry had given it its name--where we made peace with the +tribe there that had for long been hostile toward Ja. They were now +glad enough to make friends with him and come into the federation. +From there we sailed with sixty-five feluccas for distant Luana, +the main island of the group where dwell the hereditary enemies of +Anoroc. + +Twenty-five of the feluccas were of a new and larger type than +those with which Ja and Perry had sailed on the occasion when they +chanced to find and rescue Dian and me. They were longer, carried +much larger sails, and were considerably swifter. Each carried +four guns instead of two, and these were so arranged that one or +more of them could be brought into action no matter where the enemy +lay. + +The Luana group lies just beyond the range of vision from the +mainland. The largest island of it alone is visible from Anoroc; +but when we neared it we found that it comprised many beautiful +islands, and that they were thickly populated. The Luanians had +not, of course, been ignorant of all that had been going on in the +domains of their nearest and dearest enemies. They knew of our +feluccas and our guns, for several of their riding-parties had had +a taste of both. But their principal chief, an old man, had never +seen either. So, when he sighted us, he put out to overwhelm us, +bringing with him a fleet of about a hundred large war-canoes, +loaded to capacity with javelin-armed warriors. It was pitiful, +and I told Ja as much. It seemed a shame to massacre these poor +fellows if there was any way out of it. + +To my surprise Ja felt much as I did. He said he had always hated +to war with other Mezops when there were so many alien races to +fight against. I suggested that we hail the chief and request a +parley; but when Ja did so the old fool thought that we were afraid, +and with loud cries of exultation urged his warriors upon us. + +So we opened up on them, but at my suggestion centered our fire upon +the chief's canoe. The result was that in about thirty seconds +there was nothing left of that war dugout but a handful of splinters, +while its crew--those who were not killed--were struggling in the +water, battling with the myriad terrible creatures that had risen +to devour them. + +We saved some of them, but the majority died just as had Hooja and +the crew of his canoe that time our second shot capsized them. + +Again we called to the remaining warriors to enter into a parley +with us; but the chief's son was there and he would not, now that +he had seen his father killed. He was all for revenge. So we had +to open up on the brave fellows with all our guns; but it didn't +last long at that, for there chanced to be wiser heads among the +Luanians than their chief or his son had possessed. Presently, an +old warrior who commanded one of the dugouts sur-rendered. After +that they came in one by one until all had laid their weapons upon +our decks. + +Then we called together upon the flag-ship all our captains, to +give the affair greater weight and dignity, and all the principal +men of Luana. We had conquered them, and they expected either death +or slavery; but they deserved neither, and I told them so. It is +always my habit here in Pellucidar to impress upon these savage +people that mercy is as noble a quality as physical bravery, +and that next to the men who fight shoulder to shoulder with one, +we should honor the brave men who fight against us, and if we are +victorious, award them both the mercy and honor that are their due. + +By adhering to this policy I have won to the federa-tion many great +and noble peoples, who under the ancient traditions of the inner +world would have been massacred or enslaved after we had conquered +them; and thus I won the Luanians. I gave them their freedom, and +returned their weapons to them after they had sworn loyalty to me +and friendship and peace with Ja, and I made the old fellow, who +had had the good sense to surrender, king of Luana, for both the +old chief and his only son had died in the battle. + +When I sailed away from Luana she was included among the kingdoms +of the empire, whose boundaries were thus pushed eastward several +hundred miles. + +We now returned to Anoroc and thence to the main-land, where I again +took up the campaign against the Mahars, marching from one great +buried city to another until we had passed far north of Amoz into +a country where I had never been. At each city we were vic-torious, +killing or capturing the Sagoths and driving the Mahars further +away. + +I noticed that they always fled toward the north. The Sagoth prisoners +we usually found quite ready to trans-fer their allegiance to us, +for they are little more than brutes, and when they found that we +could fill their stomachs and give them plenty of fighting, they +were nothing loath to march with us against the next Mahar city +and battle with men of their own race. + +Thus we proceeded, swinging in a great half-circle north and west +and south again until we had come back to the edge of the Lidi +Plains north of Thuria. Here we overcame the Mahar city that had +ravaged the Land of Awful Shadow for so many ages. When we marched +on to Thuria, Goork and his people went mad with joy at the tidings +we brought them. + +During this long march of conquest we had passed through seven +countries, peopled by primitive human tribes who had not yet +heard of the federation, and succeeded in joining them all to the +empire. It was noticeable that each of these peoples had a Mahar +city situated near by, which had drawn upon them for slaves and human +food for so many ages that not even in legend had the population any +folk-tale which did not in some degree reflect an inherent terror +of the reptilians. + +In each of these countries I left an officer and warriors to train +them in military discipline, and prepare them to receive the arms +that I intended furnishing them as rapidly as Perry's arsenal +could turn them out, for we felt that it would be a long, long time +before we should see the last of the Mahars. That they had flown +north but temporarily until we should be gone with our great army +and terrifying guns I was positive, and equally sure was I that +they would presently return. + +The task of ridding Pellucidar of these hideous crea-tures is one +which in all probability will never be entirely completed, for +their great cities must abound by the hundreds and thousands of +the far-distant lands that no subject of the empire has ever laid +eyes upon. + +But within the present boundaries of my domain there are now none +left that I know of, for I am sure we should have heard indirectly +of any great Mahar city that had escaped us, although of course +the imperial army has by no means covered the vast area which I +now rule. + +After leaving Thuria we returned to Sari, where the seat of government +is located. Here, upon a vast, fertile plateau, overlooking the +great gulf that runs into the continent from the Lural Az, we are +building the great city of Sari. Here we are erecting mills and +factories. Here we are teaching men and women the rudiments of +agriculture. Here Perry has built the first printing-press, and +a dozen young Sarians are teaching their fellows to read and write +the language of Pellucidar. + +We have just laws and only a few of them. Our people are happy +because they are always working at some-thing which they enjoy. +There is no money, nor is any money value placed upon any commodity. +Perry and I were as one in resolving that the root of all evil +should not be introduced into Pellucidar while we lived. + +A man may exchange that which he produces for something which he +desires that another has produced; but he cannot dispose of the +thing he thus acquires. In other words, a commodity ceases to have +pecuniary value the instant that it passes out of the hands of its +producer. All excess reverts to government; and, as this represents +the production of the people as a government, government may dispose +of it to other peoples in ex-change for that which they produce. +Thus we are es-tablishing a trade between kingdoms, the profits +from which go to the betterment of the people--to building factories +for the manufacture of agricultural implements, and machinery for +the various trades we are gradually teaching the people. + +Already Anoroc and Luana are vying with one another in the excellence +of the ships they build. Each has several large ship-yards. Anoroc +makes gunpowder and mines iron ore, and by means of their ships +they carry on a very lucrative trade with Thuria, Sari, and Amoz. +The Thurians breed lidi, which, having the strength and intelligence +of an elephant, make excellent draft animals. + +Around Sari and Amoz the men are domesticating the great striped +antelope, the meat of which is most de-licious. I am sure that it +will not be long before they will have them broken to harness and +saddle. The horses of Pellucidar are far too diminutive for such +uses, some species of them being little larger than fox-terriers. + +Dian and I live in a great palace overlooking the gulf. There is +no glass in our windows, for we have no win-dows, the walls rising +but a few feet above the floor-line, the rest of the space being open +to the ceilings; but we have a roof to shade us from the perpetual +noon-day sun. Perry and I decided to set a style in architecture +that would not curse future generations with the white plague, so +we have plenty of ventilation. Those of the people who prefer, +still inhabit their caves, but many are building houses similar to +ours. + +At Greenwich we have located a town and an ob-servatory--though +there is nothing to observe but the stationary sun directly overhead. +Upon the edge of the Land of Awful Shadow is another observatory, +from which the time is flashed by wireless to every corner of the +empire twenty-four times a day. In addition to the wireless, we +have a small telephone system in Sari. Everything is yet in the +early stages of development; but with the science of the outer-world +twentieth century to draw upon we are making rapid progress, and +with all the faults and errors of the outer world to guide us clear +of dangers, I think that it will not be long before Pellucidar will +become as nearly a Utopia as one may expect to find this side of +heaven. + +Perry is away just now, laying out a railway-line from Sari to +Amoz. There are immense anthracite coal-fields at the head of the +gulf not far from Sari, and the railway will tap these. Some of +his students are working on a locomotive now. It will be a strange +sight to see an iron horse puffing through the primeval jungles of +the stone age, while cave bears, saber-toothed tigers, mastodons +and the countless other terrible creatures of the past look on from +their tangled lairs in wide-eyed astonishment. + +We are very happy, Dian and I, and I would not return to the outer +world for all the riches of all its princes. I am content here. +Even without my imperial powers and honors I should be content, +for have I not that greatest of all treasures, the love of a good +woman--my wondrous empress, Dian the Beautiful? + + + + + +I have made the following changes to the text: + + PAGE LINE ORIGINAL CHANGED TO + 27 33 sate state + 32 11 least last + 38 3 litte little + 39 20 dispress- distress- + 50 20 slides sides + 54 16 enmy enemy + 77 2 it if + 80 24 Sidi Lidi + 96 10 be bet + 101 33 the the and the + 107 15 Hoojas' Hooja's + 117 4 come came + 119 18 remarkably remarkable + 149 25 take takes + 151 6 Juang Juag + 173 29 contined continued + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Pellucidar +by Edgar Rice Burroughs + |