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

We Observed Them at Our Leisure.
y, pointing to what looked like the
huge print Of a Ave fingered human
hand appearing among the three toed
marks.
"Wealdenw cried Challenger in an
ecstasy "Tve seen them IN the Veal
den clay. 1t is a creature walking
erect upon three toed feet and oeca-
slonally putting one Of its five fingered
forepaws upon the ground Not bird,
my dear Roxton-not Il bird"
"a beast?'
mo; a reptle-a dlnosaur. Nothing
else could have left such track,
They puzzled worthy Sussex doctor
some ninety years ago But who in
the world could have hoped-nOped-
to have seen a sight like that?'
His words died away into a whisper,
and we all stood in motioness amaze
ment. Following the tracks, we had
left the Iborass and passed through
screen Of brushwoOd and trees. BE.
yond was an open glade, and In this
were five of tue most extraordinary
creatures that have ever seen,
Crouchlng down among the bushes,
we observed them at our leisure.
There were, as | say, Ave OF them,
two being adults and three young ones.
In size they were enormous. Even
the babies were as big as elephants,
while the two large ones were far be-
yOnd all creatures | have ever seen.
They had slate cOlored skin, which
was scaled like a lizards and shin.
mered where the sun shone upon 1t.
All Ave were sitting up, balancing
themselves upon their broad powerful
tails and their huge three toed hind
feet, while with their small liye 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 mbnstrous
kangaroos, twenty feet In length, and
with skins like black crOcOdlles.
We saw the shlmmerlng slaty gleam
Of their skins between the tree trunks
and their heads unduatlng high above
the brushwood. Then they vanished
from our sight
l looked at my comrades. Lord John
was standing at gOze with his finger
on the trigger OF his elephant gun, his
eager hunters soul shining from his
fierce eyes. What would be not give
for one such head to place between
the two crossed oars above the man.
lelpiece I'm 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 It's In.
habltants The two professors were
In silent ecstasy In their excitement
they had uncOnsclously seized each
other by the hand and stood like two
little children IN the presence OF a
marvel, Challenger's cheeks punched
mp into seraphic smile and Summer.
lees sardonlc face softenlng for the
moment into wonder and reverence.
"Nunc dimlttsw he cried at lest
what will they say in England Of
thlsg'
MY dear Summerlee, | win tell you
with great confidence exactly what
they win say In England" said Chal
lenger They will say that you are
an internal liar aud a scientific charla
tan, exactly as you aud others said Of
me"
"In the face Of photographs"
"FOked, Summerleel Clumsily fax
cdr
'In the face OF speclmens|
"Ah, there we may have them! Ma
lone and his filthy Fleet street crew
may be all yelpng our praises yet.
August the 2Sth-the day We saw 6ye
live lguanodons IN glade Of Maple
White Land. Put 1t down In your
diary, my young friend, and send It to
your rag"
And be ready 10 get the toe end OF
the editorial boot Ia return" said Lord
John. "rhngs look a bit different
from. the latitude Of London, youus