CHAPTER XIV "Those Were the Real Conquests"

"Andyou,Summerlee?" "Weseemtobedriftingveryfarfromtheobjectofthisexpedition,LordJohn.IassureyouthatIlittlethoughtwhenIleftmyprofessionalchairinLondonthatitwasforthepurposeofheadingaraidofsavagesuponacolonyofanthropoidapes." "Tosuchbaseusesdowecome,"saidLordJohn,smiling."Butweareupagainstit,sowhat'sthedecision?" "Itseemsamostquestionablestep,"saidSummerlee,argumentativetothelast,"butifyouareallgoing,IhardlyseehowIcanremainbehind." "Thenitissettled,"saidLordJohn,andturningtothechiefhenoddedandslappedhisrifle. Theoldfellowclaspedourhands,eachinturn,whilehismencheeredlouderthanever.Itwastoolatetoadvancethatnight,sotheIndianssettleddownintoarudebivouac.Onallsidestheirfiresbegantoglimmerandsmoke.Someofthemwhohaddisappearedintothejunglecamebackpresentlydrivingayoungiguanodonbeforethem.Liketheothers,ithadadaubofasphaltuponitsshoulder,anditwasonlywhenwesawoneofthenativesstepforwardwiththeairofanownerandgivehisconsenttothebeast'sslaughterthatweunderstoodatlastthatthesegreatcreatureswereasmuchprivatepropertyasaherdofcattle,andthatthesesymbolswhichhadsoperplexeduswerenothingmorethanthemarksoftheowner.Helpless,torpid,andvegetarian,withgreatlimbsbutaminutebrain,theycouldberoundedupanddrivenbyachild.Inafewminutesthehugebeasthadbeencutupandslabsofhimwerehangingoveradozencampfires,togetherwithgreatscalyganoidfishwhichhadbeenspearedinthelake. Summerleehadlaindownandsleptuponthesand,butweothersroamedroundtheedgeofthewater,seekingtolearnsomethingmoreofthisstrangecountry.Twicewefoundpitsofblueclay,suchaswehadalreadyseenintheswampofthepterodactyls.Thesewereoldvolcanicvents,andforsomereasonexcitedthegreatestinterestinLordJohn.WhatattractedChallenger,ontheotherhand,wasabubbling,gurglingmudgeyser,wheresomestrangegasformedgreatburstingbubblesuponthesurface.Hethrustahollowreedintoitandcriedoutwithdelightlikeaschoolboythenhewasable,ontouchingitwithalightedmatch,tocauseasharpexplosionandablueflameatthefarendofthetube.Stillmorepleasedwashewhen,invertingaleathernpouchovertheendofthereed,andsofillingitwiththegas,hewasabletosenditsoaringupintotheair. "Aninflammablegas,andonemarkedlylighterthantheatmosphere.Ishouldsaybeyonddoubtthatitcontainedaconsiderableproportionoffreehydrogen.TheresourcesofG.E.C.arenotyetexhausted,myyoungfriend.ImayyetshowyouhowagreatmindmoldsallNaturetoitsuse."Heswelledwithsomesecretpurpose,butwouldsaynomore. Therewasnothingwhichwecouldseeupontheshorewhichseemedtomesowonderfulasthegreatsheetofwaterbeforeus.Ournumbersandournoisehadfrightenedalllivingcreaturesaway,andsaveforafewpterodactyls,whichsoaredroundhighaboveourheadswhiletheywaitedforthecarrion,allwasstillaroundthecamp.Butitwasdifferentoutupontherose-tintedwatersofthecentrallake.Itboiledandheavedwithstrangelife.Greatslate-coloredbacksandhighserrateddorsalfinsshotupwithafringeofsilver,andthenrolleddownintothedepthsagain.Thesand-banksfaroutwerespottedwithuncouthcrawlingforms,hugeturtles,strangesaurians,andonegreatflatcreaturelikeawrithing,palpitatingmatofblackgreasyleather,whichfloppeditswayslowlytothelake.Hereandtherehighserpentheadsprojectedoutofthewater,cuttingswiftlythroughitwithalittlecollaroffoaminfront,andalongswirlingwakebehind,risingandfallingingraceful,swan-likeundulationsastheywent.Itwasnotuntiloneofthesecreatureswriggledontoasand-bankwithinafewhundredyardsofus,andexposedabarrel-shapedbodyandhugeflippersbehindthelongserpentneck,thatChallenger,andSummerlee,whohadjoinedus,brokeoutintotheirduetofwonderandadmiration. "Plesiosaurus!Afresh-waterplesiosaurus!"criedSummerlee."ThatIshouldhavelivedtoseesuchasight!Weareblessed,mydearChallenger,aboveallzoologistssincetheworldbegan!" Itwasnotuntilthenighthadfallen,andthefiresofoursavagealliesglowedredintheshadows,thatourtwomenofsciencecouldbedraggedawayfromthefascinationsofthatprimevallake.Eveninthedarknessaswelayuponthestrand,weheardfromtimetotimethesnortandplungeofthehugecreatureswholivedtherein. Atearliestdawnourcampwasastirandanhourlaterwehadstarteduponourmemorableexpedition.OfteninmydreamshaveIthoughtthatImightlivetobeawarcorrespondent.InwhatwildestonecouldIhaveconceivedthenatureofthecampaignwhichitshouldbemylottoreport!Herethenismyfirstdespatchfromafieldofbattle: Ournumbershadbeenreinforcedduringthenightbyafreshbatchofnativesfromthecaves,andwemayhavebeenfourorfivehundredstrongwhenwemadeouradvance.Afringeofscoutswasthrownoutinfront,andbehindthemthewholeforceinasolidcolumnmadetheirwayupthelongslopeofthebushcountryuntilwewereneartheedgeoftheforest.Heretheyspreadoutintoalongstragglinglineofspearmenandbowmen.RoxtonandSummerleetooktheirpositionupontherightflank,whileChallengerandIwereontheleft.Itwasahostofthestoneagethatwewereaccompanyingtobattle—wewiththelastwordofthegunsmith'sartfromSt.James'StreetandtheStrand. Wehadnotlongtowaitforourenemy.Awildshrillclamorrosefromtheedgeofthewo