the lost continent-第7部分

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It　seemed　incredible；　and　yet　it　was　true。　　These　people　living　at　the　very　seat　of　the　Great　War　knew　nothing　of　it；　though　but　two　centuries　had　passed　since；　to　our　knowledge；　it　had　been　running　in　the　height　of　its　titanic　frightfulness　all　about　them；　and　to　us　upon　the　far　side　of　the　Atlantic　still　was　a　subject　of　keen　interest。

Here　was　a　lifelong　inhabitant　of　the　Isle　of　Wight　who　never　had　heard　of　either　Germany　or　England！　　I　turned　to　him　quite　suddenly　with　a　new　question。

〃What　people　live　upon　the　mainland？〃　I　asked；　and　pointed　in　the　direction　of　the　Hants　coast。

〃No　one　lives　there；〃　he　replied。

〃Long　ago；　it　is　said；　my　people　dwelt　across　the　waters　upon　that　other　land；　but　the　wild　beasts　devoured　them　in　such　numbers　that　finally　they　were　driven　here；　paddling　across　upon　logs　and　driftwood；　nor　has　any　dared　return　since；　because　of　the　frightful　creatures　which　dwell　in　that　horrid　country。〃

〃Do　no　other　peoples　ever　come　to　your　country　in　ships？〃　I　asked。

He　never　heard　the　word　ship　before；　and　did　not　know　its　meaning。　　But　he　assured　me　that　until　we　came　he　had　thought　that　there　were　no　other　peoples　in　the　world　other　than　the　Grubittens；　who　consist　of　the　Eastenders　and　the　Westenders　of　the　ancient　Isle　of　Wight。

Assured　that　we　were　inclined　to　friendliness；　our　new　acquaintances　led　us　to　their　village；　or；　as　they　call　it；　camp。　　There　we　found　a　thousand　people；　perhaps；　dwelling　in　rude　shelters；　and　living　upon　the　fruits　of　the　chase　and　such　sea　food　as　is　obtainable　close　to　shore；　for　they　had　no　boats；　nor　any　knowledge　of　such　things。

Their　weapons　were　most　primitive；　consisting　of　rude　spears　tipped　with　pieces　of　metal　pounded　roughly　into　shape。　They　had　no　literature；　no　religion；　and　recognized　no　law　other　than　the　law　of　might。　　They　produced　fire　by　striking　a　bit　of　flint　and　steel　together；　but　for　the　most　part　they　ate　their　food　raw。　　Marriage　is　unknown　among　them；　and　while　they　have　the　word；　mother；　they　did　not　know　what　I　meant　by　〃father。〃　　The　males　fight　for　the　favor　of　the　females。　　They　practice　infanticide；　and　kill　the　aged　and　physically　unfit。

The　family　consists　of　the　mother　and　the　children；　the　men　dwelling　sometimes　in　one　hut　and　sometimes　in　another。　Owing　to　their　bloody　duels；　they　are　always　numerically　inferior　to　the　women；　so　there　is　shelter　for　them　all。

We　spent　several　hours　in　the　village；　where　we　were　objects　of　the　greatest　curiosity。　　The　inhabitants　examined　our　clothing　and　all　our　belongings；　and　asked　innumerable　questions　concerning　the　strange　country　from　which　we　had　come　and　the　manner　of　our　coming。

I　questioned　many　of　them　concerning　past　historical　events；　but　they　knew　nothing　beyond　the　narrow　limits　of　their　island　and　the　savage；　primitive　life　they　led　there。　London　they　had　never　heard　of；　and　they　assured　me　that　I　would　find　no　human　beings　upon　the　mainland。

Much　saddened　by　what　I　had　seen；　I　took　my　departure　from　them；　and　the　three　of　us　made　our　way　back　to　the　launch；　accompanied　by　about　five　hundred　men；　women；　girls；　and　boys。

As　we　sailed　away；　after　procuring　the　necessary　ingredients　of　our　chemical　fuel；　the　Grubittens　lined　the　shore　in　silent　wonder　at　the　strange　sight　of　our　dainty　craft　dancing　over　the　sparkling　waters；　and　watched　us　until　we　were　lost　to　their　sight。



4


It　was　during　the　morning　of　July　6；　2137；　that　we　entered　the　mouth　of　the　Thamesto　the　best　of　my　knowledge　the　first　Western　keel　to　cut　those　historic　waters　for　two　hundred　and　twenty…one　years！

But　where　were　the　tugs　and　the　lighters　and　the　barges；　the　lightships　and　the　buoys；　and　all　those　countless　attributes　which　went　to　make　up　the　myriad　life　of　the　ancient　Thames？

Gone！　　All　gone！　　Only　silence　and　desolation　reigned　where　once　the　commerce　of　the　world　had　centered。

I　could　not　help　but　compare　this　once　great　water…way　with　the　waters　about　our　New　York；　or　Rio；　or　San　Diego；　or　Valparaiso。　　They　had　become　what　they　are　today　during　the　two　centuries　of　the　profound　peace　which　we　of　the　navy　have　been　prone　to　deplore。　　And　what；　during　this　same　period；　had　shorn　the　waters　of　the　Thames　of　their　pristine　grandeur？

Militarist　that　I　am；　I　could　find　but　a　single　word　of　explanationwar！

I　bowed　my　head　and　turned　my　eyes　downward　from　the　lonely　and　depressing　sight；　and　in　a　silence　which　none　of　us　seemed　willing　to　break；　we　proceeded　up　the　deserted　river。

We　had　reached　a　point　which；　from　my　map；　I　imagined　must　have　been　about　the　former　site　of　Erith；　when　I　discovered　a　small　band　of　antelope　a　short　distance　inland。　　As　we　were　now　entirely　out　of　meat　once　more；　and　as　I　had　given　up　all　expectations　of　finding　a　city　upon　the　site　of　ancient　London；　I　determined　to　land　and　bag　a　couple　of　the　animals。

Assured　that　they　would　be　timid　and　easily　frightened；　I　decided　to　stalk　them　alone；　telling　the　men　to　wait　at　the　boat　until　I　called　to　them　to　come　and　carry　the　carcasses　back　to　the　shore。

Crawling　carefully　through　the　vegetation；　making　use　of　such　trees　and　bushes　as　afforded　shelter；　I　came　at　last　almost　within　easy　range　of　my　quarry；　when　the　antlered　head　of　the　buck　went　suddenly　into　the　air；　and　then；　as　though　in　accordance　with　a　prearranged　signal；　the　whole　band　moved　slowly　off；　farther　inland。

As　their　pace　was　leisurely；　I　determined　to　follow　them　until　I　came　again　within　range；　as　I　was　sure　that　they　would　stop　and　feed　in　a　short　time。

They　must　have　led　me　a　mile　or　more　at　least　before　they　again　halted　and　commenced　to　browse　upon　the　rank；　luxuriant　grasses。　　All　the　time　that　I　had　followed　them　I　had　kept　both　eyes　and　ears　alert　for　sign　or　sound　that　would　indicate　the　presence　of　Felis　tigris；　but　so　far　not　the　slightest　indication　of　the　beast　had　been　apparent。

As　I　crept　closer　to　the　antelope；　sure　this　time　of　a　good　shot　at　a　large　buck；　I　suddenly　saw　something　that　caused　me　to　forget　all　about　my　prey　in　wonderment。

It　was　the　figure　of　an　immense　grey…black　creature；　rearing　its　colossal　shoulders　twelve　or　fourteen　feet　above　the　ground。　　Never　in　my　life　had　I　seen　such　a　beast；　nor　did　I　at　first　recognize　it；　so　different　in　appearance　is　the　live　reality　from　the　stuffed；　unnatural　specimens　preserved　to　us　in　our　museums。

But　presently　I　guessed　the　identity　of　the　mighty　creature　as　Elephas　africanus；　or；　as　the　ancients　commonly　described　it；　African　elephant。

The　antelope；　although　in　plain　view　of　the　huge　beast；　paid　not　the　slightest　attention　to　it；　and　I　was　so　wrapped　up　in　watching　the　mighty　pachyderm　that　I　quite　forgot　to　shoot　at　the　buck　and　presently；　and　in　quite　a　startling　manner；　it　became　impossible　to　do　so。

The　elephant　was　browsing　upon　the　young　and　tender　shoots　of　some　low　bushes；　waving　his　great　ears　and　switching　his　short　tail。　　The　antelope；　scarce　twenty　paces　from　him；　continued　their　feeding；　when　suddenly；　from　close　beside　the　latter；　there　came　a　most　terrifying　roar；　and　I　saw　a　great；　tawny　body　shoot；　from　the　concealing　verdure　beyond　the　antelope；　full　upon　the　back　of　a　small　buck。

Instantly　the　scene　changed　from　one　of　quiet　and　peace　to　indescribable　chaos。　　The　startled　and　terrified　buck　uttered　cries　of　agony。　　His　fellows　broke　and　leaped　off　in　all　directions。　　The　elephant　raised　his　trunk；　and；　trumpeting　loudly；　lumbered　off　through　the　wood；　crushing　down　small　trees　and　trampling　bushes　in　his　mad　flight。

Growling　horribly；　a　huge　lion　stood　across　the　body　of　his　preysuch　a　creature　as　no　Pan…American　of　the　twenty…　second　century　had　ever　beheld　until　my　eyes　rested　upon　this　lordly　specimen　of　〃the　king　of　beasts。〃　　But　what　a　different　creature　was　this　fierce…eyed　demon；　palpitating　with　life　and　vigor；　glossy　of　coat；　alert；　growling；　magnificent；　from　the　dingy；　moth…eaten　replicas　beneath　their　glass　cases　in　the　stuffy　halls　of　our　public　museums。

I　had　never　hoped　or　expected　to　see　a　living　lion；　tiger；　or　elephantusing　the　common　terms　that　were　familiar　to　the　ancients；　since　they　seem　to　me　less　unwieldy　than　those　now　in　general　use　among　usand　so　it　was　with　sentiments　not　unmixed　with　awe　that　I　stood　gazing　at　this　regal　beast　as；　above　the　carcass　of　his　kill；　he　roared　out　his　challenge　to　the　world。

So　enthralled　was　I　by　the　spectacle　that　I　quite　forgot　myself；　and　the　better　to　view　him；　the　great　lion；　I　had　risen　to　my　feet　and　stood；　not　fifty　paces　from　him；　in　full　view。

For　a　moment　he　did　not　see　me；　his　attention　being　directed　toward　the　retreating　elephant；　and　I　had　ample　time　to　feast　my　eyes　upon　his　splendid　proportions；　his　great　head；　and　his　thick　black　mane。

Ah；　what　thoughts　passed　through　my　mind　in　those　brief　moments　as　I　stood　there　in　rapt　fascination！　　I　had　come　to　find　a　wondrous　civilization；　and　instead　I　found　a　wild…　beast　monarch　of　the　realm　where　English　kings　had　ruled。　　A　lion　reigned；　undisturbed；　within　a　few　miles　of　the　seat　of　one　of　the　greatest　governments　the　world　has　ever　known；　his　domain　a　howling　wilderness；　where　yesterday　fell　the　shadows　of　the　largest　city　in　the　world。

It　was　appalling；　but　my　reflections　upon　this　depressing　subject　were　doomed　to　sudden　extinction。　　The　lion　had　discovered　me。

For　an　instant　he　stood　silent　and　motionless　as　one　of　the　mangy　effigies　at　home；　but　only　for　an　instant。　　Then；　with　a　most　ferocious　roar；　and　without　the　slightest　hesitancy　or　warning；　he　charged　upon　me。

He　forsook　the　prey　already　dead　beneath　him　for　the　pleasures　of　the　delectable　tidbit；　man。　　From　the　remorselessness　with　which　the　great　Carnivora　of　modern　England　hunted　man；　I　am　constrained　to　believe　that；　whatever　their　appetites　in　times　past；　they　have　cultivated　a　gruesome　taste　for　human　flesh。

As　I　threw　my　rifle　to　my　shoulder；　I　thanked　God；　the　ancient　God　of　my　ancestors；　that　I　had　replaced　the　hard…　jacketed　bullets　in　my　weapon　with　soft…nosed　projectiles；　for　though　this　was　my　first　experience　with　Felis　leo；　I　knew　the　moment　that　I　faced　that　charge　that　even　my　wonderfully　perfected　firearm　would　be　as　futile　as　a　peashooter　unless　I　chanced　to　place　my　first　bull