The Delta independent., 1916-07-07

hand appearing among the three toed
marks.
"Wealdenr' cried Challenger in an
ecstasy. 1--WE seen them in the Veal
den clay. 1t is a creature walking
erect upon three toed feet and occa-
sionally putting one of its five fingered
forepaws upon the ground. Not bird.
my dear Roxton-not bird"
"A beast?"
mo; reptile-a dinosaur. Nothing
else could have left such a track.
They puzzled a worthy Sussex doctor
some ninety years ago. But who In
the world could have hoped-hoped-
to have seen a sight like that?''
His words died away into a whisper,
and we all stood in motionless amaze
ment. Following the tracks, we had
left the morass and passed through
screen of brushwood and trees. Be-
yond was an open glade, and in this
were five of the most extraordinary
creatures that l have ever seen.
Crouching down among the bushes.
we observed them at our leisure.
There were, as / say, FIVE of them,
two being adults and three young ones.
In size they were enormous. Even
the babies We're as big as elephants.
while the two large ones were far be-
yond all creatures l have ever seen.
They had slate colored skin, which
was scaled like a lizards and SHIN
mered where the sun shone upon It,
All five were sitting up. balancing
themselves upon their broad, powerful
tails and their huge three toed hind
feet. while with their small FIVE fin
gered front feet they pulled down the
branches upon which they browsed.
do not know that / can bring their ap-
pearance home to you better than by
saying that they looked like monstrous
kangaroos, twenty feet in length, and
with skins like black crocodiles.
We saw the shimmering slaty CLEAN
of their skins between the tree trunks
and their heads undulating high above
the brushwood. Then they vanished
from our sight.
looked at my comrades. Lord John
was standing at gaze with his finger
on the trigger of his elephant gun, his
eager hunters soul shining from his
fierce eyes. What would he not give
for one such head to place between
the two crossed oars above the man.
telpiece in his snuggery at the Albany!
And yet his reason held him in. for all
our exploration of the wonders of this
unknown land depended upon our
presence being concealed from its in
habitants. The two professors were
in silent ecstasy. In their excitement
they had unconsciously seized each
other by the hand and stood like two
little children in the presence of
marvel, ChaIlenger's cheeks punched
up into a seraphic smile and Summer
lees sardonic face scftening for the
moment into wonder and reverence.
"Nunc dimittis" he cried at last.
What will they say In England Of
this?''
MY dear Summerlee, will tell you
with great confidence exactly what
they will say in England" said Chal
lenger. They will say that you are
an Internal liar and a scientific charla-
tan. exactly as you and others said Of
me-"
"In the face OF photographer
"Faked, Summerlee! Clumsily fax
edv'
I'm the face of specimensT'
"Ah. there we may have them! Ma
lone and his filthy Fleet street crew
may be all yelping our praises yet.
August the 2Sth-the day we saw fve
live iguanodons in glade of Maple
White Land. Put It down In your
diary. my young friend. and send 1t to
your rag
And be ready to get the toe end Of
the editorial boot in return" said Lord
John. Things look bit different
from the latitude OF London. young
fellah my lad. There's many a man
who never tells his adventures, for he
can't hope to be believed. Who's to
blame them? For this will seem bit
of dream to ourselves In month or
two. What did you say they weref'
"Iguanodons." said Summerlee. You
will find their footmarks all over the
Hastings sands In Kent and In Sussex.
The south of England was alive with
them when there was plenty Of good
lush green stun to keep them going
Conditions have changed. and the
beasts died. Here 1t seems that the
conditions have not changed. and the
beasts have lived
III ever we get out Of this alive
must have head with me-" said Lord
John. Lord. how some of that Soma.
Hand Uganda crowd would turn a
beautiful pea green II they saw It! I
don't know what you chaps think. but
It strikes me that we are on mighty
thin ice all this time
1t was destined that on this very
mornlng-our first In the new country
we were to find out what strange
hazards lay around us. II was loath-