*XXI.*
Desperate men will sometimes develop superhuman power, and I think whenTorrence next went to work upon the nerve-trying mechanism of thevibrator, he must have made an abnormal effort. However this may havebeen, the ship arose with renewed energy, and darted through the airwith a speed that astonished us both. This sudden accession of powerlasted for quite two hours, and when she sunk again to earth the ruggedhills were wonderfully near. Again he tried his hand upon the splendidstructure, but at last it was evident that neither nature nor art wouldrespond. He was too weak to adjust the vibrator, and without thevibrator the vessel would not rise. We strained every nerve, and madeevery shift imaginable, but she would not budge. Torrence was lying uponthe deck, unable to move after the terrific struggle below, for theadjustment of the parts required not only physical force, but theexercise of nearly every sense as well. The hearing, the sight, thetouch, must all be in perfect condition, and the strain of bringingthese up to par, when so far below their normal state, was terrible, andnow quite beyond his ability to achieve.
"How far are the hills?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.
"Hills," I answered, "my dear boy, they are towering cliffs of sheerrock."
"And do you see no vegetation among them?"
"None. Indeed, so far as I can tell there is not a shovelful of soil inthe range!"
"But there must be water," he insisted, although I could see no sign ofany from where I stood, nor could I admit to myself that the prospectwas against it.
"There may be," was all I could answer.
"Gurt, old man, it is our only chance. You must go afoot."
"Alone?"
"Yes, alone, for I am not able to move. Do you think you can reach it?"
"I will try; but do not get out of heart. If there is any water to behad I will find it. Yes, and I will bring it to you, dear boy. Don'tgive up. I promise."
"God bless you. If I could go I would, but I can't!" was all he said.
I then staggered down the ladder and wandered off, hardly knowing how orwhere, in search of water, for one drink of which I would havesacrificed the entire wealth of our cargo.
Keeping the dark cliffs in view, I bent my steps toward them with astrange misgiving.
The sand lay hot and deep in ridges, undulations, and depressions, likethe swell of the ocean; characteristics which had not been so pronounceduntil I found myself crossing them afoot, and walking over waves intowhich I sank shoe deep at every step. Full of pain, and exhausted Iplunged ahead, dazed and bewildered, conscious only that I was makingthe last effort for our salvation. On and on I trudged toward thoseterrible precipitous rocks ahead, at a rate which could not have carriedme more than a couple of miles in a single hour; and at last I sank downexhausted to rest.
I looked about me. Where was the air ship? The vessel was nowhere insight, and I wondered if I had come farther than I thought. It wasimpossible that the distance between us had made it invisible. Themachine had simply disappeared from the face of the earth, suddenly andinexplicably.
In every direction the desert stretched, and above was the sky. It wasimpossible that Torrence could have repaired the damage without me, andsailed. I was bewildered, horrified. I felt that I was lost foreverand irredeemably, for even my footsteps had been obliterated by thecreeping of the sand, doubtless the effect of subterranean heat. I wascrushed; and as I sat there, burning and aching in every inch of mybody, and in mental agony as well, I cried.
Then I remembered the undulations of the plain, and was convinced thatthe air ship was lying in one of the hollows between them, just out ofsight. Although this thought was comforting in one sense, it was not soin another, inasmuch as it did not relieve the situation. The vessel wasas hopelessly lost as if she had sailed away without me. At least so Ifelt about it. I shouted as loud as possible, but at best could nothave been heard a hundred yards, for my throat was parched and painful,and its power gone. Death seemed close at hand, and closer, perhaps,from a certain apathy which was stealing over me.
Stretching out at full length upon the sand, the cliffs beyond had anominous look. There was no appearance of life, neither was there treeor bush to indicate the presence of water. Sheer cliffs, of unscalableform, towered above me. Like the ruin of some vast Titanic home therocks were piled in huge masses, uncouth blocks and pinnacles, from thesandy depths beneath to the vapory heights above. The wind whisperedthrough dark alleys and deserted passages, and at open casements; atleast these sounds appeared to reach me in that awful solitude, and Iwas overpowered with the sense of a breathing, intelligent world aroundme.
As I lay there staring stupidly up at the rugged forms of tower andpinnacle surmounting this strange wall, I was struck with the appearanceof dark spots in the face of the cliff near the summit, which had apeculiar regularity, as if they might be windows, cut or blasted out byhuman hands. This interested and set me to examining the place morecarefully, when I became astounded at what I could no longer doubt wasan artificial design extending along the top of the precipice. Could itbe possible that this great natural wall was crowned with a castellatedstructure built by men, and so closely resembling the cliff itself as tobe indistinguishable from it?
I raised my head and examined the place with growing curiosity. Yes,there could be no question about it, the whole top of the wall was builtup artificially. Perhaps it was some great fortress, or decayingmonastery; for the singular blending of art and nature made it seem asif the two had grown together through vast periods of time.
As I lay there, dreading the effort of rising, and indeed almost tooweak to proceed, there came a strange sound through the air, which grewlouder, and more inexplicable each minute. I listened, wondering if itcould be in my own ears, as signal of approaching death, and almostwished it might be. Was it a rushing wind creeping down from theheights above, or the portent of subterranean upheaval? It grew, andwhile vaguely surmising the cause, I became suddenly aware of a fearfulobject, hovering above. I started to my feet, staggered and fell, fordirectly over me was one of those gigantic birds. It swooped earthward,and I crouched in horror, as I saw that it was making directly for me.
The end was at hand. I should be pecked to pieces before I was dead,and my flesh be consumed like carrion by this damnable, awe-inspiringmonster. Even had I the strength to resist, a dozen men could not havecoped with such a creature. I lay quietly waiting to feel that awfulbeak pecking at my heart, my eyes, my brains, and suffered the agony ofa thousand deaths. Down it came; it was close above, and the stenchupon the air was overpowering. I could not move, for the paralysis of aconsuming fear devoured me. I looked straight up into those balefuleyes, and my attention was attracted by a strange thing, for around thebird's neck was suspended a gilded barrel of peculiar form. Now was Ialive, or was I dead? for at that moment a sight presented itself whichmight well have made me doubt. When close above the ground, and withinfifty feet, the bird stopped and by some dextrous movement of beak andclaw, disengaged the barrel, which dropped quietly upon the ground,leaving the animal free to fly away as quietly and mysteriously as ithad come. It disappeared among the rocks near the summit of the cliff.
Crawling toward the cask I examined it, and discovered to my unspeakablejoy that it was divided into two compartments, in one of which was aboutfive gallons of cold water, while in the other was a quantity of fruit.Had this strange creature been sent from heaven? but I could not stop tothink until after I had drunk and eaten, and then falling down upon myknees thanked God for his deliverance, for even here in this awfuldesert I was watched and cared for.
I was a new man, but the thought of my brother dying in the air shipcame upon me with renewed force. Could I ever hope to find him? Theheights above offered the only chance of doing so, for there I couldoverlook the inequalities of the sand hills, discover his position, andwith carefully established bearings reach the spot. It was a frightfulundertaking, but my only hope.
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bsp; Hanging the cask with its remains of food and water across my back bythe cords attached, I again pushed forward, and after an hour's patienttrudging was relieved to find the sand less tenacious, and far moreshallow; in fact, the walking had become comparatively easy, but theclimb had not commenced. When it did I discovered what appeared to be anatural rocky way leading above. Up this dangerous path I directed mysteps, and although the work was steep and laborious, it was a relief tohave solid ground once more beneath my feet.
At the end of two hours I had ascended to a great elevation, but to myamazement the air ship was not yet visible. The atmosphere over theplain was quivering with heat, and its dense gaseous condition may haveobscured the vessel, but I was greatly distressed that it had not comein view. Another hour's climb and still the noble craft was hidden frommy sight.
It was growing cooler, but neither watercourse nor vegetation had beenencountered, yet the black, towering rocks closed in upon me on everyside. Whither was the path leading, and what would be the end? Itwould be useless to return, to be lost in the drift. There was but oneobject to steer by, and but one hope to which I could cling, and thatwas the great barren rock that supported me. If once my back was turnedupon this single landmark, there was absolutely nothing to look to. Andso with aching heart, and the gravest misgivings, I struggled on,stopping constantly to search the plain below.
So far the path had been narrow and tortuous, a mere rut, twisting inand out among the irregularities of the wall, but suddenly I foundmyself standing upon a horizontal ledge, like a natural piazzaoverlooking the plain. On my right, at the back of this landing, thecliff continued to rise in a sheer ascent of perhaps a hundred feet, andhere I again observed those dark openings, which I had seen from below.It was a remarkable formation, and I walked along it with an uncannydread lest here was the abode of some unknown being which might resentmy intrusion.
The farther end of this extraordinary promenade was blocked by a mass ofrock, but upon examination I found a narrow alley which led to the rear,and communicated with a vast internal passage, dimly illuminated with anamber light coming from above, and falling about the walls in strangescintillations of green, purple, blue, crimson and gold. I stood for amoment staring in surprise, and then, overcome with curiosity, walkedinto the interior. The corridor in which I found myself was at a rightangle to the esplanade, and ran directly into the mountain. It was ofvast height, although the peculiar configuration prevented my gainingany accurate knowledge of its altitude, as the light filtered throughsemi-transparent masses above, whose distance from the floor wasirregular and difficult to estimate.
The gloom of twilight reigned about me, but the coloring was of asplendor indescribable. Above, below, around were these spark-likepoints of illumination, shifting and changing like the twinkling ofstars, or the flash of precious stones, and of every conceivable colorand tone. I wandered on in stupid amazement, wondering whither it wouldlead. The passage seemed interminable, and of ever increasing splendor.The illumination from above would change from amber to erubescence, andthen it would fall upon my path in sudden rifts of green or gold, andthen return to its original amber tint again.
At last I came to what was undoubtedly an indication of life, and ofhuman life, too, for here at the end of the corridor was a door. Not acommon door, but a great cumbersome stone portal, which was made toswing in a socket at the end. I stopped before this emblem of humanityin awe. What was beyond it? I listened, but no sound came from within.A massive chain of gold was hung from the point where with us a lock orlatch is affixed, and I could not doubt that it was intended as a handleto pull upon. My curiosity was wrought to the highest pitch, and Ilonged to grasp that chain and swing open the aperture. Twice my handwas upon it, and twice I drew it away in terror; but at last, tremblingwith excitement, and overcome with an unholy desire to solve the mysterywithin, I seized it and pulled with all my might. The door swung open,and I stood face to face with an extraordinary sight.
An apartment of magnificent proportions was before me. In size I shouldsay that it approximated a cube of a hundred feet. It was lighted fromabove through a ceiling of transparent mosaics, arranged in superbdesigns, apparently emblematic of historical events. The walls had beencarved out of the solid rock in pictorial cameos. These picturessurrounded the room. They were perfect in delineation, and ofunparalleled workmanship. The floor was laid in rich mosaics, alsoarranged in pictorial form, and the light from above was just strongenough to add a mystery to the scene. Never had I dreamed of anythingso wonderful. In all this vast apartment, above, below, and upon everyhand, there was such lavish decoration that the eye was bewildered; itwas impossible to take it in.
As I stood there, marveling, gazing, I seemed to be the only livingcreature in this great silent hall, and by degrees, as I gained courage,I wandered on toward the center of the floor, trying to take in andunderstand the marvelous scene, but as I have said, it was impossible tocomprehend it at a glance, or even to perceive the details of more thana small part of what actually existed.
I had reached a point about halfway across the floor, my head strainedat every angle in reviewing the marvels around me, when suddenly I wasstartled by a sight that made my heart give one great leap. Upon aslightly raised dais, surrounding the room, I had observed not less thana hundred richly decorated chairs. These were carved, gilded, bejeweledand caparisoned in a manner that made it difficult to tell exactly whatthey were, but I had decided that they were seats, and intended toexamine them a little later. Imagine, therefore, my horror to discoverthat upon each chair sat a human being, so strange, so mysterious, andof so awful an aspect, with gilded and painted faces, that I had notrecognized them before. Indeed these creatures were so richly robed,and in that respect so closely resembled their surroundings that it wasonly when one of them moved that I discovered my mistake. I had beenwatched then from the moment of entering the room. There was nothing todo but apologize for my intrusion; explain my errand, and retreat asgracefully as possible.
I prostrated myself before this grave assembly; told how I was in searchof aid for my brother, who was perishing from thirst on the plain. Iasked if they would appoint a delegation to assist me in carrying waterand finding him. I said that he was exhausted with the heat, and that Ifeared he would perish if not relieved immediately. Of course all thisI might as well have said in Choctaw; but what else could I do? Yes,there was one other thing which I did. I pointed to the barrel of wateron my back, made a motion as if drinking, and then pointed out at theplain, signifying that another was there who needed their aid. Butthese strange, gaunt men neither smiled nor answered me. They satsilently looking on with their dark, wonderful eyes, and did not even somuch as glance at one another. Had I been one of their own number Iwould, apparently, have created as much surprise. Filled with chagrinand horror at the extraordinary situation in which I found myself, Ibegan slowly to retreat, keeping my eyes fixed upon these unearthlybeings, and their environment. Indeed their recognition had been sosudden and unexpected that I half looked for other developments in whathad appeared fixtures of the apartment. In doing this I observed thatthe spaces between the pictorial cameos on the walls were filled fromfloor to ceiling with what appeared to be stacks of metallic tablets.It seemed possible that the place was a vast library, or depository ofhistoric records, some of the scenes of which were depicted upon thewalls. Could it be that these men composed a guard for theirpreservation?
Slowly I retreated toward the door by which I had entered, steppingbackward, and never relaxing my eyes from a close and careful scrutinyof the scene. Glancing at the farther end of the room, I was suddenlyelectrified by one of the mural decorations I had not before observed.It was a representation of a man and woman being driven through a greatnatural gateway; but that was not all, for the portal through which theywere passing was an accurate delineation of Mount Horror and MountGurthrie.
For a moment I stopped, and then overcome with the significance of th
epicture and the horrible mystery of my surroundings, turned, and fledtoward the door. Seizing the chain which hung within I flung it open andrushed out; but, alas, I had mistaken the entrance. There were otherdoors, and I had taken the wrong one.
I was in a dark, narrow passage, with the door behind me closed, and asI soon discovered with no chain to reopen it, nor would it yield to mypressure. With my hand against the wall I groped forward, feelingcarefully with my feet at the same time. The passage was not straight,and as it turned from side to side I realized that I was wanderingthrough a crevice in the earth.
On and on I crept, until at last, overcome with terror at the thought ofmy position, and the probable fate which awaited me, I sank down uponthe floor, almost wishing that I had perished in the plain below. As Isat there brooding over our misfortunes, a strange odor was waftedthrough the passage, which I recognized at once as belonging to thosegigantic birds of the desert.