Escape

: Pellucidar

Dian glanced downward and shuddered. Her tribe were hill people--they

were not accustomed to swimming other than in quiet rivers and placid

lakelets. It was not the steep that appalled her. It was the

ocean--vast, mysterious, terrible.



To dive into it from this great height was beyond her. I couldn't

wonder, either. To have attempted it myself seemed too preposterous

even for thought. Only one consi
eration could have prompted me to

leap headforemost from that giddy height--suicide; or at least so I

thought at the moment.



"Quick!" I urged Dian. "You cannot dive; but I can hold them until you

reach safety."



"And you?" she asked once more. "Can you dive when they come too

close? Otherwise you could not escape if you waited here until I

reached the bottom."



I saw that she would not leave me unless she thought that I could make

that frightful dive as we had seen Juag make it. I glanced once

downward; then with a mental shrug I assured her that I would dive the

mo-ment that she reached the boat. Satisfied, she began the descent

carefully, yet swiftly. I watched her for a moment, my heart in my

mouth lest some slight mis-step or the slipping of a finger-hold should

pitch her to a frightful death upon the rocks below.



Then I turned toward the advancing Hoojans--"Hoosiers," Perry dubbed

them--even going so far as to christen this island where Hooja held

sway Indiana; it is so marked now upon our maps. They were coming on

at a great rate. I raised my revolver, took deliberate aim at the

foremost warrior, and pulled the trigger. With the bark of the gun the

fellow lunged forward. His head doubled beneath him. He rolled over

and over two or three times before he came to a stop, to lie very

quietly in the thick grass among the brilliant wild flowers.



Those behind him halted. One of them hurled a javelin toward me, but

it fell short--they were just beyond javelin-range. There were two

armed with bows and arrows; these I kept my eyes on. All of them

appeared awe-struck and frightened by the sound and effect of the

firearm. They kept looking from the corpse to me and jabbering among

themselves.



I took advantage of the lull in hostilities to throw a quick glance

over the edge toward Dian. She was half-way down the cliff and

progressing finely. Then I turned back toward the enemy. One of the

bowmen was fitting an arrow to his bow. I raised my hand.



"Stop!" I cried. "Whoever shoots at me or advances toward me I shall

kill as I killed him!"



I pointed at the dead man. The fellow lowered his bow. Again there

was animated discussion. I could see that those who were not armed

with bows were urging something upon the two who were.



At last the majority appeared to prevail, for simul-taneously the two

archers raised their weapons. At the same instant I fired at one of

them, dropping him in his tracks. The other, however, launched his

missile, but the report of my gun had given him such a start that the

arrow flew wild above my head. A second after and he, too, was

sprawled upon the sward with a round hole between his eyes. It had

been a rather good shot.



I glanced over the edge again. Dian was almost at the bottom. I could

see Juag standing just beneath her with his hands upstretched to assist

her.



A sullen roar from the warriors recalled my attention toward them.

They stood shaking their fists at me and yelling insults. From the

direction of the village I saw a single warrior coming to join them.

He was a huge fellow, and when he strode among them I could tell by his

bearing and their deference toward him that he was a chieftain. He

listened to all they had to tell of the happenings of the last few

minutes; then with a command and a roar he started for me with the

whole pack at his heels. All they had needed had arrived--namely, a

brave leader.



I had two unfired cartridges in the chambers of my gun. I let the big

warrior have one of them, thinking that his death would stop them all.

But I guess they were worked up to such a frenzy of rage by this time

that nothing would have stopped them. At any rate, they only yelled

the louder as he fell and increased their speed toward me. I dropped

another with my remaining cartridge.



Then they were upon me--or almost. I thought of my promise to

Dian--the awful abyss was behind me--a big devil with a huge bludgeon

in front of me. I grasped my six-shooter by the barrel and hurled it

squarely in his face with all my strength.



Then, without waiting to learn the effect of my throw, I wheeled, ran

the few steps to the edge, and leaped as far out over that frightful

chasm as I could. I know something of diving, and all that I know I

put into that dive, which I was positive would be my last.



For a couple of hundred feet I fell in horizontal position. The

momentum I gained was terrific. I could feel the air almost as a solid

body, so swiftly I hurtled through it. Then my position gradually

changed to the vertical, and with hands outstretched I slipped through

the air, cleaving it like a flying arrow. Just before I struck the

water a perfect shower of javelins fell all about. My enemies bad

rushed to the brink and hurled their weapons after me. By a miracle I

was untouched.



In the final instant I saw that I had cleared the rocks and was going

to strike the water fairly. Then I was in and plumbing the depths. I

suppose I didn't really go very far down, but it seemed to me that I

should never stop. When at last I dared curve my hands upward and

divert my progress toward the sur-face, I thought that I should explode

for air before I ever saw the sun again except through a swirl of

water. But at last my bead popped above the waves, and I filled my

lungs with air.



Before me was the boat, from which Juag and Dian were clambering. I

couldn't understand why they were deserting it now, when we were about

to set out for the mainland in it; but when I reached its side I

under-stood. Two heavy javelins, missing Dian and Juag by but a hair's

breadth, had sunk deep into the bottom of the dugout in a straight line

with the grain of the wood, and split her almost in two from stem to

stern. She was useless.



Juag was leaning over a near-by rock, his hand out-stretched to aid me

in clambering to his side; nor did I lose any time in availing myself

of his proffered assistance. An occasional javelin was still dropping

perilously close to us, so we hastened to draw as close as possible to

the cliffside, where we were comparatively safe from the missiles.



Here we held a brief conference, in which it was decided that our only

hope now lay in making for the opposite end of the island as quickly as

we could, and utilizing the boat that I had hidden there, to continue

our journey to the mainland.



Gathering up three of the least damaged javelins that had fallen about

us, we set out upon our journey, keeping well toward the south side of

the island, which Juag said was less frequented by the Hoojans than the

central portion where the river ran. I think that this ruse must have

thrown our pursuers off our track, since we saw nothing of them nor

heard any sound of pursuit during the greater portion of our march the

length of the island.



But the way Juag had chosen was rough and round-about, so that we

consumed one or two more marches in covering the distance than if we

had followed the river. This it was which proved our undoing.



Those who sought us must have sent a party up the river immediately

after we escaped; for when we came at last onto the river-trail not far

from our destination, there can be no doubt but that we were seen by

Hoojans who were just ahead of us on the stream. The result was that

as we were passing through a clump of bush a score of warriors leaped

out upon us, and before we could scarce strike a blow in defense, had

disarmed and bound us.



For a time thereafter I seemed to be entirely bereft of hope. I could

see no ray of promise in the future--only immediate death for Juag and

me, which didn't concern me much in the face of what lay in store for

Dian.



Poor child! What an awful life she had led! From the moment that I had

first seen her chained in the slave caravan of the Mahars until now, a

prisoner of a no less cruel creature, I could recall but a few brief

intervals of peace and quiet in her tempestuous existence. Before I

had known her, Jubal the Ugly One had pursued her across a savage world

to make her his mate. She had eluded him, and finally I had slain him;

but terror and privations, and exposure to fierce beasts had haunted

her footsteps during all her lonely flight from him. And when I had

returned to the outer world the old trials had recommenced with Hooja

in Jubal's role. I could almost have wished for death to vouchsafe her

that peace which fate seemed to deny her in this life.



I spoke to her on the subject, suggesting that we expire together.



"Do not fear, David," she replied. "I shall end my life before ever

Hooja can harm me; but first I shall see that Hooja dies."



She drew from her breast a little leathern thong, to the end of which

was fastened a tiny pouch.



"What have you there?" I asked.



"Do you recall that time you stepped upon the thing you call viper in

your world?" she asked.



I nodded.



"The accident gave you the idea for the poisoned arrows with which we

fitted the warriors of the empire," she continued. "And, too, it gave

me an idea. For a long time I have carried a viper's fang in my bosom.

It has given me strength to endure many dangers, for it has always

assured me immunity from the ultimate insult. I am not ready to die

yet. First let Hooja embrace the viper's fang."



So we did not die together, and I am glad now that we did not. It is

always a foolish thing to contemplate suicide; for no matter how dark

the future may appear today, tomorrow may hold for us that which will

alter our whole life in an instant, revealing to us nothing but

sunshine and happiness. So, for my part, I shall always wait for

tomorrow.



In Pellucidar, where it is always today, the wait may not be so long,

and so it proved for us. As we were passing a lofty, flat-topped hill

through a park-like wood a perfect network of fiber ropes fell suddenly

about our guard, enmeshing them. A moment later a horde of our

friends, the hairy gorilla-men, with the mild eyes and long faces of

sheep leaped among them.



It was a very interesting fight. I was sorry that my bonds prevented

me from taking part in it, but I urged on the brutemen with my voice,

and cheered old Gr-gr-gr, their chief, each time that his mighty jaws

crunched out the life of a Hoojan. When the battle was over we found

that a few of our captors had escaped, but the majority of them lay

dead about us. The gorilla-men paid no further attention to them.

Gr-gr-gr turned to me.



"Gr-gr-gr and all his people are your friends," he said. "One saw the

warriors of the Sly One and followed them. He saw them capture you,

and then he flew to the village as fast as he could go and told me all

that he had seen. The rest you know. You did much for Gr-gr-gr and

Gr-gr-gr's people. We shall always do much for you."



I thanked him; and when I had told him of our escape and our

destination, he insisted on accompanying us to the sea with a great

number of his fierce males. Nor were we at all loath to accept his

escort. We found the canoe where I had hidden it, and bidding Gr-gr-gr

and his warriors farewell, the three of us embarked for the mainland.



I questioned Juag upon the feasibility of attempting to cross to the

mouth of the great river of which he had told me, and up which he said

we might paddle almost to Sari; but he urged me not to attempt it,

since we had but a single paddle and no water or food. I had to admit

the wisdom of his advice, but the desire to explore this great waterway

was strong upon me, arousing in me at last a determination to make the

attempt after first gaining the mainland and rectify-ing our

deficiencies.



We landed several miles north of Thuria in a little cove that seemed to

offer protection from the heavier seas which sometimes run, even upon

these usually pacific oceans of Pellucidar. Here I outlined to Dian

and Juag the plans I had in mind. They were to fit the canoe with a

small sail, the purposes of which I had to explain to them both--since

neither had ever seen or heard of such a contrivance before. Then they

were to hunt for food which we could transport with us, and prepare a

receptacle for water.



These two latter items were more in Juag's line, but he kept muttering

about the sail and the wind for a long time. I could see that he was

not even half convinced that any such ridiculous contraption could make

a canoe move through the water.



We hunted near the coast for a while, but were pot rewarded with any

particular luck. Finally we decided to hide the canoe and strike

inland in search of game. At Juag's suggestion we dug a hole in the

sand at the upper edge of the beach and buried the craft, smoothing the

surface over nicely and throwing aside the excess material we had

excavated. Then we set out away from the sea. Traveling in Thuria is

less arduous than under the midday sun which perpetually glares down on

the rest of Pellucidar's surface; but it has its draw-backs, one of

which is the depressing influence exerted by the everlasting shade of

the Land of Awful Shadow.



The farther inland we went the darker it became, until we were moving

at last through an endless twi-light. The vegetation here was sparse

and of a weird, colorless nature, though what did grow was wondrous in

shape and form. Often we saw huge lidi, or beasts of burden, striding

across the dim landscape, browsing upon the grotesque vegetation or

drinking from the slow and sullen rivers that run down from the Lidi

Plains to empty into the sea in Thuria.



What we sought was either a thag--a sort of gigantic elk--or one of the

larger species of antelope, the flesh of either of which dries nicely

in the sun. The bladder of the thag would make a fine water-bottle,

and its skin, I figured, would be a good sail. We traveled a

considerable distance inland, entirely crossing the Land of Awful

Shadow and emerging at last upon that portion of the Lidi Plains which

lies in the pleasant sunlight. Above us the pendent world revolved

upon its axis, filling me especially--and Dian to an almost equal

state--with wonder and insatiable curiosity as to what strange forms of

life existed among the hills and valleys and along the seas and rivers,

which we could plainly see.



Before us stretched the horizonless expanses of vast Pellucidar, the

Lidi Plains rolling up about us, while hanging high in the heavens to

the northwest of us I thought I discerned the many towers which marked

the entrances to the distant Mahar city, whose inhabitants preyed upon

the Thurians.



Juag suggested that we travel to the northeast, where, he said, upon

the verge of the plain we would find a wooded country in which game

should be plentiful. Acting upon his advice, we came at last to a

forest-jungle, through which wound innumerable game-paths. In the

depths of this forbidding wood we came upon the fresh spoor of thag.



Shortly after, by careful stalking, we came within javelin-range of a

small herd. Selecting a great bull, Juag and I hurled our weapons

simultaneously, Dian reserving hers for an emergency. The beast

staggered to his feet, bellowing. The rest of the herd was up and away

in an instant, only the wounded bull remaining, with lowered head and

roving eyes searching for the foe.



Then Juag exposed himself to the view of the bull--it is a part of the

tactics of the hunt--while I stepped to one side behind a bush. The

moment that the savage beast saw Juag he charged him. Juag ran

straight away, that the bull might be lured past my hiding-place. On

he came--tons of mighty bestial strength and rage.



Dian had slipped behind me. She, too, could fight a thag should

emergency require. Ah, such a girl! A rightful empress of a stone age

by every standard which two worlds might bring to measure her!



Crashing down toward us came the bull thag, bellowing and snorting,

with the power of a hundred outer-earthly bulls. When he was opposite

me I sprang for the heavy mane that covered his huge neck. To tangle

my fingers in it was the work of but an instant. Then I was running

along at the beast's shoulder.



Now, the theory upon which this hunting custom is based is one long ago

discovered by experience, and that is that a thag cannot be turned from

his charge once he has started toward the object of his wrath, so long

as he can still see the thing he charges. He evidently believes that

the man clinging to his mane is attempting to restrain him from

overtaking his prey, and so he pays no attention to this enemy, who, of

course, does not retard the mighty charge in the least.



Once in the gait of the plunging bull, it was but a slight matter to

vault to his back, as cavalrymen mount their chargers upon the run.

Juag was still running in plain sight ahead of the bull. His speed was

but a trifle less than that of the monster that pursued him. These

Pellucidarians are almost as fleet as deer; because I am not is one

reason that I am always chosen for the close-in work of the thag-hunt.

I could not keep in front of a charging thag long enough to give the

killer time to do his work. I learned that the first--and last--time I

tried it.



Once astride the bull's neck, I drew my long stone knife and, setting

the point carefully over the brute's spine, drove it home with both

hands. At the same instant I leaped clear of the stumbling animal.

Now, no vertebrate can progress far with a knife through his spine, and

the thag is no exception to the rule.



The fellow was down instantly. As he wallowed Juag returned, and the

two of us leaped in when an opening afforded the opportunity and

snatched our javelins from his side. Then we danced about him, more

like two savages than anything else, until we got the opening we were

looking for, when simultaneously, our javelins pierced his wild heart,

stilling it forever.



The thag had covered considerable ground from the point at which I had

leaped upon him. When, after despatching him, I looked back for Dian,

I could see nothing of her. I called aloud, but receiving no reply,

set out at a brisk trot to where I had left her. I had no difficulty

in finding the self-same bush behind which we had hidden, but Dian was

not there. Again and again I called, to be rewarded only by silence.

Where could she be? What could have become of her in the brief interval

since I had seen her standing just behind me?



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