CHAPTER XII "It was Dreadful in the Forest"

ounds.Themoonlightshoneuponhishugeprojectingeyes,therowofenormousteethinhisopenmouth,andthegleamingfringeofclawsuponhisshort,powerfulforearms.WithascreamofterrorIturnedandrushedwildlydownthepath.Behindmethethick,gaspingbreathingofthecreaturesoundedlouderandlouder.Hisheavyfootfallwasbesideme.EveryinstantIexpectedtofeelhisgripuponmyback.Andthensuddenlytherecameacrash—Iwasfallingthroughspace,andeverythingbeyondwasdarknessandrest. AsIemergedfrommyunconsciousness—whichcouldnot,Ithink,havelastedmorethanafewminutes—Iwasawareofamostdreadfulandpenetratingsmell.PuttingoutmyhandinthedarknessIcameuponsomethingwhichfeltlikeahugelumpofmeat,whilemyotherhandcloseduponalargebone.Upabovemetherewasacircleofstarlitsky,whichshowedmethatIwaslyingatthebottomofadeeppit.SlowlyIstaggeredtomyfeetandfeltmyselfallover.Iwasstiffandsorefromheadtofoot,buttherewasnolimbwhichwouldnotmove,nojointwhichwouldnotbend.Asthecircumstancesofmyfallcamebackintomyconfusedbrain,Ilookedupinterror,expectingtoseethatdreadfulheadsilhouettedagainstthepalingsky.Therewasnosignofthemonster,however,norcouldIhearanysoundfromabove.Ibegantowalkslowlyround,therefore,feelingineverydirectiontofindoutwhatthisstrangeplacecouldbeintowhichIhadbeensoopportunelyprecipitated. Itwas,asIhavesaid,apit,withsharply-slopingwallsandalevelbottomabouttwentyfeetacross.Thisbottomwaslitteredwithgreatgobbetsofflesh,mostofwhichwasinthelaststateofputridity.Theatmospherewaspoisonousandhorrible.Aftertrippingandstumblingovertheselumpsofdecay,Icamesuddenlyagainstsomethinghard,andIfoundthatanuprightpostwasfirmlyfixedinthecenterofthehollow.ItwassohighthatIcouldnotreachthetopofitwithmyhand,anditappearedtobecoveredwithgrease. SuddenlyIrememberedthatIhadatinboxofwax-vestasinmypocket.Strikingoneofthem,IwasableatlasttoformsomeopinionofthisplaceintowhichIhadfallen.Therecouldbenoquestionastoitsnature.Itwasatrap—madebythehandofman.Thepostinthecenter,someninefeetlong,wassharpenedattheupperend,andwasblackwiththestalebloodofthecreatureswhohadbeenimpaleduponit.Theremainsscatteredaboutwerefragmentsofthevictims,whichhadbeencutawayinordertoclearthestakeforthenextwhomightblunderin.IrememberedthatChallengerhaddeclaredthatmancouldnotexistupontheplateau,sincewithhisfeebleweaponshecouldnotholdhisownagainstthemonsterswhoroamedoverit.Butnowitwasclearenoughhowitcouldbedone.Intheirnarrow-mouthedcavesthenatives,whoevertheymightbe,hadrefugesintowhichthehugesaurianscouldnotpenetrate,whilewiththeirdevelopedbrainstheywerecapableofsettingsuchtraps,coveredwithbranches,acrossthepathswhichmarkedtherunoftheanimalsaswoulddestroytheminspiteofalltheirstrengthandactivity.Manwasalwaysthemaster. Theslopingwallofthepitwasnotdifficultforanactivemantoclimb,butIhesitatedlongbeforeItrustedmyselfwithinreachofthedreadfulcreaturewhichhadsonearlydestroyedme.HowdidIknowthathewasnotlurkinginthenearestclumpofbushes,waitingformyreappearance?Itookheart,however,asIrecalledaconversationbetweenChallengerandSummerleeuponthehabitsofthegreatsaurians.Bothwereagreedthatthemonsterswerepracticallybrainless,thattherewasnoroomforreasonintheirtinycranialcavities,andthatiftheyhavedisappearedfromtherestoftheworlditwasassuredlyonaccountoftheirownstupidity,whichmadeitimpossibleforthemtoadaptthemselvestochangingconditions. Tolieinwaitformenowwouldmeanthatthecreaturehadappreciatedwhathadhappenedtome,andthisinturnwouldarguesomepowerconnectingcauseandeffect.Surelyitwasmorelikelythatabrainlesscreature,actingsolelybyvaguepredatoryinstinct,wouldgiveupthechasewhenIdisappeared,and,afterapauseofastonishment,wouldwanderawayinsearchofsomeotherprey?Iclamberedtotheedgeofthepitandlookedover.Thestarswerefading,theskywaswhitening,andthecoldwindofmorningblewpleasantlyuponmyface.Icouldseeorhearnothingofmyenemy.SlowlyIclimbedoutandsatforawhileupontheground,readytospringbackintomyrefugeifanydangershouldappear.Then,reassuredbytheabsolutestillnessandbythegrowinglight,ItookmycourageinbothhandsandstolebackalongthepathwhichIhadcome.SomedistancedownitIpickedupmygun,andshortlyafterwardsstruckthebrookwhichwasmyguide.So,withmanyafrightenedbackwardglance,Imadeforhome. Andsuddenlytherecamesomethingtoremindmeofmyabsentcompanions.Intheclear,stillmorningairtheresoundedfarawaythesharp,hardnoteofasinglerifle-shot.Ipausedandlistened,buttherewasnothingmore.ForamomentIwasshockedatthethoughtthatsomesuddendangermighthavebefallenthem.Butthenasimplerandmorenaturalexplanationcametomymind.Itwasnowbroaddaylight.Nodoubtmyabsencehadbeennoticed.Theyhadimagined,thatIwaslostinthewoods,andhadfiredthisshottoguidemehome.Itistruethatwehadmadeastrictresolutionagainstfiring,butifitseemedtothemthatImightbeindangertheywouldnothesitate.Itwasformenowtohurryonasfastaspossible,andsotoreassurethem. Iwaswearyandspent,somyprogresswasnotsofastasIwishedbutatlastIcameintoregionswhichIknew.Therewastheswampofthepterodactylsuponmyleftthereinfrontofmewasthegladeoftheiguanodons.NowIwasinthelastbeltoftreeswhichseparatedmefromFortChallenger.Iraisedmyvoiceinacheeryshouttoallaytheirfears.Noansweringgreetingcamebacktome.Myhearts