As we approached the city, the base of which we must skirt in order
to reach the crater beyond, I was able to obtain a better idea of the
dimensions and methods of construction of this great interior lunar
city, the base of which was roughly circular and about six miles in
diameter, ranging from a few hundred to a thousand feet above the
level of the plateau. The base of the city appeared to be the outer
wall of an ancient extinct volcano, the entire summit of which had
been blown off during some terrific eruption of a bygone age. Upon
this base the ancient Laytheans had commenced the construction of
their city, the houses of which rose one upon another as did those of
the Kalkar city from which we had just escaped. The great age of
Laythe was attested by the tremendous height to which these
superimposed buildings had arisen, the loftiest wall of Laythe now
rising fully a mile above the floor of the plateau. Narrow terraces
encircled the periphery of the towering city, and as we approached
more closely I saw doors and windows opening upon the terraces and
figures moving to and fro, the whole resembling closely an enormous
hive of bees. When we had reached a point near the base of the city,
I saw that we had been discovered, for directly above us there were
people at various points who were unquestionably looking down at us
and commenting upon us.
“They have seen us from above,” I said to Moh-goh, “why don’t you
hail them?”
“They take us for Kalkars,” he replied. “It is easier for us to enter
the city by way of the tunnel, where I shall have no difficulty in
establishing my identity.”
“If they think we are Kalkars,” I said, “will they not attack us?”
“No,” he replied, “Kalkars often pass Laythe. If they do not try to
enter the city, we do not molest them.”
“Your people fear them, then?” I asked.
“It practically amounts to that,” he replied. “They greatly outnumber
us, perhaps a thousand to one, and as they are without justice, mercy
or honor we try not to antagonize them unnecessarily.”
We came at length to the mouth of the crater, and here Moh-goh looped
his rope about the base of a small tree growing close to the rim and
slipped down to the opening of the tunnel directly beneath. I
followed his example, and when I was beside him Moh-goh pulled the
rope in, coiled it about his waist, and we set off along the
passageway leading toward Laythe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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