The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-24


The darkness of the forest had
been alarming, but even worse was
the white, still flood of moonlight in
the open glade of the iguanodons.
Hidden among the bushes. looked
out at it. None of the great brutes
were in sight. Perhaps the tragedy
which had befallen one of them had
driven them from their feeding
ground. In the misty. silvery night
I could see no sign Of any living
thing. Taking courage, therefore,
I slipped rapidly across 1t, and
among the jungle on the farther
side I picked up once again the
brook which was my guide.
AS one descended the slope the
woods became thinner, and bushes,
with occasional high trees, took the
place of the forest. I could make
good progress, therefore. and I could
see without being seen. I passed
close to a pterodacty1 swamp, and
as did so, with a dry, crisp
leathery rattle OF wings, one of
these great ceatures-it was twenty
feet at least from tip to tip-rose
up from somewhere near me and
scared into the air. AS it passed
across the face of the moon the light
shone clearly through the membra-
nous wings. and it looked like a
flying skeleton against the white,
fro ifsaI
among the bushes, for knew from
PAST experience that with single
cry the creature could bring a hun
dred of its loathsome mates about
my ears. 1t was not until it had
settled again that I dared to steal
EDWARDS upon my journey.
The night had been exceedingly
still, but as I advanced I became
conscious OF a low, rumbling sound,
a continuous murmur, somewhere
in front of me. This grew louder
as | proceeded, until at last 1t was
clearly quite close to me. When
stood still the sound was constant,
so that it seemed to come from
some Stationary cause. IL was like
a boiling kettle or the bubbling of
some great pot. Soon I came upon
the source Of 1t, for In the center OF
a small clearing found a lake-or
a pool, rather. for it was not larger
than the basin of the Trafalgar
Square fountain-of some black.
pitch-like stuff. the surface of which
rose and fell in great blisters OF
bursting gas. The air above it was
shimmering with heat, and the
ground round was so hot that ]
could hardly bear to lay my hand
on it. 1t was clear that the great
volcanic outburst which had raised
this strange plateau so many years
ago had not yet entirely spent its
forces. Blackened rocks and mounds
Of lava 1 had already seen every
where peeping our from amid the
luxurious vegetation which draped
them, but this asphalt pool in the
jungle was the first sign that we
had Of actual existing activity on
the slopes of the ancient crater. /
had no time to examine it further,
for had need to hurry IL I were
to be back in camp in the morning.
At last my watch showed that it
was one In the morning. I saw the
CLEAN of water amid the openings
Of the jungle, and ten minutes later
was among the reeds upon the
borders Of the central lake. was
exceedingly dry, so 1 lay down and
took a long draught of its waters,
which were fresh and cold. There
was a broad pathway with many
tracks upon 1t at the spot which I
had found, so that 1t was clearly one
OF the drinking places of the ami
mails Close to the waters edge
there was huge isolated block of
lava. Up this / climbed and, lying
on the top had an excellent view
In every direction.
The first thing which saw filled
me with ainazement. When I de-
scribed the view from the summit of
the great tree, ] said that on the
farther cliff l could see a number of
dark spots, which appeared to be
the mouths Of caves. Now, as
looked up at the same cliffs saw
discs of light in every direction,
ruddy, clearly-defined patches, like
the portfolios of liner In the dark
ness. For a moment I thought II
was the lava-glow from some vol
canic action; but this could not be
so. Any volcanic action would
surely be down in the hollow, and
not high among the rocks. What,
then, was the alternative? 1t was
wonderful, and yet 1t must surely
be. These rudy spots must be the
reflection Of fires in the cave fires