Тарзан, приёмыш обезьян
The Village of Torture
Fourofthetwentyweredead,adozenotherswerewounded,andLieutenantD’Arnotwasmissing.Nightwasfallingrapidly,andtheirpredicamentwasrendereddoublyworsewhentheycouldnotevenfindtheelephanttrailwhichtheyhadbeenfollowing.
Therewasbutonethingtodo,makecampwheretheywereuntildaylight.LieutenantCharpentierorderedaclearingmadeandacircularabatisofunderbrushconstructedaboutthecamp.
Thisworkwasnotcompleteduntillongafterdark,themenbuildingahugefireinthecenteroftheclearingtogivethemlighttoworkby.
Whenallwassafeaspossibleagainstattackofwildbeastsandsavagemen,LieutenantCharpentierplacedsentriesaboutthelittlecampandthetiredandhungrymenthrewthemselvesuponthegroundtosleep.
Thegroansofthewounded,mingledwiththeroaringandgrowlingofthegreatbeastswhichthenoiseandfirelighthadattracted,keptsleep,exceptinitsmostfitfulform,fromthetiredeyes.Itwasasadandhungrypartythatlaythroughthelongnightprayingfordawn.
TheblackswhohadseizedD’Arnothadnotwaitedtoparticipateinthefightwhichfollowed,butinsteadhaddraggedtheirprisoneralittlewaythroughthejungleandthenstruckthetrailfurtheronbeyondthesceneofthefightinginwhichtheirfellowswereengaged.
