Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-10-29
T ARR A N OF
T H E. A P E S
By EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

unthinkably dead, world.
Then, crouching, Kerchak slunl
noiselessly around the open circle
veering far away from the dead bod!
lying before the altar drum, but as hi
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.
It was the challenge and the hunt.
When all the adult males had Joined
in the thin line Of circling dancers the
attack commenced.
Kerchak. seizing a huge club from
the pile which lay at hand for the pur-
pose rushed furiously upon the dead
ape, dealing the corpse terrific blow
at the same time emitting the growls
and Snarls Of combat.
The din OF the drum was now in
creased, as we'll as the frequency Of
the blows, and the warriors, as each
approached the victim Of the hunt and
delivered his bludgeon blow, Joined In
the mad whirl Of the death dance.
Tarzan was one Of the wild, leapine
horde. His brown, sweat streaked
muscular body glistened in the moon
light, shone supple and graceful among
the uncouth, awkward, hairy brutes
about him.
For half an hour the weird dance
went on, until, at a sign from Kerchak
the noise of the drums ceased, the fe-
male drummers scampering hurriedly
through the line Of dancers toward the
outer rim Of squatting spectators
Then, as one man, the males rushed
headlong upon the thing which theil
terrific blows had reduced to a mass
Of hairy pulp.
Flesh seldom came to their jaws in
satisfying quantities, so a fit finale tc
their wild revel was a taste Of fresh
killed meat, and it was to the purpose
Of devouring their late enemy thai
they now turned their attention.
Tarzan more than the apes craved
and needed flesh. Descended from a
race Of meat eaters, never in his life
he thought had he once satisfied his
appetite for animal food, and so now
his agile little body wormed its way
far into the mass Of struggling apes
in an endeaYor to obtains q share which
his strength would have been unequal
to the task Of winning for him.
At his side hung the hunting knife
Of his unknown father in a sheath self
fashioned in copy Of one he had seen
among the pictures Of his treasure
books.
At last he reached the fast disap-
pearing feast and with his sharp knife
slashed off more a generous portion
than he had hoped for.
Then he wriggled out from beneath
the struggling mass, clutching his
prize close.
Among those circling futilely the
outskirts Of the banquet was old Tub
lat. He had been among the first at
the feast, but had retreated with a
goodly share to eat in quiet and was
now forcing his way back for more.
So it was that he spied Tarzan
emerging from the clawing throng.
Tublat's bloodshot, pig eyes sent out
wicked CLEANS Of hate as they fell
upon the object OF his loathing. In
them, too, was greed for the meat the
boy carried.
But Tarzan saw his arch enemy as
quickly and, divining what the beast
would do, leaped nimbly away toward
the women and children. hoping to
hide himself among them. Tublat,
however, was close upon him, so that
he had no opportunity to seek place
of concealment, but saw that he would
be put to it to escape at all.
Swiftly he sped toward the trees and
with bound gained lower limb with
one hand, and then, transferring his
burden to his teeth, he climbed rapid
ly upward, closely followed by Tub
lat.
Up, up he went to the waving pin
where his heavy pursuer dared not fol-
low him. Perched there, he hurled
taunts and insults at the raging beast
fifty feet below.
And then Tublat went mad.
With horrifying screams and roars
he rushed to the ground and among
the females and young, sinking his
great fangs into them. But it was not
until he attacked Kala that Tarzar
dropped to offer battle to him. The
infuriated bull found himself facing
the man. child who stood between him
and Kala.
Nothing could have suited the fierce
| beast better, and with q roar of tri-
umph he leaped upon the little LORD
Greystoke. But his fangs never closed
in that nut brown flesh.
| A muscular mana SnOt out anC
grasped the hairy throat, and another
plunged a keen hunting knife a doZer
times into the broad breast. Like
lightning the blows fell and only ceas.
ed when Tarzan felt the limp form
crumple beneath him.
AS the body rolled to the ground
Tarzan Of the apes placed his foot
upon the neck Of his lifelong enemy
and. raising his eyes to the full moon
threw back his fierce young head and
voiced the wild cry of his people.
One by one the tribe swung dowr
from their arborcd retreats and form
ed n circle about Tarzan and his van.
duished foe. When they had all come
TarZan turned toward them.
| Il am Tarzan!" he cried. II am g
great killer! Let all respect Tarzan OF
the apes and Kala, his mother! There
be none among you as mighty as Tar
zan. Let his enemies beware!"
| Looking full into the wicked red eye:
of Kerchak, the young Lord Grcystokt