CHAPTER XII "It was Dreadful in the Forest"

ythroughthemembranouswings,anditlookedlikeaflyingskeletonagainstthewhite,tropicalradiance.Icrouchedlowamongthebushes,forIknewfrompastexperiencethatwithasinglecrythecreaturecouldbringahundredofitsloathsomematesaboutmyears.ItwasnotuntilithadsettledagainthatIdaredtostealonwardsuponmyjourney. Thenighthadbeenexceedinglystill,butasIadvancedIbecameconsciousofalow,rumblingsound,acontinuousmurmur,somewhereinfrontofme.ThisgrewlouderasIproceeded,untilatlastitwasclearlyquiteclosetome.WhenIstoodstillthesoundwasconstant,sothatitseemedtocomefromsomestationarycause.Itwaslikeaboilingkettleorthebubblingofsomegreatpot.SoonIcameuponthesourceofit,forinthecenterofasmallclearingIfoundalake—orapool,rather,foritwasnotlargerthanthebasinoftheTrafalgarSquarefountain—ofsomeblack,pitch-likestuff,thesurfaceofwhichroseandfellingreatblistersofburstinggas.Theairaboveitwasshimmeringwithheat,andthegroundroundwassohotthatIcouldhardlybeartolaymyhandonit.Itwasclearthatthegreatvolcanicoutburstwhichhadraisedthisstrangeplateausomanyyearsagohadnotyetentirelyspentitsforces.BlackenedrocksandmoundsoflavaIhadalreadyseeneverywherepeepingoutfromamidtheluxuriantvegetationwhichdrapedthem,butthisasphaltpoolinthejunglewasthefirstsignthatwehadofactualexistingactivityontheslopesoftheancientcrater.IhadnotimetoexamineitfurtherforIhadneedtohurryifIweretobebackincampinthemorning. Itwasafearsomewalk,andonewhichwillbewithmesolongasmemoryholds.InthegreatmoonlightclearingsIslunkalongamongtheshadowsonthemargin.InthejungleIcreptforward,stoppingwithabeatingheartwheneverIheard,asIoftendid,thecrashofbreakingbranchesassomewildbeastwentpast.Nowandthengreatshadowsloomedupforaninstantandweregone—great,silentshadowswhichseemedtoprowluponpaddedfeet.HowoftenIstoppedwiththeintentionofreturning,andyeteverytimemyprideconqueredmyfear,andsentmeonagainuntilmyobjectshouldbeattained. Atlast(mywatchshowedthatitwasoneinthemorning)Isawthegleamofwateramidtheopeningsofthejungle,andtenminuteslaterIwasamongthereedsuponthebordersofthecentrallake.Iwasexceedinglydry,soIlaydownandtookalongdraughtofitswaters,whichwerefreshandcold.TherewasabroadpathwaywithmanytracksuponitatthespotwhichIhadfound,sothatitwasclearlyoneofthedrinking-placesoftheanimals.Closetothewater'sedgetherewasahugeisolatedblockoflava.UpthisIclimbed,and,lyingonthetop,Ihadanexcellentviewineverydirection. ThefirstthingwhichIsawfilledmewithamazement.WhenIdescribedtheviewfromthesummitofthegreattree,IsaidthatonthefarthercliffIcouldseeanumberofdarkspots,whichappearedtobethemouthsofcaves.Now,asIlookedupatthesamecliffs,Isawdiscsoflightineverydirection,ruddy,clearly-definedpatches,liketheport-holesofalinerinthedarkness.ForamomentIthoughtitwasthelava-glowfromsomevolcanicactionbutthiscouldnotbeso.Anyvolcanicactionwouldsurelybedowninthehollowandnothighamongtherocks.What,then,wasthealternative?Itwaswonderful,andyetitmustsurelybe.Theseruddyspotsmustbethereflectionoffireswithinthecaves—fireswhichcouldonlybelitbythehandofman.Therewerehumanbeings,then,upontheplateau.Howgloriouslymyexpeditionwasjustified!HerewasnewsindeedforustobearbackwithustoLondon! ForalongtimeIlayandwatchedthesered,quiveringblotchesoflight.Isupposetheyweretenmilesofffromme,yetevenatthatdistanceonecouldobservehow,fromtimetotime,theytwinkledorwereobscuredassomeonepassedbeforethem.WhatwouldInothavegiventobeabletocrawluptothem,topeepin,andtotakebacksomewordtomycomradesastotheappearanceandcharacteroftheracewholivedinsostrangeaplace!Itwasoutofthequestionforthemoment,andyetsurelywecouldnotleavetheplateauuntilwehadsomedefiniteknowledgeuponthepoint. LakeGladys—myownlake—laylikeasheetofquicksilverbeforeme,withareflectedmoonshiningbrightlyinthecenterofit.Itwasshallow,forinmanyplacesIsawlowsandbanksprotrudingabovethewater.EverywhereuponthestillsurfaceIcouldseesignsoflife,sometimesmereringsandripplesinthewater,sometimesthegleamofagreatsilver-sidedfishintheair,sometimesthearched,slate-coloredbackofsomepassingmonster.OnceuponayellowsandbankIsawacreaturelikeahugeswan,withaclumsybodyandahigh,flexibleneck,shufflingaboutuponthemargin.Presentlyitplungedin,andforsometimeIcouldseethearchedneckanddartingheadundulatingoverthewater.Thenitdived,andIsawitnomore. Myattentionwassoondrawnawayfromthesedistantsightsandbroughtbacktowhatwasgoingonatmyveryfeet.Twocreatureslikelargearmadilloshadcomedowntothedrinking-place,andweresquattingattheedgeofthewater,theirlong,flexibletongueslikeredribbonsshootinginandoutastheylapped.Ahugedeer,withbranchinghorns,amagnificentcreaturewhichcarrieditselflikeaking,camedownwithitsdoeandtwofawnsanddrankbesidethearmadillos.Nosuchdeerexistanywhereelseuponearth,forthemooseorelkswhichIhaveseenwouldhardlyhavereacheditsshoulders.Presentlyitgaveawarningsnort,andwasoffwithitsfamilyamongthereeds,whilethearmadillosalsoscuttledforshelter.Anew-comer,amostmonstrousanimal,wascomingdownthepath. ForamomentIwonderedwhereIcouldhaveseenthatungainlyshape,thatarchedbackwithtriangularfringesalongit,thatstrangebird-likeheadheldclosetotheground.Thenitcameback,tome.Itwasthestegosaurus—thever