Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-06-17

Nalo VI NhG " AAAf7o VI lAAooC " US
nearly touched our faces. We beat at
them with the stocks Of our guns, but
there was nothing solid or vulnerable
to strike. Then suddenly out Of the
whlzzing, slate colored circle a long
neck shot out and a fierce beak made
thrust at u.s. Another and another
followed. Summerlee gave a cry and
put his hand to his face, from which
the blood was streaming felt prod
at the back Of my neck and turned diz
~ with the shock. Challenger fell.
and as | stopped to pick him up 1 was
again struck from behind and dropped
on the top Of him. At the same instant
1 heard the crash Of Lord Johns ele-
phant gun and, looking up, saw one of
the creatures with a broken wing strug-
Cling upon the ground, splitting and
gurgling at us with wide opened beak
and bloOdshOt, goggled eyes, like some
devil in mediaeva picture. Its com
rades had flown higher at the sudden
sound and were clrclng above us.
NOW" cried Lord John, now for
our llyesw
We staggered through the brush
wood and even as we reached the trees
the harpies We're on us again. Sum.
merlee was knocked down, but we tool;
him up and rushed among the trunks.
Once there we were safe, for those
huge wings had no space for their
! = hannufh Ae,
limped homewarl, sadly mauled and
discounted, we saw them for a long
time flying at great height against
the deep blue sky above our heads,
soaring round and round, no bigger
than wood pigeons. with their eyes no
doubt still following our progress. AT
last, however, as we reached the thick.
er woods they gave up the chase, and
we saw them no more
"a most interesting and convincing
experience said Challenger as we
halted beside the brook and he bathed
II swollen knee I'VE are exception
lily well informed, Summerlee, as to
the habits of the enraged pterodactyl"
Summerlee was wiping the blood
from a cut IN his forehead, while was
tying up nasty stab in the muscle of
the neck. Lord John had the shoulder
Of his coat torn away, but the crea.
ture's teeth had only grazed the flesh.
"It is worth noting" Challenger con
tinued, that our young friend has re
celyed an undoubted stab while Lord
johns coat could only have been torn
by bite In my own case, was
beaten about the head by their wings,
50 we have had a remarkable exhibi-
don Of their various methods of Of
Iense"
"It has been touch and go for our
ives said Lord John grayely, "and
I could not think or more rotten sort
of death than to be outed by such
filthy vermln l was sorry to fire my
ride, but, by JOve, there was no great
chOicew
"We should not he here If you
hadn't" said |, with conviction.
1T may do no HARM" said he
"AmOng these woods there must be
many loud cracks from splitting or
falling trees which would be just like
the sound Of a gun. But now, If you
are Of my opinion, we have had thrills
enough for one day and had best get
back to the surgical box at the camp
for some carboic. Who knows what
venom these beasts may have in their
hIdeOus jaVs|
That night (our third in Maple White
Eand) we had an experience which
left fearful impression upon our
minds and made us thankful that Lord
John had worked so hard in making
our retreat impregnable. We were
all sleeping round our dying fire when
we We're aroused, or, rather, I should
say, shot out Of our slumbers, by a
succession Of the most frightful cries
and screams to which | have ever
listened, l know no sound to which
| could compare this amazing tumult.
which seemed to come from some spot
within few hundred yards Of our
camp, 1t was as ear splitting as any
whistle Of a railway engine, but where.
as the whistle is a clear, mechanical,
sharp edged sound this was far deep.
er In volume and vibrant with the ut.
termost strain OF agony and horror.
We clapped our hands to our ears to
shut out that nerve shaking appeal
A cold sweat broke out over my body,
aud my heart turned sick at the misery
Of It, All the woes Of tortured life, all
its stupendOus indictment Of high
heaven, It's lunumerable sorrows seem
ed to be centered aud condensed into
that one dreadful, agonlzed cry. And
then under this high pitched. ringing
sound there was another, more inter.
mlttent low, deep chested laugh, a
growing, throaty gurgle OF merriment
which formed groteSQue accompanl.
meut to the Shrlek with which 1t was
blended For three or four minutes
on end the fearSome duet continued
while all The foliage rustled with the
vislng of startled birds Then it shut
on as suddenly as 1t began. For long
time we sat In mortified silence. Then
Lord John threw bundle Of twigs
upon the dre, and their red glare lit
up the mteut faces Of my companions
aud lllckered over the great boughs
A..