Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-05
CHAPTER vIII-Continued

HAD padded 10 the southwestern point.
l. which Goork said he believed to be the
least freQuented portion of the island, as
he had never seen boats put or from there'
| found a shallow reef running far out mo
the sea and rather precipitous clifs run
ming almost TO the surf. 1t was a nasty
place to land. and | realized now why II
was not used by the natives: but at last ]
managed, after a good wetting. to beach my
canoe and scale the cliffs.
The country beyond them appeared more
open and parlilike than | had anticipated
since from the mainland the entire coast
that Is visible seems densely clothed win
tropical jungle. This Jungle as could see
from the vantage point of the chH,op'
formed but relatively narrow strip oe.
tween the sea and the more open ioie''
and meadow Of the interior
Farther back there was range OF low
but apparently very rocky hills ana mere
and there all about were visible nat-toppeu
masses of rock--small mountains in tact-
which reminded me of pictures ! had seen
of landscapes in New Mexico. Altogether'
the country was very much broken anu very
beautiful From where | stood counted
no fewer than a dozen streams Wiiuihs
down from among the table-puttes anu
emptying into a pretty river which nowea
away in a northeasterly direction toward
the opposite end of the island
As I let my eyes roam over the scene
7 suddenly became aware OF figures NOV
ing upon the fiat top of far-distaht quite.
Whether they were beast or human. though,
|. could not make out but at least 'hey
were alive. so / determined TO prosecute my
search for Hoojas stronghold III the geherai
direction of this butte
To descend to the valley required no
great effort. AS ! swung along throush
the lush grass and the fragrant mowers
my cudgel swinging in my hand ana my
iayelin looped across my shoulders WIN Ns
aurochs hide strap, i felt equal 10 any
emergency ready for any danger
had covered quite little distance
and was passing through a strip or wood
which Law at the foot of one OF the nat
topped hills when became conscious or the
sensation Of being watched. MY Ire withih
Pellucidar has rather quickened my senses
of sight hearing and smell ana, 700, , Ger
tain primitive intuitive or instructive quail
ties that seem blunted in civilized man
put though I was positive that eyes were
unon me I could see no sign OF any living
thing within the wood other than the many
gay-plumaged birds and little monkeys
which filled the trees with NE color ana
action.
70 Won II may seem that my conviction
MAJ tho result of an oyerwrought magma
zion or to the actual reality OF the prylng
eyes of the little monkeys or the curious
ones of the birds but there is a difference
| which | cannot explain between the SEN
| cation of casual observation and studied
| osntoraVe A sheep might gaze at you
| without transmitting warning through
| "our subiectiye mind, because you are in
| no danger from a sheep. But let Tiger
| gaze fixed,y at you from ambush, and unless
your primitive instincts are completely cal
| Ioused YOU will presently commence to
| GLANCE furtiyely about and be filled with
| vague unreasoning terror
| Thus was II with me- then | grasped
| mv cudgel more firmly and unsung my
iayelin, carrying 1t in my left hand.
peered to left and right but saw notnins,
Then all quite suddenly. there fell about
| hv neck and shoulders, around my arms and
| hodv. a number of plant fiber ropes.
| In iiffy | was trussed up as neatly
az Won might wish. One of the nooses drop
| ned TO my ankles and was Jerked up with
suddenness that brought me to my face
! mon the ground. Then something heavy
and hairy sprang upon my back, | fought
| 10 draw my knife, but hairy hands grasped
NV wrists and. dragging them behind my
| back bound them securely
| Next nv feet we're bound. Then ] was
| turned over upon my pack 10 look up into
the faces of my captors
| And what faces Imagine II you can
n cross between a sheep and gorilla. and
| you will have some conception of the ply
| siognomy of the creature That bent close
| ahove me. and of those of the half-dozer
athers that clustered about. There was the
Facial length and great eyes of the sheep
"a the bull-neck and hldeous fangs Of the
gorilla. Their bodies and limbs were boti
man and gorilla ike
As they bent over me they conversed ir
| n monosyliabic tongue that was perfectly
| ,rteiIigible to me. 1t was something of q
s,mnlified language that had no need fol
sught but nouns and verbs, but such word.
an IL included were the same as those
| ~ the human beings of Pellucidar. II wa,
smplined BY many gestures which Allied IN
" VI ssEsd ihsm what thsy intended dolns
xl11 ~ 2ss ]'s5 y 4 |5 a y N2rsh y Asos.Iss' ":