The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1914-03-26
Copyright, 1919, by the Frank A.
Munssy company.

speed and the fierce protection Of the
huge Kala he would have been dis
patched at an early age.
Tublat was his most consistent enc
my, but 1t was through Tublat that,
when he was about thirteen, the perse-
cution Of his enemies suddenly ceased,
and he was left severely alone, except
on the occasions when one Of them
ran amuck in the throes Of one Of
those strange fits Of insane rage which
attack the males Of many Of the fiercer
animals Of the jungle. Then none was
safe.
On the day that Tarzan established
his right to respect the tribe was gath
cred about a small natural amphithe-
ter which the jungle had left free
from its e%ntangling vines and creepers.
Here the tribe often gathered. In
the center Of the amphitheater vas
IN of those strange earthen drums
which the a~nthropoids build for the
dumdum, the queer rites the sound Of
which men have heard In the fastness-
es Of the jungle, but which none has
ever witnessed.
On the day that Tarzan won his
emancipation from the persecution that
twelve of his thirteen years Of life the
tribe, now a full 100 strong, trooped
silently through the lower terrace Of
the jungle trees and dropped noiseless-
ly upon the floor of the amphitheater.
The rites Of the dumdum marked
important events in the life of the
tribe-a victory. the capture Of a pris-
oner, the killing Of some large, fierce
denizen Of the jungle, the death or &C.
cession Of a king.
Today 1t was the killing of a giant
ape, a member Of another tribe, and as
the people Of Kerchak entered the
arena two mighty bulls might have
been seen bearing the body of the van
pushed between them. They laid their
burden before the earthen drum and
then squatted beside 1t as guards, while
the other members of the community
curled themselves In grassy hooks to
sleep until the rising moor should give
the signal for the commencement Of
the orgy.
A darkness settled upon the jungle,
the apes commenced to bestir them
selves, and soon they formed a great
circle about the earthen drum.
The females and young squatted In
a thin line at the outer periphery Of
the circle, while just In front of them
ranged the adult males. Before the
drum sat three old females. each arm
ed with a knotted branch fifteen or
eighteen inches in length.
Slowly and softly they began tap
ping upon the resounding surface Of
the drum as the first faint rays Of the
ascending moon silvered the treetops.
AS the light increased the females
augmented the frequency and force of
their blows until presently a rhyth-
mical din pervaded the jungle for miles
In every direction. Huge brutes stop
ped In their hunting, with uppricked
ears and raised heads, to listen to the
dull booming that betokened the dunn
dunn Of the great apes.
As the din Of the drum rose to al
most deafening volume Kerchak
sprang into the open space between
the squatting males and the drummers.
Standing erect, he threw his head
far back, and, looking full into the eye
Of the rising moon. he beat upon his
breast with his great hairy paws and
emitted his fearful roaring shrek.
Observation-Disclosures that terrifying
ory y M ont onr1cs &hN %o,x~t~- .o1s
tude OF that ~unspeakably quick. yet
u~nthinkably dead. world.
Then, crouching. Kerchak skunk
noiselessly around the open circle,
veering far away from the dead body
lying before the altar drum, but as he
passed keeping his little. fierce. wicked
red eyes upon the corpse.
Another male then sprang into the
arena and, repeating the horrid cries
Of his king, followed stealthily in his
wake. Another and another followed
In quick succession until the Jungle
reverberated with the now almost
~ceaseless notes Of their bloodthirsty
screams.
1t was the challenge and the hunt.
"ASh ob VIC 0outt hiuiCS nuu JOkueO
In the thin line of circling dancers the
attack commenced.
Kerchak, selling a huge club from.
the pile which lay at hand for the pur.
pose, rushed ~furiously upon the dead
ape, dealing the corpse a terrific blow,
at the same time emitting the growls
and snarls Of combat
tn "a 49, - $3.50 -. ~
creased. as well as the frequency or
the blows, and the warriors. as each
approached the victim or the hunt and
delivered his bludgeon blow. Joined IN
the mad whiri Of the death dance.
Tarsan was q Of the Wild. leaping
horde His brown. sweat streaked,
muscular body g~listening In the moon.
light shone supple and eraceful EMORY