the beasts of tarzan-第9节

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he　dropped　the　sinuous　noose　about　the　maned　neck；

drawing　the　stout　strands　taut　with　a　sudden　jerk。　　

At　the　same　time　he　called　shrilly　to　Sheeta；　as　he　drew　the

struggling　lion　upward　until　only　his　hind　feet　touched　the　ground。



Quickly　he　made　the　rope　fast　to　a　stout　branch；　and　as

the　panther；　in　answer　to　his　summons；　leaped　into　sight；

Tarzan　dropped　to　the　earth　beside　the　struggling　and

infuriated　Numa；　and　with　a　long　sharp　knife　sprang　upon　him

at　one　side　even　as　Sheeta　did　upon　the　other。



The　panther　tore　and　rent　Numa　upon　the　right；　while　the

ape…man　struck　home　with　his　stone　knife　upon　the　other；

so　that　before　the　mighty　clawing　of　the　king　of　beasts　had

succeeded　in　parting　the　rope　he　hung　quite　dead　and　harmless

in　the　noose。



And　then　upon　the　jungle　air　there　rose　in　unison　from　two　savage

throats　the　victory　cry　of　the　bull…ape　and　the　panther；

blended　into　one　frightful　and　uncanny　scream。



As　the　last　notes　died　away　in　a　long…drawn；　fearsome　wail；

a　score　of　painted　warriors；　drawing　their　long　war…canoe

upon　the　beach；　halted　to　stare　in　the　direction　of　the

jungle　and　to　listen。









Chapter　5





Mugambi





By　the　time　that　Tarzan　had　travelled　entirely　about　the　coast

of　the　island；　and　made　several　trips　inland　from　various　points；

he　was　sure　that　he　was　the　only　human　being　upon　it。



Nowhere　had　he　found　any　sign　that　men　had　stopped　even

temporarily　upon　this　shore；　though；　of　course；　he　knew　that

so　quickly　does　the　rank　vegetation　of　the　tropics　erase　all

but　the　most　permanent　of　human　monuments　that　he　might

be　in　error　in　his　deductions。



The　day　following　the　killing　of　Numa；　Tarzan　and　Sheeta　came　upon

the　tribe　of　Akut。　　At　sight　of　the　panther　the　great　apes

took　to　flight；　but　after　a　time　Tarzan　succeeded　in　recalling　them。



It　had　occurred　to　him　that　it　would　be　at　least　an　interesting

experiment　to　attempt　to　reconcile　these　hereditary　enemies。

He　welcomed　anything　that　would　occupy　his　time　and　his　mind

beyond　the　filling　of　his　belly　and　the　gloomy　thoughts　to　which

he　fell　prey　the　moment　that　he　became　idle。



To　communicate　his　plan　to　the　apes　was　not　a　particularly

difficult　matter；　though　their　narrow　and　limited　vocabulary

was　strained　in　the　effort；　but　to　impress　upon　the　little；

wicked　brain　of　Sheeta　that　he　was　to　hunt　with　and　not　for

his　legitimate　prey　proved　a　task　almost　beyond　the　powers

of　the　ape…man。



Tarzan；　among　his　other　weapons；　possessed　a　long；　stout

cudgel；　and　after　fastening　his　rope　about　the　panther's　neck

he　used　this　instrument　freely　upon　the　snarling　beast；

endeavouring　in　this　way　to　impress　upon　its　memory　that

it　must　not　attack　the　great；　shaggy　manlike　creatures　that

had　approached　more　closely　once　they　had　seen　the　purpose

of　the　rope　about　Sheeta's　neck。



That　the　cat　did　not　turn　and　rend　Tarzan　is　something　of

a　miracle　which　may　possibly　be　accounted　for　by　the　fact

that　twice　when　it　turned　growling　upon　the　ape…man　he　had

rapped　it　sharply　upon　its　sensitive　nose；　inculcating　in　its

mind　thereby　a　most　wholesome　fear　of　the　cudgel　and　the

ape…beasts　behind　it。



It　is　a　question　if　the　original　cause　of　his　attachment　for

Tarzan　was　still　at　all　clear　in　the　mind　of　the　panther；

though　doubtless　some　subconscious　suggestion；　superinduced　by

this　primary　reason　and　aided　and　abetted　by　the　habit　of　the　past

few　days；　did　much　to　compel　the　beast　to　tolerate　treatment　at　his

hands　that　would　have　sent　it　at　the　throat　of　any　other　creature。



Then；　too；　there　was　the　compelling　force　of　the　manmind　exerting

its　powerful　influence　over　this　creature　of　a　lower　order；　and；

after　all；　it　may　have　been　this　that　proved　the　most　potent　factor

in　Tarzan's　supremacy　over　Sheeta　and　the　other　beasts　of　the　jungle

that　had　from　time　to　time　fallen　under　his　domination。



Be　that　as　it　may；　for　days　the　man；　the　panther；　and　the

great　apes　roamed　their　savage　haunts　side　by　side；　making

their　kills　together　and　sharing　them　with　one　another；　and

of　all　the　fierce　and　savage　band　none　was　more　terrible　than

the　smooth…skinned；　powerful　beast　that　had　been　but　a　few

short　months　before　a　familiar　figure　in　many　a　London

drawing　room。



Sometimes　the　beasts　separated　to　follow　their　own　inclinations

for　an　hour　or　a　day；　and　it　was　upon　one　of　these　occasions　when

the　ape…man　had　wandered　through　the　tree…tops　toward　the　beach；

and　was　stretched　in　the　hot　sun　upon　the　sand；　that　from　the　low

summit　of　a　near…by　promontory　a　pair　of　keen　eyes　discovered　him。



For　a　moment　the　owner　of　the　eyes　looked　in　astonishment

at　the　figure　of　the　savage　white　man　basking　in　the

rays　of　that　hot；　tropic　sun；　then　he　turned；　making　a　sign　to

some　one　behind　him。　　Presently　another　pair　of　eyes　were

looking　down　upon　the　ape…man；　and　then　another　and　another；

until　a　full　score　of　hideously　trapped；　savage　warriors

were　lying　upon　their　bellies　along　the　crest　of　the　ridge

watching　the　white…skinned　stranger。



They　were　down　wind　from　Tarzan；　and　so　their　scent　was

not　carried　to　him；　and　as　his　back　was　turned　half　toward

them　he　did　not　see　their　cautious　advance　over　the　edge　of

the　promontory　and　down　through　the　rank　grass　toward　the

sandy　beach　where　he　lay。



Big　fellows　they　were；　all　of　them；　their　barbaric

headdresses　and　grotesquely　painted　faces；　together　with　their

many　metal　ornaments　and　gorgeously　coloured　feathers；

adding　to　their　wild；　fierce　appearance。



Once　at　the　foot　of　the　ridge；　they　came　cautiously　to　their　feet；

and；　bent　half…double；　advanced　silently　upon　the　unconscious　white　man；

their　heavy　war…clubs　swinging　menacingly　in　their　brawny　hands。



The　mental　suffering　that　Tarzan's　sorrowful　thoughts　induced　had　the

effect　of　numbing　his　keen；　perceptive　faculties；　so　that　the

advancing　savages　were　almost　upon　him　before　he　became　aware

that　he　was　no　longer　alone　upon　the　beach。



So　quickly；　though；　were　his　mind　and　muscles　wont　to

react　in　unison　to　the　slightest　alarm　that　he　was　upon　his

feet　and　facing　his　enemies；　even　as　he　realized　that

something　was　behind　him。　　As　he　sprang　to　his　feet　the　warriors

leaped　toward　him　with　raised　clubs　and　savage　yells；　but　the

foremost　went　down　to　sudden　death　beneath　the　long；　stout

stick　of　the　ape…man；　and　then　the　lithe；　sinewy　figure　was

among　them；　striking　right　and　left　with　a　fury；　power；　and

precision　that　brought　panic　to　the　ranks　of　the　blacks。



For　a　moment　they　withdrew；　those　that　were　left　of　them；

and　consulted　together　at　a　short　distance　from　the　ape…man；

who　stood　with　folded　arms；　a　half…smile　upon　his　handsome

face；　watching　them。　　Presently　they　advanced　upon　him　once

more；　this　time　wielding　their　heavy　war…spears。　　They　were

between　Tarzan　and　the　jungle；　in　a　little　semicircle　that

closed　in　upon　him　as　they　advanced。



There　seemed　to　the　ape…man　but　slight　chance　to　escape

the　final　charge　when　all　the　great　spears　should　be　hurled

simultaneously　at　him；　but　if　he　had　desired　to　escape

there　was　no　way　other　than　through　the　ranks　of　the　savages

except　the　open　sea　behind　him。



His　predicament　was　indeed　most　serious　when　an　idea

occurred　to　him　that　altered　his　smile　to　a　broad　grin。　　

The　warriors　were　still　some　little　distance　away；

advancing　slowly；　making；　after　the　manner　of　their　kind；

a　frightful　din　with　their　savage　yells　and　the　pounding

of　their　naked　feet　upon　the　ground　as　they　leaped　up　and

down　in　a　fantastic　war　dance。



Then　it　was　that　the　ape…man　lifted　his　voice　in　a　series　of

wild；　weird　screams　that　brought　the　blacks　to　a　sudden；

perplexed　halt。　　They　looked　at　one　another　questioningly；

for　here　was　a　sound　so　hideous　that　their　own　frightful　din

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　h