Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-13
PELLuCIDAR
Sequel to AT the Earth's Core"
BY EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS


''"'hlis I'ldH ana me HfSt, leaving the ieSl
OF the work to his other boats | thought
that there could be little doubt that he
would he Successful in so far we were
concerned, and feared for the revenge that
lie might take upon ny should the battle
go against his force. as | was sure II would
for knew that Perry and his Mezops must
have brought with them all the arms and
ammunition that had been contained in the
prospector. But | was not prepared for
what Happened next.
As Hooja's canoe reached a point some
twenty yards from us great puff of smoke
broke from the bow Of the leading felucca,
followed almost simultaneously by q ter
riftc explosion and solid shot screamed
close over the heads Of the men in Hooja's
craft, raising great splash where 1t Glove
the water just beyond them.
Perry had perfected gunpowder and built
cannon 1t was marvellous! Dian and
Juag. as much surprised as Hooja, turned
wondering eyes toward me. Again the can
non spoke, | suppose that by comparison
with the great guns of modern naval ves-
sells of the outer world it was pitifully
small and inadequate thing; but here in
Pellucidar. where it was the first of It's
kind, 1t was about as awe-inspiring as any
thing you might imagine
With the report an iron cannon-ball about
five inches in diameter struck Hooja's dug
out just above the water line tore great
splntering hole in its side, turned it over
and dumped its occupants into the sea
The four dugouts that had been abreast
of Hooja had turned to intercept the lead
ing felucca. Even now, In the face of what
must have been wthering catastrophe
to them, they kept bravely on toward the
strange and terrible craft.
In them were fully 200 men, while but
fifty lined the gunwale of the felucca to
repel them. The commander of the felucca,
who proved to be ia, let them come quite
close ana then turned loose upon them a
volley of shots from small arms.
The cave men and Sagoths in the dug
outs seemed to wither before that blast
of death like dry grass before a prairie
fire. Those who were not hit dropped their
bows and javelns and, SELLING upon pad
dies, attempted to escape. But the felucca
pursued them relentlessy. her crew firing
at will
At last I heard ia shouting TO the sur
vvors in the dugouts-they We're all quite
close to us now--offering them their lives
if they would surrender Perry was stand
ing close behind ia, and ! knew that this
merciful action was prompted perhaps
commanded. by the old man. for no Pei
lucdarian would have thought OF showing
lenency to a defeated foe.
AS there was no alternative save death.
the survivors surrendered and a moment
name thaT1 could now see printed in large
letters upon the felucca's bow, and which
no one in that whole world could read
except Perry and me.
When the prisoners were aboard ia
brought the felucca alongside our dugout
Many We're the willing hands that reached
down to lift us to her decks The bronze
faces of the Mezops We're broad with smiles.
and Perry was fairly beside himself with
joy.
Dian went aboard first and then Juag. as
] wished to help Raja and Rance aboard
myself, well knowing that 1t would fare
i'll with any MeZop who touched them We
got them aboard at last and a great COM
motion they caused among the crew who
had never seen wild beast thus handled
by man before.
Perry and Dian and | We're so fun of
questions that we fairly burst, but we had
to contain ourselves for while. since the
battle with the rest of Hoojas fleet had
scarce commenced. From the small forward
decks of the feluccas Perry's crude can
non were belching smoke, flame thunder
and death The air trembled to the roar
of them. Hooja's horde intrepid savage
fighters that they We're. were closing in
to grapple in a last death struggle with
the Mezops who manned our vessels.
The handling of our fleet by the red
island warriors of JAS elan was far from
perfect. ! could see that Perry had lost
no time after the completion of the boats
in setting out upon this cruise. What little
the captains and crews had learned of
handling feluccas they must have learned
principally since they embarked upon this
voyage. and while experience is an excel
lent teacher and had done much for them.
they still had a great deal TO learn In
maneuvering for position they were con-
tinually fouling one another and on two
occasions shots from our batteries came
near to striking our own ships.
No sooner, however, was / aboard the
flagship than | attempted to rectify This
trouble to some extent. By passing com,
mands by word OF mouth from one shin 10
another | managed to get the fifty feluccas
into some sort of line. with the faesbin
I'm the lead In this forma ton we com,
menced slowly to circle the position of tbs
enemy The dugouts came for us rich,
along I'm an attempt to board us bur IN,
keeping on the move In one direction ana
circling we managed to avoid getting an
each others, way, and were enabled 10 Are
o,r cannon and our small arms with Lees
danger to our own comrades.
When / had moment to look about M.
7 took in the felucca on which / was
am free TO confess that / marveIed at tha
excellent construction and stanch va,
speedy lines OF the little craft. That Perry
had chosen this type of vessel seemaS
rather remarkable, for though had warnsf
MIN against turreted battleships. armor I a
IKE upeiaep show, had fully expacted tSSs
,Vhea a. m pavy y, should oQf1 sS1r.