Chapter XII: The Hunters’ Story

There is no need to give the hunters’ story in their own words. At best it would have to be interpreted out of what we should call a monkey-like chattering, broken with queer clicking, and set off with many gestures. In substance the account was this: The hunters, having found nothing worth killing in the edge of the woods or along the farther borders of the hills, had pushed straight out into the plain. Here, besides dry, almost bare ground, cut up in places with little ravines, or thrown into volcanic knobs and mounds, were small fertile spots, and these made irregular groups of the nature of oases. There were groups of palms as the principal trees, but also a few other kinds, and strong undergrowth, and the usual rush-like grasses.

The hunters pushed out to the nearest of these small land-bound islands, and stopped to eat a few of the nuts that some of the palms bore--a sort of scrubby variety of cocoanut, and almost tasteless, yet containing a little milk. They were stretched under the trees, in the welcome shade, and were paying no particular attention to things out of their immediate sight, when they heard a little distressed sort of squealing, and in from the open plain beyond rushed a scamperer. He was bleeding from a gash in one of his flanks, and was so wildly frightened that at first he did not seem to notice the hunters. They all scrambled up, not knowing what next to expect, or what kind of pursuer they should have to deal with, and for the instant paid no further attention to the scamperer. He swerved a little, and plunged into the tangle of border trees and bushes.

The four men drew cautiously back to the foot of a large palm, and made ready their weapons. They thought that the unknown beast could hardly be one of the great lizards, for those creatures rarely strayed so far from the low marsh country. Possibly it might be a terror-bird, and if so the four should easily be able to dispose of him. In fact, they thought they could vanquish a pair, supposing that they had the rather hard luck to meet them. They were aware that the feathered giants often hunted in pairs, a male being accompanied by his mate. This idea of the fighting-powers of the birds, it is well to say, was based on second-hand knowledge; it so happened that none of the party had even seen one of the creatures. They were all young men who had never been in this region before.

But rather to their surprise no pursuer appeared. They waited several minutes, meanwhile peering through the openings among the trees and bushes, but not a creature above an insect came in sight. They now began to think that the scamperer had come a longer distance than they had at first supposed, and that its panic had continued even after it was out of danger.

Finally satisfied as to this, they lowered their weapons, and went back to the bit of clear space, where they had been at first. Here they picked up the nuts they had left, and then started for a little exploration of the neighborhood. In particular, they meant to search a bit of spur of this oasis that lay farther out toward the plain, and while they were about it to scan the plain itself.

They carried out this plan, but at first made no discovery. There was no dangerous creature in the spur-oasis, and none in sight in the open immediately around. But after this they took a longer range, and especially they scanned the tree-border of a large oasis directly to the west. Here, after a little uncertainty, their keen eyes made out some moving objects. They stood still and watched them, and by and by first one and then another came out clear of the trees, and in the strong light it was then certain what they were.

Their general look was that of gigantic herons, though herons, as we know them, had not yet appeared on the stage. It was difficult, at this distance, and with no other creatures near as a gauge, to say how big they were, but they were certainly taller than ordinary men, and they were more bulky than our modern ostriches. They had tufts of feathers on their heads, and seemed to have stout beaks. By the way they moved they seemed to trust mainly to their legs, and not to be much good at flying. Their color was not easy to be sure of, but it was sober, and inclined to brown, and at least the feathers were nowhere showy. There could be no further doubt; these great creatures were terror-birds.

The hunters talked a little, and decided to stay where they were, keeping in sight, and giving the birds a chance to make war if they were so inclined. If they were peaceful and stayed where they were, then the hunters would let them alone. It would be too great a risk to go out and attack them in the open. Still their great bodies, tough though the flesh might be, would be a valuable addition to the scanty meat supply of the camp, and the hunters were willing to take somewhat more than an ordinary chance.

This plan decided on, the four moved out a bit farther into the plain, and there stood, and finally walked about, of course watching the birds keenly meanwhile. It was soon evident that the feathered giants saw them, for first one great head was raised, and then the other, and for at least half a minute the two stood almost rigid, and gazed. This, the hunters said, was both exciting and a little trying.

But at last the heads went slowly down again, the two shot out their long necks this way and that, as if undecided, and finally both stalked slowly off. They kept on in the same direction that they had originally been going, which was nearly north.

This gave the hunters new confidence in themselves, and a measure of contempt for the birds. They agreed that the stories about them had been colored, and that the creatures were not half so savage or anxious to dine on human flesh as had been made out.

Paying little further heed to them, the men also turned north, keeping along parallel to the birds’ course, and crossed to the next oasis. Here they found more nuts, some edible berries, and, to their surprise and pleasure, the dead body of the wounded scamperer. The deep gashes in its sides and flanks had drawn so much blood that it had been unable to get any farther.

For convenience the hunters cut him up, and divided the pieces among them, the whole giving them, with the nuts and other things, a fair load each. Here, as they owned, they should have considered their work done, and have turned back to the fort. Instead of doing so, they deliberately pushed out into the plain and headed for the oasis that the birds had quitted. They had a little hope of finding some of the monsters’ huge eggs, and if they did they would have both a trophy and something additional to eat.

They reached the oasis without mishap, and the birds did not turn back, or at least they did not at the time. In fact, they were not observed to look around. The place was very much like the others, and the hunters found only a few valuable nuts, and no eggs. They were soon ready to leave; and now they felt that they had wasted some of their time, for they were a pretty good distance from home, the sun beat down in waves of heat in the open places, and they had little to show for their extra work. They were about to start when one of them suggested that they stop long enough to get a look from the western side of the place, toward the mountains, and as this would not take long, the others were willing. They crossed to the outside fringe of trees, therefore, and looked forth, and at once they made a little discovery. At a spot not far out in the plain there were some low, rocky ridges, from the midst of which rose a faint, white, steamy cloud. It looked like the clouds that they had seen rise from the great mountains themselves, only whiter, and of course infinitely smaller.

It was in reality a smoke, but they did not know it. None of them had ever before seen one near at hand, and they had never been within long miles of a fire. It was known that there were fire-holes in the skirts of one spur of the mountains, and one wandering hunter had been burned by going too near. Beyond that the nearest that any of the party had seen a flame was when a mighty sheet, perhaps when the earth was rocking, had shot skyward, quickly dying out again, or had trembled waveringly for a longer time along the torn crest of some rent and sinking ridge. They had also seen fire springing up from trees struck by lightning, but again not near at hand. They looked at this near-at-hand wonder now, and immediately resolved to have a still closer look at it. They started on the instant, and made quick work of crossing the short distance to the ridges.

The first ridge was like a low wall, its sides yellowed as with some powerful stain, and entirely bare of vegetation. There was a deal of fine, powdered stone, dark in color, on the top and farther slope of the ridge, and this drift, as it might be called (it lay in a manner like drifted sand on the seashore), continued to the next ridge. They kept on, crossed the next ridge also, and then came abruptly upon the mystery.

From the middle of a small basin, and shut in by the ridges, was rising the strange white cloud, and it drove up from a rocky hole as big as a modern cart-wheel. All about the powdered stone was yellow and reddish, and they saw that a fine spray was falling on it from the cloud. Down in the hole itself, at but a short distance, was what appeared to be water, but it was in motion, as if somebody was stirring it, rolling, and popping, and now and then flying in a little jet upwards.

They had already begun to notice a slight, queer smell, and this, as they came nearer the mysterious hole, grew stronger and more insistent. It was not a pleasant smell, and they stopped before they were quite at the hole, feeling a little doubtful about the effect of it. Finally, they skirted the hole and looked over the next little ridge. Here, to their surprise, were very few of the stained rocks, and powdered stones, but there was another mysterious hole near the middle of a small basin or hollow. This, too, was bubbling, and otherwise in a bit of turmoil, but it did not throw up much of a spray. As there was this time no strange odor, they went boldly up to the hole, and one of them stooped and thrust his finger into the water.

He drew it out with a yell, and jumped back. In his pain he relaxed his hold of his piece of the scamperer’s flesh, and it dropped into the hole.

The others were of course amazed and startled, and asked the dancing experimenter what had happened. He held up his finger, which was very red, and looked as if it might have been sunbaked, and snarled that the water was hot. He looked around for something to relieve the pain, but finding nothing, he left them, and made off over the nearest ridge, to the plain. They understood that he had gone to dig up a little cool earth, in which to wrap the finger. This was one of their ordinary remedies for such mild burns as they had needed to deal with. Pieces of falling stone, picked up thoughtlessly by hunters, when the mountains had been spitting them out, was the limit of a burning substance that they were familiar with.

They thought they would get the piece of meat out of the hole, and follow; one of them, after a little prodding with his spear, found it, and started to lift it out. Just then the fellow who had so suddenly left them, popped as suddenly into sight again. In fact, he was moving faster than before, and his face showed trouble considerably greater. It was not now pain, but fright.

“They are coming,” he shouted--“the terror-birds!”

This very nearly threw the others into a panic. They looked at one another, and made no move either to fight or to run. But then, as the other man came up, and pluckily seized his spear, they pulled themselves together, and as he was hastily saying that the birds were already nigh, they spread out in line, and with him fell back to the slope of the nearest ridge. They stooped, gripped their spears firmly, and were now as ready for the strange battle as they could be.

The enemy was very quickly at hand. Up over the crest of the farther little westerly ridge shot a great, flat-topped head, with wide-apart eyes and a huge, curved bill. After the head came a long neck, feathered, and as big around as a strong man’s arm. Next there shot up a broad-chested body, feathered also, and supported by two sturdy legs. These legs were as big as little saplings, and looked about as rough and strong. The feet were made up of long, strong toes, ending in sharp claws. These claws curved upward a little, and their points did not press hard upon the ground. Consequently, they were but little blunted. They might be said to match the great, curved bill, which looked somewhat like an eagle’s, but was far larger. It was as big, indeed, as the end of a modern ice-pick, and was fully as sharp. The creature must have weighed more than a large man, and was nearly all bones and great muscles. It towered above the tallest of the hunters a good two feet.

It was barely up in full view, when its terrible mate shot up beside it. The two stopped for a moment, one of them gave a little harsh cry, and the next instant they both thrust their dreadful heads straight out, and in this goose-fashion, and flapping their stubs of wings, they almost sailed down the slope, and shot like living engines up the other rise, and upon the waiting men.

Not one of the men could tell exactly what happened then. As one of them said, the air seemed full of great gaping red mouths and giant bills and claws. Though the two men that mainly received the shock had each held his spear steadily, and at a good angle, and though each had seemed to get the weight of a bird’s body on his point, yet each had been upset and knocked upon his back, and both birds had been able to whirl and plunge at the others. Luckily the other two had stood in flanking fashion, looking a bit inward, and so had found a chance, as the birds broke past them, to put in each a vigorous thrust. Now, placed separately on their defence, they had drawn their spears back, and each drove home a stiff and powerful thrust.

They also were bowled over, though not quite so completely as the first two had been, and with a scramble were up again. One had a deep groove of a wound in his arm, where a claw or one of the great beaks had driven along, but the other was unhurt. Desperate now, and furious almost as the birds themselves, they caught their stone axes from their girdles, and rushed in, smashing blow on blow.

It was all confusion and wild desperation. The other two men, already on their feet, joined in. Hitherto none of them had dared to uncover the defence of his spear to throw a dart, but now the headmost fellow pulled one from the case, and drove it with his hand into the exposed side of the nearer bird. He had not time to drop the shaft of the dart before a side-kick sent him heels over head and ripped a strip of flesh from his shoulder.

Here the case seemed desperate enough, and it looked as if the men would soon be mere mangled flesh. But this was not to be, for as the last man was twirled from his legs, his nearest companion smashed so hard a blow down upon the thrust-out head of the second bird, that the creature pulled up short, and then settled slowly to the ground. It was in the other bird’s way for an instant, and in that brief time three of the hunters were in a rough line again, two with ready axes, and one with his spear. The man last kicked over was so dazed and shaken that he still lay on the ground.

The little break in the fight proved also to be near the end of it. The bird that was still on its feet saw that its mate was down, and looked that way, seeming to be surprised, and perhaps daunted. It was at this precise moment that the youngest and quickest-motioned of the hunters let fly a dart, and caught the standing bird in the middle of its long neck. The skin and flesh were so tough and hard that the dart went in but a little way, and then dropped out, and the bird merely drew back a step, and gave itself a shake. Nevertheless, some harm was done, and the result was strangely important.

The bird stopped where it was, and began to stretch its neck, and then to draw it in, as if it had been taken with a severe cramp. While it was still at this the other bird showed signs of coming to, and a moment later gave a lurch, and with the aid of its wings got upon its legs. The hunters were getting their breath, and preparing for more hot work, but at this crisis they discovered that there was to be none. With wings hanging down, and moving feebly, the bird that had just risen began to walk slowly away. Its mate, still in trouble on its own account, saw it, and after a hesitating moment slowly followed. There was not the slightest disposition to stop them, and quickly they were over the westerly ridge and out of sight.

Relieved, and glad to get off so, the hunters waited a full minute or two. Feeling then that they were safe, and that the terrible creatures were not coming back, they lowered their spears, and turned to go. All four were more or less hurt, but none was crippled, and they were anxious to put as much good ground between themselves and the feathered giants as possible. Considering how seriously wounded the birds had appeared to be, this was speaking well for their fighting qualities. The hunters, in fact, were sure that their victory was in part due to luck and to the heedless and rather stupid way in which the birds had charged. Had they known enough to separate as they came on, and attack the flankers instead of the centre, they would have bothered the defenders, and would themselves have escaped the flankers’ side-thrusts.

The party had proceeded but a few steps, when one of them thought of the lost piece of meat. It was still in the hot water, where the man who had started to spear it out had left it. They thought it was probably spoiled, yet might be worth saving, and one man ran back, and with his spear forked it out. He had to let it lie on the ground for a few moments to cool, but as soon as he could handle it he dumped it into a piece of lizard hide, made a bundle of it, and slung it over his shoulder. A little later, at the last oasis, they stopped and bound up their wounds; after that they made no halt.

Nothing else had happened, and so here at last they were, their cuts and bruises witnessing their story. The scamperer’s flesh, too, which they had dropped at the top of the path, was further evidence.

One thing they were prompt to say--they would never again speak lightly of a terror-bird!