The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-17
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a reflected moon shining brightly in the center of it. It was shallow, for 2 fh many places saw low sand banks protruding above the water Every where upon the still surface I could see signs of life, sometimes the gieam Of great silver sided fish in the air. sometimes the arched, slate colored back of some passing monster. Once upon a yellow sand bank saw a crea- ture like huge swan, with a clumsy body and a high, flexible neck, shud1ing about upon the margin. Presently 1t plunged in, and for some time could rsee tho arched neck and darting head undulating over the water, Then it dived, and I saw it no more
 My attention was soon drawn away from these distant sights and brought back to what was going on at my very feet. Two creatures like large arma- dillos had come down to the drinking place and were squa tting at the edge of the water, their long, flexible tongues, like red ribbons, shooting in and out as they lapped. huge deer, with branching horns, magnificent creature, which carried itself like k1ng, came down with it's doe and two lawns and drank beside the Rrmadil-
 
 upon earth, for the moose or elks which I have seen would hardly have reached its shoulders Presently 1t gave Warming snort and was off with its family among the reeds, while the armadilIos also scuttled for shel- ter. 4 newcomer, a most naonstrous animal, was coming down the path
 For a moment I wondered where I could have seen that uhgainly shape, that arched back with triangular fringes along it, that strange, birdlike head held close to the ground Then it came back to me-. It was the stego- Haurus-the very, creature which Maple White had preserved in his sketch book and which had been the first elo- 5eet which arrested the attention of Challenger! There he was, perhaps the very specimen which the American artist had encountered. The ground shook beneath his trene adous weight, and his guIpings Of water resounded through the atin night For five min 1stes he was so close to my rock that By stretching out my hand I could have touched the hfdeous waving hackIes upon his back Then he lum- bered away and was lost among the bowlders.
 
 was half past o'clock and high time, therefore, that I started upon my chomeWard journey. There was no diff Heulty about the direction in which I should return, for all along I had kept the little brook upon my left, and it opened into the central lake within a stones throw of the bowlder upon which had been lying set of. therefore, in high spirits, for I felt that had done good work and was taking back a fine budget of news for my companions.
 was p1Odding up the slope, turning these thoughts over in my mind, and had reached point which may have been halfway home when my mind was brought back to my own position by a strange noise behind me. It was something between a snore and a growl, low, deep and exceedingly men acing- Some strange creature was evi- dently near me, bce nothing could be seen, so I hastened more rapidly upon my way I had traversed half mile or so when suddenly the sound was re peated, still behind me, but louder and more meIlacing than before My heart stood still within me as 1t flashed across me that the beast, whatever it was, must surely be after me. I was petrided with terror.
 stood like a man paraIyzed, still staring at the ground which I had trAyersed. Then suddenly I saw 1t. There was movement among the bush es at the far end of the clearing which had just traversed A great dark shadow disengaged itself and hopped out into the clear moonlight. I say S-hopped" advisedly, for the beast
 
 in an erect position upon it's powerful hind legs, while it's front ones were held bent in front of 1t. It was of enormous size and power, like an erect elephant. but its movements, in spite of its hu-t7. were exceedingly alert. ETor a moment as saw it's shape, I hoped that it was an iguanodon, which knew to be harmless, but, ignorant as was, I soon saw that this was a very different creature. Instead of the gentle, deer shaped head of the great three toed, leaf eater, this beast had a broad, squat, toadlike face like that which had alarmed us in our camp His ferocious cry and the horri- ble energy of his pursuit both assured me that this was surely one of the great flesh ca ing dinosaurs, the most terrible beasts which. have ever walk ed this earth.
 Even NOW when think of that night mare the sweat breaks out upon my brow. What could I do? My useless fowling piece was in my hand What help could I get from that? I looked desperately round for some rock or tree, but was Ia a bushy jungle with nothing higher than a sapling within Eight. while knew that the creature