the beasts of tarzan-第11章

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faded　into　insignificance　beside　it。　　No　human　throat　could

have　formed　those　bestial　notes；　they　were　sure；　and　yet　with

their　own　eyes　they　had　seen　this　white　man　open　his　mouth

to　pour　forth　his　awful　cry。



But　only　for　a　moment　they　hesitated；　and　then　with　one　accord

they　again　took　up　their　fantastic　advance　upon　their　prey；

but　even　then　a　sudden　crashing　in　the　jungle　behind　them

brought　them　once　more　to　a　halt；　and　as　they　turned　to　look

in　the　direction　of　this　new　noise　there　broke　upon　their

startled　visions　a　sight　that　may　well　have　frozen　the　blood

of　braver　men　than　the　Wagambi。



Leaping　from　the　tangled　vegetation　of　the　jungle's　rim

came　a　huge　panther；　with　blazing　eyes　and　bared　fangs；　and

in　his　wake　a　score　of　mighty；　shaggy　apes　lumbering　rapidly

toward　them；　half　erect　upon　their　short；　bowed　legs；　and

with　their　long　arms　reaching　to　the　ground；　where　their

horny　knuckles　bore　the　weight　of　their　ponderous　bodies　as

they　lurched　from　side　to　side　in　their　grotesque　advance。



The　beasts　of　Tarzan　had　come　in　answer　to　his　call。



Before　the　Wagambi　could　recover　from　their　astonishment

the　frightful　horde　was　upon　them　from　one　side　and

Tarzan　of　the　Apes　from　the　other。　　Heavy　spears　were　hurled

and　mighty　war…clubs　wielded；　and　though　apes　went　down

never　to　rise；　so；　too；　went　down　the　men　of　Ugambi。



Sheeta's　cruel　fangs　and　tearing　talons　ripped　and　tore　at

the　black　hides。　　Akut's　mighty　yellow　tusks　found　the　jugular

of　more　than　one　sleek…skinned　savage；　and　Tarzan　of　the　Apes

was　here　and　there　and　everywhere；　urging　on　his　fierce　allies

and　taking　a　heavy　toll　with　his　long；　slim　knife。



In　a　moment　the　blacks　had　scattered　for　their　lives；　but

of　the　score　that　had　crept　down　the　grassy　sides　of　the

promontory　only　a　single　warrior　managed　to　escape　the　horde

that　had　overwhelmed　his　people。



This　one　was　Mugambi；　chief　of　the　Wagambi　of　Ugambi；

and　as　he　disappeared　in　the　tangled　luxuriousness　of　the

rank　growth　upon　the　ridge's　summit　only　the　keen　eyes　of

the　ape…man　saw　the　direction　of　his　flight。



Leaving　his　pack　to　eat　their　fill　upon　the　flesh　of　their

victimsflesh　that　he　could　not　touchTarzan　of　the　Apes

pursued　the　single　survivor　of　the　bloody　fray。　　Just　beyond

the　ridge　he　came　within　sight　of　the　fleeing　black；　making

with　headlong　leaps　for　a　long　war…canoe　that　was　drawn

well　up　upon　the　beach　above　the　high　tide　surf。



Noiseless　as　the　fellow's　shadow；　the　ape…man　raced　after　the

terror…stricken　black。　　In　the　white　man's　mind　was　a　new　plan；

awakened　by　sight　of　the　war…canoe。　　If　these　men　had

come　to　his　island　from　another；　or　from　the　mainland；

why　not　utilize　their　craft　to　make　his　way　to　the　country　from

which　they　had　come？　　Evidently　it　was　an　inhabited　country；

and　no　doubt　had　occasional　intercourse　with　the　mainland；

if　it　were　not　itself　upon　the　continent　of　Africa。



A　heavy　hand　fell　upon　the　shoulder　of　the　escaping　Mugambi

before　he　was　aware　that　he　was　being　pursued；　and　as　he

turned　to　do　battle　with　his　assailant　giant　fingers　closed

about　his　wrists　and　he　was　hurled　to　earth　with　a　giant

astride　him　before　he　could　strike　a　blow　in　his　own　defence。



In　the　language　of　the　West　Coast；　Tarzan　spoke　to　the

prostrate　man　beneath　him。



〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked。



〃Mugambi；　chief　of　the　Wagambi；〃　replied　the　black。



〃I　will　spare　your　life；〃　said　Tarzan；　〃if　you　will　promise

to　help　me　to　leave　this　island。　　What　do　you　answer？〃



〃I　will　help　you；〃　replied　Mugambi。　　〃But　now　that　you

have　killed　all　my　warriors；　I　do　not　know　that　even　I　can

leave　your　country；　for　there　will　be　none　to　wield　the　paddles；

and　without　paddlers　we　cannot　cross　the　water。〃



Tarzan　rose　and　allowed　his　prisoner　to　come　to　his　feet。　　

The　fellow　was　a　magnificent　specimen　of　manhooda　black

counterpart　in　physique　of　the　splendid　white　man　whom　he　faced。



〃Come！〃　said　the　ape…man；　and　started　back　in　the　direction

from　which　they　could　hear　the　snarling　and　growling

of　the　feasting　pack。　　Mugambi　drew　back。



〃They　will　kill　us；〃　he　said。



〃I　think　not；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃They　are　mine。〃



Still　the　black　hesitated；　fearful　of　the　consequences　of

approaching　the　terrible　creatures　that　were　dining　upon　the

bodies　of　his　warriors；　but　Tarzan　forced　him　to　accompany　him；

and　presently　the　two　emerged　from　the　jungle　in　full　view

of　the　grisly　spectacle　upon　the　beach。　　At　sight　of　the

men　the　beasts　looked　up　with　menacing　growls；　but　Tarzan

strode　in　among　them；　dragging　the　trembling　Wagambi　with　him。



As　he　had　taught　the　apes　to　accept　Sheeta；　so　he　taught

them　to　adopt　Mugambi　as　well；　and　much　more　easily；　but

Sheeta　seemed　quite　unable　to　understand　that　though　he　had

been　called　upon　to　devour　Mugambi's　warriors　he　was　not

to　be　allowed　to　proceed　after　the　same　fashion　with　Mugambi。　　

However；　being　well　filled；　he　contented　himself　with

walking　round　the　terror…stricken　savage；　emitting　low；

menacing　growls　the　while　he　kept　his　flaming；　baleful

eyes　riveted　upon　the　black。



Mugambi；　on　his　part；　clung　closely　to　Tarzan；　so　that　the

ape…man　could　scarce　control　his　laughter　at　the　pitiable

condition　to　which　the　chief's　fear　had　reduced　him；　but　at　length

the　white　took　the　great　cat　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck　and；

dragging　it　quite　close　to　the　Wagambi；　slapped　it　sharply

upon　the　nose　each　time　that　it　growled　at　the　stranger。



At　the　sight　of　the　thinga　man　mauling　with　his　bare

hands　one　of　the　most　relentless　and　fierce　of　the　jungle

carnivoraMugambi's　eyes　bulged　from　their　sockets；　and

from　entertaining　a　sullen　respect　for　the　giant　white　man

who　had　made　him　prisoner；　the　black　felt　an　almost

worshipping　awe　of　Tarzan。



The　education　of　Sheeta　progressed　so　well　that　in　a　short

time　Mugambi　ceased　to　be　the　object　of　his　hungry　attention；

and　the　black　felt　a　degree　more　of　safety　in　his　society。



To　say　that　Mugambi　was　entirely　happy　or　at　ease　in　his

new　environment　would　not　be　to　adhere　strictly　to　the　truth。

His　eyes　were　constantly　rolling　apprehensively　from　side　to

side　as　now　one　and　now　another　of　the　fierce　pack　chanced

to　wander　near　him；　so　that　for　the　most　of　the　time　it　was

principally　the　whites　that　showed。



Together　Tarzan　and　Mugambi；　with　Sheeta　and　Akut；　lay

in　wait　at　the　ford　for　a　deer；　and　when　at　a　word　from　the

ape…man　the　four　of　them　leaped　out　upon　the　affrighted　animal

the　black　was　sure　that　the　poor　creature　died　of　fright

before　ever　one　of　the　great　beasts　touched　it。



Mugambi　built　a　fire　and　cooked　his　portion　of　the　kill；

but　Tarzan；　Sheeta；　and　Akut　tore　theirs；　raw；　with　their

sharp　teeth；　growling　among　themselves　when　one　ventured

to　encroach　upon　the　share　of　another。



It　was　not；　after　all；　strange　that　the　white　man's　ways

should　have　been　so　much　more　nearly　related　to　those　of

the　beasts　than　were　the　savage　blacks。　　We　are；　all　of　us；

creatures　of　habit；　and　when　the　seeming　necessity　for

schooling　ourselves　in　new　ways　ceases　to　exist；　we　fall

naturally　and　easily　into　the　manners　and　customs　which　long

usage　has　implanted　ineradicably　within　us。



Mugambi　from　childhood　had　eaten　no　meat　until　it　had

been　cooked；　while　Tarzan；　on　the　other　hand；　had　never

tasted　cooked　food　of　any　sort　until　he　had　grown　almost　to

manhood；　and　only　within　the　past　three　or　four　years　had

he　eaten　cooked　meat。　　Not　only　did　the　habit　of　a　lifetime

prompt　him　to　eat　it　raw；　but　the　craving　of　his　palate　as　well；

for　to　him　cooked　flesh　was　spoiled　flesh　when　compared

with　the　rich　and　juicy　meat　of　a　fresh；　hot　kill。



That　he　could；　with　relish；　eat　raw　meat　that　had　been

buried　by　himself　weeks　before；　and　enjoy　small　rodents　and

disgusting　grubs；　seems　to　us　who　have　been　always　〃civilized〃

a　revolting　fact；　but　had　we　learned　in　childhood　to