CHAPTER VIII "The Outlying Pickets of the New World"

-chestednotessankintoawhisper.Alone,Ishouldhavebeenignorantofthenamesofthesegiantgrowths,butourmenofsciencepointedoutthecedars,thegreatsilkcottontrees,andtheredwoodtrees,withallthatprofusionofvariousplantswhichhasmadethiscontinentthechiefsuppliertothehumanraceofthosegiftsofNaturewhichdependuponthevegetableworld,whileitisthemostbackwardinthoseproductswhichcomefromanimallife.Vividorchidsandwonderfulcoloredlichenssmolderedupontheswarthytree-trunksandwhereawanderingshaftoflightfellfulluponthegoldenallamanda,thescarletstar-clustersofthetacsonia,ortherichdeepblueofipomaea,theeffectwasasadreamoffairyland.Inthesegreatwastesofforest,life,whichabhorsdarkness,struggleseverupwardstothelight.Everyplant,eventhesmallerones,curlsandwrithestothegreensurface,twiningitselfrounditsstrongerandtallerbrethrenintheeffort.Climbingplantsaremonstrousandluxuriant,butotherswhichhaveneverbeenknowntoclimbelsewherelearntheartasanescapefromthatsombershadow,sothatthecommonnettle,thejasmine,andeventhejacitarapalmtreecanbeseencirclingthestemsofthecedarsandstrivingtoreachtheircrowns.Ofanimallifetherewasnomovementamidthemajesticvaultedaisleswhichstretchedfromusaswewalked,butaconstantmovementfaraboveourheadstoldofthatmultitudinousworldofsnakeandmonkey,birdandsloth,whichlivedinthesunshine,andlookeddowninwonderatourtiny,dark,stumblingfiguresintheobscuredepthsimmeasurablybelowthem.Atdawnandatsunsetthehowlermonkeysscreamedtogetherandtheparrakeetsbrokeintoshrillchatter,butduringthehothoursofthedayonlythefulldroneofinsects,likethebeatofadistantsurf,filledtheear,whilenothingmovedamidthesolemnvistasofstupendoustrunks,fadingawayintothedarknesswhichheldusin.Oncesomebandy-legged,lurchingcreature,anant-eaterorabear,scuttledclumsilyamidtheshadows.ItwastheonlysignofearthlifewhichIsawinthisgreatAmazonianforest. Andyettherewereindicationsthatevenhumanlifeitselfwasnotfarfromusinthosemysteriousrecesses.Onthethirddayoutwewereawareofasingulardeepthrobbingintheair,rhythmicandsolemn,comingandgoingfitfullythroughoutthemorning.Thetwoboatswerepaddlingwithinafewyardsofeachotherwhenfirstweheardit,andourIndiansremainedmotionless,asiftheyhadbeenturnedtobronze,listeningintentlywithexpressionsofterrorupontheirfaces. "Whatisit,then?"Iasked. "Drums,"saidLordJohn,carelessly"wardrums.Ihaveheardthembefore." "Yes,sir,wardrums,"saidGomez,thehalf-breed."WildIndians,bravos,notmansostheywatchuseverymileofthewaykillusiftheycan." "Howcantheywatchus?"Iasked,gazingintothedark,motionlessvoid. Thehalf-breedshruggedhisbroadshoulders. "TheIndiansknow.Theyhavetheirownway.Theywatchus.Theytalkthedrumtalktoeachother.Killusiftheycan." Bytheafternoonofthatday—mypocketdiaryshowsmethatitwasTuesday,August18th—atleastsixorsevendrumswerethrobbingfromvariouspoints.Sometimestheybeatquickly,sometimesslowly,sometimesinobviousquestionandanswer,onefartotheeastbreakingoutinahighstaccatorattle,andbeingfollowedafterapausebyadeeprollfromthenorth.Therewassomethingindescribablynerve-shakingandmenacinginthatconstantmutter,whichseemedtoshapeitselfintotheverysyllablesofthehalf-breed,endlesslyrepeated,"Wewillkillyouifwecan.Wewillkillyouifwecan."Nooneevermovedinthesilentwoods.AllthepeaceandsoothingofquietNaturelayinthatdarkcurtainofvegetation,butawayfrombehindtherecameevertheonemessagefromourfellow-man."Wewillkillyouifwecan,"saidthemenintheeast."Wewillkillyouifwecan,"saidthemeninthenorth. Alldaythedrumsrumbledandwhispered,whiletheirmenacereflecteditselfinthefacesofourcoloredcompanions.Eventhehardy,swaggeringhalf-breedseemedcowed.Ilearned,however,thatdayonceforallthatbothSummerleeandChallengerpossessedthathighesttypeofbravery,thebraveryofthescientificmind.TheirswasthespiritwhichupheldDarwinamongthegauchosoftheArgentineorWallaceamongthehead-huntersofMalaya.ItisdecreedbyamercifulNaturethatthehumanbraincannotthinkoftwothingssimultaneously,sothatifitbesteepedincuriosityastoscienceithasnoroomformerelypersonalconsiderations.AlldayamidthatincessantandmysteriousmenaceourtwoProfessorswatchedeverybirduponthewing,andeveryshrubuponthebank,withmanyasharpwordycontention,whenthesnarlofSummerleecamequickuponthedeepgrowlofChallenger,butwithnomoresenseofdangerandnomorereferencetodrum-beatingIndiansthanifth