登陆注册
15483600000027

第27章 Chapter 5(7)

The huge creature had charged us without warning from a clump of dense bushes where it was lying up after eating. It was met with an avalanche of spears, some of which passed entirely through its body, with such force were they hurled. The charge was from a very short distance, requiring the use of the spear rather than the bow and arrow; but after the launching of the spears, the men not directly in the path of the charge sent bolt after bolt into the great carcass with almost incredible rapidity.

The beast, screaming with pain and rage, bore down upon Chal-az while I stood helpless with my rifle for fear of hitting one of the warriors who were closing in upon it. But Chal-az was ready.

Throwing aside his bow, he crouched behind his large oval shield, in the center of which was a hole about six inches in diameter.

The shield was held by tight loops to his left arm, while in his right hand he grasped his heavy knife. Bristling with spears and arrows, the great cat hurled itself upon the shield, and down went Chal-az upon his back with the shield entirely covering him.

The tiger clawed and bit at the heavy rhinoceros hide with which the shield was faced, while Chal-az, through the round hole in the shield's center, plunged his blade repeatedly into the vitals of the savage animal. Doubtless the battle would have gone to Chal-az even though I had not interfered; but the moment that I saw a clean opening, with no Kro-lu beyond, I raised my rifle and killed the beast.

When Chal-az arose, he glanced at the sky and remarked that it looked like rain. The others already had resumed the march toward the village. The incident was closed. For some unaccountable reason the whole thing reminded me of a friend who once shot a cat in his backyard. For three weeks he talked of nothing else.

It was almost dark when we reached the village--a large palisaded enclosure of several hundred leaf-thatched huts set in groups of from two to seven. The huts were hexagonal in form, and where grouped were joined so that they resembled the cells of a bee-hive. One hut meant a warrior and his mate, and each additional hut in a group indicated an additional female.

The palisade which surrounded the village was of logs set close together and woven into a solid wall with tough creepers which were planted at their base and trained to weave in and out to bind the logs together. The logs slanted outward at an angle of about thirty degrees, in which position they were held by shorter logs embedded in the ground at right angles to them and with their upper ends supporting the longer pieces a trifle above their centers of equilibrium. Along the top of the palisade sharpened stakes had been driven at all sorts of angles.

The only opening into the inclosure was through a small aperture three feet wide and three feet high, which was closed from the inside by logs about six feet long laid horizontally, one upon another, between the inside face of the palisade and two other braced logs which paralleled the face of the wall upon the inside.

As we entered the village, we were greeted by a not unfriendly crowd of curious warriors and women, to whom Chal-az generously explained the service we had rendered him, whereupon they showered us with the most well-meant attentions, for Chal-az, it seemed, was a most popular member of the tribe. Necklaces of lion and tiger-teeth, bits of dried meat, finely tanned hides and earthen pots, beautifully decorated, they thrust upon us until we were loaded down, and all the while Al-tan glared balefully upon us, seemingly jealous of the attentions heaped upon us because we had served Chal-az.

At last we reached a hut that they set apart for us, and there we cooked our meat and some vegetables the women brought us, and had milk from cows--the first I had had in Caspak--and cheese from the milk of wild goats, with honey and thin bread made from wheat flour of their own grinding, and grapes and the fermented juice of grapes. It was quite the most wonderful meal I had eaten since I quit the Toreador and Bowen J.

Tyler's colored chef, who could make pork-chops taste like chicken, and chicken taste like heaven.

同类推荐
  • 佛说师子月佛本生经

    佛说师子月佛本生经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 诸子辩

    诸子辩

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 聊斋志异

    聊斋志异

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The Poisoned Pen

    The Poisoned Pen

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 游城南记

    游城南记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 莫明的无限

    莫明的无限

    本应死去的我来到了这个世界,不一样人生,却令人绝望……直到yes/no的选择出现在我的面前。我是谁?已经“死去”的于明,还是“活着”的莫颜……不过,既然来到了这就表示又是一个新的世界,换个名字吧。……莫明,呵呵,于明和莫颜共同的存在。(变身文,不喜误入)
  • 原来我们离不开

    原来我们离不开

    关于一段穿越的凄惨爱情
  • 冰火青春

    冰火青春

    一群青涩的少年,嬉笑怒骂着,从迷茫走向成熟。还记得你年少时的模样吗?这里也许就有你的影子。不同的人,不同的成长轨迹,交织在一起,谱出的乐章充满了青春的气息。他们带着少许的懵懂,跌跌撞撞而又义无反顾得放肆成长、放肆绽放。有笑有泪,有彷徨有悔恨,这些经历一起造就了一个个鲜明有生气的面孔。
  • 便觉云如许

    便觉云如许

    没想到,琪仔的一场车祸又将大家聚到一起。他是市长少爷,多少男人女人的白马王子,偏偏爱上了对他不屑一顾的姚若云。他是山里来的穷小子,大学便在打工和学习间度过,却爱上了拥有继承权的独生女,路晴。令狐慕打算用学校食堂来俘获美人心,跟屁虫卫冉冉是紧追不舍。许心忙于工作之际,总有高富帅送路晴奢侈品,想我白手起家大学便奋斗成这样也不错,难道还比不过高富帅?90后的年轻一代,大学生活荒废糜烂。富二代继承者们忙着追求爱情,已经用手里的资源圈下大笔财富。穷二代还在忙着为生存打拼,在爱情面前显得如此卑微。平凡的大学生们迷茫着,是该享受年华还是去自力更生?令狐少爷经典告白:“我愿意承包你一辈子的……”“很重要,我想成为你的男人。“好,姚若云,我希望你成为我的女人。”“至少我向这个世界宣告,你是我的,没有人敢再追求你。”“谣言绝对不是谣传。”“关于如何追求若云学妹这回事,就不听若云学妹的意见了。”“我觉得现在于我,正是对的时间。而你于我,正是对的人。”“没有没有,最基本的道德底线,我还是死守着。”正有此意,然后你摘了我心上的花,便不再是路人了。即便我是草,也是最名贵的那一株。
  • 恶魔的克星公主

    恶魔的克星公主

    一个是不可一世的恶魔少爷一个是美丽可爱的千金大小姐这两个人碰撞会发生怎样的有趣故事蓝熙雨全国排名第二的蓝氏的大小姐,很会整人(本文的女主角)尹承锡全国排名第一的尹氏继承人,从小霸道但心地很善良。(本文的男主角)
  • 死亡策划者

    死亡策划者

    一场精心的策划,好似,一部无暇的电影。死于意外者!都是出自于真正的意外吗?眼睛所看到的一切,真的就是事实吗?答案是,否!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 古道无涯

    古道无涯

    上古神剑“承影”流落于楚国之地,少年被迫叛变师门,抛下师姐尸体,毅然转身成魔。于同门厮杀间,幸被高人救下。然而,这只是故事的开始,少年从小失亲,在弄清楚自己的身世后。为了复仇,他开始不惜一切办法的变强。“天地不仁,以万物为刍狗。我若不贪,则天不可得,我若要贪,则吞噬苍穹!”
  • 凤倾天下:绝色妖妃

    凤倾天下:绝色妖妃

    凤心然,二十一世纪医药世家凤族的传人,因为错信了男友,凤族遭到灭门,凤心然也一魂穿越,来到异界。妹妹要害她,姨娘要她,然而,凤者归来,这些渣渣根本不够看!什么,太子要退我的婚!让他滚蛋,老娘才不稀罕!神秘邪帝一直守护在她的法印中,当他问世,开始宠她,爱她,教她虐渣渣。邪帝:我要奖励!女主:给你一个吻,不能再多了!
  • EXO之我爱他

    EXO之我爱他

    她喜欢他,但她的妹妹也喜欢着她,她选择放手,但是他喜欢的是她,不是他的妹妹,他的妹妹不领情,并从那么善良的女孩变成不择手段的人,不断的伤害她,她没有责怪妹妹,而她的妹妹说她假惺惺,爱情不可以强求,但她的妹妹.................这样的一个故事开始了。(我写的小说的男主角是吴亦凡)先说明一下,不喜欢看我的小说,可以不看,我不强求,我是第一次写小说,不好的还请各位提出来。谢谢看我小说的人。谢谢