Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
InmercyIputabulletthroughhisskull,andhefellsprawlingamongthealoes.Butthiswastheonlyshotfired,fortheattackhadbeenonthecenteroftheline,andtheIndianstherehadneedednohelpofoursinrepulsingit.Ofalltheape-menwhohadrushedoutintotheopen,Idonotthinkthatonegotbacktocover.
Butthematterwasmoredeadlywhenwecameamongthetrees.Foranhourormoreafterweenteredthewood,therewasadesperatestruggleinwhichforatimewehardlyheldourown.Springingoutfromamongthescrubtheape-menwithhugeclubsbrokeinupontheIndiansandoftenfelledthreeorfourofthembeforetheycouldbespeared.Theirfrightfulblowsshatteredeverythinguponwhichtheyfell.OneofthemknockedSummerlee’srifletomatchwoodandthenextwouldhavecrushedhisskullhadanIndiannotstabbedthebeasttotheheart.Otherape-meninthetreesaboveushurleddownstonesandlogsofwood,occasionallydroppingbodilyontoourranksandfightingfuriouslyuntiltheywerefelled.Onceouralliesbrokeunderthepressure,andhaditnotbeenfortheexecutiondonebyourriflestheywouldcertainlyhavetakentotheirheels.Buttheyweregallantlyralliedbytheiroldchiefandcameonwithsucharushthattheape-menbeganinturntogiveway.Summerleewasweaponless,butIwasemptyingmymagazineasquickasIcouldfire,andonthefurtherflankweheardthecontinuouscrackingofourcompanion’srifles.
Theninamomentcamethepanicandthecollapse.
