the lost continent-第5部分

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ered　much　at　this。

The　coast　was　densely　overgrown；　nor　was　any　building　or　sign　of　man　apparent　from　the　water。　　Up　the　bay　and　into　the　River　Tamar　we　motored　through　a　solitude　as　unbroken　as　that　which　rested　upon　the　waters　of　the　Channel。　　For　all　we　could　see；　there　was　no　indication　that　man　had　ever　set　his　foot　upon　this　silent　coast。

I　was　nonplused；　and　then；　for　the　first　time；　there　crept　over　me　an　intuition　of　the　truth。

Here　was　no　sign　of　war。　　As　far　as　this　portion　of　the　Devon　coast　was　concerned；　that　seemed　to　have　been　over　for　many　years；　but　neither　were　there　any　people。　　Yet　I　could　not　find　it　within　myself　to　believe　that　I　should　find　no　inhabitants　in　England。　　Reasoning　thus；　I　discovered　that　it　was　improbable　that　a　state　of　war　still　existed；　and　that　the　people　all　had　been　drawn　from　this　portion　of　England　to　some　other；　where　they　might　better　defend　themselves　against　an　invader。

But　what　of　their　ancient　coast　defenses？　　What　was　there　here　in　Plymouth　Bay　to　prevent　an　enemy　landing　in　force　and　marching　where　they　wished？　　Nothing。　　I　could　not　believe　that　any　enlightened　military　nation；　such　as　the　ancient　English　are　reputed　to　have　been；　would　have　voluntarily　so　deserted　an　exposed　coast　and　an　excellent　harbor　to　the　mercies　of　an　enemy。

I　found　myself　becoming　more　and　more　deeply　involved　in　quandary。　　The　puzzle　which　confronted　me　I　could　not　unravel。　　We　had　landed；　and　I　now　stood　upon　the　spot　where；　according　to　my　map；　a　large　city　should　rear　its　spires　and　chimneys。　　There　was　nothing　but　rough；　broken　ground　covered　densely　with　weeds　and　brambles；　and　tall；　rank；　grass。

Had　a　city　ever　stood　there；　no　sign　of　it　remained。　　The　roughness　and　unevenness　of　the　ground　suggested　something　of　a　great　mass　of　debris　hidden　by　the　accumulation　of　centuries　of　undergrowth。

I　drew　the　short　cutlass　with　which　both　officers　and　men　of　the　navy　are；　as　you　know；　armed　out　of　courtesy　to　the　traditions　and　memories　of　the　past；　and　with　its　point　dug　into　the　loam　about　the　roots　of　the　vegetation　growing　at　my　feet。

The　blade　entered　the　soil　for　a　matter　of　seven　inches；　when　it　struck　upon　something　stonelike。　　Digging　about　the　obstacle；　I　presently　loosened　it；　and　when　I　had　withdrawn　it　from　its　sepulcher　I　found　the　thing　to　be　an　ancient　brick　of　clay；　baked　in　an　oven。

Delcarte　we　had　left　in　charge　of　the　boat；　but　Snider　and　Taylor　were　with　me；　and　following　my　example；　each　engaged　in　the　fascinating　sport　of　prospecting　for　antiques。　　Each　of　us　uncovered　a　great　number　of　these　bricks；　until　we　commenced　to　weary　of　the　monotony　of　it；　when　Snider　suddenly　gave　an　exclamation　of　excitement；　and；　as　I　turned　to　look；　he　held　up　a　human　skull　for　my　inspection。

I　took　it　from　him　and　examined　it。　　Directly　in　the　center　of　the　forehead　was　a　small　round　hole。　　The　gentleman　had　evidently　come　to　his　end　defending　his　country　from　an　invader。

Snider　again　held　aloft　another　trophy　of　the　searcha　metal　spike　and　some　tarnished　and　corroded　metal　ornaments。　They　had　lain　close　beside　the　skull。

With　the　point　of　his　cutlass　Snider　scraped　the　dirt　and　verdigris　from　the　face　of　the　larger　ornament。

〃An　inscription；〃　he　said；　and　handed　the　thing　to　me。

They　were　the　spike　and　ornaments　of　an　ancient　German　helmet。　　Before　long　we　had　uncovered　many　other　indications　that　a　great　battle　had　been　fought　upon　the　ground　where　we　stood。　　But　I　was　then；　and　still　am；　at　loss　to　account　for　the　presence　of　German　soldiers　upon　the　English　coast　so　far　from　London；　which　history　suggests　would　have　been　the　natural　goal　of　an　invader。

I　can　only　account　for　it　by　assuming　that　either　England　was　temporarily　conquered　by　the　Teutons；　or　that　an　invasion　of　so　vast　proportions　was　undertaken　that　German　troops　were　hurled　upon　the　England　coast　in　huge　numbers　and　that　landings　were　necessarily　effected　at　many　places　simultaneously。　　Subsequent　discoveries　tend　to　strengthen　this　view。

We　dug　about　for　a　short　time　with　our　cutlasses　until　I　became　convinced　that　a　city　had　stood　upon　the　spot　at　some　time　in　the　past；　and　that　beneath　our　feet；　crumbled　and　dead；　lay　ancient　Devonport。

I　could　not　repress　a　sigh　at　the　thought　of　the　havoc　war　had　wrought　in　this　part　of　England；　at　least。　　Farther　east；　nearer　London；　we　should　find　things　very　different。　There　would　be　the　civilization　that　two　centuries　must　have　wrought　upon　our　English　cousins　as　they　had　upon　us。　　There　would　be　mighty　cities；　cultivated　fields；　happy　people。　There　we　would　be　welcomed　as　long…lost　brothers。　　There　would　we　find　a　great　nation　anxious　to　learn　of　the　world　beyond　their　side　of　thirty；　as　I　had　been　anxious　to　learn　of　that　which　lay　beyond　our　side　of　the　dead　line。

I　turned　back　toward　the　boat。

〃Come；　men！〃　I　said。　　〃We　will　go　up　the　river　and　fill　our　casks　with　fresh　water；　search　for　food　and　fuel；　and　then　tomorrow　be　in　readiness　to　push　on　toward　the　east。　　I　am　going　to　London。〃



3


The　report　of　a　gun　blasted　the　silence　of　a　dead　Devonport　with　startling　abruptness。

It　came　from　the　direction　of　the　launch；　and　in　an　instant　we　three　were　running　for　the　boat　as　fast　as　our　legs　would　carry　us。　　As　we　came　in　sight　of　it　we　saw　Delcarte　a　hundred　yards　inland　from　the　launch；　leaning　over　something　which　lay　upon　the　ground。　　As　we　called　to　him　he　waved　his　cap；　and　stooping；　lifted　a　small　deer　for　our　inspection。

I　was　about　to　congratulate　him　on　his　trophy　when　we　were　startled　by　a　horrid；　half…human；　half…bestial　scream　a　little　ahead　and　to　the　right　of　us。　　It　seemed　to　come　from　a　clump　of　rank　and　tangled　bush　not　far　from　where　Delcarte　stood。　　It　was　a　horrid；　fearsome　sound；　the　like　of　which　never　had　fallen　upon　my　ears　before。

We　looked　in　the　direction　from　which　it　came。　　The　smile　had　died　from　Delcarte's　lips。　　Even　at　the　distance　we　were　from　him　I　saw　his　face　go　suddenly　white；　and　he　quickly　threw　his　rifle　to　his　shoulder。　　At　the　same　moment　the　thing　that　had　given　tongue　to　the　cry　moved　from　the　concealing　brushwood　far　enough　for　us；　too；　to　see　it。

Both　Taylor　and　Snider　gave　little　gasps　of　astonishment　and　dismay。

〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　asked　the　latter。

The　creature　stood　about　the　height　of　a　tall　man's　waist；　and　was　long　and　gaunt　and　sinuous；　with　a　tawny　coat　striped　with　black；　and　with　white　throat　and　belly。　　In　conformation　it　was　similar　to　a　cata　huge　cat；　exaggerated　colossal　cat；　with　fiendish　eyes　and　the　most　devilish　cast　of　countenance；　as　it　wrinkled　its　bristling　snout　and　bared　its　great　yellow　fangs。

It　was　pacing；　or　rather；　slinking；　straight　for　Delcarte；　who　had　now　leveled　his　rifle　upon　it。

〃What　is　it；　sir？〃　mumbled　Snider　again；　and　then　a　half…　forgotten　picture　from　an　old　natural　history　sprang　to　my　mind；　and　I　recognized　in　the　frightful　beast　the　Felis　tigris　of　ancient　Asia；　specimens　of　which　had；　in　former　centuries；　been　exhibited　in　the　Western　Hemisphere。

Snider　and　Taylor　were　armed　with　rifles　and　revolvers；　while　I　carried　only　a　revolver。　　Seizing　Snider's　rifle　from　his　trembling　hands；　I　called　to　Taylor　to　follow　me；　and　together　we　ran　forward；　shouting；　to　attract　the　beast's　attention　from　Delcarte　until　we　should　all　be　quite　close　enough　to　attack　with　the　greatest　assurance　of　success。

I　cried　to　Delcarte　not　to　fire　until　we　reached　his　side；　for　I　was　fearful　lest　our　small　caliber；　steel…jacketed　bullets　should；　far　from　killing　the　beast；　tend　merely　to　enrage　it　still　further。　　But　he　misunderstood　me；　thinking　that　I　had　ordered　him　to　fire。

With　the　report　of　his　rifle　the　tiger　stopped　short　in　apparent　surprise；　then　turned　and　bit　savagely　at　its　shoulder　for　an　instant；　after　which　it　wheeled　again　toward　Delcarte；　issuing　the　most　terrific　roars　and　screams；　and　launched　itself；　with　incredible　speed；　toward　the　brave　fellow；　who　now　stood　his　ground　pumping　bullets　from　his　automatic　rifle　as　rapidly　as　the　weapon　would　fire。

Taylor　and　I　also　opened　up　on　the　creature；　and　as　it　was　broadside　to　us　it　offered　a　splendid　target；　though　for　all　the　impression　we　appeared　to　make　upon　the　great　cat　we　might　as　well　have　been　launching　soap　bubbles　at　it。

Straight　as　a　torpedo　it　rushed　for　Delcarte；　and；　as　Taylor　and　I　stumbled　on　through　the　tall　grass　toward　our　unfortunate　comrade；　we　saw　the　tiger　rear　upon　him　and　crush　him　to　the　earth。

Not　a　backward　step　had　the　noble　Delcarte　taken。　　Two　hundred　years　of　peace　had　not　sapped　the　red　blood　from　his　courageous　line。　　He　went　down　beneath　that　avalanche　of　bestial　savagery　still　working　his　gun　and　with　his　face　toward　his　antagonist。　　Even　in　the　instant　that　I　thought　him　dead　I　could　not　help　but　feel　a　thrill　of　pride　that　he　was　one　of　my　men；　one　of　my　class；　a　Pan…American　gentleman　of　birth。　　And　that　he　had　demonstrated　one　of　the　principal　contentions　of　the　army…and…navy　adherentsthat　military　training　was　necessary　for　the　salvation　of　personal　courage　in　the　Pan…American　race　which　for　generations　had　had　to　face　no　dangers　more　grave　than　those　incident　to　ordinary　life　in　a　highly　civilized　community；　safeguarded　by　every　means　at　the　disposal　of　a　perfectly　organized　and　all…　powerful　government　utilizing　the　best　that　advanced　science　could　suggest。

As　we　ran　toward　Delcarte；　both　Taylor　and　I　were　struck　by　the　fact　that　the　beast　upon　him　appeared　not　to　be　mauling　him；　but　lay　quiet　and　motionless　upon　its　prey；　and　when　we　were　quite　close；　and　the　muzzles　of　our　guns　were　at　the　animal's　head；　I　saw　the　explanation　of　this　sudden　cessation　of　hostilitiesFelis　tigris　was　dead。

One　of　our　bullets；　or　one　of　the　last　that　Delcarte　fired；　had　penetrated　the　heart；　and　the　beast　had　died　even　as　it　sprawled　forward　crushing　Delcarte　to　the　ground。

A　moment　later；　with　our　assistance；　the　man　had　scrambled　from　beneath　the　carcass　of　his　would…be　slayer；　without　a　scratch　to　indicate　how　close　to　death　he　had　been。

Delcarte's　buoyance　was　entirely　unruffled。　　He　came　from　under　the　tiger　with　a　broad　grin　on　his　handsome　face；　nor　could　I　perceive　that　a　muscle　trembled　or　that　his　voice　showed　the