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Foranotherhalfhourwetroduponapavementofbones.
Wepushedon,impelledbyourburningcuriosity.
Whatothermarvelsdidthiscaverncontain?
Whatnewtreasureslayhereforsciencetounfold?
Iwaspreparedforanysurprise,myimaginationwasreadyforanyastonishmenthoweverastounding.
Wehadlonglostsightoftheseashorebehindthehillsofbones.
TherashProfessor,carelessoflosinghisway,hurriedmeforward.
Weadvancedinsilence,bathedinluminouselectricfluid.
BysomephenomenonwhichIamunabletoexplain,itlightedupallsidesofeveryobjectequally.
Suchwasitsdiffusiveness,therebeingnocentralpointfromwhichthelightemanated,thatshadowsnolongerexisted.
Youmighthavethoughtyourselfundertheraysofaverticalsuninatropicalregionatnoondayandtheheightofsummer.Novapourwasvisible.
Therocks,thedistantmountains,afewisolatedclumpsofforesttreesinthedistance,presentedaweirdandwonderfulaspectunderthesetotallynewconditionsofauniversaldiffusionoflight.WewerelikeHoffmann'sshadowlessman.
Afterwalkingamilewereachedtheoutskirtsofavastforest,butnotoneofthoseforestsoffungiwhichborderedPortGräuben.
Herewasthevegetationofthetertiaryperiodinitsfullestblazeofmagnificence.
Tallpalms,belongingtospeciesnolongerliving,splendidpalmacites,firs,yews,cypresstrees,thujas,representativesoftheconifers.
werelinkedtogetherbyatanglednetworkoflongclimbingplants.
Asoftcarpetofmossandhepaticasluxuriouslyclothedthesoil.
Afewsparklingstreamsranalmostinsilenceunderwhatwouldhavebeentheshadeofthetrees,butthattherewasnoshadow.
Ontheirbanksgrewtree–fernssimilartothosewegrowinhothouses.
Butaremarkablefeaturewasthetotalabsenceofcolourinallthosetrees,shrubs,andplants,growingwithoutthelife–givingheatandlightofthesun.
Everythingseemedmixed–upandconfoundedinoneuniformsilvergreyorlightbrowntintlikethatoffadingandfadedleaves.
Notagreenleafanywhere,andtheflowers–whichwereabundantenoughinthetertiaryperiod,whichfirstgavebirthtoflowers–lookedlikebrown–paperflowers,withoutcolourorscent.
MyuncleLiedenbrockventuredtopenetrateunderthiscolossalgrove.Ifollowedhim,notwithoutfear.
Sincenaturehadhereprovidedvegetablenourishment,whyshouldnottheterriblemammalsbetheretoo?
Iperceivedinthebroadclearingsleftbyfallentrees,decayedwithage,leguminoseplants,acerineae,rubiceaeandmanyothereatableshrubs,deartoruminantanimalsateveryperiod.
ThenIobserved,mingledtogetherinconfusion,treesofcountriesfarapartonthesurfaceoftheglobe.
Theoakandthepalmweregrowingsidebyside,theAustralianeucalyptusleanedagainsttheNorwegianpine,thebirch–treeofthenorthmingleditsfoliagewithNewZealandkauris.
Itwasenoughtodistractthemostingeniousclassifierofterrestrialbotany.
SuddenlyIhalted.Idrewbackmyuncle.
Thediffusedlightrevealedthesmallestobjectinthedenseanddistantthickets.IhadthoughtIsaw–no!
Ididsee,withmyowneyes,vastcolossalformsmovingamongstthetrees.
Theyweregiganticanimals;itwasaherdofmastodons–notfossilremains,butlivingandresemblingthosethebonesofwhichwerefoundinthemarshesofOhioin1801.
Isawthosehugeelephantswhoselong,flexibletrunksweregroutingandturningupthesoilunderthetreeslikealegionofserpents.
Icouldhearthecrashingnoiseoftheirlongivorytusksboringintotheolddecayingtrunks.
Theboughscracked,andtheleavestornawaybycartloadswentdownthecavernousthroatsofthevastbrutes.
So,then,thedreaminwhichIhadhadavisionoftheprehistoricworld,ofthetertiaryandpost–tertiaryperiods,wasnowrealised.
Andtherewewerealone,inthebowelsoftheearth,atthemercyofitswildinhabitants!
Myunclewasgazingwithintenseandeagerinterest.
"Comeon!"saidhe,seizingmyarm."Forward!forward!"
"No,Iwillnot!"Icried."Wehavenofirearms.
Whatcouldwedointhemidstofaherdofthesefour–footedgiants?Comeaway,uncle–come!
Nohumanbeingmaywithsafetydaretheangerofthesemonstrousbeasts."
"Nohumancreature?"repliedmyuncleinalowervoice."Youarewrong,Axel.Look,lookdownthere!IfancyIseealivingcreaturesimilartoourselves:itisaman!"
Ilooked,shakingmyheadincredulously.ButthoughatfirstIwasunbelievingIhadtoyieldtotheevidenceofmysenses.
Infact,atadistanceofaquarterofamile,leaningagainstthetrunkofagigantickauri,stoodahumanbeing,theProteusofthosesubterraneanregions,anewsonofNeptune,watchingthiscountlessherdofmastodons.
Immanispecoriscustos,immanioripse.[1]
[1]"Theshepherdofgiganticherds,andhugerstillhimself."
Yes,truly,hugerstillhimself.Itwasnolongerafossilbeinglikehimwhosedriedremainswehadeasilyliftedupinthefieldofbones;itwasagiant,abletocontrolthosemonsters.
Instaturehewasatleasttwelvefeethigh.
Hishead,hugeandunshapelyasabuffalo's,washalfhiddeninthethickandtangledgrowthofhisunkempthair.
Itmostresembledthemaneoftheprimitiveelephant.
Inhishandhewieldedwitheaseanenormousbough,astaffworthyofthisshepherdofthegeologicperiod.
Westoodpetrifiedandspeechlesswithamazement.Buthemightseeus!Wemustfly!
"Come,docome!"Isaidtomyuncle,whoforonceallowedhimselftobepersuaded.
Inanotherquarterofanhourournimbleheelshadcarriedusbeyondthereachofthishorriblemonster.
Andyet,nowthatIcanreflectquietly,nowthatmyspirithasgrowncalmagain,nowthatmonthshaveslippedbysincethisstrangeandsupernaturalmeeting,whatamItothink?whatamItobelieve?
Imustconcludethatitwasimpossiblethatoursenseshadbeendeceived,thatoureyesdidnotseewhatwesupposedtheysaw.
Nohumanbeinglivesinthissubterraneanworld;nogenerationofmendwellsinthoseinferiorcavernsoftheglobe,unknowntoandunconnectedwiththeinhabitantsofitssurface.Itisabsurdtobelieveit!
Ihadratheradmitthatitmayhavebeensomeanimalwhosestructureresembledthehuman,someapeorbaboonoftheearlygeologicalages,someprotopitheca,orsomemesopitheca,someearlyormiddleapelikethatdiscoveredbyMr.LartetinthebonecaveofSansau.
Butthiscreaturesurpassedinstatureallthemeasurementsknowninmodernpalaeontology.
Butthataman,alivingman,andthereforewholegenerationsdoubtlessbesides,shouldbeburiedthereinthebowelsoftheearth,isimpossible.
However,wehadleftbehindustheluminousforest,dumbwithastonishment,overwhelmedandstruckdownwithaterrorwhichamountedtostupefaction.
Wekeptrunningonforfearthehorriblemonstermightbeonourtrack.
Itwasaflight,afall,likethatfearfulpullinganddraggingwhichispeculiartonightmare.
InstinctivelywegotbacktotheLiedenbrocksea,andIcannotsayintowhatvagariesmymindwouldnothavecarriedmebutforacircumstancewhichbroughtmebacktopracticalmatters.
AlthoughIwascertainthatwewerenowtreadinguponasoilnothithertotouchedbyourfeet,IoftenperceivedgroupsofrockswhichremindedmeofthoseaboutPortGräuben.
Besides,thisseemedtoconfirmtheindicationsoftheneedle,andtoshowthatwehadagainstourwillreturnedtothenorthoftheLiedenbrocksea.Occasionallywefeltquiteconvinced.
Brooksandwaterfallsweretumblingeverywherefromtheprojectionsintherocks.
IthoughtIrecognisedthebedofsurturbrand,ourfaithfulHansbach,andthegrottoinwhichIhadrecoveredlifeandconsciousness.
Thenafewpacesfartheron,thearrangementofthecliffs,theappearanceofanunrecognisedstream,orthestrangeoutlineofarock,carnetothrowmeagainintodoubt.
Icommunicatedmydoubtstomyuncle.Likemyself,hehesitated;hecouldrecognisenothingagainamidstthismonotonousscene.
"Evidently,"saidI,"wehavenotlandedagainatouroriginalstartingpoint,butthestormhascarriedusalittlehigher,andifwefollowtheshoreweshallfindPortGräuben."
"Ifthatisthecaseitwillbeuselesstocontinueourexploration,andwehadbetterreturntoourraft.But,Axel,areyounotmistaken?"
"Itisdifficulttospeakdecidedly,uncle,foralltheserocksaresoverymuchalike.
YetIthinkIrecognisethepromontoryatthefootofwhichHansconstructedourlaunch.
Wemustbeverynearthelittleport,ifindeedthisisnotit,"Iadded,examiningacreekwhichIthoughtIrecognised.
"No,Axel,weshouldatleastfindourowntracesandIseenothing–"
"ButIdosee,"Icried,dartinguponanobjectlyingonthesand.
AndIshowedmyunclearustydaggerwhichIhadjustpickedup.
"Come,"saidhe,"hadyouthisweaponwithyou?"
"I!No,certainly!Butyou,perhaps–"
"NotthatIamaware,"saidtheProfessor."Ihaveneverhadthisobjectinmypossession."
"Well,thisisstrange!"
"No,Axel,itisverysimple.TheIcelandersoftenweararmsofthiskind.ThismusthavebelongedtoHans,andhehaslostit."
Ishookmyhead.Hanshadneverhadanobjectlikethisinhispossession.
"Diditnotbelongtosomepreadamitewarrior?"
Icried,"tosomelivingman,contemporarywiththehugecattle–driver?Butno.Thisisnotarelicofthestoneage.Itisnotevenoftheironage.Thisbladeissteel–"
Myunclestoppedmeabruptlyonmywaytoadissertationwhichwouldhavetakenmealongway,andsaidcoolly:
"Becalm,Axel,andreasonable.Thisdaggerbelongstothesixteenthcentury;itisaponiard,suchasgentlemencarriedintheirbeltstogivethecoupdegrace.ItsoriginisSpanish.
Itwasnevereitheryours,ormine,orthehunter's,nordiditbelongtoanyofthosehumanbeingswhomayormaynotinhabitthisinnerworld.
See,itwasneverjaggedlikethisbycuttingmen'sthroats;itsbladeiscoatedwitharustneitheraday,norayear,norahundredyearsold."
TheProfessorwasgettingexcitedaccordingtohiswont,andwasallowinghisimaginationtorunawaywithhim.
"Axel,weareonthewaytowardsthegranddiscovery.
Thisbladehasbeenleftonthestrandforfromonetothreehundredyears,andhasblunteditsedgeupontherocksthatfringethissubterraneansea!"
"Butithasnotcomealone.Ithasnottwisteditselfoutofshape;someonehasbeenherebeforeus!
"Yes–amanhas."
"Andwhowasthatman?"
"Amanwhohasengravedhisnamesomewherewiththatdagger.Thatmanwantedoncemoretomarkthewaytothecentreoftheearth.Letuslookabout:lookabout!"
And,wonderfullyinterested,wepeeredallalongthehighwall,peepingintoeveryfissurewhichmightopenoutintoagallery.
Andsowearrivedataplacewheretheshorewasmuchnarrowed.
Heretheseacametolapthefootofthesteepcliff,leavingapassagenowiderthanacoupleofyards.
Betweentwoboldlyprojectingrocksappearedthemouthofadarktunnel.
There,uponagraniteslab,appearedtwomysteriousgravenletters,halfeatenawaybytime.Theyweretheinitialsoftheboldanddaringtraveller:
[Runicinitialsappearhere]
"A.S.,"shoutedmyuncle."ArneSaknussemm!ArneSaknussemmeverywhere!"
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