ounds.Themoonlightshoneuponhishugeprojectingeyes,therowofenormousteethinhisopenmouth,andthegleamingfringeofclawsuponhisshort,powerfulforearms.WithascreamofterrorIturnedandrushedwildlydownthepath.Behindmethethick,gaspingbreathingofthecreaturesoundedlouderandlouder.Hisheavyfootfallwasbesideme.EveryinstantIexpectedtofeelhisgripuponmyback.Andthensuddenlytherecameacrash—Iwasfallingthroughspace,andeverythingbeyondwasdarknessandrest.
AsIemergedfrommyunconsciousness—whichcouldnot,Ithink,havelastedmorethanafewminutes—Iwasawareofamostdreadfulandpenetratingsmell.PuttingoutmyhandinthedarknessIcameuponsomethingwhichfeltlikeahugelumpofmeat,whilemyotherhandcloseduponalargebone.Upabovemetherewasacircleofstarlitsky,whichshowedmethatIwaslyingatthebottomofadeeppit.SlowlyIstaggeredtomyfeetandfeltmyselfallover.Iwasstiffandsorefromheadtofoot,buttherewasnolimbwhichwouldnotmove,nojointwhichwouldnotbend.Asthecircumstancesofmyfallcamebackintomyconfusedbrain,Ilookedupinterror,expectingtoseethatdreadfulheadsilhouettedagainstthepalingsky.Therewasnosignofthemonster,however,norcouldIhearanysoundfromabove.Ibegantowalkslowlyround,therefore,feelingineverydirectiontofindoutwhatthisstrangeplacecouldbeintowhichIhadbeensoopportunelyprecipitated.
Itwas,asIhavesaid,apit,withsharply-slopingwallsandalevelbottomabouttwentyfeetacross.Thisbottomwaslitteredwithgreatgobbetsofflesh,mostofwhichwasinthelaststateofputridity.Theatmospherewaspoisonousandhorrible.Aftertrippingandstumblingovertheselumpsofdecay,Icamesuddenlyagainstsomethinghard,andIfoundthatanuprightpostwasfirmlyfixedinthecenterofthehollow.ItwassohighthatIcouldnotreachthetopofitwithmyhand,anditappearedtobecoveredwithgrease.
SuddenlyIrememberedthatIhadatinboxofwax-vestasinmypocket.Strikingoneofthem,IwasableatlasttoformsomeopinionofthisplaceintowhichIhadfallen.Therecouldbenoquestionastoitsnature.Itwasatrap—madebythehandofman.Thepostinthecenter,someninefeetlong,wassharpenedattheupperend,andwasblackwiththestalebloodofthecreatureswhohadbeenimpaleduponit.Theremainsscatteredaboutwerefragmentsofthevictims,whichhadbeencutawayinordertoclearthestakeforthenextwhomightblunderin.IrememberedthatChallengerhaddeclaredthatmancouldnotexistupontheplateau,sincewithhisfeebleweaponshecouldnotholdhisownagainstthemonsterswhoroamedoverit.Butnowitwasclearenoughhowitcouldbedone.Intheirnarrow-mouthedcavesthenatives,whoevertheymightbe,hadrefugesintowhichthehugesaurianscouldnotpenetrate,whilewiththeirdevelopedbrainstheywerecapableofsettingsuchtraps,coveredwithbranches,