CHAPTER XII "It was Dreadful in the Forest"

ycreaturewhichMapleWhitehadpreservedinhissketch-book,andwhichhadbeenthefirstobjectwhicharrestedtheattentionofChallenger!Therehewas—perhapstheveryspecimenwhichtheAmericanartisthadencountered.Thegroundshookbeneathhistremendousweight,andhisgulpingsofwaterresoundedthroughthestillnight.ForfiveminuteshewassoclosetomyrockthatbystretchingoutmyhandIcouldhavetouchedthehideouswavinghacklesuponhisback.Thenhelumberedawayandwaslostamongtheboulders. Lookingatmywatch,Isawthatitwashalf-pasttwoo'clock,andhightime,therefore,thatIstarteduponmyhomewardjourney.TherewasnodifficultyaboutthedirectioninwhichIshouldreturnforallalongIhadkeptthelittlebrookuponmyleft,anditopenedintothecentrallakewithinastone's-throwoftheboulderuponwhichIhadbeenlying.Isetoff,therefore,inhighspirits,forIfeltthatIhaddonegoodworkandwasbringingbackafinebudgetofnewsformycompanions.Foremostofall,ofcourse,werethesightofthefierycavesandthecertaintythatsometroglodyticraceinhabitedthem.ButbesidesthatIcouldspeakfromexperienceofthecentrallake.Icouldtestifythatitwasfullofstrangecreatures,andIhadseenseverallandformsofprimevallifewhichwehadnotbeforeencountered.IreflectedasIwalkedthatfewmenintheworldcouldhavespentastrangernightoraddedmoretohumanknowledgeinthecourseofit. Iwasploddinguptheslope,turningthesethoughtsoverinmymind,andhadreachedapointwhichmayhavebeenhalf-waytohome,whenmymindwasbroughtbacktomyownpositionbyastrangenoisebehindme.Itwassomethingbetweenasnoreandagrowl,low,deep,andexceedinglymenacing.Somestrangecreaturewasevidentlynearme,butnothingcouldbeseen,soIhastenedmorerapidlyuponmyway.Ihadtraversedhalfamileorsowhensuddenlythesoundwasrepeated,stillbehindme,butlouderandmoremenacingthanbefore.Myheartstoodstillwithinmeasitflashedacrossmethatthebeast,whateveritwas,mustsurelybeafterME.Myskingrewcoldandmyhairroseatthethought.Thatthesemonstersshouldteareachothertopieceswasapartofthestrangestruggleforexistence,butthattheyshouldturnuponmodernman,thattheyshoulddeliberatelytrackandhuntdownthepredominanthuman,wasastaggeringandfearsomethought.Irememberedagaintheblood-beslobberedfacewhichwehadseenintheglareofLordJohn'storch,likesomehorriblevisionfromthedeepestcircleofDante'shell.Withmykneesshakingbeneathme,Istoodandglaredwithstartingeyesdownthemoonlitpathwhichlaybehindme.Allwasquietasinadreamlandscape.Silverclearingsandtheblackpatchesofthebushes—nothingelsecouldIsee.Thenfromoutofthesilence,imminentandthreatening,therecameoncemorethatlow,throatycroaking,farlouderandcloserthanbefore.Therecouldnolongerbeadoubt.Somethingwasonmytrail,andwasclosinginuponmeeveryminute. Istoodlikeamanparalyzed,stillstaringatthegroundwhichIhadtraversed.ThensuddenlyIsawit.TherewasmovementamongthebushesatthefarendoftheclearingwhichIhadjusttraversed.Agreatdarkshadowdisengageditselfandhoppedoutintotheclearmoonlight.Isay"hopped"advisedly,forthebeastmovedlikeakangaroo,springingalonginanerectpositionuponitspowerfulhindlegs,whileitsfrontoneswereheldbentinfrontofit.Itwasofenormoussizeandpower,likeanerectelephant,butitsmovements,inspiteofitsbulk,wereexceedinglyalert.Foramoment,asIsawitsshape,Ihopedthatitwasaniguanodon,whichIknewtobeharmless,but,ignorantasIwas,Isoonsawthatthiswasaverydifferentcreature.Insteadofthegentle,deer-shapedheadofthegreatthree-toedleaf-eater,thisbeasthadabroad,squat,toad-likefacelikethatwhichhadalarmedusinourcamp.Hisferociouscryandthehorribleenergyofhispursuitbothassuredmethatthiswassurelyoneofthegreatflesh-eatingdinosaurs,themostterriblebeastswhichhaveeverwalkedthisearth.Asthehugebrutelopedalongitdroppedforwarduponitsfore-pawsandbroughtitsnosetothegroundeverytwentyyardsorso.Itwassmellingoutmytrail.Sometimes,foraninstant,itwasatfault.ThenitwouldcatchitupagainandcomeboundingswiftlyalongthepathIhadtaken. EvennowwhenIthinkofthatnightmarethesweatbreaksoutuponmybrow.WhatcouldIdo?Myuselessfowling-piecewasinmyhand.WhathelpcouldIgetfromthat?Ilookeddesperatelyroundforsomerockortree,butIwasinabushyjunglewithnothinghigherthanasaplingwithinsight,whileIknewthatthecreaturebehindmecouldteardownanordinarytreeasthoughitwereareed.Myonlypossiblechancelayinflight.Icouldnotmoveswiftlyovertherough,brokenground,butasIlookedroundmeindespairIsawawell-marked,hard-beatenpathwhichranacrossinfrontofme.Wehadseenseveralofthesort,therunsofvariouswildbeasts,duringourexpeditions.AlongthisIcouldperhapsholdmyown,forIwasafastrunner,andinexcellentcondition.Flingingawaymyuselessgun,Isetmyselftodosuchahalf-mileasIhaveneverdonebeforeorsince.Mylimbsached,mychestheaved,Ifeltthatmythroatwouldburstforwantofair,andyetwiththathorrorbehindmeIranandIranandran.AtlastIpaused,hardlyabletomove.ForamomentIthoughtthatIhadthrownhimoff.Thepathlaystillbehindme.Andthensuddenly,withacrashingandarending,athuddingofgiantfeetandapantingofmonsterlungsthebeastwasuponmeoncemore.Hewasatmyveryheels.Iwaslost. MadmanthatIwastolingersolongbeforeIfled!Uptothenhehadhuntedbyscent,andhismovementwasslow.ButhehadactuallyseenmeasIstartedtorun.Fromthenonwardshehadhuntedbysight,forthepathshowedhimwhereIhadgone.Now,ashecameroundthecurve,hewasspringingingreatb