the beasts of tarzan-第15章

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side　of　the　almost　unexplored　Ugambi。　　Three　of　the　twelve

warriors　deserted　during　that　time；　but　as　several　of　the　apes

had　finally　learned　the　secret　of　the　paddles；　Tarzan　felt　no

dismay　because　of　the　loss。



As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　could　have　travelled　much　more

rapidly　on　shore；　but　he　believed　that　he　could　hold　his　own

wild　crew　together　to　better　advantage　by　keeping　them　to

the　boat　as　much　as　possible。　　Twice　a　day　they　landed　to　hunt

and　feed；　and　at　night　they　slept　upon　the　bank　of　the　mainland

or　on　one　of　the　numerous　little　islands　that　dotted　the　river。



Before　them　the　natives　fled　in　alarm；　so　that　they　found

only　deserted　villages　in　their　path　as　they　proceeded。　　

Tarzan　was　anxious　to　get　in　touch　with　some　of　the　savages

who　dwelt　upon　the　river's　banks；　but　so　far　he　had　been　unable

to　do　so。



Finally　he　decided　to　take　to　the　land　himself；　leaving　his

company　to　follow　after　him　by　boat。　　He　explained　to　Mugambi

the　thing　that　he　had　in　mind；　and　told　Akut　to　follow

the　directions　of　the　black。



〃I　will　join　you　again　in　a　few　days；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　I　go

ahead　to　learn　what　has　become　of　the　very　bad　white　man

whom　I　seek。〃



At　the　next　halt　Tarzan　took　to　the　shore；　and　was　soon

lost　to　the　view　of　his　people。



The　first　few　villages　he　came　to　were　deserted；　showing

that　news　of　the　coming　of　his　pack　had　travelled　rapidly；

but　toward　evening　he　came　upon　a　distant　cluster　of　thatched

huts　surrounded　by　a　rude　palisade；　within　which　were　a

couple　of　hundred　natives。



The　women　were　preparing　the　evening　meal　as　Tarzan　of

the　Apes　poised　above　them　in　the　branches　of　a　giant　tree

which　overhung　the　palisade　at　one　point。



The　ape…man　was　at　a　loss　as　to　how　he　might　enter　into

communication　with　these　people　without　either　frightening

them　or　arousing　their　savage　love　of　battle。　　He　had　no　desire

to　fight　now；　for　he　was　upon　a　much　more　important　mission

than　that　of　battling　with　every　chance　tribe　that　he

should　happen　to　meet　with。



At　last　he　hit　upon　a　plan；　and　after　seeing　that　he　was

concealed　from　the　view　of　those　below；　he　gave　a　few　hoarse

grunts　in　imitation　of　a　panther。　　All　eyes　immediately　turned

upward　toward　the　foliage　above。



It　was　growing　dark；　and　they　could　not　penetrate　the　leafy

screen　which　shielded　the　ape…man　from　their　view。　　The　moment

that　he　had　won　their　attention　he　raised　his　voice　to

the　shriller　and　more　hideous　scream　of　the　beast　he　personated；

and　then；　scarce　stirring　a　leaf　in　his　descent；　dropped

to　the　ground　once　again　outside　the　palisade；　and；　with　the

speed　of　a　deer；　ran　quickly　round　to　the　village　gate。



Here　he　beat　upon　the　fibre…bound　saplings　of　which　the

barrier　was　constructed；　shouting　to　the　natives　in　their　own

tongue　that　he　was　a　friend　who　wished　food　and　shelter　for

the　night。



Tarzan　knew　well　the　nature　of　the　black　man。　　He　was

aware　that　the　grunting　and　screaming　of　Sheeta　in　the　tree

above　them　would　set　their　nerves　on　edge；　and　that　his

pounding　upon　their　gate　after　dark　would　still　further　add

to　their　terror。



That　they　did　not　reply　to　his　hail　was　no　surprise；　for

natives　are　fearful　of　any　voice　that　comes　out　of　the　night

from　beyond　their　palisades；　attributing　it　always　to　some

demon　or　other　ghostly　visitor；　but　still　he　continued　to　call。



〃Let　me　in；　my　friends！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　am　a　white　man

pursuing　the　very　bad　white　man　who　passed　this　way　a　few

days　ago。　　I　follow　to　punish　him　for　the　sins　he　has　committed

against　you　and　me。



〃If　you　doubt　my　friendship；　I　will　prove　it　to　you　by　going

into　the　tree　above　your　village　and　driving　Sheeta　back　into

the　jungle　before　he　leaps　among　you。　　If　you　will　not　promise

to　take　me　in　and　treat　me　as　a　friend　I　shall　let　Sheeta　stay

and　devour　you。〃



For　a　moment　there　was　silence。　　Then　the　voice　of　an　old

man　came　out　of　the　quiet　of　the　village　street。



〃If　you　are　indeed　a　white　man　and　a　friend；　we　will　let

you　come　in；　but　first　you　must　drive　Sheeta　away。〃



〃Very　well；〃　replied　Tarzan。　　〃Listen；　and　you　shall　hear

Sheeta　fleeing　before　me。〃



The　ape…man　returned　quickly　to　the　tree；　and　this　time　he

made　a　great　noise　as　he　entered　the　branches；　at　the　same

time　growling　ominously　after　the　manner　of　the　panther；　so　that

those　below　would　believe　that　the　great　beast　was　still　there。



When　he　reached　a　point　well　above　the　village　street　he

made　a　great　commotion；　shaking　the　tree　violently；　crying

aloud　to　the　panther　to　flee　or　be　killed；　and　punctuating　his

own　voice　with　the　screams　and　mouthings　of　an　angry　beast。



Presently　he　raced　toward　the　opposite　side　of　the　tree　and

off　into　the　jungle；　pounding　loudly　against　the　boles　of　trees

as　he　went；　and　voicing　the　panther's　diminishing　growls　as

he　drew　farther　and　farther　away　from　the　village。



A　few　minutes　later　he　returned　to　the　village　gate；　calling

to　the　natives　within。



〃I　have　driven　Sheeta　away；〃　he　said。　　〃Now　come　and

admit　me　as　you　promised。〃



For　a　time　there　was　the　sound　of　excited　discussion　within

the　palisade；　but　at　length　a　half…dozen　warriors　came　and

opened　the　gates；　peering　anxiously　out　in　evident　trepidation

as　to　the　nature　of　the　creature　which　they　should　find

waiting　there。　　They　were　not　much　relieved　at　sight　of　an

almost　naked　white　man；　but　when　Tarzan　had　reassured

them　in　quiet　tones；　protesting　his　friendship　for　them；

they　opened　the　barrier　a　trifle　farther　and　admitted　him。



When　the　gates　had　been　once　more　secured　the　self…confidence

of　the　savages　returned；　and　as　Tarzan　walked　up　the　village　street

toward　the　chief's　hut　he　was　surrounded　by　a　host　of　curious　men；

women；　and　children。



From　the　chief　he　learned　that　Rokoff　had　passed　up　the

river　a　week　previous；　and　that　he　had　horns　growing　from

his　forehead；　and　was　accompanied　by　a　thousand　devils。　　

Later　the　chief　said　that　the　very　bad　white　man　had　remained

a　month　in　his　village。



Though　none　of　these　statements　agreed　with　Kaviri's；　that

the　Russian　was　but　three　days　gone　from　the　chieftain's

village　and　that　his　following　was　much　smaller　than　now　stated；

Tarzan　was　in　no　manner　surprised　at　the　discrepancies；　for

he　was　quite　familiar　with　the　savage　mind's　strange　manner

of　functioning。



What　he　was　most　interested　in　knowing　was　that　he　was　upon

the　right　trail；　and　that　it　led　toward　the　interior。　　In　this

circumstance　he　knew　that　Rokoff　could　never　escape　him。



After　several　hours　of　questioning　and　cross…questioning

the　ape…man　learned　that　another　party　had　preceded　the

Russian　by　several　daysthree　whitesa　man；　a　woman；

and　a　little　man…child；　with　several　Mosulas。



Tarzan　explained　to　the　chief　that　his　people　would　follow

him　in　a　canoe；　probably　the　next　day；　and　that　though　he

might　go　on　ahead　of　them　the　chief　was　to　receive　them

kindly　and　have　no　fear　of　them；　for　Mugambi　would　see

that　they　did　not　harm　the　chief's　people；　if　they　were

accorded　a　friendly　reception。



〃And　now；〃　he　concluded；　〃I　shall　lie　down　beneath　this

tree　and　sleep。　　I　am　very　tired。　　Permit　no　one　to　disturb　me。〃



The　chief　offered　him　a　hut；　but　Tarzan；　from　past　experience

of　native　dwellings；　preferred　the　open　air；　and；　further；

he　had　plans　of　his　own　that　could　be　better　carried　out

if　he　remained　beneath　the　tree。　　He　gave　as　his　reason　a

desire　to　be　close　at　hand　should　Sheeta　return；　and　after　this

explanation　the　chief　was　very　glad　to　permit　him　to　sleep

beneath　the　tree。



Tarzan　had　always　found　that　it　stood　him　in　good　stead

to　leave　with　natives　the　impression　that　he　was　to　some

extent　possessed　of　more　or　less　miraculous　powers。　　He　might

easily　have　entered　their　village　without　recourse　to　the

gates；　but　he　believed　that　a　sudden　and　unaccountable

disappearance　when　he　was　ready　t