Втрачений континент: історія Атлантиди
7. The Biters Of The Walls (Further Account)
Butthisbaitinginthecircusbetweenthegateswasnofairbattlelikethat.
Tobeginwith,thebeastswerenofairantagonistsforsinglemen.Infact,twentymenarmedmightwellhavefledfromthem.Whenthewardersaidtigers,Isupposedhemeantthegreatcatsofthewoods.Buthere,inthecircus,Isawapairofthemostterrificofallthefur-bearinglandbeasts,thegreattigersofthecaves—hugemonsters,ofsuchponderousstrengththatinhungertheywilloftentimesdragdownamammoth,iftheycanfindhimawayfromhisherd.
HowtheyhadbeenbroughtcaptiveIcouldnottell.HunterofbeaststhoughIhadbeenforallmydays,ItakenoshameinsayingthatIalwaysapproachedtheslayingofacave-tigerwithstratagemandinfinitecaution.Toentrapitaliveandbringittoacityonachainwasbeyondmymostdaringschemes,andIhavebeenaccreditedwithmorenewthingsthanone.Buthereitwasinfact,andIsawinthesecaptivebeastsanewcertificateforPhorenice’sgenius.
Thepurposeofthesetwocave-tigerswasplain:whilsttheywereinthecircus,andloose,nolivingbeingcouldcrossfromonegatetotheother.Theywereanewandsturdyadditiontothedefencesofthecapital.Acollarofbronzewasroundthethroatofeach,andonthecollarwasamassivechainwhichledtothewall,whereitcouldbepayedoutorhauledinbymeansofawindlassinoneofthehiddengalleries.Sothatatordinarymomentsthetwohugebeastscouldbetethered,oneclosetoeitherendofthecircus,asthelitterofbonesandothermessesshowed,leavingfreepassage-waybetweenthetwosetsofdoors.
