"This looks like heaven to me," said Tarzan of the Apes. "Let us land,
Captain."
Slowly the great ship came to earth as air was taken into the lower
vacuum tanks.
Short ladders were run out, for the bottom of the cabin was only six
feet above the ground, and presently the entire ship's company, with
the exception of a watch of an officer and two men, were knee deep in
the lush grasses of Pellucidar.
"I thought we might get some fresh meat," said Tarzan, "but the ship
has frightened all the game away."
"From the quantity of it I saw, we shall not have to go far to bag
some," said Dorf.
"What we need most right now, however, is rest," said Tarzan. "For
weeks every man has been working at high pitch in completing the
preparation for the expedition and I doubt if one of us has had over
two hours sleep in the last three days. I suggest that we remain here
until we are all thoroughly rested and then take up a systematic search
for the city of Korsar."
The plan met with general approval and preparations were made for a
stay of several days.
"I believe," said Gridley to Captain Zuppner, "that it would be well
to issue strict orders that no one is to leave the ship, or rather its
close vicinity, without permission from you and that no one be allowed
to venture far afield except in parties commanded by an officer, for we
have every assurance that we shall meet with savage men and far more
savage beasts everywhere within Pellucidar."
"I hope that you will except me from that order," said Tarzan, smiling.
"I believe that you can take care of yourself in any country," said
Zuppner.
"And I can certainly hunt to better effect alone than I can with a
party," said the ape-man.
"In any event," continued Zuppner, "the order comes from you as
commander, and no one will complain if you exempt yourself from its
provisions since I am sure that none of the rest of us is particularly
anxious to wander about Pellucidar alone."
Officers and men, with the exception of the watch, which changed every
four hours, slept the clock around.
Tarzan of the Apes was the first to complete his sleep and leave the
ship. He had discarded the clothing that had encumbered and annoyed him
since he had left his own African jungle to join in the preparation
of the O-220, and it was no faultlessly attired Englishman that came
from the cabin and dropped to the ground below, but instead an almost
naked and primitive warrior, armed with hunting knife, spear, a bow and
arrows, and the long rope which Tarzan always carried, for in the hunt
he preferred the weapons of his youth to the firearms of civilization.
Lieutenant Dorf, the only officer on duty at the time, saw him depart
and watched with unfeigned admiration as the black-haired jungle lord
moved across the open plain and disappeared in the forest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account