CHAPTER X "The most Wonderful Things have Happened"

k.If,asLordJohnsaid,thegladeoftheiguanodonswillremainwithusasadream,thensurelytheswampofthepterodactylswillforeverbeournightmare.Letmesetdownexactlywhatoccurred. Wepassedveryslowlythroughthewoods,partlybecauseLordRoxtonactedasscoutbeforehewouldletusadvance,andpartlybecauseateverysecondsteponeorotherofourprofessorswouldfall,withacryofwonder,beforesomeflowerorinsectwhichpresentedhimwithanewtype.Wemayhavetraveledtwoorthreemilesinall,keepingtotherightofthelineofthestream,whenwecameuponaconsiderableopeninginthetrees.Abeltofbrushwoodleduptoatangleofrocks—thewholeplateauwasstrewnwithboulders.Wewerewalkingslowlytowardstheserocks,amongbusheswhichreachedoverourwaists,whenwebecameawareofastrangelowgabblingandwhistlingsound,whichfilledtheairwithaconstantclamorandappearedtocomefromsomespotimmediatelybeforeus.LordJohnhelduphishandasasignalforustostop,andhemadehiswayswiftly,stoopingandrunning,tothelineofrocks.Wesawhimpeepoverthemandgiveagestureofamazement.Thenhestoodstaringasifforgettingus,soutterlyentrancedwashebywhathesaw.Finallyhewavedustocomeon,holdinguphishandasasignalforcaution.Hiswholebearingmademefeelthatsomethingwonderfulbutdangerouslaybeforeus. Creepingtohisside,welookedovertherocks.Theplaceintowhichwegazedwasapit,andmay,intheearlydays,havebeenoneofthesmallervolcanicblow-holesoftheplateau.Itwasbowl-shapedandatthebottom,somehundredsofyardsfromwherewelay,werepoolsofgreen-scummed,stagnantwater,fringedwithbullrushes.Itwasaweirdplaceinitself,butitsoccupantsmadeitseemlikeascenefromtheSevenCirclesofDante.Theplacewasarookeryofpterodactyls.Therewerehundredsofthemcongregatedwithinview.Allthebottomarearoundthewater-edgewasalivewiththeiryoungones,andwithhideousmothersbroodingupontheirleathery,yellowisheggs.Fromthiscrawlingflappingmassofobscenereptilianlifecametheshockingclamorwhichfilledtheairandthemephitic,horrible,mustyodorwhichturnedussick.Butabove,perchedeachuponitsownstone,tall,gray,andwithered,morelikedeadanddriedspecimensthanactuallivingcreatures,satthehorriblemales,absolutelymotionlesssavefortherollingoftheirredeyesoranoccasionalsnapoftheirrat-trapbeaksasadragon-flywentpastthem.Theirhuge,membranouswingswereclosedbyfoldingtheirfore-arms,sothattheysatlikegiganticoldwomen,wrappedinhideousweb-coloredshawls,andwiththeirferociousheadsprotrudingabovethem.Largeandsmall,notlessthanathousandofthesefilthycreatureslayinthehollowbeforeus. Ourprofessorswouldgladlyhavestayedthereallday,soentrancedweretheybythisopportunityofstudyingthelifeofaprehistoricage.Theypointedoutthefishanddeadbirdslyingaboutamongtherocksasprovingthenatureofthefoodofthesecreatures,andIheardthemcongratulatingeachotheronhavingclearedupthepointwhythebonesofthisflyingdragonarefoundinsuchgreatnumbersincertainwell-definedareas,asintheCambridgeGreen-sand,sinceitwasnowseenthat,likepenguins,theylivedingregariousfashion. Finally,however,Challenger,bentuponprovingsomepointwhichSummerleehadcontested,thrusthisheadovertherockandnearlybroughtdestructionuponusall.Inaninstantthenearestmalegaveashrill,whistlingcry,andflappeditstwenty-footspanofleatherywingsasitsoaredupintotheair.Thefemalesandyoungoneshuddledtogetherbesidethewater,whilethewholecircleofsentinelsroseoneaftertheotherandsailedoffintothesky.Itwasawonderfulsighttoseeatleastahundredcreaturesofsuchenormoussizeandhideousappearanceallswoopinglikeswallowswithswift,shearingwing-strokesaboveusbutsoonwerealizedthatitwasnotoneonwhichwecouldaffordtolinger.Atfirstthegreatbrutesflewroundinahugering,asiftomakesurewhattheexactextentofthedangermightbe.Then,theflightgrewlowerandthecirclenarrower,untiltheywerewhizzingroundandroundus,thedry,rustlingflapoftheirhugeslate-coloredwingsfillingtheairwithavolumeofsoundthatmademethinkofHendonaerodromeuponaraceday. "Makeforthewoodandkeeptogether,"criedLordJohn,clubbinghisrifle."Thebrutesmeanmischief." Themomentweattemptedtoretreatthecircleclosedinuponus,untilthetipsofthewingsofthosenearesttousnearlytouchedourfaces.Webeatatthemwiththestocksofourguns,buttherewasnothingsolidorvulnerabletostrike.Thensuddenlyoutofthewhizzing,slate-coloredcirclealongneckshotout,andafiercebeakmadeathrustatus.Anotherandanotherfollowed.Summerleegaveacryandputhishandtohisface,fromwhichthebloodwasstreaming.Ifeltaprodatthebackofmyneck,andturneddizzywiththeshock.Challengerfell,andasIstoopedtopickhimupIwasagainstruckfrombehindanddroppedonthetopofhim.AtthesameinstantIheardthecrashofLordJohn'selephant-gun,and,lookingup,sawoneofthecreatureswithabrokenwingstrugglingupontheground,spittingandgurglingatuswithawide-openedbeakandblood-shot,goggledeyes,likesomedevilinamedieva