The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-04-04
THE LOST WORLD
BIZ SIR Arthur Conan Doyle

was not until one Of these creatures
wriggled on to a sand-bank within a
| few hundred yards Of us, and ex-
posed a barrel-shaped body and huge
| f1ippers behind the long serpent neck,
that Challenger and Summerlee, who
had joined us, broke out into their
duet of wonder and admiration.
"Plesiosaurus! A fresh-water pie
siosaurusr' cried Summerlee. THAT
l should have lived to see such a
sight! We are blessed, my dear
Chmallenger, above all biologists
since the world began!'
1t was not until the night had
fallen and the fires Of our savage
allies glowed red in the shadows
that our two men of science could
be dragged away from the fascina-
tons of that primeval lake.
At earliest dawn our camp was
astir and an hour later we had
started upon our memorable expe-
dition.
A fringe Of scouts was thrown
out in front, and behind them the
whole force in a solid column made
their way up the long slope Of the
bush country until we were near
the edge of the forest. Here they
spread out into long struggling
line of spearmen and bowmen. Rox-
ton and Eummerlee took their posi-
ton upon the right flank, while
Challenger and I were on the left.
We had not long to wait for our
enemy. A wild shrill clamor rose
from the edge Of the wood and sud
denly a body of ape-men rushed out
with clubs and stones and made for
the center Of the Indian line. 1t
was a valiant move but a foolish
one for the great bandy-legged
creatures were slow of foot, while
their opponents were as active as
cats. 1t was horrible to see the
fierce brutes with foaming mouths
and glazing eyes. rushing and grasp
ing, but forever missing their elu-
sive enemies, while arrow after ar
row buried itself il their hides. One
great fellow ran past me roaring
|
ing from his chest and ribs. In
mercy 1 put a bullet through his
skull, and he fell sprawling among
the aloes. But this was the only
shot fired for the attack had been
on the center Of the line, and the
Indians there had needed no help
Of ours in repulsing it, OF all the
ape-men who had rushed out into
the open. 1 do not think that one
got back to cover.
But the matter was more deadly
when we came among the trees.
For an hour or more after we en-
tered the wood, there was a des-
perate struggle in which for time
we hardly held our own. Springing
out from among the scrub the ape
men with huge clubs broke in upon
the Indians and often felled three
or four before they could be speared.
Their frightful blows shattered
everything upon which they fell
One Of them knocked Summerlee' s
rifle to matchwood and the next
would have crushed his skull haC
an Indian not stabbed the beast to
the heart. Other ape-men in the
trees above us hurled down stones
and logs of wood, occasionally
dropping bodily on to our ranks and
fighting furiously until they were
felled. once our allies broke under
the pressure, and had it not been
for the execution done by our
rifles they would certainly have
taken to their heels. But they were
calamity rallied by their old CHIEF
and came ION with such a rush that
the ape-man began in turn to give
way. Summerlee was weaponless
but / was emptying my magazine as
quick as l could fire, and on the
further flank we heard the con
tinuous cracking Of our companions
rifles.
Then in moment came the panic
and the collapse. Screaming and
bowling, the great creatures rushed
away in all directions through the
brushwood, while our allies yelled
in their savage delight, following
swiftly after their flying enernies.
Fly as they would the fugitives
were too slow to escape from the
active savages, and from every side
in the tangled woods we heard the
exultant yells, the twanging Of
bows, and the crash and thud as
ape-men were brought down from
their hiding-places in the trees.
I was following the others. when
found that Lord John and Chal-
lenger had come across to Join us.
IT'S over" said Lord John. II
think we can leave the tidying up
to them. Perhaps the less we see
of it the better we shall Sleep"
Challenger's eyes were shining
with the lust of slaughter.
1--WE have been privileged" he
cried, struttlng about like a game
cock, ito be present at one Of the
typical decisive battles Of history.
upon this plateau the future must
ever be for man."
(To be continued