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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..deb95ac --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #67299 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67299) diff --git a/old/67299-0.txt b/old/67299-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 814bd9d..0000000 --- a/old/67299-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1834 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Through the Crater's Rim, by A. Hyatt -Verrill - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Through the Crater's Rim - -Author: A. Hyatt Verrill - -Release Date: February 1, 2022 [eBook #67299] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Roger Frank and Sue Clark - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE CRATER'S -RIM *** - - - - - - Through the Crater’s Rim - -[Illustration] - - But even as I gazed, transfixed with horror, paralyzed by - the sight, the vine threw its last coil about the dying - man and before my eyes drew the quivering body into the - tree above. Then something approached my leg. With a wild - yell of terror I leaped aside. A second vine was writhing - and twisting over the ground towards me. - - - - - Through the Crater’s Rim - - By A. Hyatt Verrill - Author of “Beyond the Pole” - - - In this story the author of Beyond the Pole gives us another - one of his amazing contributions to Scientifiction. Here we - find a strange race living within an extinct volcanic crater - somewhere in Central America. - - When it is remembered that only a few years ago an entirely - new race was discovered by scientists in Panama, which are now - known better under the name of White Indians, it should be - understood that Mr. Verrill is not taxing your credulity by - the strange race which he pictures in this story. - - We promise you a good half hour’s reading in this well-told tale. - - - - - CHAPTER I - - INTO THE UNKNOWN - - -“I tell you it’s there,” declared Lieutenant Hazen decisively. “It may -not be a civilized city, but it’s no Indian village or native town. -It’s big—at least a thousand houses—and they’re built of stone or -something like it and not of thatch.” - -“You’ve been dreaming, Hazen,” laughed Fenton. “Or else you’re just -trying to jolly us.” - -“Do you think I’d hand in an official report of a dream?” retorted the -Lieutenant testily. “And it’s gospel truth I’ve been telling you.” - -“Never mind Fenton,” I put in. “He’s a born pessimist and skeptic -anyhow. How much did you actually see?” - -We were seated on the veranda of the Hotel Washington in Colon and the -aviator had been relating how, while making a reconnoissance flight -over the unexplored and unknown jungles of Darien, he had sighted an -isolated, flat topped mountain upon whose summit was a large city—of a -thousand houses or more—and without visible pass, road or stream -leading to it. - -“It was rotten air,” Hazen explained in reply to my question. “And I -couldn’t get lower than 5,000 feet. So I can’t say what the people -were like. But I could see ’em running about first time I went over -and they were looking mightily excited. Then I flew back for a second -look and not a soul was in sight—took to cover I expect. But I’ll -swear the buildings were stone or ’dobe and not palm or thatch.” - -“Why didn’t you land and get acquainted?” enquired Fenton -sarcastically. - -“There was one spot that looked like a pretty fair landing,” replied -the aviator. “But the air was bad and the risk too big. How did I know -the people weren’t hostile? It was right in the Kuna Indian country -and even if they were peaceable they might have smashed the plane or I -mightn’t have been able to take off. I was alone too.” - -“You say you made an official report of your discovery,” I said. “What -did the Colonel think about it?” - -“Snorted and said he didn’t see why in blazes I bothered reporting an -Indian village.” - -“It’s mighty interesting,” I declared. “I believe you’ve actually seen -the Lost City, Hazen. Balboa heard of it. The Dons spent years hunting -for it and every Indian in Darien swears it exists.” - -“Well, I never heard of it before,” said Hazen. “What’s the yarn, -anyway?” - -“According to the Indian story there’s a big city on a mountain top -somewhere in Darien. They say no one has ever visited it, that it’s -guarded by evil spirits and that it was there ages before the first -Indians.” - -“If they’ve never seen it how do they know it’s there?” Fenton -demanded. “In my opinion it’s all bosh. How can there be a ‘lost city’ -in this bally little country and why hasn’t someone found it? Why, -there are stories of lost cities and hidden cities and such rot in -every South and Central American country. Just fairy tales—pure bunk!” - -“I know there are lots of such yarns,” I admitted. “And most of them I -believe are founded on fact. Your South American Indian hasn’t enough -imagination to make a story out of whole cloth. It’s easy to -understand why and how such a place might exist for centuries and no -one find it. This ‘little country’ as you call it could hide a hundred -cities in its jungles and no one be the wiser. No civilized man has -ever yet been through the Kuna country. But I’m going. I’ll have a try -for that city of Hazen’s.” - -“Well, I wish you luck,” said Fenton. “If the Kunas don’t slice off -the soles of your feet and turn you loose in the bush and if you _do_ -find Hazen’s pipe dream, just bring me back a souvenir, will you?” - -With this parting shot he rose and sauntered off towards the swimming -pool. - -“Do you really mean to have a go at that place?” asked Hazen as Fenton -disappeared. - -“I surely do,” I declared. “Can you show me the exact spot on the map -where you saw the city?” - -For the next half hour we pored over the map of Panama and while—owing -to the incorrectness of the only available maps—Hazen could not be -sure of the exact location of his discovery, still he pointed out a -small area within which the strange city was located. - -“You’re starting on a mighty dangerous trip,” he declared as I talked -over my plans. “Even if you get by the Kunas and find the place how -are you going to get out? The people may kill you or make you a -prisoner. If they’ve been isolated for so long I reckon they won’t let -any news of ’em leak out.” - -“Of course there’s a risk,” I laughed. “That’s what makes it so -attractive. I’m not worried over the Kunas though. They’re not half as -bad as painted. I spent three weeks among them two years ago and had -no trouble. They may drive me back, but they don’t kill people -offhand. Getting out will be the trouble as you say. But I’ve first -got to get in and I’m not making plans to get out until then.” - -“Lord, but I wish I were going too!” cried Hazen. “Say, I tell you -what I’m going to do. I’ll borrow that old Curtiss practice boat and -fly over there once in a while. If you’re there, just wave a white rag -for a signal. Maybe the people’ll be so darned scared if they see the -plane that they’ll not trouble you. Might make a good play of it—let -’em think you’re responsible for it you know.” - -“I don’t know but that’s a mighty good scheme, Hazen,” I replied, -after a moment’s thought. “Let’s see. If I get off day after tomorrow -I should be in the Kuna country in a week. You might take your first -flight ten days from now. But if things go wrong I don’t see as you -can help me much if you can’t land.” - -“We’ll worry over that when the time comes,” he said cheerfully. A few -days later I was being paddled and poled up the Cañazas River with the -last outposts of civilization many miles behind and the unknown -jungles and the forbidden country of the wild Kunas ahead. - -It was with the greatest difficulty that I had been able to secure men -to accompany me, for the natives looked with the utmost dread upon the -Kuna country and only two, out of the scores I had asked, were willing -to tempt fate and risk their lives in the expedition into the unknown. - -For two days now we had been within the forbidden district—the area -guarded and held by the Kunas and into which no outsider is permitted -to enter—and yet we had seen or heard no signs of Indians. But I was -too old a hand and too familiar with the ways of South American -Indians to delude myself with the idea that we had not been seen or -our presence known. I well knew that, in every likelihood, we had been -watched and our every movement known since the moment we entered the -territory. No doubt, sharp black eyes were constantly peering at us -from the jungle, while bows and blowguns were ever ready to discharge -their missiles of death at any instant. As long as we were not -molested or interfered with, however, I gave little heed to this. -Moreover, I believed, from my brief acquaintance with the Kunas of two -years previously, that they seldom killed a white man until after he -had been warned out of their country and tried to return to it. - -At night we camped beside the river, making our beds upon the warm dry -sand and each day we poled the cayuca up the rapids and deeper into -the forest. At last we reached the spot where, according to my -calculations, we must strike through the jungle overland to reach the -mountain seen by Hazen. Hiding our dugout in the thick brush beside -the river we packed the few necessities to be carried with us and -started off through the forest. - -If Hazen were not mistaken in his calculations, we should reach the -vicinity of the mountain in two days’ march, even though the going was -hard and we were compelled to hew a way with our machetes for miles at -a stretch. - -But it’s one thing to find a mountain top when flying over the sea of -jungle and quite another to find that mountain when hidden deep in the -forest and surrounded on every side by enormous trees. I realized that -we might easily pass within a few hundred yards of the spot and never -suspect it and that we might wander for days, searching for the -mountain without finding it. It was largely a matter of luck after -all. But Hazen had described the surrounding country so minutely, that -I had high hopes of success. - -By the end of the first day in the bush we had reached rough and hilly -country, which promised well, and it was with the expectation of -reaching the base of the mountain the following day that we made camp -that night. Still we had seen no Indians, no signs of their trails or -camps, which did much to calm the fears of my men and which I -accounted for on the theory that the Kunas avoided this part of the -country through superstitious fears of the lost city and its people. - -At daybreak we broke camp and had tramped for perhaps three hours -when, without warning, José, who was last in line, uttered a terrified -cry. Turning quickly I was just in time to see him throw up his hands -and fall in a heap with a long arrow quivering in his back. The Kunas -were upon us. - -Scarcely had the realization come to me when an arrow thudded sharply -into a tree by my side and Carlos, with a wild yell of deadly fear, -threw down his load and dashed madly away. Not an Indian could be -seen. To stand there, a target for their missiles, was suicidal, and -turning, I fled at my utmost speed after Carlos. How we managed to run -through that tangled jungle is still a mystery to me, but we made good -time, nevertheless. Fear drove us and dodging between the giant trees, -leaping fallen trunks, tripping over roots and scrambling over rocks, -we sped on. - -And now, from behind, we could hear the sounds of the pursuing -Indians; their low gutteral cries, the sounds of breaking twigs and -branches; constantly they were drawing nearer. I knew that in a few -minutes they would be upon us—that at any instant a poisoned blowgun -dart or a barbed arrow might bury itself in my body; but still we -strove to escape. - -Then, just as I felt that the end must be at hand —just as I had -decided to turn and sell my life dearly—the forest thinned. Before us -sunlight appeared and the next moment we dashed from the jungle into a -space free from underbrush but covered with enormous trees draped with -gnarled and twisted lianas. The land here rose sharply and, glancing -ahead between the trees, I saw the indistinct outlines of a lofty -mountain against the sky. - -Toiling up the slope, breathing heavily, utterly exhausted, I kept on. -Then, as a loud shout sounded from the rear, I turned to see five -hideously painted Kunas break from the jungle. But they did not -follow. To my utter amazement they halted, gave a quick glance about, -and, with a chorus of frightened yells, turned and dashed back into -the shelter of the jungle. - -But I had scant time to give heed to this. The Kunas’ cries were still -ringing in my ears when a scream from Carlos drew my attention. -Thinking him attacked by savages I rushed towards him, drawing my -revolver as I ran. - -With bulging, rolling eyes, blanched face and ghastly, terror stricken -features he was struggling, fighting madly, with a writhing, coiling -gray object which I took for a gigantic snake. Already his body and -legs were bound and helpless in the coils. With his machete he was -raining blows upon the quivering awful thing which slowly, menacingly -wavered back and forth before him, striving to throw another coil -about his body. - -And then, as I drew near, my senses reeled, I felt that I was in some -awful nightmare. The object, so surely, relentlessly, silently -encircling and crushing him was no serpent but a huge liana drooping -from the lofty branches of a great tree! - -It seemed absolutely incredible, impossible, unbelieveable. But even -as I gazed, transfixed with horror, paralyzed by the sight, the vine -threw its last coil about the dying man and before my eyes drew the -quivering body into the trees above. - -Then something touched my leg. With a wild yell of terror I leaped -aside. A second vine was writhing and twisting over the ground towards -me! - -Crazed with unspeakable fear I struck at the thing with my machete. At -the blow the vine drew sharply back while from the gash a thick, -yellowish, stinking juice oozed forth. Turning, I started to rush from -the accursed spot but as I passed the first tree another liana writhed -forward in my path. - -Utterly bereft of my senses, slashing madly as I ran, yelling like a -madman, I dodged from tree to tree, seeking the open spaces, evading -by a hair’s breadth the fearful, menacing, serpent-like vines, until -half-crazy, torn, panting and utterly spent I dashed forth into a -clear grassy space. - -Before me, rising like a sheer wall against the sky was a huge -precipitous cliff of red rock. - -Now I knew why the Kunas had not followed us beyond the jungle. They -were aware of the man-killing lianas and had left us to a worse death -than any they could inflict. I was safe from them I felt sure. But was -I any better off? Before me was an impassable mountain side. On either -hand and in the rear those awful, blood-thirsty, sinister vines and, -lurking in the jungles, were the savage Kunas with their fatal -poisoned darts and powerful bows. I was beset on every side by deadly -peril, for I was without food, I had cast aside my gun and even my -revolver in my blind, terror-crazed escape from those ghastly living -vines, and to remain where I was meant death by starvation or thirst. - -But anything was better than this nightmare-like forest. At the -thought I glanced with a shudder at the trees and my blood seemed to -freeze in my veins. - -The forest was approaching me! I could not believe my eyes. Now I felt -I must be mad, and fascinated; hypnotized, I gazed, striving my utmost -to clear my brain, to make common sense contradict the evidence of my -eyes. But it was no delusion. Ponderously, slowly, but steadily the -trees were gliding noiselessly up the slope! Their great gnarled roots -were creeping and undulating over the ground while the pendant vines -writhed and swayed and darted forth in all directions as if feeling -their way. And then I saw what had before escaped me. The things were -not lianas as I had thought. They were parts of the trees -themselves—huge, lithe, flexible tentacles springing from a thick, -fleshy livid-hued crown of branches armed with stupendous thorns and -which slowly opened and closed like hungry jaws above the huge trunks. - -It was monstrous, uncanny, supernatural. A hundred yards and more of -open ground had stretched between me and the forest when I had flung -myself down, but now a scant fifty paces remained. In a few brief -moments the fearsome things would be upon me. But I was petrified, -incapable of moving hand or foot, too terrified and overwhelmed even -to cry out. - -Nearer and nearer the ghastly things came. I could hear the pounding -of my heart. A cold sweat broke out on my body. I shivered as with -ague. Then a long, warty, tentacle darted toward me and as the -loathsome stinking thing touched my hand the spell was broken. With a -wild scream I turned and dashed blindly towards the precipice, seeking -only to delay, only to avoid for a time the certain awful death to -which I was doomed, for the cliff barred all escape and I could go no -farther. - - - - - CHAPTER II - - AMAZING DISCOVERIES - - -A dozen leaps and I reached the wall of rock beyond which all retreat -was cut off. Close at hand was an outjutting buttress, and thinking -that back of this I might hide and thus prolong my life, I raced for -it. - -Panting, unseeing, I reached the projection, ducked behind it, and to -my amazement and unspeakable delight, found myself in a narrow canyon -or defile, like a huge cleft in the face of the precipice. - -Here was safety for a time. The terrible man-eating trees could not -enter, and striving only to put a greater distance between myself and -the vegetable demons I never slackened my pace as I turned and sped up -the canyon. - -Narrower and narrower it became. Far above my head the rocky walls -leaned inward, shutting out the light until soon it was so dim and -shadowy that, through sheer necessity, I was forced to stop running -and to pick my way carefully over the masses of rock that strewed the -canyon’s floor. Presently only a narrow ribbon of sky was visible -between the towering walls of the pass. Then this was blotted out and -I found myself in the inky blackness of a tunnel—an ancient -watercourse—leading into the very bowels of the mountain. - -But there was no use in hesitating. Anything was preferable to the -cannibal trees, and groping my way I pressed on. Winding and twisting, -turning sharply, the passageway led, ever ascending steeply and taxing -my exhausted muscles and overwrought system to the utmost. Then, far -ahead, I heard the faint sound of dripping, falling water and with joy -at thought of burying my aching head in the cold liquid, and of easing -my parched, dry throat, I hurried, stumbling, through the tunnel. - -At last, I saw a glimmer of light in the distance and in it the -sparkle of the water. Before me was the end of the tunnel and sunlight -and with a final spurt of speed I rushed towards it. Then, just as I -gained the opening, and so suddenly and unexpectedly that he seemed to -materialize from thin air, a man rose before me. - -Unable to check my speed, too thunderstruck at the apparition to halt, -I dashed full into him and together we rolled head over heels upon the -ground. - -I have said he was a man. But even in that brief second that I -glimpsed him, before I bowled him over, I realized that he was unlike -any man I or anyone else had ever seen. Barely three feet in height, -squat, with enormous head and shoulders, he stood shakily upon the -tiniest of bandy legs and half supported his weight by his enormously -long muscular arms. Had it not been that he was partly clothed and -that his face was hairless, I should have thought him an ape. And now, -as I picked myself up and stared at him, my jaws gaped in utter -amazement. The fellow was running from me at top speed upon his hands, -his feet waving and swaying in the air! - -So utterly dumbfounded was I at the sight that I stood there silently -gazing after the strange being until he vanished behind a clump of -bushes. Then as it dawned upon me that no doubt there were others -near, and, that as he had shown no sign of hostility, they were likely -peaceable, I hurried after him. - -A narrow trail led through the brush and running along this I burst -from the shrubbery and came to an abrupt halt, utterly astounded at -the sight which met my eyes. I was standing at the verge of a little -rise beyond which stretched an almost circular, level plain several -miles in diameter. Massed upon this in long rows, compact groups and -huge squares, were hundreds of low, flat-roofed, stone buildings, -while upon a smooth green plot at a little distance, stood a massive -truncated pyramid. - -Unwittingly I had reached my goal. Before me was the lost city of -Darien. Hazen had been right! - -But it was not this thought nor the strange city and its buildings -that held my fascinated gaze, but the people. Everywhere they swarmed. -Upon the streets, the housetops, even on the open land of the plain, -they crowded and each and every one an exact counterpart of the one -with whom I had collided at the mouth of the tunnel. And, like him -too, all were walking or running upon their hands with their feet in -air! - -All this I saw in the space of a few seconds. Then, to add to my -astonishment, I saw that many of the impossible beings actually were -carrying burdens in their upraised feet! Some bore baskets, others -jars or pots, others bundles, while one group that was approaching in -my direction, held bows and arrows in their toes, and held them most -menacingly at that! - -It was evident that I had been seen. The excitement of the beings, -their gestures and the manner in which they peered towards me from -between their arms, left no doubt of it, while the threatening -defensive attitude of the bowmen proved that they were ready to attack -or defend at a moment’s notice. - -No doubt, to them, my appearance was as remarkable, as inexplicable -and as amazing as they were to me. The greater portion were evidently -filled with terror and scurried into their houses, yet many still -stood their ground, while a few were so overcome with curiosity and -surprise that they dropped feet to earth and rested right side up in -order to stare at me more intently. - -I realized that it behooved me to do something. To stand there -motionless and speechless, gazing at the strange folk while they -stared back, would accomplish nothing. But what to do, what move to -make? That was a serious question. If I attempted to approach them a -shower of arrows might well end my career and my investigations of the -place then and there. It was equally useless to retrace my steps, even -had I been so minded, for only certain death lay back of me. By some -means I must win the confidence or friendship of these outlandish -beings if only temporarily. A thousand ideas flashed through my mind. - -If only Hazen would appear the creatures of the city might think I had -dropped from the sky and so look upon me as a supernatural being. But -it was hopeless to expect such a coincidence or to look for him. I had -told him to fly over on the tenth day and this was only the seventh. -If only I had retained my revolver the discharge of the weapon might -frighten them into thinking me a god. But my firearms lay somewhere in -the demon forest. I had heard no sounds of voices, no shouting, and I -wondered if the beings were dumb. Maybe, I thought, if I should -speak—should yell—I might impress them. But, on the other hand, the -sound of my voice might break the spell and cause them to attack me. A -single mistake, the slightest false move, might seal my doom. I was in -a terrible quandary. All my former experiences with savage unknown -tribes passed through my mind, and I strove to think of some incident, -some little event, which had saved the day in the past and might be -put to good use now. - -And as I thus pondered I unconsciously reached in my pocket for my -pipe, filled it with tobacco and placing it between my lips, struck a -match and puffed forth a cloud of smoke. Instantly, from the weird -creatures, a low, wailing, sibilant sound arose. The archers dropped -their bows and arrows and, with one accord, the people threw -themselves grovelling on the ground. Unintentionally I had solved the -problem. To these beings I was a fire-breathing, awful god! - -Realizing this, knowing that when dealing with primitive races full of -superstitions one must instantly follow up an advantage, I hesitated -no longer. Puffing lustily at my pipe I strode forward and approached -the nearest prostrate group. Motionless they buried their faces in the -dust, bodies pressed to earth, not daring to look up or even steal a -surreptitious glance at the terrible, smoke-belching being who towered -over them. Never had I seen such a demonstration of abject fear, such -utter debasement. It really was pitiful to see them, to view their -trembling, panting bodies quivering with nameless terror; terror so -great they dared not flee, even though they knew by my footsteps that -I was among them, and feared that at any moment an awful doom might -descend upon them. - -But their very fright defeated my purpose. I had won safety and even -adoration perhaps, but there could be no amity, no intercourse, no -means of mingling with them, of securing food, of learning anything if -they were to remain cowering on the ground. By some means I must win a -measure of their confidence, I must prove that I was a friendly -beneficent deity and yet I must still be able to impress them with my -powers and control them through fear. - -It was a delicate matter to accomplish, but it had to be done. Almost -at my feet lay one of the archers—a leader or chieftain I thought from -the feather ornaments he wore—and stooping, I lifted him gently. At my -touch he fairly palpitated with terror, but no frightened scream, no -sound save an indrawn snake-like hiss, escaped his lips, and he -offered no resistance as I lifted him to a kneeling position. - -Hitherto I had had no opportunity to obtain a good view of these -people, but now I saw this fellow close at hand I was amazed at his -repulsive ugliness. I have seen some rather ugly races, but all of -them combined and multiplied a hundredfold would be beauties compared -to these dwarfed, topsy-turvy, denizens of the lost city. Almost -black, low browed, with tiny, shifty eyes like those of a reptile, -with enormous, thick lipped mouths, sharp, fang-like teeth and matted -hair, the bowman seemed far more like an ape than like a human being. -And then I noticed a most curious thing. He had no ears! Where they -should have been were merely round, bare spots covered with light -colored thin membrane like the ears of a frog. For an instant I -thought it a malformation or an injury. But as I glanced at the others -I saw that all were the same. Not one possessed a human ear! All this -I took in as I lifted the fellow up. Then as he tremblingly raised his -head and eyed me I spoke to him, trying to make my tones gentle and -reassuring. But there was no response, no sign of intelligence or -understanding in his dull, frightened eyes. There was nothing to do -but to fall back on sign language and rapidly I gestured, striving to -convey to him that I would do no injury or harm, that I was friendly -and that I wished the people to rise. - -Slowly a look of comprehension dawned upon his ugly face and then, to -prove my friendship, I fished in my pocket, found a tiny mirror and -placed it in his hand. At the expression of utter astonishment that -overspread his ugly features as he looked in the glass I roared with -laughter. But the mirror won the day. Uttering sharp, strange, hissing -sounds, the fellow conveyed the news to his companions and slowly, -hesitatingly and with lingering fear still on their faces, the people -rose and gazed upon me with strangely mingled awe and curiosity. - -Mainly they were men, but scattered among them were many who evidently -were women, although all were so uniformly repulsive in features that -it was difficult to distinguish the sexes. All too, were clad much -alike in single garments of bark-cloth resembling gunnysacks with -holes cut at the four corners for legs and arms and an opening for the -head. - -But while there was no variation in the form or material of the -clothing yet some wore ornaments and others did not. Leg and arm bands -of woven fibre were common. Many of the men had decorations of bright -hued feathers attached to arms or legs or fastened about their waists -and many were elaborately tattooed. That such primitive dwarfed, ugly, -degenerate creatures could have built the city of stone houses, could -have laid out the broad paved streets and could have developed so much -of civilization, seemed incredible. - -But I had little time to devote to such thoughts. The fellow I had -presented with the mirror was hissing at me like a serpent and by -signs was trying to indicate that I was to follow him. So, with the -crowd trailing behind us, we started up the road towards the centre of -the city. - - - - - CHAPTER III - - BEFORE THE KING - - -Truly no stranger procession had ever been seen by human eyes. - -Before me, the chief archer led the way, walking upon his great -calloused hands and with his bow grasped firmly in one prehensile foot -and his precious mirror in the other. On either side and in the rear -were scores of the weird beings hurrying along on their hands, keeping -up an incessant hissing sound like escaping steam; black legs and feet -waving and gesticulating in air and, at first glance, appearing like a -crowd of headless dwarfs. How I wished that Fenton might have been -there to see! - -Apparently my actions had been closely watched from the safe retreats -of the houses and word passed that I was not to be feared, for as we -reached the first buildings, the edges of the roofs and the tiny -window slits were lined with curious, ugly faces peering at us. It was -then that I noticed that none of the buildings had doors, the walls -rising blank to the roofs save for the narrow windows, while ladders, -here and there in place, proved that the inhabitants, like the Pueblo -Indians, entered and left their dwellings through the roofs. - -Now and then as we passed along, some of the more venturesome beings -would join the procession, scrambling nimbly down the ladders, -sometimes upside down on their hands, often using both hands and feet, -but always using hands only as soon as they reached the ground. - -How or why they had developed this extraordinary mode of progression -puzzled me greatly, for there seemed no scientifically good reason for -it. Among tribes who habitually use boats, weak legs and enormously -developed shoulders, chests and arms are common, and I could well -understand how a race, depending entirely upon water for -transportation, might, through generations of inbreeding and -isolation, lose the use of legs. - -But here was a people who apparently had no conveyances of any kind, -who must of necessity travel about to cultivate their crops, who must -carry heavy burdens in order to construct their buildings and to whom -legs would seem a most important matter, and yet with legs and feet so -atrophied and arms so tremendously developed that they walked on their -hands and used their feet as auxiliaries. It was a puzzle I longed to -solve and that I would have investigated thoroughly had fate permitted -me to dwell longer in the strange city. But I am getting ahead of my -story. - -Presently we reached a large central square surrounded by closely set -buildings. Approaching one of these, my guide signalled that I was to -follow him as he swiftly ascended the ladder to the roof. Rather -hesitatingly, for I doubted if the frail affair would support my -weight, I climbed gingerly up and found myself upon the broad, flat -roof. Before me were several dark openings with the ends of ladders -projecting from them and down one of these my guide led the way. At -the bottom of the ladder I was in a large, obscure room, lit only by -the slits of windows high in the walls, and for a moment I could see -nothing of my surroundings, although from all sides issued the low -hissing sounds that I now knew were the language of these remarkable -people. Then, as my eyes became accustomed to the dim light, I saw -that a score of beings were squatted about the sides of the room, -while, directly before me, on a raised dais or platform, was seated -the largest and ugliest individual I had seen. - -That he was a ruler, a king or high priest, was evident. In place of -the sack-like garment of his people he was clad in a long robe of -golden green feathers. Upon his head was a feather crown of the same -hue. About his wrists and ankles were golden bands studded with huge -uncut emeralds, and a string of the same stones hung upon his chest. - -The throne, if such it could be called, was draped with a green and -gold rug and everywhere, upon the walls of the chamber, were paintings -of strange misshapen, uncouth creatures and human beings all in the -same green and yellow tints. Something in the surroundings, in the -drawings and the costume of the king, reminded me of the Aztecs or -Mayas and while quite distinct from either I felt sure that, in some -long past time, these dwellers of the lost city had been influenced by -or had been in contact with, these ancient civilizations. - -As I stood before the dais my guide prostrated himself before the -green robed monarch and then, rising, carried on what appeared to be -an animated account of my arrival and the subsequent happenings. - -As he spoke, silence fell upon those present and the king listened -attentively, glancing now and then at me and regarding me with an -expression of combined fear, respect and enmity. I could readily -understand what his feelings were. No doubt he was a person of far -greater intelligence than his subjects, and while more or less afraid -of such a strange being as myself, and superstitious enough to think -me supernatural, yet in me he saw a possible usurper of his own power -and prominence and, if he had dared, he would have been only too glad -to have put me out of the way. - -At the end of the archer’s narrative the fellow handed his mirror to -the king who uttered a sharp exclamatory hiss as he saw his own ugly -countenance reflected in it. Forgetting court etiquette and -conventions in their curiosity, the others gathered about and as the -mirror passed from hand to hand their amazement knew no bounds. - -All of these men I now saw were clad in green or green and white and -were evidently of high rank, priests or courtiers I took it, but -otherwise were as undersized and repulsive as the common people on the -streets. - -Suddenly I was aroused from my contemplation of the room and its -occupants by my guide who came close and by signs ordered me to -perform the miracle of smoking. Very ceremoniously and deliberately I -drew out my pipe, filled it and struck a match. At the bright flare of -the flame king and courtiers uttered a wailing hiss of fear and threw -themselves upon the floor. But they were of different stuff from their -people, or else the guide had prepared them for the event, for the -king soon raised his head, and glancing dubiously at me and finding I -had not vanished in fire and smoke, as he no doubt expected, he -resumed his sitting posture and in sharp tones ordered his fellows to -do likewise. - -But despite this it was very evident that he and his friends were in -dread of the smoke from my mouth and nose while the tobacco fumes -caused them to sputter and cough and choke. This at last was more than -even the king could stand, and by signs he made it clear that he -wished me to end the demonstration of my fire eating ability. Then he -rose, and, to my unbounded surprise, stood erect and stepped forward -like an ordinary mortal upon his feet. Here was an extraordinary -thing. Was the king of a distinct race or stock or was the use of -nether limbs for walking confined to the royal family or to -individuals? - -It was a fascinating scientific problem to solve. I had no time to -give it any consideration, however, for the king was now addressing me -in his snake-like dialect and was trying hard to make his meaning -clear by signs. For a moment I was at a loss, but presently I grasped -his meaning. He was asking whence I had come, and from the frequency -with which he pointed upward I judged he thought I had dropped from -the sky. - -Then a brilliant idea occurred to me as I remembered Hazen’s story and -his suggestion regarding his return by plane. Pointing upward I made -the best imitation of a motor’s exhaust that I could manage. There was -no doubt that the monarch grasped my meaning. He grinned, nodded and -swept his arm in a wide semicircle around his head, evidently to -represent the course of the plane when Hazen had flown over the city. - -Seemingly satisfied and, I judged, deeply impressed as well, he -resumed his seat, gave a few orders to his fellows and summoning my -guide spoke a few words to him. Thereupon the archer signalled me to -follow and led the way across the room. But I noticed that the king -had not returned the mirror. - -Ascending the ladder to the roof the fellow hurried across to a second -building, scrambled down another ladder and we entered a large room. -In one corner swung a large fiber hammock; in the centre was spread a -cloth decorated in green and gold, and as we entered two women -appeared, each carrying handsome earthenware dishes of food whose -savory odors whetted my already ravenous appetite. - -Marvelous as it was to see these impossible beings carrying food in -their uplifted feet and walking on their hands, yet I had now become -somewhat accustomed to the people and I was so famished that I hardly -gave the upside down serving maids a second glance. - -The food was excellent—consisting of vegetables, some sort of -fricasseed game and luscious fruits— and as I ate my guide squatted -near and regarded me with the fixed, half adoring, half frightened -look that one sees on the face of a strange puppy. - -I judged that he had been appointed my own personal guard or valet—it -mattered little which—and I was not sorry, for he seemed a fairly -decent specimen of his race and we already had become pretty well -accustomed to each other’s signs and gestures. Wishing to still -further establish myself in his confidence, and feeling rather sorry -for him because of the loss of his treasured mirror, I searched my -pockets for some other trinket. My possessions however were limited. -They consisted of a stub of a lead pencil, a note book, a few coins, -my handkerchief, my watch, my pocketknife, a few loose pistol -cartridges, my pipe and tobacco and a box of matches. As I drew all -these out a sudden fear gripped me. I had barely a dozen matches -remaining and my supply of tobacco was perilously low. What would -happen when I could no longer produce fire and smoke when called upon -to do so? - -But I controlled my fears and comforted myself with the thought that -possibly, after having felt the effects of tobacco smoke, the king -would not soon demand another miracle at my hands and that, before -either matches or tobacco was exhausted, something might well happen -to solve any problems that might arise. Nevertheless I heartily wished -that I had arranged with Hazen to bring supplies in case they were -needed and which he could have easily dropped as he flew over. - -It would, I now realized, have proved an extremely impressive thing -for the people to have seen me secure my magic from the giant roaring -bird in the sky. But I had never of course dreamed of such adventures -as I had met and could not possibly have foreseen the need of such -things. Just the same I cursed myself for a stupid fool for not having -provided for any contingency and especially for not having arranged a -series of signals with Hazen. However, I was familiar with wigwagging -and decided that, if necessity arose, It would be quite feasible for -me to signal to him by means of my handkerchief tied on a stick. Also, -I felt a bit easier in my mind from knowing that near the city was a -splendid landing place for the plane and that Hazen, if signalled, -would unquestionably attempt a descent. - -Truly it was not every explorer in a predicament like mine who could -count on being able to summon aid from the clouds if worst came to -worst or who knew that a friend in an airplane would keep track of his -whereabouts. Indeed, I almost chuckled at the thought of being in this -long lost city among these incredible folk and yet within two hundred -miles of the Canal and civilization and with another American due to -hover above—and even communicate with me—within the next three days. -It was all so dreamlike, so utterly preposterous that I scarcely could -force myself to believe it and, having dined well and feeling -desperately tired, I flung myself into the hammock and almost -instantly dropped off to sleep. - -It was still daylight when I awoke and the room was empty. Ascending -the ladder to the roof without meeting anyone, I climbed down the -other ladder to the street. Many people were about and while a few -especially the women and children, threw themselves on their faces or -scampered into their houses at my approach, yet the majority merely -prostrated themselves for a moment and then stood, supporting -themselves in their ape-like way, and stared curiously at me. I had -gone but a short distance when my valet came hurrying to my side. But -he made no objections to my going where I wished and I was glad to see -that my movements were not to be hampered as I was anxious thoroughly -to explore the city and its neighborhood. Curious to learn the purpose -of the pyramidal structure I had noticed I proceeded in that direction -and was soon in a part of the town given over to stalls, shops and -markets. There were also several workshops, such as pottery makers’, a -woodworking shop and a weaver’s shop and I spent some time watching -the artizans at their work. Somehow, from seeing the people walk upon -their hands, I had expected to see them perform their tasks with their -feet and it came as something of a surprise to see these fellows using -their hands like ordinary mortals. - -Beyond this portion of the city the houses were scattered, the -outlying buildings were more or less patched and out of repair and -were very evidently the abode of the poorer classes, although the -inhabitants I saw, and who retreated the instant they saw me, were -exactly like all the others as far as I could see, both in dress and -feature. Passing these huts, I crossed the smooth green field, which I -now saw was a perfect landing place for the plane. Tethered to stakes -and grazing on the grass were a number of animals which, as I first -noticed them, I had taken for goats and cattle. But now I discovered -that they were all deer and tapirs. It was a great surprise to see -these animals domesticated but, after all, it was not remarkable, for -I should have known, had I stopped to give the matter thought, that -goats, sheep and cattle were unknown to the aboriginal Americans and -that this city and its people, who had never been visited and had -never communicated with other races, would of necessity be without -these well known animals. - -Moreover, I knew that the Mayas were supposed to have used tapirs as -beasts of burden, and while I was standing there watching the -creatures a man approached riding astride a big tapir and driving a -second one loaded with bags of charcoal and garden produce. Here then -was a partial solution of the manner by which these weak, dwarfed -people built their stone houses. For with the powerful elephant-like -tapirs—and I noticed all were the giant Baird’s tapir which reaches a -weight of seven or eight hundred pounds—they could easily haul the -blocks of stone from a quarry and by means of tackle and inclined -planes, could readily hoist the stones to the tops of the walls. - -I had now reached the base of the pyramid and found it a massive -structure of the same flinty stone as the other buildings. Running -from base to summit was a spiral path or stairway and instantly I knew -that it was a sacrificial pyramid exactly like those used by the -Aztecs and on which unfortunate beings were killed and sacrificed. -This discovery still further confirmed my suspicions that these people -were either of Aztec or Maya blood or had been influenced by those -races. Filled with curiosity to see the altar on the summit I started -up the sloping stairs. I was at first doubtful if my companion would -permit this, for the structure was sacred and doubtless only priests -of the highest order were permitted upon it. Evidently, however, my -guide thought that such a supernatural being or god as myself had -every right to invade the most sacred places, and he offered no -objection, but prostrated himself at the base of the pyramid as I -ascended. - -At the summit I found, as I had expected, the sacrificial stone, a -huge block elaborately carved in hieroglyphs and with channels to -permit the blood to drain off, while, close at hand, was a massive -carved stone collar or yoke exactly like those which have been found -in Porto Rico and have so long puzzled scientists. From the blood -stains upon this I felt sure it was used to hold down the victim’s -head and neck, while strong metal staples, set into the stone, -indicated that the man destined for sacrifice was spread-eagled and -his ankles and wrists bound fast to the rings. - -It was a most interesting spot from a scientific standpoint, but -decidedly gruesome, while the stench of putrefied blood and fragments -of human flesh clinging to the stones was nauseating and I was glad to -retrace my steps and descend to the ground. - -From the top of the pyramid I had obtained a fine view of the plain -and city and I had noted that the former was surrounded on all sides -with steep cliffs, and I realized that the plain was not a flat topped -mountain as I had thought but the crater of an extinct volcano. - -I saw no path, pass or opening by which the crater-valley could be -entered, but I knew there was the one by which I had arrived. As the -sun, here on the mountain top, was still well above the horizon I -decided to visit the entrance to the tunnel, for I was anxious to know -why the people should leave this avenue open when, on every other -side, they were completely cut off from the outer world. Possibly, I -thought, they knew of those horrible man-eating trees and trusted to -them to guard the city from intruders. Or again, they might keep the -entrance guarded, for the fellow I had knocked over as I dashed in had -been at the tunnel mouth and for all I knew he might have been an -armed guard and was merely so thunderstruck at my precipitate -appearance that he forgot his duties and his weapons. - -With such thoughts running through my mind I strolled across the -plain, past well-tilled gardens and fields, in several of which I saw -men ploughing with well made plows drawn by tapirs. Even the farmers -stopped their work and prostrated themselves as I passed, and it was -evident that word of my celestial origin and supernatural character -had gone forth to every inhabitant of the valley. - -Following the path, I reached the little rise from which I had first -viewed the city and soon came to the spot where I had entered. Imagine -my utter surprise when I saw no sign whatever of the opening. I was -positive that I had not missed my way. I recognized the clumps of -bushes and the forms of the rocks, but there was no dark hole, no -aperture in the cliff. Then, as I drew near to the precipice, I made -an astounding discovery. Closely fitted into the rock and so like it -that it had escaped my attention, was an enormous stone door. How it -was operated, whether it was hinged or slid or whether it was pivoted, -I could not determine. But that it covered and concealed the entrance -to the tunnel I was convinced. Why the people had left the tunnel open -as though to clear the way for me, why they should have fitted a door -to it, why they should ever use the tunnel which could bring them only -to the death-dealing forest, were problems which I could not solve. - -At any rate there was nothing to be gained by staying there and I -started back towards the city. Thinking to return by another route, I -took a path that led towards the opposite mountain side and presently -from ahead, I distinctly heard the sound of metal striking stone. - -Oddly enough my mind had been so filled with other matters that I had -hardly wondered how these people cut or worked the hard stone. But now -that my attention was attracted by the sound my curiosity was aroused -and I hurried forward. What metal I wondered, did these people use? -For metal I knew it must be from the ringing, clinking noise. Was I -about to see hardened bronze tools in actual use or had these -marvelous folk discovered the use of iron or steel? So astounding had -been all my experiences, so paradoxical and incredible everything I -had seen, that I was prepared for almost anything. I, or rather we, -soon came to the verge of a deep pit wherein, laboring at great masses -of white stone, were scores of workmen. Standing like skeletons among -the blocks were derricks; hitched to sledge-like drags loaded with -stone were teams of tapirs and on the farther side was a big -outjutting ledge from which the stone was being quarried. Hurrying -down the steep trail I reached the bottom of the pit to find every man -flat on the ground. - -Signalling to my companion that I wished to have the fellows go on -with their work, I approached the nearest slab of rock. It was the -same fine grained whitish rock of which the city was built, and, lying -upon it where they had been dropped by the stone cutters, were several -small hammers, chisels and an adze-like tool. That they were not -bronze or any alloy of copper I knew at the first glance. Their color -was that of tempered steel and they seemed ridiculously small for the -purpose of working this hard stone. If these people used steel then I -had indeed made a discovery, and intent on this matter I picked up one -of the tools to examine it. No sooner had I lifted it that I uttered -an involuntary exclamation of surprise. The hammer, although hardly -larger than an ordinary tack hammer, weighed fully ten pounds! It was -heavier than if made of solid gold. There was only one known metal -that could be so heavy and that was platinum. But platinum it could -not be, for that metal is softer than gold and would be of no more use -for cutting rock than so much lead. The tools, however, were -undoubtedly hard—the polished surface of the hammer-head and the -chisels, and the unscarred keen edges of the latter, showed this, and, -anxious to test their hardness, I held a chisel against the rock and -struck it sharply with a hammer. - -Once more I cried out in wonder, for the chisel had bitten fully half -an inch into the stone! It had cut it as easily as if the rock were -cheese! - -What marvel was this? What magic lay in these tools? And then the -secret dawned upon me and a moment’s examination of the stone -confirmed my suspicions. It was not that the tools were so very hard -or keen but that the rock was soft—so soft that I could readily cut it -with my pocket knife, a wax-like earthy rock which no doubt became -hard upon exposure to the air exactly like the coral rock of Bermuda, -which may be quarried with saws and even planed, but becomes as hard -as limestone after exposure to the elements. Still, the tools were far -harder than any metal except tempered steel, and for some time I -puzzled over the matter as I watched the workmen, now over their -fright and adoration, skilfully cutting and squaring the blocks of -stone. It was one more conundrum I could not solve, and it was not -until long afterwards, when a careful analysis of the metal was made, -that I knew the truth. The metal was an alloy of platinum and -iridium—the later one of the hardest of all known metals. - -As we left the quarry and made our way toward the city I noticed an -immense aqueduct stretching across the land from the apparently solid -mountain side just above the quarry. I had given little thought to how -the people secured water here in the crater. But it was now apparent -that it was brought from some source by the stone conduit. Keenly -curious to know whence it came, for I could not imagine how a river, -lake or spring could exist on the crater rim, I wished to investigate, -but darkness was coming on, I was tired and I deferred further -exploration until another day. - -Although I suppose I should have been grateful for being able to -communicate with the people at all, yet I keenly felt the lack of a -common medium of conversation, for the sign language was limited and I -could not secure the information I so much desired about many matters -that puzzled me. - -Nothing further of interest transpired that night. I was supplied with -food, I slept soundly and did not awaken until roused by the women -with my breakfast. Very soon afterwards I was summoned to the throne -room by Zip, as I called my companion, and once more I had to strike a -match and smoke my pipe for the king’s benefit. This time a second -personage of high rank was beside him, a villainous looking -hunchbacked dwarf with red, vicious eyes and cruel mouth but who, like -the king, walked on his feet. From his elaborately decorated white -robes and the mitre-like crown of quetzal feathers on his gray head, I -concluded he was a high priest, for in the designs upon his costume -and the form of his crown, I saw a decided resemblance to the Aztec -priests as shown in the picturegraph of that race. Moreover, the -quetzal or resplendant trogon was, I knew, the sacred bird of the -Aztecs and Mayas, and while I was aware that it was common in the -northern portions of Panama, I had never heard of its occurrence in -Darien, a fact which still further confirmed my belief that these -people were of Aztec stock. But if this were the case it was a puzzle -as to why they should be so undersized, malformed and physically -degenerate, for both the Aztecs and Mayas were powerful, well-formed -races. The only solution I could think of was the supposition that -isolation and intermarriage through centuries had brought about such -results. - -But to return to my audience with the king. I was not all pleased at -thus having to use my precious matches and tobacco and I foresaw some -very unpleasant developments in store for me if the performance was to -be of daily occurrence. It was manifest that I must devise some new -and startling exhibition of my powers if I were to retain my prestige -and my freedom, for I well knew, from past experiences with savage -races, and from the character of these potentates, that if I failed to -perform miracles, and became, in their eyes, an ordinary mortal, my -career would come to an abrupt end. - -To be sure, there was the reassuring fact that Hazen would or should -appear within the next forty-eight hours, but it was decidedly -problematical as to whether I could communicate with him or could -receive any aid from the air. However, there was nothing to be done -but obey and puff away at my pipe. With the idea of cutting the -exhibition short I stepped closer to the throne and blew the smoke -towards the faces of the king and the priest. The monarch was soon -coughing and spluttering, but he was game, while the priest, to my -amazement, sniffed the smoke and seemed to enjoy it. Here was trouble. -Evidently he had a natural taste for tobacco and this fact caused me a -deal of worry, for if the old rascal took it into his head to acquire -the habit and demanded I should let him try a puff at the pipe I would -be in a pretty fix indeed. - -However, my fears on this score were groundless, and presently the -king, who could stand it no longer, signalled for me to depart, which -I did most gladly. - -I still had it in mind to investigate the water supply, and with -Zip—reminding me of an acrobatic clown—beside me, headed for the -aqueduct. This I found was of stones, dovetailed together in water -tight joints, and built like an open trough and the speed of the water -flowing through it proved the supply well above the city’s level. It -was an easy matter to follow the conduit, for a well-trodden path was -beside it, but it was a steep up-grade climb for nearly a mile before -I gained the spot where the aqueduct tapped the mountain rim. Here the -water gushed from a hole in the solid rock and from its volume I knew -it must come from some large reservoir. From where I stood I could -look directly down into the quarry and the thought flashed through my -mind that if the people continued to quarry in the place for many more -years they would undermine and weaken the foundations of the aqueduct. - -It was their lookout not mine, however, and still intent on tracing -the water to its source I turned up a trail that appeared to lead to -the mountain top. In places this was excessively steep and here Zip -exhibited a new habit of his people. Dropping his feet he proceeded to -climb the path on all fours, his feet first and his prehensile toes -grasping every projection and bit of rock to draw him along while his -immense, powerful hands supported his weight and pushed him onward. He -looked more like a gigantic spider than anything, and not in the least -human. Panting and blown I at last gained the summit and looked down -upon a lake of dismal black water filling a circular crater about half -a mile in diameter. Close by was an aperture in the rock and -half-filled with water, and it was evident that this was connected -with the outlet below by means of a shaft. Whether this was a natural -formation or had been laboriously cut by hand I could not tell, but I -was prepared for almost anything by this time and was not greatly -surprised to find a cleverly constructed sluice gate arranged above -the opening to regulate the flow of water. I had seen similar crater -lakes in the extinct volcanoes of the West Indies, but I was surprised -that Hazen had not mentioned it. But on second thought I realized that -when flying over it, the dark water surrounded by vegetation would -hardly be visible and might easily be mistaken for heavy shadow or an -empty crater, while the aviator’s surprise at the city would fix his -attention upon it to the exclusion of all surroundings. - -Standing upon the rock ridge several hundred feet above the city I had -almost the same view as Hazen had from his plane and I could -understand how, at an elevation of 5000 feet or more, he had been -unable to obtain any very accurate idea of the buildings or people. I -also realized, with a sinking of my heart, that it would be next to -impossible for him to recognize me or to see any signals I might make. - -The most prominent spot in the entire valley was the pyramid, for this -was isolated upon the green plain and the sun, striking through a gap -in the eastern rim of the crater, shone directly upon the altar’s -summit, thus bringing it out in sharp relief. Indeed, it looked for -all the world like a pylon on an aviation field. If I expected to make -my presence known to Hazen or to signal to him, my best point of -vantage would be the summit of the pyramid and I determined to climb -there and await his arrival when he should be due, two days later. - -Little did I dream at the time of the conditions under which I would -await him upon that gruesome altar. - - - - - CHAPTER IV - - THE SACRIFICE - - -By the time we had descended the mountain and had reached the city it -was noon, and going to my quarters I was glad to find an excellent -meal. Having finished eating I threw myself into the hammock and -despite my scarcity of matches and tobacco, indulged in a smoke. Then, -feeling drowsy, I took off my coat, placed it on the floor beside my -hammock and closed my eyes. - -I awoke refreshed and reached for my coat only to leap from the -hammock with a cry of alarm. The coat was gone! Quickly I searched the -room, thinking Zip might have placed the garment elsewhere while I -slept, but the place was bare. Zip was nowhere to be seen, and even -the rug on which meals were served had been removed. - -Here was a pretty state of affairs. My coat contained my matches, -pipe, tobacco, pocket knife and handkerchief. Without it I was lost, -helpless, incapable of maintaining my prestige of position. Death or -worse hovered over me. My life depended on regaining my precious -garment and its contents. Who could have taken it? What could have -been their object? And instantly the truth flashed upon my mind. It -was that rascally high priest. He had seen me take pipe, tobacco and -matches from my coat pocket. He had watched me narrowly, perhaps had -kept his eyes upon me through some hidden peep-hole or opening, and -had seen me remove my coat, and while I slept had seized it. Or -perhaps he had ordered Zip to secure it for him. It made little -difference which, for if it were in his possession he would have me in -his power. He could order me to smoke and when I failed he could -perform the miracle himself and denounce me as an imposter. My only -hope was to regain my possessions by fair means or foul, and knowing -that every second I delayed increased my peril, I rushed to the ladder -and across the roofs to the throne room. - -From beneath me, as I started to descend, came the sounds of the -hissing language in excited tones, and as my head came below the level -of the roof my heart sank. The dark air of the room was heavy with -tobacco smoke! - -The next instant my feet were jerked from beneath me, I was seized, -tumbled on the floor, and before I could strike or rise I was bound -hand and foot. Dazed, startled and helpless I glanced about. -Surrounding me were a dozen of the repulsive dwarfs. Gathered about -the sides of the room were crowds of people, and seated upon the -throne, puffing great clouds of smoke from my pipe, a wicked leer upon -his ugly face, and thoroughly enjoying himself, was the priest, while -beside him the king coughed and sneezed and looked very miserable. - -All this I took in at a glance. Then I was seized and dragged roughly -before the throne. I fully realized my doom was sealed. I was no -longer a supernatural being to be feared and adored—my treatment -proved that—but merely a prisoner, an ordinary mortal. Oddly enough, -however, I was no longer frightened. My first fears had given place to -anger, and I raged and fumed and prayed that the grinning fiend before -me might be stricken with all the torturing sickness, which usually -follows the beginner’s first smoke. - -But apparently he was immune to the effects, and as soon as I was -dragged before the throne he rose, and pointing at me, addressed the -crowd before him. That he was denouncing me as an imposter and at the -same time tremendously increasing his own importance was evident by -his tones, his gestures and the expression on his black face. -Moreover, he had another card to play. Pointing upward and waving his -arm and making quite creditable imitation of an airplane’s exhaust, he -spoke vehemently and then pointed to a man who crouched on the dais. - -At first I was at a loss to grasp his meaning, and then, as the -trembling creature beside the throne spoke in frightened tones and -gesticulated vividly, I realized he was the chap I had bumped into -upon my arrival. He had spilled the beans and had informed the old -scarecrow of a priest that I had arrived via the tunnel and not from -the sky. - -I felt sure now that my doom was sealed. But there was nothing I could -do or say. There was one chance in a million that I might be escorted -from the valley and turned loose in the tunnel; but that gave me no -comfort, for I knew that hideous certain death awaited me on that -slope covered with the devilish man-eating-trees. - -The chances, however, were all in favor of my being tortured and -butchered. Strangely enough my greatest regret, the matter which -troubled me the most and made me curse my carelessness in removing my -coat while I slept, was not that I should be killed—I had faced death -too often for that—but the fact that I would be unable to report the -wonderful discoveries I had made or give my knowledge of the city and -its people to the world. Indeed, my thoughts were so concentrated on -this that I gave little attention to the priest, until he stepped -forward, and, with a nasty grimace, struck me savagely across the -face. Maddened at the blow I lunged forward like a butting ram. My -head struck squarely in the pit of his stomach, and with a gasping -yell he doubled up and fell sprawling on the dais while the pipe flew -from his lips and scattered its contents far and near. Before I could -roll to one side, my guards seized and pulled me across the room. -Despite my plight and the fate in store for me I laughed loudly and -heartily as I saw the priest with hands pressed to stomach, eyes -rolling wildly and a sickly greenish pallor on his face. The blow plus -the tobacco had done its work. I had evened up the score a bit at any -rate. - -The next moment I was hauled through a low doorway hidden by -draperies, and, bumping like a bag of meal over the rough stones, was -pitched into an inky black cell. Bruised, scratched and bleeding I lay -there unable to move or see while the occasional sounds of shuffling -footsteps, or rather handsteps, told me a guard was close at hand. For -hour after hour I lay motionless, expecting each minute that I would -be dragged out to torture or death and wondering dully what form it -would take, until at last—numb, exhausted and worn out, I lost -consciousness. - -I was brought to my senses by being seized and jerked to a sitting -posture, and found the cell illuminated by a spluttering torch, while -two of the men supported my shoulders and a third held a gourd of -water to my lips. My throat was parched and the liquid was most -welcome, and a moment later, a fourth man appeared with food. It was -evident that the priest had no intention of letting me die of thirst -or starvation, and I wondered why he should be so solicitous of my -comfort if I were doomed to an early death. - -As soon as I had eaten, the guards withdrew, taking the torch, and I -was once more left in stygian blackness with my thoughts. I wondered -whether it were day or night, but I had no means of judging. It had -been the middle of the afternoon when I had missed my coat, and, -reasoning that the food served was probably the evening meal, I -decided that it was now about sundown. In that case I should probably -be put out of the way the next morning. That would be a full -twenty-four hours before Hazen was due and I wondered what he would -think when he saw no sign of me in the valley—whether he would surmise -that I had not reached the city and had been killed by the Kunas, and -what he would report to my friends in Colon. - -But Colon, friends and Hazen seemed very far away as I thought of them -there in that black hole awaiting death at the hands of the strange -black dwarfs and, as far as any aid they could give me was concerned, -I might as well have been in Mars. - -My thoughts were interrupted by my guards reappearing with the torch. -Lifting me to my feet they loosened the bonds about my legs and urged -me through a small doorway, where I was compelled to bend low to pass, -and along a winding, narrow, low-ceilinged stone tunnel. That I was on -my way to my execution I was sure, and vague thoughts of selling my -life dearly and of overpowering my puny guards crossed my mind. But I -dismissed such ideas as useless, for even were I to succeed I would be -no better off. There were thousands of the tiny men in the city, it -was impossible to escape from the valley unseen, and I had not the -least idea where the underground passage led. To attempt to escape -meant certain death, and there still remained a faint chance, a dim -hope that I might yet be spared and merely deported. So, ducking my -head and with stooping shoulders, I picked my way along the tunnel by -the fitful glare of the flaming torch. - -For what seemed miles the way led on and I began to think that the -entrance was outside the valley and that I was being led to freedom, -when a glimmer of light showed ahead, the floor sloped upward, and, an -instant later, I emerged in the open air. - -For a moment my eyes were blinded by the light after the darkness of -the passage and I could not grasp where I was. I had thought it -evening, but my first glance told me it was early morning and I knew -the night had passed and another day had come. Then, as I looked about -at my surroundings and it dawned upon me where I was, a shudder of -horror, a chill of deadly fear swept over me. I was on the summit of -the pyramid. The sacrificial altar was within three paces. Beside it -stood the fiendish priest and his assistants, and gathered upon the -green plain were hordes of people with faces upturned towards me. I -was about to be sacrificed, to be bound fast to the blood-stained -awful stone, to have my still-beating heart torn from my living body! - -Anything were preferable to that and with a sudden bound I strove to -gain the altar’s edge and hurl myself to certain death. But to no -avail. Two of the dwarfs held me fast by the cord which fastened my -wrists and I was jerked back to fall heavily upon the stones. Before I -could struggle up, four of the priest’s assistants sprang forward and, -grasping me by legs and shoulders, lifted me and tossed me upon the -stinking sacrificial stone. I was helpless, and instantly my ankles -were tied fast to the metal staples, the bonds of my wrists were -severed, my arms were drawn apart and securely lashed to other -staples, the stone collar was placed about my neck forcing my head far -back and I was ready for the glowering priest to wreak his awful -vengeance. - -Stepping close to the altar he drew a glittering obsidian knife—and -even in my terrible predicament I noted this, and realized that he was -adhering strictly to Aztec customs—and, raising his arms, he began a -wailing, blood-curdling chant. Up from the thousands of throats below -came the chanting chorus, rising and falling like a great wave of -sound. How long I wondered, would this keep on? How much longer must -this agony, this torture of suspense be borne? Why did he not strike -his stone dagger into my chest and have it over with? - -And then, from some dormant cell in my brain, came the answer. I was -to be sacrificed to the sun god, and I remembered that, according to -the Aztec religion, the blow could not be struck until the rising sun -cast its rays upon the victim’s chest above the heart. The priest was -awaiting that moment. He was delaying until the sun, still behind the -crater’s rim, should throw its first rays upon me. - -How long would it be? How many minutes must pass before the fatal -finger of light pointed to my heart? With a mighty effort I turned my -head slightly towards the east. Above the rugged mountain edge was a -blaze of light. Even as I looked with aching eyes a golden beam shot -across the valley and flashed blindingly into my face. It was now only -a matter of seconds. The priest raised his knife aloft. The chant from -the multitude ceased and over city and valley fell an ominous, awful -silence. Upon the sacrificial knife the sun gleamed brilliantly, -transforming the glass-like stone to burnished gold. With his free -hand the priest tore open my shirt and bared my bosom. I felt that the -end had come. I closed my eyes. And then, at the very instant when the -knife was about to sweep down, faint and far away, like the humming of -a giant bee, I caught a sound. It was unmistakable unlike anything -else in all the world—the exhaust of an airplane’s engines! - -And my straining ears were not the only ones that heard that note. -Over the priest’s face swept a look of deadly fear. The poised knife -was slowly lowered. He turned trembling towards the west and from the -waiting throng below rose a mighty sigh of terror. - -A new hope sprang up in my breast. Was it Hazen? He was not due until -the next day and it might be only some army plane that would pass far -to one side of the valley. No, the sound was increasing, the plane was -approaching. But even were it Hazen would it help me any? Would he see -my plight and descend or would he fly too far above the city to note -what was taking place? For a space my life was saved. The fear of that -giant, roaring bird would prevent the sacrifice. The priest feared he -had made a mistake, that I _was_ a god, that, from the sky, vengeance -would swoop upon him and his people for the contemplated butchery. But -if the plane passed? Or would his dread of it be greater than his fear -of defying the sun god by failing in the sacrifice? - -Now the roar of the motor sounded directly overhead and the next -moment I glimpsed the plane speeding across the blue morning sky. Then -it was gone. The exhaust grew fainter and fainter. All hope was lost. -Whoever it was had flown on, all unsuspecting the awful fate of a -fellow man upon that sunlit pyramid. - -And now the priest was again towering over me. Once more he raised his -knife. I could feel the warm sun heating upon my throat and shoulders. -I could feel it creeping slowly but surely downward. The knife -quivered in the impatient hand of the priest, I saw his muscles tense -themselves for the blow, I caught the grim smile that flitted across -his face as he prepared to strike. - -An instant more and my palpitating heart would be held aloft for all -to see. - -But the blow never fell. With a deafening roar, that drowned the -mighty shout of terror from the people, the airplane swooped like an -eagle from the sky and clove the air within a hundred feet of the -altar. With a gurgling cry the priest flung himself face down, and his -knife fell clattering with the sound of broken glass upon the stones. - -Was it Hazen? Would he see me? Would he alight? Was I saved? - -The answer was a thunderous, fear maddened cry from below, a swishing -whirr as of a gale of wind and a dark shadow sweeping over me. - -And then my overwrought senses, my frazzled nerves could stand no more -and all went black before my eyes. - -Dimly consciousness came back. I heard the sounds of rushing feet, the -panting labored breaths of men, sharp, half uttered exclamations and -grunting noises. Then a shrill scream of mortal terror and a deep -drawn sigh of relief. Above my wondering eyes a figure suddenly -loomed. A weird uncanny figure with strangely smooth and rounded head -and great goggling, glassy eyes. With a jerk the stone collar was -lifted from my strained neck and as full consciousness came back I -gasped. It was Hazen! By some miracle he was ahead of time! - -From somewhere, muffled behind that grotesque mask, came a hoarse: “My -God, are you hurt?” - -Before I could speak the bonds were slashed from my ankles and wrists. -A strong arm raised me and pulled me from the slab. - -“For God’s sake, hurry!” cried Hazen, as half supporting me he rushed -toward the altar stairs. “I’ve got ’em buffaloed for a minute, but the -Lord alone knows how long it’ll hold ’em.” - -Rapidly as my numbed limbs would permit I rushed down the sloping, -spiral way. Half carried by Hazen I raced across the few yards of -grass between the base of the pyramid and the plane, and as I did so I -caught a fleeting glimpse of a huddled, shapeless, bloodly bundle of -green and white. It was all that remained of the priest whom Hazen had -hurled from the altar top! - -The next moment I was in the plane and Hazen was twirling the -propeller. There was a roar as the motor started. Hazen leaped like an -acrobat to his seat and slowly the machine moved across the plain. - -Everywhere the people were prostrate, but as the machine started -forward one after another glanced up. Ere we had traveled a score of -yards the creatures were rising and with frightful screams were -scattering from our pathway. It was impossible to avoid them. With -sickening shocks the whirring propeller struck one after another. -Blood spattered our faces and becrimsoned the windshield and the -wings. But uninjured the plane gathered headway; the uneven bumping -over the ground ceased; we were traveling smoothly, lifting from the -earth. - -Then with a strange wild roar the people rushed for us. Racing on -their hands they came. Rocks and missiles whizzed about us. An arrow -whirred by my head and struck quivering in a strut. But now we were -rising rapidly. We were looking down upon the maddened hosts, their -arrows and sling-flung stones were striking the under surface of the -fuselage and wings. We were safe at last. A moment more and we would -be above the crater rim. - -A sudden exclamation from Hazen startled me. I glanced up. Straight -ahead rose the precipitous mountain side above the quarry. To clear it -we must ascend far more rapidly than we were doing. - -“Must have splintered the blades!” jerked out Hazen. “She’s not making -it. Can’t swing her. Rudder’s jammed. Heave out everything you can -find. Hurry or we’ll smash!” - -Before us loomed the ragged, rocky wall. We were rushing to our doom -at lightning speed. At Hazen’s words I grasped whatever I could find -and tossed it over the side. A box of provisions, a roll of tools, a -leather jacket, a thermos bottle, canteens, an automatic pistol and a -cartridge belt all went. I glanced up. We were rising faster. A few -pounds more overboard, a few feet higher and we would be clear. Was -there anything else I could throw out? Frantically I searched. I saw a -canlike object resting on a frame. Spare gasoline I decided, but fuel -was of no value now. With an effort I dragged it out. I lifted it and -hurled it over. - -With a sudden jerk the plane sprung upward. There was a terrific -muffled roar from below and with barely a yard to spare we rose above -the crater rim. - -“Lord, you must have dropped that old bomb!” cried Hazen. “The -concussion jarred the rudder free.” - -I glanced over the side. Far beneath, a cloud of smoke and dust was -drifting slowly aside exposing the aqueduct, broken, smashed and in -ruins. From the opening in the mountain side a mighty stream of water -was roaring in a rushing, tearing torrent. The bomb had landed -squarely in the quarry. The aqueduct had fallen, the shock had let -loose the gates of the lake and the whole vast crater reservoir was -pouring in a mighty flood across the valley. - -In a wide arc Hazen swung the plane about. “Poor devils!” he muttered -as we soared above the doomed city. - -Already the green plain was shimmering with the glint of water. We -could see the frantic, frenzied people running and scrambling up their -ladders. Again we wheeled and circled far above them and now only the -roof tops of the houses were above the flood. Presently these too sank -from sight and above the sunlit waters only the sacrificial stone -remained. - -“It’s all over!” exclaimed Hazen, and heading northward we sped beyond -the encircling mountain sides. - -Beneath us now was forest, and with a shudder I recognized it as that -death-dealing, nightmare grove of cannibal trees. Fascinated I gazed -down and suddenly from the mountain side behind us burst a frothing -yellow torrent. The pressure of the flood had been too great. The -overwhelming waters had forced the stone door of the tunnel by which I -had entered that incredible valley. Before my wondering eyes the -devastating deluge swept down the slope. I saw the monstrous trees -shiver and sway and crash before the irresistible force. They gave way -and like matchsticks went tossing, tumbling, bobbing down the -hillside. - -Higher and higher we rose. The water-filled crater was now but a -silvery lake. The slope up which I had fought and raced from the -ravenous, blood-sucking trees was bare, red earth scarred deep by the -plunging stream that flowed over it. Far to the west gleamed the blue -Pacific. Like a vast map Darien was spread below us. Northward we -sped. Before us was civilization. Behind us death and destruction. The -man-eating trees were a thing of the past. The lost city was lost -forever. - - (The End) - - -[Transcriber’s Note: This story appeared in the December 1926 issue -of Amazing Stories magazine.] - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE CRATER'S RIM *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our website which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This website includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/old/67299-0.zip b/old/67299-0.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index c1ec7a3..0000000 --- a/old/67299-0.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/67299-h.zip b/old/67299-h.zip Binary files differdeleted file mode 100644 index 8e3573a..0000000 --- a/old/67299-h.zip +++ /dev/null diff --git a/old/67299-h/67299-h.htm b/old/67299-h/67299-h.htm deleted file mode 100644 index f3578b2..0000000 --- a/old/67299-h/67299-h.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,1956 +0,0 @@ -<!DOCTYPE html> -<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> -<head> - <meta charset="UTF-8" /> - <title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Through the Crater’s Rim, by A. Hyatt Verrill</title> - <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover" /> - <style> - body { margin-left:8%; margin-right:8%; } - p { text-indent:1.15em; margin-top:0.1em; margin-bottom:0.1em; text-align:justify; } - h2 { text-align:center; font-weight:normal; page-break-before: always; - font-size:1.0em; margin-top:3em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; } - h2.nobreak { page-break-before: avoid; } - div.section { page-break-before:always; margin-top:4em; margin-bottom:4em; } - div.chapter { page-break-before:always; margin-top:4em; margin-bottom:4em; } - .ce { text-align:center; text-indent:0; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; } - .wi001 { margin-left:20%; width:60% } - .x-ebookmaker .wi001 { margin-left:25%; width:50% } - .mt01 { margin-top:1em; } - .mb01 { margin-bottom:1em; } - h1 { text-align:center; font-weight:bold; font-size:1.2em; margin-top:1em; } - .tn { font-size:0.9em; border:1px solid silver; margin-bottom:2em; margin-top:1.8em; margin-left:8%; width:80%; padding:0.4em 2%; } - </style> -</head> -<body> -<p style='text-align:center; font-size:1.2em; font-weight:bold'>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Through the Crater's Rim, by A. Hyatt Verrill</p> -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: Through the Crater's Rim</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: A. Hyatt Verrill</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 1, 2022 [eBook #67299]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Roger Frank and Sue Clark</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE CRATER'S RIM ***</div> - -<div class='section'> - -<div class='ce'> -<h1>Through the Crater’s Rim </h1> -</div> -<div id='i001' class='mt01 mb01 wi001'> - <img src='images/illus-fpc.jpg' alt='' style='width:100%' /> -</div> -<div style='font-size:0.9em'> -<blockquote> -<p style='text-indent:0'>But even as I gazed, transfixed with horror, paralyzed by the sight, -the vine threw its last coil about the dying man and before my eyes -drew the quivering body into the tree above. Then something approached -my leg. With a wild yell of terror I leaped aside. A second vine was -writhing and twisting over the ground towards me.</p> - -</blockquote> -</div> -</div> - -<div class='section'> - -<div class='ce'> -<div style='font-size:1.25em;margin-bottom:0.5em;'>Through the Crater’s Rim </div> -<div style='font-size:1.1em;'>By A. Hyatt Verrill </div> -<div style='font-size:0.8em;margin-bottom:2em;'>Author of “Beyond the Pole” </div> -</div> -<div style="margin-bottom:2em; margin-left:20%; width:60%; border:1px solid black; padding:0.3em 0.5em; font-size:0.9em;"> - -<p style='text-indent:0; margin-bottom:0.7em;'> -In this story the author of Beyond the Pole gives us another one of his -amazing contributions to Scientifiction. Here we find a strange race -living within an extinct volcanic crater somewhere in Central America.</p> - -<p style='text-indent:0; margin-bottom:0.7em;'> -When it is remembered that only a few years ago an entirely new race was -discovered by scientists in Panama, which are now known better under the -name of White Indians, it should be understood that Mr. Verrill is not -taxing your credulity by the strange race which he pictures in this story.</p> - -<p style='text-indent:0;'> -We promise you a good half hour’s reading in this well-told tale.</p> - -</div> -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chI' title='I—Into the Unknown'> - <span style='font-size:1.2em'>CHAPTER I</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.1em'>INTO THE UNKNOWN</span> -</h2> -<p>“I tell you it’s there,” declared Lieutenant Hazen decisively. “It may -not be a civilized city, but it’s no Indian village or native town. -It’s big—at least a thousand houses—and they’re built of stone or -something like it and not of thatch.”</p> - -<p>“You’ve been dreaming, Hazen,” laughed Fenton. “Or else you’re just -trying to jolly us.”</p> - -<p>“Do you think I’d hand in an official report of a dream?” retorted the -Lieutenant testily. “And it’s gospel truth I’ve been telling you.”</p> - -<p>“Never mind Fenton,” I put in. “He’s a born pessimist and skeptic -anyhow. How much did you actually see?”</p> - -<p>We were seated on the veranda of the Hotel Washington in Colon and the -aviator had been relating how, while making a reconnoissance flight -over the unexplored and unknown jungles of Darien, he had sighted an -isolated, flat topped mountain upon whose summit was a large city—of a -thousand houses or more—and without visible pass, road or stream -leading to it.</p> - -<p>“It was rotten air,” Hazen explained in reply to my question. “And I -couldn’t get lower than 5,000 feet. So I can’t say what the people -were like. But I could see ’em running about first time I went over -and they were looking mightily excited. Then I flew back for a second -look and not a soul was in sight—took to cover I expect. But I’ll -swear the buildings were stone or ’dobe and not palm or thatch.”</p> - -<p>“Why didn’t you land and get acquainted?” enquired Fenton -sarcastically.</p> - -<p>“There was one spot that looked like a pretty fair landing,” replied -the aviator. “But the air was bad and the risk too big. How did I know -the people weren’t hostile? It was right in the Kuna Indian country -and even if they were peaceable they might have smashed the plane or I -mightn’t have been able to take off. I was alone too.”</p> - -<p>“You say you made an official report of your discovery,” I said. “What -did the Colonel think about it?”</p> - -<p>“Snorted and said he didn’t see why in blazes I bothered reporting an -Indian village.”</p> - -<p>“It’s mighty interesting,” I declared. “I believe you’ve actually seen -the Lost City, Hazen. Balboa heard of it. The Dons spent years hunting -for it and every Indian in Darien swears it exists.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I never heard of it before,” said Hazen. “What’s the yarn, -anyway?”</p> - -<p>“According to the Indian story there’s a big city on a mountain top -somewhere in Darien. They say no one has ever visited it, that it’s -guarded by evil spirits and that it was there ages before the first -Indians.”</p> - -<p>“If they’ve never seen it how do they know it’s there?” Fenton -demanded. “In my opinion it’s all bosh. How can there be a ‘lost city’ -in this bally little country and why hasn’t someone found it? Why, -there are stories of lost cities and hidden cities and such rot in -every South and Central American country. Just fairy tales—pure bunk!”</p> - -<p>“I know there are lots of such yarns,” I admitted. “And most of them I -believe are founded on fact. Your South American Indian hasn’t enough -imagination to make a story out of whole cloth. It’s easy to -understand why and how such a place might exist for centuries and no -one find it. This ‘little country’ as you call it could hide a hundred -cities in its jungles and no one be the wiser. No civilized man has -ever yet been through the Kuna country. But I’m going. I’ll have a try -for that city of Hazen’s.”</p> - -<p>“Well, I wish you luck,” said Fenton. “If the Kunas don’t slice off -the soles of your feet and turn you loose in the bush and if you <i>do</i> -find Hazen’s pipe dream, just bring me back a souvenir, will you?”</p> - -<p>With this parting shot he rose and sauntered off towards the swimming -pool.</p> - -<p>“Do you really mean to have a go at that place?” asked Hazen as Fenton -disappeared.</p> - -<p>“I surely do,” I declared. “Can you show me the exact spot on the map -where you saw the city?”</p> - -<p>For the next half hour we pored over the map of Panama and while—owing -to the incorrectness of the only available maps—Hazen could not be -sure of the exact location of his discovery, still he pointed out a -small area within which the strange city was located.</p> - -<p>“You’re starting on a mighty dangerous trip,” he declared as I talked -over my plans. “Even if you get by the Kunas and find the place how -are you going to get out? The people may kill you or make you a -prisoner. If they’ve been isolated for so long I reckon they won’t let -any news of ’em leak out.”</p> - -<p>“Of course there’s a risk,” I laughed. “That’s what makes it so -attractive. I’m not worried over the Kunas though. They’re not half as -bad as painted. I spent three weeks among them two years ago and had -no trouble. They may drive me back, but they don’t kill people -offhand. Getting out will be the trouble as you say. But I’ve first -got to get in and I’m not making plans to get out until then.”</p> - -<p>“Lord, but I wish I were going too!” cried Hazen. “Say, I tell you -what I’m going to do. I’ll borrow that old Curtiss practice boat and -fly over there once in a while. If you’re there, just wave a white rag -for a signal. Maybe the people’ll be so darned scared if they see the -plane that they’ll not trouble you. Might make a good play of it—let -’em think you’re responsible for it you know.”</p> - -<p>“I don’t know but that’s a mighty good scheme, Hazen,” I replied, -after a moment’s thought. “Let’s see. If I get off day after tomorrow -I should be in the Kuna country in a week. You might take your first -flight ten days from now. But if things go wrong I don’t see as you -can help me much if you can’t land.”</p> - -<p>“We’ll worry over that when the time comes,” he said cheerfully. A few -days later I was being paddled and poled up the Cañazas River with the -last outposts of civilization many miles behind and the unknown -jungles and the forbidden country of the wild Kunas ahead.</p> - -<p>It was with the greatest difficulty that I had been able to secure men -to accompany me, for the natives looked with the utmost dread upon the -Kuna country and only two, out of the scores I had asked, were willing -to tempt fate and risk their lives in the expedition into the unknown.</p> - -<p>For two days now we had been within the forbidden district—the area -guarded and held by the Kunas and into which no outsider is permitted -to enter—and yet we had seen or heard no signs of Indians. But I was -too old a hand and too familiar with the ways of South American -Indians to delude myself with the idea that we had not been seen or -our presence known. I well knew that, in every likelihood, we had been -watched and our every movement known since the moment we entered the -territory. No doubt, sharp black eyes were constantly peering at us -from the jungle, while bows and blowguns were ever ready to discharge -their missiles of death at any instant. As long as we were not -molested or interfered with, however, I gave little heed to this. -Moreover, I believed, from my brief acquaintance with the Kunas of two -years previously, that they seldom killed a white man until after he -had been warned out of their country and tried to return to it.</p> - -<p>At night we camped beside the river, making our beds upon the warm dry -sand and each day we poled the cayuca up the rapids and deeper into -the forest. At last we reached the spot where, according to my -calculations, we must strike through the jungle overland to reach the -mountain seen by Hazen. Hiding our dugout in the thick brush beside -the river we packed the few necessities to be carried with us and -started off through the forest.</p> - -<p>If Hazen were not mistaken in his calculations, we should reach the -vicinity of the mountain in two days’ march, even though the going was -hard and we were compelled to hew a way with our machetes for miles at -a stretch.</p> - -<p>But it’s one thing to find a mountain top when flying over the sea of -jungle and quite another to find that mountain when hidden deep in the -forest and surrounded on every side by enormous trees. I realized that -we might easily pass within a few hundred yards of the spot and never -suspect it and that we might wander for days, searching for the -mountain without finding it. It was largely a matter of luck after -all. But Hazen had described the surrounding country so minutely, that -I had high hopes of success.</p> - -<p>By the end of the first day in the bush we had reached rough and hilly -country, which promised well, and it was with the expectation of -reaching the base of the mountain the following day that we made camp -that night. Still we had seen no Indians, no signs of their trails or -camps, which did much to calm the fears of my men and which I -accounted for on the theory that the Kunas avoided this part of the -country through superstitious fears of the lost city and its people.</p> - -<p>At daybreak we broke camp and had tramped for perhaps three hours -when, without warning, José, who was last in line, uttered a terrified -cry. Turning quickly I was just in time to see him throw up his hands -and fall in a heap with a long arrow quivering in his back. The Kunas -were upon us.</p> - -<p>Scarcely had the realization come to me when an arrow thudded sharply -into a tree by my side and Carlos, with a wild yell of deadly fear, -threw down his load and dashed madly away. Not an Indian could be -seen. To stand there, a target for their missiles, was suicidal, and -turning, I fled at my utmost speed after Carlos. How we managed to run -through that tangled jungle is still a mystery to me, but we made good -time, nevertheless. Fear drove us and dodging between the giant trees, -leaping fallen trunks, tripping over roots and scrambling over rocks, -we sped on.</p> - -<p>And now, from behind, we could hear the sounds of the pursuing -Indians; their low gutteral cries, the sounds of breaking twigs and -branches; constantly they were drawing nearer. I knew that in a few -minutes they would be upon us—that at any instant a poisoned blowgun -dart or a barbed arrow might bury itself in my body; but still we -strove to escape.</p> - -<p>Then, just as I felt that the end must be at hand —just as I had -decided to turn and sell my life dearly—the forest thinned. Before us -sunlight appeared and the next moment we dashed from the jungle into a -space free from underbrush but covered with enormous trees draped with -gnarled and twisted lianas. The land here rose sharply and, glancing -ahead between the trees, I saw the indistinct outlines of a lofty -mountain against the sky.</p> - -<p>Toiling up the slope, breathing heavily, utterly exhausted, I kept on. -Then, as a loud shout sounded from the rear, I turned to see five -hideously painted Kunas break from the jungle. But they did not -follow. To my utter amazement they halted, gave a quick glance about, -and, with a chorus of frightened yells, turned and dashed back into -the shelter of the jungle.</p> - -<p>But I had scant time to give heed to this. The Kunas’ cries were still -ringing in my ears when a scream from Carlos drew my attention. -Thinking him attacked by savages I rushed towards him, drawing my -revolver as I ran.</p> - -<p>With bulging, rolling eyes, blanched face and ghastly, terror stricken -features he was struggling, fighting madly, with a writhing, coiling -gray object which I took for a gigantic snake. Already his body and -legs were bound and helpless in the coils. With his machete he was -raining blows upon the quivering awful thing which slowly, menacingly -wavered back and forth before him, striving to throw another coil -about his body.</p> - -<p>And then, as I drew near, my senses reeled, I felt that I was in some -awful nightmare. The object, so surely, relentlessly, silently -encircling and crushing him was no serpent but a huge liana drooping -from the lofty branches of a great tree!</p> - -<p>It seemed absolutely incredible, impossible, unbelieveable. But even -as I gazed, transfixed with horror, paralyzed by the sight, the vine -threw its last coil about the dying man and before my eyes drew the -quivering body into the trees above.</p> - -<p>Then something touched my leg. With a wild yell of terror I leaped -aside. A second vine was writhing and twisting over the ground towards -me!</p> - -<p>Crazed with unspeakable fear I struck at the thing with my machete. At -the blow the vine drew sharply back while from the gash a thick, -yellowish, stinking juice oozed forth. Turning, I started to rush from -the accursed spot but as I passed the first tree another liana writhed -forward in my path.</p> - -<p>Utterly bereft of my senses, slashing madly as I ran, yelling like a -madman, I dodged from tree to tree, seeking the open spaces, evading -by a hair’s breadth the fearful, menacing, serpent-like vines, until -half-crazy, torn, panting and utterly spent I dashed forth into a -clear grassy space.</p> - -<p>Before me, rising like a sheer wall against the sky was a huge -precipitous cliff of red rock.</p> - -<p>Now I knew why the Kunas had not followed us beyond the jungle. They -were aware of the man-killing lianas and had left us to a worse death -than any they could inflict. I was safe from them I felt sure. But was -I any better off? Before me was an impassable mountain side. On either -hand and in the rear those awful, blood-thirsty, sinister vines and, -lurking in the jungles, were the savage Kunas with their fatal -poisoned darts and powerful bows. I was beset on every side by deadly -peril, for I was without food, I had cast aside my gun and even my -revolver in my blind, terror-crazed escape from those ghastly living -vines, and to remain where I was meant death by starvation or thirst.</p> - -<p>But anything was better than this nightmare-like forest. At the -thought I glanced with a shudder at the trees and my blood seemed to -freeze in my veins.</p> - -<p>The forest was approaching me! I could not believe my eyes. Now I felt -I must be mad, and fascinated; hypnotized, I gazed, striving my utmost -to clear my brain, to make common sense contradict the evidence of my -eyes. But it was no delusion. Ponderously, slowly, but steadily the -trees were gliding noiselessly up the slope! Their great gnarled roots -were creeping and undulating over the ground while the pendant vines -writhed and swayed and darted forth in all directions as if feeling -their way. And then I saw what had before escaped me. The things were -not lianas as I had thought. They were parts of the trees -themselves—huge, lithe, flexible tentacles springing from a thick, -fleshy livid-hued crown of branches armed with stupendous thorns and -which slowly opened and closed like hungry jaws above the huge trunks.</p> - -<p>It was monstrous, uncanny, supernatural. A hundred yards and more of -open ground had stretched between me and the forest when I had flung -myself down, but now a scant fifty paces remained. In a few brief -moments the fearsome things would be upon me. But I was petrified, -incapable of moving hand or foot, too terrified and overwhelmed even -to cry out.</p> - -<p>Nearer and nearer the ghastly things came. I could hear the pounding -of my heart. A cold sweat broke out on my body. I shivered as with -ague. Then a long, warty, tentacle darted toward me and as the -loathsome stinking thing touched my hand the spell was broken. With a -wild scream I turned and dashed blindly towards the precipice, seeking -only to delay, only to avoid for a time the certain awful death to -which I was doomed, for the cliff barred all escape and I could go no -farther.</p> - -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chII' title='II—Amazing Discoveries'> - <span style='font-size:1.2em'>CHAPTER II</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.1em'>AMAZING DISCOVERIES</span> -</h2> -<p>A dozen leaps and I reached the wall of rock beyond which all retreat -was cut off. Close at hand was an outjutting buttress, and thinking -that back of this I might hide and thus prolong my life, I raced for -it.</p> - -<p>Panting, unseeing, I reached the projection, ducked behind it, and to -my amazement and unspeakable delight, found myself in a narrow canyon -or defile, like a huge cleft in the face of the precipice.</p> - -<p>Here was safety for a time. The terrible man-eating trees could not -enter, and striving only to put a greater distance between myself and -the vegetable demons I never slackened my pace as I turned and sped up -the canyon.</p> - -<p>Narrower and narrower it became. Far above my head the rocky walls -leaned inward, shutting out the light until soon it was so dim and -shadowy that, through sheer necessity, I was forced to stop running -and to pick my way carefully over the masses of rock that strewed the -canyon’s floor. Presently only a narrow ribbon of sky was visible -between the towering walls of the pass. Then this was blotted out and -I found myself in the inky blackness of a tunnel—an ancient -watercourse—leading into the very bowels of the mountain.</p> - -<p>But there was no use in hesitating. Anything was preferable to the -cannibal trees, and groping my way I pressed on. Winding and twisting, -turning sharply, the passageway led, ever ascending steeply and taxing -my exhausted muscles and overwrought system to the utmost. Then, far -ahead, I heard the faint sound of dripping, falling water and with joy -at thought of burying my aching head in the cold liquid, and of easing -my parched, dry throat, I hurried, stumbling, through the tunnel.</p> - -<p>At last, I saw a glimmer of light in the distance and in it the -sparkle of the water. Before me was the end of the tunnel and sunlight -and with a final spurt of speed I rushed towards it. Then, just as I -gained the opening, and so suddenly and unexpectedly that he seemed to -materialize from thin air, a man rose before me.</p> - -<p>Unable to check my speed, too thunderstruck at the apparition to halt, -I dashed full into him and together we rolled head over heels upon the -ground.</p> - -<p>I have said he was a man. But even in that brief second that I -glimpsed him, before I bowled him over, I realized that he was unlike -any man I or anyone else had ever seen. Barely three feet in height, -squat, with enormous head and shoulders, he stood shakily upon the -tiniest of bandy legs and half supported his weight by his enormously -long muscular arms. Had it not been that he was partly clothed and -that his face was hairless, I should have thought him an ape. And now, -as I picked myself up and stared at him, my jaws gaped in utter -amazement. The fellow was running from me at top speed upon his hands, -his feet waving and swaying in the air!</p> - -<p>So utterly dumbfounded was I at the sight that I stood there silently -gazing after the strange being until he vanished behind a clump of -bushes. Then as it dawned upon me that no doubt there were others -near, and, that as he had shown no sign of hostility, they were likely -peaceable, I hurried after him.</p> - -<p>A narrow trail led through the brush and running along this I burst -from the shrubbery and came to an abrupt halt, utterly astounded at -the sight which met my eyes. I was standing at the verge of a little -rise beyond which stretched an almost circular, level plain several -miles in diameter. Massed upon this in long rows, compact groups and -huge squares, were hundreds of low, flat-roofed, stone buildings, -while upon a smooth green plot at a little distance, stood a massive -truncated pyramid.</p> - -<p>Unwittingly I had reached my goal. Before me was the lost city of -Darien. Hazen had been right!</p> - -<p>But it was not this thought nor the strange city and its buildings -that held my fascinated gaze, but the people. Everywhere they swarmed. -Upon the streets, the housetops, even on the open land of the plain, -they crowded and each and every one an exact counterpart of the one -with whom I had collided at the mouth of the tunnel. And, like him -too, all were walking or running upon their hands with their feet in -air!</p> - -<p>All this I saw in the space of a few seconds. Then, to add to my -astonishment, I saw that many of the impossible beings actually were -carrying burdens in their upraised feet! Some bore baskets, others -jars or pots, others bundles, while one group that was approaching in -my direction, held bows and arrows in their toes, and held them most -menacingly at that!</p> - -<p>It was evident that I had been seen. The excitement of the beings, -their gestures and the manner in which they peered towards me from -between their arms, left no doubt of it, while the threatening -defensive attitude of the bowmen proved that they were ready to attack -or defend at a moment’s notice.</p> - -<p>No doubt, to them, my appearance was as remarkable, as inexplicable -and as amazing as they were to me. The greater portion were evidently -filled with terror and scurried into their houses, yet many still -stood their ground, while a few were so overcome with curiosity and -surprise that they dropped feet to earth and rested right side up in -order to stare at me more intently.</p> - -<p>I realized that it behooved me to do something. To stand there -motionless and speechless, gazing at the strange folk while they -stared back, would accomplish nothing. But what to do, what move to -make? That was a serious question. If I attempted to approach them a -shower of arrows might well end my career and my investigations of the -place then and there. It was equally useless to retrace my steps, even -had I been so minded, for only certain death lay back of me. By some -means I must win the confidence or friendship of these outlandish -beings if only temporarily. A thousand ideas flashed through my mind.</p> - -<p>If only Hazen would appear the creatures of the city might think I had -dropped from the sky and so look upon me as a supernatural being. But -it was hopeless to expect such a coincidence or to look for him. I had -told him to fly over on the tenth day and this was only the seventh. -If only I had retained my revolver the discharge of the weapon might -frighten them into thinking me a god. But my firearms lay somewhere in -the demon forest. I had heard no sounds of voices, no shouting, and I -wondered if the beings were dumb. Maybe, I thought, if I should -speak—should yell—I might impress them. But, on the other hand, the -sound of my voice might break the spell and cause them to attack me. A -single mistake, the slightest false move, might seal my doom. I was in -a terrible quandary. All my former experiences with savage unknown -tribes passed through my mind, and I strove to think of some incident, -some little event, which had saved the day in the past and might be -put to good use now.</p> - -<p>And as I thus pondered I unconsciously reached in my pocket for my -pipe, filled it with tobacco and placing it between my lips, struck a -match and puffed forth a cloud of smoke. Instantly, from the weird -creatures, a low, wailing, sibilant sound arose. The archers dropped -their bows and arrows and, with one accord, the people threw -themselves grovelling on the ground. Unintentionally I had solved the -problem. To these beings I was a fire-breathing, awful god!</p> - -<p>Realizing this, knowing that when dealing with primitive races full of -superstitions one must instantly follow up an advantage, I hesitated -no longer. Puffing lustily at my pipe I strode forward and approached -the nearest prostrate group. Motionless they buried their faces in the -dust, bodies pressed to earth, not daring to look up or even steal a -surreptitious glance at the terrible, smoke-belching being who towered -over them. Never had I seen such a demonstration of abject fear, such -utter debasement. It really was pitiful to see them, to view their -trembling, panting bodies quivering with nameless terror; terror so -great they dared not flee, even though they knew by my footsteps that -I was among them, and feared that at any moment an awful doom might -descend upon them.</p> - -<p>But their very fright defeated my purpose. I had won safety and even -adoration perhaps, but there could be no amity, no intercourse, no -means of mingling with them, of securing food, of learning anything if -they were to remain cowering on the ground. By some means I must win a -measure of their confidence, I must prove that I was a friendly -beneficent deity and yet I must still be able to impress them with my -powers and control them through fear.</p> - -<p>It was a delicate matter to accomplish, but it had to be done. Almost -at my feet lay one of the archers—a leader or chieftain I thought from -the feather ornaments he wore—and stooping, I lifted him gently. At my -touch he fairly palpitated with terror, but no frightened scream, no -sound save an indrawn snake-like hiss, escaped his lips, and he -offered no resistance as I lifted him to a kneeling position.</p> - -<p>Hitherto I had had no opportunity to obtain a good view of these -people, but now I saw this fellow close at hand I was amazed at his -repulsive ugliness. I have seen some rather ugly races, but all of -them combined and multiplied a hundredfold would be beauties compared -to these dwarfed, topsy-turvy, denizens of the lost city. Almost -black, low browed, with tiny, shifty eyes like those of a reptile, -with enormous, thick lipped mouths, sharp, fang-like teeth and matted -hair, the bowman seemed far more like an ape than like a human being. -And then I noticed a most curious thing. He had no ears! Where they -should have been were merely round, bare spots covered with light -colored thin membrane like the ears of a frog. For an instant I -thought it a malformation or an injury. But as I glanced at the others -I saw that all were the same. Not one possessed a human ear! All this -I took in as I lifted the fellow up. Then as he tremblingly raised his -head and eyed me I spoke to him, trying to make my tones gentle and -reassuring. But there was no response, no sign of intelligence or -understanding in his dull, frightened eyes. There was nothing to do -but to fall back on sign language and rapidly I gestured, striving to -convey to him that I would do no injury or harm, that I was friendly -and that I wished the people to rise.</p> - -<p>Slowly a look of comprehension dawned upon his ugly face and then, to -prove my friendship, I fished in my pocket, found a tiny mirror and -placed it in his hand. At the expression of utter astonishment that -overspread his ugly features as he looked in the glass I roared with -laughter. But the mirror won the day. Uttering sharp, strange, hissing -sounds, the fellow conveyed the news to his companions and slowly, -hesitatingly and with lingering fear still on their faces, the people -rose and gazed upon me with strangely mingled awe and curiosity.</p> - -<p>Mainly they were men, but scattered among them were many who evidently -were women, although all were so uniformly repulsive in features that -it was difficult to distinguish the sexes. All too, were clad much -alike in single garments of bark-cloth resembling gunnysacks with -holes cut at the four corners for legs and arms and an opening for the -head.</p> - -<p>But while there was no variation in the form or material of the -clothing yet some wore ornaments and others did not. Leg and arm bands -of woven fibre were common. Many of the men had decorations of bright -hued feathers attached to arms or legs or fastened about their waists -and many were elaborately tattooed. That such primitive dwarfed, ugly, -degenerate creatures could have built the city of stone houses, could -have laid out the broad paved streets and could have developed so much -of civilization, seemed incredible.</p> - -<p>But I had little time to devote to such thoughts. The fellow I had -presented with the mirror was hissing at me like a serpent and by -signs was trying to indicate that I was to follow him. So, with the -crowd trailing behind us, we started up the road towards the centre of -the city.</p> - -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chIII' title='III—Before the King'> - <span style='font-size:1.2em'>CHAPTER III</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.1em'>BEFORE THE KING</span> -</h2> -<p>Truly no stranger procession had ever been seen by human eyes.</p> - -<p>Before me, the chief archer led the way, walking upon his great -calloused hands and with his bow grasped firmly in one prehensile foot -and his precious mirror in the other. On either side and in the rear -were scores of the weird beings hurrying along on their hands, keeping -up an incessant hissing sound like escaping steam; black legs and feet -waving and gesticulating in air and, at first glance, appearing like a -crowd of headless dwarfs. How I wished that Fenton might have been -there to see!</p> - -<p>Apparently my actions had been closely watched from the safe retreats -of the houses and word passed that I was not to be feared, for as we -reached the first buildings, the edges of the roofs and the tiny -window slits were lined with curious, ugly faces peering at us. It was -then that I noticed that none of the buildings had doors, the walls -rising blank to the roofs save for the narrow windows, while ladders, -here and there in place, proved that the inhabitants, like the Pueblo -Indians, entered and left their dwellings through the roofs.</p> - -<p>Now and then as we passed along, some of the more venturesome beings -would join the procession, scrambling nimbly down the ladders, -sometimes upside down on their hands, often using both hands and feet, -but always using hands only as soon as they reached the ground.</p> - -<p>How or why they had developed this extraordinary mode of progression -puzzled me greatly, for there seemed no scientifically good reason for -it. Among tribes who habitually use boats, weak legs and enormously -developed shoulders, chests and arms are common, and I could well -understand how a race, depending entirely upon water for -transportation, might, through generations of inbreeding and -isolation, lose the use of legs.</p> - -<p>But here was a people who apparently had no conveyances of any kind, -who must of necessity travel about to cultivate their crops, who must -carry heavy burdens in order to construct their buildings and to whom -legs would seem a most important matter, and yet with legs and feet so -atrophied and arms so tremendously developed that they walked on their -hands and used their feet as auxiliaries. It was a puzzle I longed to -solve and that I would have investigated thoroughly had fate permitted -me to dwell longer in the strange city. But I am getting ahead of my -story.</p> - -<p>Presently we reached a large central square surrounded by closely set -buildings. Approaching one of these, my guide signalled that I was to -follow him as he swiftly ascended the ladder to the roof. Rather -hesitatingly, for I doubted if the frail affair would support my -weight, I climbed gingerly up and found myself upon the broad, flat -roof. Before me were several dark openings with the ends of ladders -projecting from them and down one of these my guide led the way. At -the bottom of the ladder I was in a large, obscure room, lit only by -the slits of windows high in the walls, and for a moment I could see -nothing of my surroundings, although from all sides issued the low -hissing sounds that I now knew were the language of these remarkable -people. Then, as my eyes became accustomed to the dim light, I saw -that a score of beings were squatted about the sides of the room, -while, directly before me, on a raised dais or platform, was seated -the largest and ugliest individual I had seen.</p> - -<p>That he was a ruler, a king or high priest, was evident. In place of -the sack-like garment of his people he was clad in a long robe of -golden green feathers. Upon his head was a feather crown of the same -hue. About his wrists and ankles were golden bands studded with huge -uncut emeralds, and a string of the same stones hung upon his chest.</p> - -<p>The throne, if such it could be called, was draped with a green and -gold rug and everywhere, upon the walls of the chamber, were paintings -of strange misshapen, uncouth creatures and human beings all in the -same green and yellow tints. Something in the surroundings, in the -drawings and the costume of the king, reminded me of the Aztecs or -Mayas and while quite distinct from either I felt sure that, in some -long past time, these dwellers of the lost city had been influenced by -or had been in contact with, these ancient civilizations.</p> - -<p>As I stood before the dais my guide prostrated himself before the -green robed monarch and then, rising, carried on what appeared to be -an animated account of my arrival and the subsequent happenings.</p> - -<p>As he spoke, silence fell upon those present and the king listened -attentively, glancing now and then at me and regarding me with an -expression of combined fear, respect and enmity. I could readily -understand what his feelings were. No doubt he was a person of far -greater intelligence than his subjects, and while more or less afraid -of such a strange being as myself, and superstitious enough to think -me supernatural, yet in me he saw a possible usurper of his own power -and prominence and, if he had dared, he would have been only too glad -to have put me out of the way.</p> - -<p>At the end of the archer’s narrative the fellow handed his mirror to -the king who uttered a sharp exclamatory hiss as he saw his own ugly -countenance reflected in it. Forgetting court etiquette and -conventions in their curiosity, the others gathered about and as the -mirror passed from hand to hand their amazement knew no bounds.</p> - -<p>All of these men I now saw were clad in green or green and white and -were evidently of high rank, priests or courtiers I took it, but -otherwise were as undersized and repulsive as the common people on the -streets.</p> - -<p>Suddenly I was aroused from my contemplation of the room and its -occupants by my guide who came close and by signs ordered me to -perform the miracle of smoking. Very ceremoniously and deliberately I -drew out my pipe, filled it and struck a match. At the bright flare of -the flame king and courtiers uttered a wailing hiss of fear and threw -themselves upon the floor. But they were of different stuff from their -people, or else the guide had prepared them for the event, for the -king soon raised his head, and glancing dubiously at me and finding I -had not vanished in fire and smoke, as he no doubt expected, he -resumed his sitting posture and in sharp tones ordered his fellows to -do likewise.</p> - -<p>But despite this it was very evident that he and his friends were in -dread of the smoke from my mouth and nose while the tobacco fumes -caused them to sputter and cough and choke. This at last was more than -even the king could stand, and by signs he made it clear that he -wished me to end the demonstration of my fire eating ability. Then he -rose, and, to my unbounded surprise, stood erect and stepped forward -like an ordinary mortal upon his feet. Here was an extraordinary -thing. Was the king of a distinct race or stock or was the use of -nether limbs for walking confined to the royal family or to -individuals?</p> - -<p>It was a fascinating scientific problem to solve. I had no time to -give it any consideration, however, for the king was now addressing me -in his snake-like dialect and was trying hard to make his meaning -clear by signs. For a moment I was at a loss, but presently I grasped -his meaning. He was asking whence I had come, and from the frequency -with which he pointed upward I judged he thought I had dropped from -the sky.</p> - -<p>Then a brilliant idea occurred to me as I remembered Hazen’s story and -his suggestion regarding his return by plane. Pointing upward I made -the best imitation of a motor’s exhaust that I could manage. There was -no doubt that the monarch grasped my meaning. He grinned, nodded and -swept his arm in a wide semicircle around his head, evidently to -represent the course of the plane when Hazen had flown over the city.</p> - -<p>Seemingly satisfied and, I judged, deeply impressed as well, he -resumed his seat, gave a few orders to his fellows and summoning my -guide spoke a few words to him. Thereupon the archer signalled me to -follow and led the way across the room. But I noticed that the king -had not returned the mirror.</p> - -<p>Ascending the ladder to the roof the fellow hurried across to a second -building, scrambled down another ladder and we entered a large room. -In one corner swung a large fiber hammock; in the centre was spread a -cloth decorated in green and gold, and as we entered two women -appeared, each carrying handsome earthenware dishes of food whose -savory odors whetted my already ravenous appetite.</p> - -<p>Marvelous as it was to see these impossible beings carrying food in -their uplifted feet and walking on their hands, yet I had now become -somewhat accustomed to the people and I was so famished that I hardly -gave the upside down serving maids a second glance.</p> - -<p>The food was excellent—consisting of vegetables, some sort of -fricasseed game and luscious fruits— and as I ate my guide squatted -near and regarded me with the fixed, half adoring, half frightened -look that one sees on the face of a strange puppy.</p> - -<p>I judged that he had been appointed my own personal guard or valet—it -mattered little which—and I was not sorry, for he seemed a fairly -decent specimen of his race and we already had become pretty well -accustomed to each other’s signs and gestures. Wishing to still -further establish myself in his confidence, and feeling rather sorry -for him because of the loss of his treasured mirror, I searched my -pockets for some other trinket. My possessions however were limited. -They consisted of a stub of a lead pencil, a note book, a few coins, -my handkerchief, my watch, my pocketknife, a few loose pistol -cartridges, my pipe and tobacco and a box of matches. As I drew all -these out a sudden fear gripped me. I had barely a dozen matches -remaining and my supply of tobacco was perilously low. What would -happen when I could no longer produce fire and smoke when called upon -to do so?</p> - -<p>But I controlled my fears and comforted myself with the thought that -possibly, after having felt the effects of tobacco smoke, the king -would not soon demand another miracle at my hands and that, before -either matches or tobacco was exhausted, something might well happen -to solve any problems that might arise. Nevertheless I heartily wished -that I had arranged with Hazen to bring supplies in case they were -needed and which he could have easily dropped as he flew over.</p> - -<p>It would, I now realized, have proved an extremely impressive thing -for the people to have seen me secure my magic from the giant roaring -bird in the sky. But I had never of course dreamed of such adventures -as I had met and could not possibly have foreseen the need of such -things. Just the same I cursed myself for a stupid fool for not having -provided for any contingency and especially for not having arranged a -series of signals with Hazen. However, I was familiar with wigwagging -and decided that, if necessity arose, It would be quite feasible for -me to signal to him by means of my handkerchief tied on a stick. Also, -I felt a bit easier in my mind from knowing that near the city was a -splendid landing place for the plane and that Hazen, if signalled, -would unquestionably attempt a descent.</p> - -<p>Truly it was not every explorer in a predicament like mine who could -count on being able to summon aid from the clouds if worst came to -worst or who knew that a friend in an airplane would keep track of his -whereabouts. Indeed, I almost chuckled at the thought of being in this -long lost city among these incredible folk and yet within two hundred -miles of the Canal and civilization and with another American due to -hover above—and even communicate with me—within the next three days. -It was all so dreamlike, so utterly preposterous that I scarcely could -force myself to believe it and, having dined well and feeling -desperately tired, I flung myself into the hammock and almost -instantly dropped off to sleep.</p> - -<p>It was still daylight when I awoke and the room was empty. Ascending -the ladder to the roof without meeting anyone, I climbed down the -other ladder to the street. Many people were about and while a few -especially the women and children, threw themselves on their faces or -scampered into their houses at my approach, yet the majority merely -prostrated themselves for a moment and then stood, supporting -themselves in their ape-like way, and stared curiously at me. I had -gone but a short distance when my valet came hurrying to my side. But -he made no objections to my going where I wished and I was glad to see -that my movements were not to be hampered as I was anxious thoroughly -to explore the city and its neighborhood. Curious to learn the purpose -of the pyramidal structure I had noticed I proceeded in that direction -and was soon in a part of the town given over to stalls, shops and -markets. There were also several workshops, such as pottery makers’, a -woodworking shop and a weaver’s shop and I spent some time watching -the artizans at their work. Somehow, from seeing the people walk upon -their hands, I had expected to see them perform their tasks with their -feet and it came as something of a surprise to see these fellows using -their hands like ordinary mortals.</p> - -<p>Beyond this portion of the city the houses were scattered, the -outlying buildings were more or less patched and out of repair and -were very evidently the abode of the poorer classes, although the -inhabitants I saw, and who retreated the instant they saw me, were -exactly like all the others as far as I could see, both in dress and -feature. Passing these huts, I crossed the smooth green field, which I -now saw was a perfect landing place for the plane. Tethered to stakes -and grazing on the grass were a number of animals which, as I first -noticed them, I had taken for goats and cattle. But now I discovered -that they were all deer and tapirs. It was a great surprise to see -these animals domesticated but, after all, it was not remarkable, for -I should have known, had I stopped to give the matter thought, that -goats, sheep and cattle were unknown to the aboriginal Americans and -that this city and its people, who had never been visited and had -never communicated with other races, would of necessity be without -these well known animals.</p> - -<p>Moreover, I knew that the Mayas were supposed to have used tapirs as -beasts of burden, and while I was standing there watching the -creatures a man approached riding astride a big tapir and driving a -second one loaded with bags of charcoal and garden produce. Here then -was a partial solution of the manner by which these weak, dwarfed -people built their stone houses. For with the powerful elephant-like -tapirs—and I noticed all were the giant Baird’s tapir which reaches a -weight of seven or eight hundred pounds—they could easily haul the -blocks of stone from a quarry and by means of tackle and inclined -planes, could readily hoist the stones to the tops of the walls.</p> - -<p>I had now reached the base of the pyramid and found it a massive -structure of the same flinty stone as the other buildings. Running -from base to summit was a spiral path or stairway and instantly I knew -that it was a sacrificial pyramid exactly like those used by the -Aztecs and on which unfortunate beings were killed and sacrificed. -This discovery still further confirmed my suspicions that these people -were either of Aztec or Maya blood or had been influenced by those -races. Filled with curiosity to see the altar on the summit I started -up the sloping stairs. I was at first doubtful if my companion would -permit this, for the structure was sacred and doubtless only priests -of the highest order were permitted upon it. Evidently, however, my -guide thought that such a supernatural being or god as myself had -every right to invade the most sacred places, and he offered no -objection, but prostrated himself at the base of the pyramid as I -ascended.</p> - -<p>At the summit I found, as I had expected, the sacrificial stone, a -huge block elaborately carved in hieroglyphs and with channels to -permit the blood to drain off, while, close at hand, was a massive -carved stone collar or yoke exactly like those which have been found -in Porto Rico and have so long puzzled scientists. From the blood -stains upon this I felt sure it was used to hold down the victim’s -head and neck, while strong metal staples, set into the stone, -indicated that the man destined for sacrifice was spread-eagled and -his ankles and wrists bound fast to the rings.</p> - -<p>It was a most interesting spot from a scientific standpoint, but -decidedly gruesome, while the stench of putrefied blood and fragments -of human flesh clinging to the stones was nauseating and I was glad to -retrace my steps and descend to the ground.</p> - -<p>From the top of the pyramid I had obtained a fine view of the plain -and city and I had noted that the former was surrounded on all sides -with steep cliffs, and I realized that the plain was not a flat topped -mountain as I had thought but the crater of an extinct volcano.</p> - -<p>I saw no path, pass or opening by which the crater-valley could be -entered, but I knew there was the one by which I had arrived. As the -sun, here on the mountain top, was still well above the horizon I -decided to visit the entrance to the tunnel, for I was anxious to know -why the people should leave this avenue open when, on every other -side, they were completely cut off from the outer world. Possibly, I -thought, they knew of those horrible man-eating trees and trusted to -them to guard the city from intruders. Or again, they might keep the -entrance guarded, for the fellow I had knocked over as I dashed in had -been at the tunnel mouth and for all I knew he might have been an -armed guard and was merely so thunderstruck at my precipitate -appearance that he forgot his duties and his weapons.</p> - -<p>With such thoughts running through my mind I strolled across the -plain, past well-tilled gardens and fields, in several of which I saw -men ploughing with well made plows drawn by tapirs. Even the farmers -stopped their work and prostrated themselves as I passed, and it was -evident that word of my celestial origin and supernatural character -had gone forth to every inhabitant of the valley.</p> - -<p>Following the path, I reached the little rise from which I had first -viewed the city and soon came to the spot where I had entered. Imagine -my utter surprise when I saw no sign whatever of the opening. I was -positive that I had not missed my way. I recognized the clumps of -bushes and the forms of the rocks, but there was no dark hole, no -aperture in the cliff. Then, as I drew near to the precipice, I made -an astounding discovery. Closely fitted into the rock and so like it -that it had escaped my attention, was an enormous stone door. How it -was operated, whether it was hinged or slid or whether it was pivoted, -I could not determine. But that it covered and concealed the entrance -to the tunnel I was convinced. Why the people had left the tunnel open -as though to clear the way for me, why they should have fitted a door -to it, why they should ever use the tunnel which could bring them only -to the death-dealing forest, were problems which I could not solve.</p> - -<p>At any rate there was nothing to be gained by staying there and I -started back towards the city. Thinking to return by another route, I -took a path that led towards the opposite mountain side and presently -from ahead, I distinctly heard the sound of metal striking stone.</p> - -<p>Oddly enough my mind had been so filled with other matters that I had -hardly wondered how these people cut or worked the hard stone. But now -that my attention was attracted by the sound my curiosity was aroused -and I hurried forward. What metal I wondered, did these people use? -For metal I knew it must be from the ringing, clinking noise. Was I -about to see hardened bronze tools in actual use or had these -marvelous folk discovered the use of iron or steel? So astounding had -been all my experiences, so paradoxical and incredible everything I -had seen, that I was prepared for almost anything. I, or rather we, -soon came to the verge of a deep pit wherein, laboring at great masses -of white stone, were scores of workmen. Standing like skeletons among -the blocks were derricks; hitched to sledge-like drags loaded with -stone were teams of tapirs and on the farther side was a big -outjutting ledge from which the stone was being quarried. Hurrying -down the steep trail I reached the bottom of the pit to find every man -flat on the ground.</p> - -<p>Signalling to my companion that I wished to have the fellows go on -with their work, I approached the nearest slab of rock. It was the -same fine grained whitish rock of which the city was built, and, lying -upon it where they had been dropped by the stone cutters, were several -small hammers, chisels and an adze-like tool. That they were not -bronze or any alloy of copper I knew at the first glance. Their color -was that of tempered steel and they seemed ridiculously small for the -purpose of working this hard stone. If these people used steel then I -had indeed made a discovery, and intent on this matter I picked up one -of the tools to examine it. No sooner had I lifted it that I uttered -an involuntary exclamation of surprise. The hammer, although hardly -larger than an ordinary tack hammer, weighed fully ten pounds! It was -heavier than if made of solid gold. There was only one known metal -that could be so heavy and that was platinum. But platinum it could -not be, for that metal is softer than gold and would be of no more use -for cutting rock than so much lead. The tools, however, were -undoubtedly hard—the polished surface of the hammer-head and the -chisels, and the unscarred keen edges of the latter, showed this, and, -anxious to test their hardness, I held a chisel against the rock and -struck it sharply with a hammer.</p> - -<p>Once more I cried out in wonder, for the chisel had bitten fully half -an inch into the stone! It had cut it as easily as if the rock were -cheese!</p> - -<p>What marvel was this? What magic lay in these tools? And then the -secret dawned upon me and a moment’s examination of the stone -confirmed my suspicions. It was not that the tools were so very hard -or keen but that the rock was soft—so soft that I could readily cut it -with my pocket knife, a wax-like earthy rock which no doubt became -hard upon exposure to the air exactly like the coral rock of Bermuda, -which may be quarried with saws and even planed, but becomes as hard -as limestone after exposure to the elements. Still, the tools were far -harder than any metal except tempered steel, and for some time I -puzzled over the matter as I watched the workmen, now over their -fright and adoration, skilfully cutting and squaring the blocks of -stone. It was one more conundrum I could not solve, and it was not -until long afterwards, when a careful analysis of the metal was made, -that I knew the truth. The metal was an alloy of platinum and -iridium—the later one of the hardest of all known metals.</p> - -<p>As we left the quarry and made our way toward the city I noticed an -immense aqueduct stretching across the land from the apparently solid -mountain side just above the quarry. I had given little thought to how -the people secured water here in the crater. But it was now apparent -that it was brought from some source by the stone conduit. Keenly -curious to know whence it came, for I could not imagine how a river, -lake or spring could exist on the crater rim, I wished to investigate, -but darkness was coming on, I was tired and I deferred further -exploration until another day.</p> - -<p>Although I suppose I should have been grateful for being able to -communicate with the people at all, yet I keenly felt the lack of a -common medium of conversation, for the sign language was limited and I -could not secure the information I so much desired about many matters -that puzzled me.</p> - -<p>Nothing further of interest transpired that night. I was supplied with -food, I slept soundly and did not awaken until roused by the women -with my breakfast. Very soon afterwards I was summoned to the throne -room by Zip, as I called my companion, and once more I had to strike a -match and smoke my pipe for the king’s benefit. This time a second -personage of high rank was beside him, a villainous looking -hunchbacked dwarf with red, vicious eyes and cruel mouth but who, like -the king, walked on his feet. From his elaborately decorated white -robes and the mitre-like crown of quetzal feathers on his gray head, I -concluded he was a high priest, for in the designs upon his costume -and the form of his crown, I saw a decided resemblance to the Aztec -priests as shown in the picturegraph of that race. Moreover, the -quetzal or resplendant trogon was, I knew, the sacred bird of the -Aztecs and Mayas, and while I was aware that it was common in the -northern portions of Panama, I had never heard of its occurrence in -Darien, a fact which still further confirmed my belief that these -people were of Aztec stock. But if this were the case it was a puzzle -as to why they should be so undersized, malformed and physically -degenerate, for both the Aztecs and Mayas were powerful, well-formed -races. The only solution I could think of was the supposition that -isolation and intermarriage through centuries had brought about such -results.</p> - -<p>But to return to my audience with the king. I was not all pleased at -thus having to use my precious matches and tobacco and I foresaw some -very unpleasant developments in store for me if the performance was to -be of daily occurrence. It was manifest that I must devise some new -and startling exhibition of my powers if I were to retain my prestige -and my freedom, for I well knew, from past experiences with savage -races, and from the character of these potentates, that if I failed to -perform miracles, and became, in their eyes, an ordinary mortal, my -career would come to an abrupt end.</p> - -<p>To be sure, there was the reassuring fact that Hazen would or should -appear within the next forty-eight hours, but it was decidedly -problematical as to whether I could communicate with him or could -receive any aid from the air. However, there was nothing to be done -but obey and puff away at my pipe. With the idea of cutting the -exhibition short I stepped closer to the throne and blew the smoke -towards the faces of the king and the priest. The monarch was soon -coughing and spluttering, but he was game, while the priest, to my -amazement, sniffed the smoke and seemed to enjoy it. Here was trouble. -Evidently he had a natural taste for tobacco and this fact caused me a -deal of worry, for if the old rascal took it into his head to acquire -the habit and demanded I should let him try a puff at the pipe I would -be in a pretty fix indeed.</p> - -<p>However, my fears on this score were groundless, and presently the -king, who could stand it no longer, signalled for me to depart, which -I did most gladly.</p> - -<p>I still had it in mind to investigate the water supply, and with -Zip—reminding me of an acrobatic clown—beside me, headed for the -aqueduct. This I found was of stones, dovetailed together in water -tight joints, and built like an open trough and the speed of the water -flowing through it proved the supply well above the city’s level. It -was an easy matter to follow the conduit, for a well-trodden path was -beside it, but it was a steep up-grade climb for nearly a mile before -I gained the spot where the aqueduct tapped the mountain rim. Here the -water gushed from a hole in the solid rock and from its volume I knew -it must come from some large reservoir. From where I stood I could -look directly down into the quarry and the thought flashed through my -mind that if the people continued to quarry in the place for many more -years they would undermine and weaken the foundations of the aqueduct.</p> - -<p>It was their lookout not mine, however, and still intent on tracing -the water to its source I turned up a trail that appeared to lead to -the mountain top. In places this was excessively steep and here Zip -exhibited a new habit of his people. Dropping his feet he proceeded to -climb the path on all fours, his feet first and his prehensile toes -grasping every projection and bit of rock to draw him along while his -immense, powerful hands supported his weight and pushed him onward. He -looked more like a gigantic spider than anything, and not in the least -human. Panting and blown I at last gained the summit and looked down -upon a lake of dismal black water filling a circular crater about half -a mile in diameter. Close by was an aperture in the rock and -half-filled with water, and it was evident that this was connected -with the outlet below by means of a shaft. Whether this was a natural -formation or had been laboriously cut by hand I could not tell, but I -was prepared for almost anything by this time and was not greatly -surprised to find a cleverly constructed sluice gate arranged above -the opening to regulate the flow of water. I had seen similar crater -lakes in the extinct volcanoes of the West Indies, but I was surprised -that Hazen had not mentioned it. But on second thought I realized that -when flying over it, the dark water surrounded by vegetation would -hardly be visible and might easily be mistaken for heavy shadow or an -empty crater, while the aviator’s surprise at the city would fix his -attention upon it to the exclusion of all surroundings.</p> - -<p>Standing upon the rock ridge several hundred feet above the city I had -almost the same view as Hazen had from his plane and I could -understand how, at an elevation of 5000 feet or more, he had been -unable to obtain any very accurate idea of the buildings or people. I -also realized, with a sinking of my heart, that it would be next to -impossible for him to recognize me or to see any signals I might make.</p> - -<p>The most prominent spot in the entire valley was the pyramid, for this -was isolated upon the green plain and the sun, striking through a gap -in the eastern rim of the crater, shone directly upon the altar’s -summit, thus bringing it out in sharp relief. Indeed, it looked for -all the world like a pylon on an aviation field. If I expected to make -my presence known to Hazen or to signal to him, my best point of -vantage would be the summit of the pyramid and I determined to climb -there and await his arrival when he should be due, two days later.</p> - -<p>Little did I dream at the time of the conditions under which I would -await him upon that gruesome altar.</p> - -</div> - -<div class='chapter'> - -<h2 class='nobreak' id='chIV' title='IV—The Sacrifice'> - <span style='font-size:1.2em'>CHAPTER IV</span><br /><span style='font-size:1.1em'>THE SACRIFICE</span> -</h2> -<p>By the time we had descended the mountain and had reached the city it -was noon, and going to my quarters I was glad to find an excellent -meal. Having finished eating I threw myself into the hammock and -despite my scarcity of matches and tobacco, indulged in a smoke. Then, -feeling drowsy, I took off my coat, placed it on the floor beside my -hammock and closed my eyes.</p> - -<p>I awoke refreshed and reached for my coat only to leap from the -hammock with a cry of alarm. The coat was gone! Quickly I searched the -room, thinking Zip might have placed the garment elsewhere while I -slept, but the place was bare. Zip was nowhere to be seen, and even -the rug on which meals were served had been removed.</p> - -<p>Here was a pretty state of affairs. My coat contained my matches, -pipe, tobacco, pocket knife and handkerchief. Without it I was lost, -helpless, incapable of maintaining my prestige of position. Death or -worse hovered over me. My life depended on regaining my precious -garment and its contents. Who could have taken it? What could have -been their object? And instantly the truth flashed upon my mind. It -was that rascally high priest. He had seen me take pipe, tobacco and -matches from my coat pocket. He had watched me narrowly, perhaps had -kept his eyes upon me through some hidden peep-hole or opening, and -had seen me remove my coat, and while I slept had seized it. Or -perhaps he had ordered Zip to secure it for him. It made little -difference which, for if it were in his possession he would have me in -his power. He could order me to smoke and when I failed he could -perform the miracle himself and denounce me as an imposter. My only -hope was to regain my possessions by fair means or foul, and knowing -that every second I delayed increased my peril, I rushed to the ladder -and across the roofs to the throne room.</p> - -<p>From beneath me, as I started to descend, came the sounds of the -hissing language in excited tones, and as my head came below the level -of the roof my heart sank. The dark air of the room was heavy with -tobacco smoke!</p> - -<p>The next instant my feet were jerked from beneath me, I was seized, -tumbled on the floor, and before I could strike or rise I was bound -hand and foot. Dazed, startled and helpless I glanced about. -Surrounding me were a dozen of the repulsive dwarfs. Gathered about -the sides of the room were crowds of people, and seated upon the -throne, puffing great clouds of smoke from my pipe, a wicked leer upon -his ugly face, and thoroughly enjoying himself, was the priest, while -beside him the king coughed and sneezed and looked very miserable.</p> - -<p>All this I took in at a glance. Then I was seized and dragged roughly -before the throne. I fully realized my doom was sealed. I was no -longer a supernatural being to be feared and adored—my treatment -proved that—but merely a prisoner, an ordinary mortal. Oddly enough, -however, I was no longer frightened. My first fears had given place to -anger, and I raged and fumed and prayed that the grinning fiend before -me might be stricken with all the torturing sickness, which usually -follows the beginner’s first smoke.</p> - -<p>But apparently he was immune to the effects, and as soon as I was -dragged before the throne he rose, and pointing at me, addressed the -crowd before him. That he was denouncing me as an imposter and at the -same time tremendously increasing his own importance was evident by -his tones, his gestures and the expression on his black face. -Moreover, he had another card to play. Pointing upward and waving his -arm and making quite creditable imitation of an airplane’s exhaust, he -spoke vehemently and then pointed to a man who crouched on the dais.</p> - -<p>At first I was at a loss to grasp his meaning, and then, as the -trembling creature beside the throne spoke in frightened tones and -gesticulated vividly, I realized he was the chap I had bumped into -upon my arrival. He had spilled the beans and had informed the old -scarecrow of a priest that I had arrived via the tunnel and not from -the sky.</p> - -<p>I felt sure now that my doom was sealed. But there was nothing I could -do or say. There was one chance in a million that I might be escorted -from the valley and turned loose in the tunnel; but that gave me no -comfort, for I knew that hideous certain death awaited me on that -slope covered with the devilish man-eating-trees.</p> - -<p>The chances, however, were all in favor of my being tortured and -butchered. Strangely enough my greatest regret, the matter which -troubled me the most and made me curse my carelessness in removing my -coat while I slept, was not that I should be killed—I had faced death -too often for that—but the fact that I would be unable to report the -wonderful discoveries I had made or give my knowledge of the city and -its people to the world. Indeed, my thoughts were so concentrated on -this that I gave little attention to the priest, until he stepped -forward, and, with a nasty grimace, struck me savagely across the -face. Maddened at the blow I lunged forward like a butting ram. My -head struck squarely in the pit of his stomach, and with a gasping -yell he doubled up and fell sprawling on the dais while the pipe flew -from his lips and scattered its contents far and near. Before I could -roll to one side, my guards seized and pulled me across the room. -Despite my plight and the fate in store for me I laughed loudly and -heartily as I saw the priest with hands pressed to stomach, eyes -rolling wildly and a sickly greenish pallor on his face. The blow plus -the tobacco had done its work. I had evened up the score a bit at any -rate.</p> - -<p>The next moment I was hauled through a low doorway hidden by -draperies, and, bumping like a bag of meal over the rough stones, was -pitched into an inky black cell. Bruised, scratched and bleeding I lay -there unable to move or see while the occasional sounds of shuffling -footsteps, or rather handsteps, told me a guard was close at hand. For -hour after hour I lay motionless, expecting each minute that I would -be dragged out to torture or death and wondering dully what form it -would take, until at last—numb, exhausted and worn out, I lost -consciousness.</p> - -<p>I was brought to my senses by being seized and jerked to a sitting -posture, and found the cell illuminated by a spluttering torch, while -two of the men supported my shoulders and a third held a gourd of -water to my lips. My throat was parched and the liquid was most -welcome, and a moment later, a fourth man appeared with food. It was -evident that the priest had no intention of letting me die of thirst -or starvation, and I wondered why he should be so solicitous of my -comfort if I were doomed to an early death.</p> - -<p>As soon as I had eaten, the guards withdrew, taking the torch, and I -was once more left in stygian blackness with my thoughts. I wondered -whether it were day or night, but I had no means of judging. It had -been the middle of the afternoon when I had missed my coat, and, -reasoning that the food served was probably the evening meal, I -decided that it was now about sundown. In that case I should probably -be put out of the way the next morning. That would be a full -twenty-four hours before Hazen was due and I wondered what he would -think when he saw no sign of me in the valley—whether he would surmise -that I had not reached the city and had been killed by the Kunas, and -what he would report to my friends in Colon.</p> - -<p>But Colon, friends and Hazen seemed very far away as I thought of them -there in that black hole awaiting death at the hands of the strange -black dwarfs and, as far as any aid they could give me was concerned, -I might as well have been in Mars.</p> - -<p>My thoughts were interrupted by my guards reappearing with the torch. -Lifting me to my feet they loosened the bonds about my legs and urged -me through a small doorway, where I was compelled to bend low to pass, -and along a winding, narrow, low-ceilinged stone tunnel. That I was on -my way to my execution I was sure, and vague thoughts of selling my -life dearly and of overpowering my puny guards crossed my mind. But I -dismissed such ideas as useless, for even were I to succeed I would be -no better off. There were thousands of the tiny men in the city, it -was impossible to escape from the valley unseen, and I had not the -least idea where the underground passage led. To attempt to escape -meant certain death, and there still remained a faint chance, a dim -hope that I might yet be spared and merely deported. So, ducking my -head and with stooping shoulders, I picked my way along the tunnel by -the fitful glare of the flaming torch.</p> - -<p>For what seemed miles the way led on and I began to think that the -entrance was outside the valley and that I was being led to freedom, -when a glimmer of light showed ahead, the floor sloped upward, and, an -instant later, I emerged in the open air.</p> - -<p>For a moment my eyes were blinded by the light after the darkness of -the passage and I could not grasp where I was. I had thought it -evening, but my first glance told me it was early morning and I knew -the night had passed and another day had come. Then, as I looked about -at my surroundings and it dawned upon me where I was, a shudder of -horror, a chill of deadly fear swept over me. I was on the summit of -the pyramid. The sacrificial altar was within three paces. Beside it -stood the fiendish priest and his assistants, and gathered upon the -green plain were hordes of people with faces upturned towards me. I -was about to be sacrificed, to be bound fast to the blood-stained -awful stone, to have my still-beating heart torn from my living body!</p> - -<p>Anything were preferable to that and with a sudden bound I strove to -gain the altar’s edge and hurl myself to certain death. But to no -avail. Two of the dwarfs held me fast by the cord which fastened my -wrists and I was jerked back to fall heavily upon the stones. Before I -could struggle up, four of the priest’s assistants sprang forward and, -grasping me by legs and shoulders, lifted me and tossed me upon the -stinking sacrificial stone. I was helpless, and instantly my ankles -were tied fast to the metal staples, the bonds of my wrists were -severed, my arms were drawn apart and securely lashed to other -staples, the stone collar was placed about my neck forcing my head far -back and I was ready for the glowering priest to wreak his awful -vengeance.</p> - -<p>Stepping close to the altar he drew a glittering obsidian knife—and -even in my terrible predicament I noted this, and realized that he was -adhering strictly to Aztec customs—and, raising his arms, he began a -wailing, blood-curdling chant. Up from the thousands of throats below -came the chanting chorus, rising and falling like a great wave of -sound. How long I wondered, would this keep on? How much longer must -this agony, this torture of suspense be borne? Why did he not strike -his stone dagger into my chest and have it over with?</p> - -<p>And then, from some dormant cell in my brain, came the answer. I was -to be sacrificed to the sun god, and I remembered that, according to -the Aztec religion, the blow could not be struck until the rising sun -cast its rays upon the victim’s chest above the heart. The priest was -awaiting that moment. He was delaying until the sun, still behind the -crater’s rim, should throw its first rays upon me.</p> - -<p>How long would it be? How many minutes must pass before the fatal -finger of light pointed to my heart? With a mighty effort I turned my -head slightly towards the east. Above the rugged mountain edge was a -blaze of light. Even as I looked with aching eyes a golden beam shot -across the valley and flashed blindingly into my face. It was now only -a matter of seconds. The priest raised his knife aloft. The chant from -the multitude ceased and over city and valley fell an ominous, awful -silence. Upon the sacrificial knife the sun gleamed brilliantly, -transforming the glass-like stone to burnished gold. With his free -hand the priest tore open my shirt and bared my bosom. I felt that the -end had come. I closed my eyes. And then, at the very instant when the -knife was about to sweep down, faint and far away, like the humming of -a giant bee, I caught a sound. It was unmistakable unlike anything -else in all the world—the exhaust of an airplane’s engines!</p> - -<p>And my straining ears were not the only ones that heard that note. -Over the priest’s face swept a look of deadly fear. The poised knife -was slowly lowered. He turned trembling towards the west and from the -waiting throng below rose a mighty sigh of terror.</p> - -<p>A new hope sprang up in my breast. Was it Hazen? He was not due until -the next day and it might be only some army plane that would pass far -to one side of the valley. No, the sound was increasing, the plane was -approaching. But even were it Hazen would it help me any? Would he see -my plight and descend or would he fly too far above the city to note -what was taking place? For a space my life was saved. The fear of that -giant, roaring bird would prevent the sacrifice. The priest feared he -had made a mistake, that I <i>was</i> a god, that, from the sky, vengeance -would swoop upon him and his people for the contemplated butchery. But -if the plane passed? Or would his dread of it be greater than his fear -of defying the sun god by failing in the sacrifice?</p> - -<p>Now the roar of the motor sounded directly overhead and the next -moment I glimpsed the plane speeding across the blue morning sky. Then -it was gone. The exhaust grew fainter and fainter. All hope was lost. -Whoever it was had flown on, all unsuspecting the awful fate of a -fellow man upon that sunlit pyramid.</p> - -<p>And now the priest was again towering over me. Once more he raised his -knife. I could feel the warm sun heating upon my throat and shoulders. -I could feel it creeping slowly but surely downward. The knife -quivered in the impatient hand of the priest, I saw his muscles tense -themselves for the blow, I caught the grim smile that flitted across -his face as he prepared to strike.</p> - -<p>An instant more and my palpitating heart would be held aloft for all -to see.</p> - -<p>But the blow never fell. With a deafening roar, that drowned the -mighty shout of terror from the people, the airplane swooped like an -eagle from the sky and clove the air within a hundred feet of the -altar. With a gurgling cry the priest flung himself face down, and his -knife fell clattering with the sound of broken glass upon the stones.</p> - -<p>Was it Hazen? Would he see me? Would he alight? Was I saved?</p> - -<p>The answer was a thunderous, fear maddened cry from below, a swishing -whirr as of a gale of wind and a dark shadow sweeping over me.</p> - -<p>And then my overwrought senses, my frazzled nerves could stand no more -and all went black before my eyes.</p> - -<p>Dimly consciousness came back. I heard the sounds of rushing feet, the -panting labored breaths of men, sharp, half uttered exclamations and -grunting noises. Then a shrill scream of mortal terror and a deep -drawn sigh of relief. Above my wondering eyes a figure suddenly -loomed. A weird uncanny figure with strangely smooth and rounded head -and great goggling, glassy eyes. With a jerk the stone collar was -lifted from my strained neck and as full consciousness came back I -gasped. It was Hazen! By some miracle he was ahead of time!</p> - -<p>From somewhere, muffled behind that grotesque mask, came a hoarse: “My -God, are you hurt?”</p> - -<p>Before I could speak the bonds were slashed from my ankles and wrists. -A strong arm raised me and pulled me from the slab.</p> - -<p>“For God’s sake, hurry!” cried Hazen, as half supporting me he rushed -toward the altar stairs. “I’ve got ’em buffaloed for a minute, but the -Lord alone knows how long it’ll hold ’em.”</p> - -<p>Rapidly as my numbed limbs would permit I rushed down the sloping, -spiral way. Half carried by Hazen I raced across the few yards of -grass between the base of the pyramid and the plane, and as I did so I -caught a fleeting glimpse of a huddled, shapeless, bloodly bundle of -green and white. It was all that remained of the priest whom Hazen had -hurled from the altar top!</p> - -<p>The next moment I was in the plane and Hazen was twirling the -propeller. There was a roar as the motor started. Hazen leaped like an -acrobat to his seat and slowly the machine moved across the plain.</p> - -<p>Everywhere the people were prostrate, but as the machine started -forward one after another glanced up. Ere we had traveled a score of -yards the creatures were rising and with frightful screams were -scattering from our pathway. It was impossible to avoid them. With -sickening shocks the whirring propeller struck one after another. -Blood spattered our faces and becrimsoned the windshield and the -wings. But uninjured the plane gathered headway; the uneven bumping -over the ground ceased; we were traveling smoothly, lifting from the -earth.</p> - -<p>Then with a strange wild roar the people rushed for us. Racing on -their hands they came. Rocks and missiles whizzed about us. An arrow -whirred by my head and struck quivering in a strut. But now we were -rising rapidly. We were looking down upon the maddened hosts, their -arrows and sling-flung stones were striking the under surface of the -fuselage and wings. We were safe at last. A moment more and we would -be above the crater rim.</p> - -<p>A sudden exclamation from Hazen startled me. I glanced up. Straight -ahead rose the precipitous mountain side above the quarry. To clear it -we must ascend far more rapidly than we were doing.</p> - -<p>“Must have splintered the blades!” jerked out Hazen. “She’s not making -it. Can’t swing her. Rudder’s jammed. Heave out everything you can -find. Hurry or we’ll smash!”</p> - -<p>Before us loomed the ragged, rocky wall. We were rushing to our doom -at lightning speed. At Hazen’s words I grasped whatever I could find -and tossed it over the side. A box of provisions, a roll of tools, a -leather jacket, a thermos bottle, canteens, an automatic pistol and a -cartridge belt all went. I glanced up. We were rising faster. A few -pounds more overboard, a few feet higher and we would be clear. Was -there anything else I could throw out? Frantically I searched. I saw a -canlike object resting on a frame. Spare gasoline I decided, but fuel -was of no value now. With an effort I dragged it out. I lifted it and -hurled it over.</p> - -<p>With a sudden jerk the plane sprung upward. There was a terrific -muffled roar from below and with barely a yard to spare we rose above -the crater rim.</p> - -<p>“Lord, you must have dropped that old bomb!” cried Hazen. “The -concussion jarred the rudder free.”</p> - -<p>I glanced over the side. Far beneath, a cloud of smoke and dust was -drifting slowly aside exposing the aqueduct, broken, smashed and in -ruins. From the opening in the mountain side a mighty stream of water -was roaring in a rushing, tearing torrent. The bomb had landed -squarely in the quarry. The aqueduct had fallen, the shock had let -loose the gates of the lake and the whole vast crater reservoir was -pouring in a mighty flood across the valley.</p> - -<p>In a wide arc Hazen swung the plane about. “Poor devils!” he muttered -as we soared above the doomed city.</p> - -<p>Already the green plain was shimmering with the glint of water. We -could see the frantic, frenzied people running and scrambling up their -ladders. Again we wheeled and circled far above them and now only the -roof tops of the houses were above the flood. Presently these too sank -from sight and above the sunlit waters only the sacrificial stone -remained.</p> - -<p>“It’s all over!” exclaimed Hazen, and heading northward we sped beyond -the encircling mountain sides.</p> - -<p>Beneath us now was forest, and with a shudder I recognized it as that -death-dealing, nightmare grove of cannibal trees. Fascinated I gazed -down and suddenly from the mountain side behind us burst a frothing -yellow torrent. The pressure of the flood had been too great. The -overwhelming waters had forced the stone door of the tunnel by which I -had entered that incredible valley. Before my wondering eyes the -devastating deluge swept down the slope. I saw the monstrous trees -shiver and sway and crash before the irresistible force. They gave way -and like matchsticks went tossing, tumbling, bobbing down the -hillside.</p> - -<p>Higher and higher we rose. The water-filled crater was now but a -silvery lake. The slope up which I had fought and raced from the -ravenous, blood-sucking trees was bare, red earth scarred deep by the -plunging stream that flowed over it. Far to the west gleamed the blue -Pacific. Like a vast map Darien was spread below us. Northward we -sped. Before us was civilization. Behind us death and destruction. The -man-eating trees were a thing of the past. The lost city was lost -forever.</p> - -<div class='ce'> -<div style='font-size:0.9em;font-variant:small-caps;'>(The End) </div> -</div> -<div class="tn"> - <p style='text-indent:0'>Transcriber’s Note: This story appeared in - the December 1926 issue of <i>Amazing Stories</i> magazine.</p> -</div> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH THE CRATER'S RIM ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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