 Chapter 7 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Eddie Winter A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 7 Scientific Theories and Skepticism Far Mellick had been reading the manuscript, but at this point he was interrupted by the announcement that dinner was ready. Upon this he stopped abruptly. For on board the Falcon dinner was the great event of the day, and in its presence even the manuscript had to be laid aside. Before long they were all seated around the dining table in the sumptuous cabin, prepared to discuss through past, which had been served up by the genius of the French chef whom Lord Featherstone had brought with him. Let us pause here for a moment to take a minute to survey of these four friends. In the first place there was Lord Featherstone himself, young, handsome, languid, good-natured to a fault, with plenty of muscle if he chose to exert it, and plenty of brain if he chose to make use of it. A man who had become weary of the monotony of high life, and like many of his older, was fond of seeking relief from the ennui of prosperity amid the excitements of the sea. Next to him was Dr. Congrive, a middle-aged man with iron-grey hair, short beard and moustache, short nose, grey eyes with spectacles, and stoutish body. Next came Noel Oxenden, late of Trinity College Cambridge, a college friend of Featherstone's, a tall man with a refined and intellectual face, and reserved manner. Finally there was Otto Melek, a literature from London, about 30 years of age, with a wiry and muscular frame, and the restless manner of one who lives in a perpetual fidget. For some time nothing was said, they partook of the repast in silence, but at length it became evident that they were thinking of the mysterious manuscript. Featherstone was the first to speak. A juiced queer sort of thing this, too, said he, this manuscript? I can't quite make it out. Whoever dreamed of people living at the South Pole, and in a warm climate, too, then it seems juiced odd, too, that we should pick up this copper cylinder with the manuscript. I hardly know what to think about it. Melek smiled. Why it isn't much to see through, said he. See through what? said the doctor, hastily pricking up his ears at this, and peering keenly at Melek through his spectacles. Why the manuscript, of course? Well said the doctor. What is it that you say? What do you make out of it? Well, anyone can see, said Melek, that it's a transponed hoax. That's all. You don't mean to say, I hope, that you really regard it in any other light. A transponed hoax, repeated the doctor, will you please state why you regard it in that light? Certainly, said Melek. Some fellow wanted to get up a sensation novel and introduce it to the world with a great flourish of trumpets, and so he has taken this way of going about it. You see, he has counted on its being picked up, and perhaps published. After this he would come forward and own the authorship. And what good would that do? asked the doctor mildly. He couldn't prove authorship, and he couldn't get a copyright. Oh, of course not. But he would gain notoriety, and that would give him a great sell for his next effort. The doctor smiled. See here, Melek, said he. You have a very vivid imagination, my dear fellow. But come, let us discuss this for a little while in a common-sense way. Now, how long should you suppose this manuscript has been afloat? Oh, a few months or so, said Melek. A few months, said the doctor. A few years, you mean. Why, man, there are successive layers of barnacles on that copper cylinder, which show a submersion of at least three years, perhaps more. By Jove, yes, remarked Featherstone. Your sensation novelist must have been a lunatic if he chose that way of publishing a book. Then again continued the doctor. How did it get here? Always enough answered Melek. The ocean currents bought it. The ocean currents repeated the doctor. That's a very vague expression. What do you mean? Of course it has been bought here by the ocean currents. Why, if it were thrown off the coast of England, it would be carried away in the ordinary course of things and might make the tour of the world. The ocean currents, said the doctor, have undoubtedly bought this to us. Of that I shall have more to say presently, but just now, in reference to your notion of sensation novelist and an English origin, let me ask you opinion of the material on which it is written. Did you ever see anything like it before? Is it paper? No, said Melek. It is evidently some vegetable substance. No doubt the writer has had it prepared for this very purpose so as to make it look natural. Do you know what it is? Ask the doctor. No. Then I'll tell you. It's papyrus. Papyrus? Yes, actual papyrus. You can find but little of that in existence at the present day. It is only to be found here and there in museums. I found it perfectly well, however, and saw what it was at the first glance. Now I hold that a sensation novelist would never have thought of papyrus. If he didn't wish to use paper he could have found a dozen other things. I don't see how he could have found anyone able to prepare such a substance as this for writing. It must have come from a country where it is actually in use. Now mark you. The papyrus plant may still be found growing wild on the banks of the upper Nile and also in Sicily and it is made use of for ropes and other things of that salt. But as to making writing material out of it that is hardly possible for the art is lost. The ancient process was very elaborate and this manuscript is written on leaves which resembled in a marvellous manner those of the Egyptian papyrus books. There are two roles at Marseille which I have seen and examined and they are identical with this. Now these papyrus leaves indicate much mechanical skill and have a professional look. They seem like the work of an experienced manufacturer. I don't see Semelik obstinately while one shouldn't get papyrus now and have it made up into writing material. Oh that's how the question said the doctor. How could it ever enter into anyone's head? How could your mere sensation manga procure the raw material? That of itself would be a work of immense difficulty. How could it get it made up? That would be impossible. But apart from this just consider the strong internal evidence that there is as to the authenticity of the manuscript. Now in the first place there is the description of Desolation Island which is perfectly accurate but it is on his narrative beyond this that I lay chief stress. I can prove that the statements here are corroborated by those of Captain Ross in his account of that great voyage from which he returned not very long ago. The doctor who had been talking with much enthusiasm paused here to take a breath and then went on. I haven't know all about that voyage for I read a full report of it just before we started and you can see for yourselves whether this manuscript is credible or not. Captain James Clark Ross was sent forth on his expedition in 1839. On January 1st 1841 he passed the Antarctic Circle in 178 degrees east longitude. On the 11th he discovered a land in 70 degrees 41 minutes south latitude 172 degrees 36 minutes east longitude. He found that the land was a continuous coast trending southward and rising peaks of 10,000 feet in height all covered with ice and snow. On the 12th he landed and took possession in the name of the Queen. After this he continued his course as far as 78 degrees 4 minutes south latitude tracing a coastline of 600 miles. Observe now how all this coincides with Moore's narrative. I now come to the crowning statement. In 77 degrees 32 minutes south latitude 167 degrees east longitude he came in sight of two enormous volcanoes over 12,000 feet in height. One of these was in an active state of eruption. To this he gave the name of Mount Eribus. The other was quiet. It was of somewhat less height and he gave it the name of Mount Terror. Mark now how wonderfully this resembles Moore's account. Well just here his progress was arrested by a barrier which presented a perpendicular wall of over 150 feet in height along which he coasted for some distance. On the following year he penetrated six miles further south namely 78 degrees 11 minutes south latitude 161 degrees 27 minutes west longitude. At this point he was again stopped by the impassable cliffs which arose here like an eternal barrier while beyond them he saw a long line of lofty mountains covered with ice and snow. Did you hear the result of the American expedition? Yes replied the doctor. Wilkes pretends to have found a continent but his account of it makes it quite evident in the mind that he saw nothing but ice. I believe that Wilkes's Antarctic continent will someday be penetrated by ships which will sail for hundreds of miles farther south. All that is wanted is a favourable season but mark the coincidence between Ross's report and Moore's manuscript. This must have been written at least three years ago and the writer could not have known anything about Ross's discoveries. Above all he could not have thought of those two volcanoes unless he had seen them. But these volcanoes mentioned by Moore are not the Erebus and Terra are they? said Lord Featherstone. Of course not, they are on the other side of the world. The whole story said Malik may have been written by one of Ross's men and so on overboard. If I had been on that expedition I should probably have written it to beguile of the time. Oh yes said the doctor and you would also have manufactured the papyrus and the copper cylinder on board to beguile of the time. I dare say the writer picked up that papyrus and the copper cylinder in China or Japan and made use of it in this way. Where do you make out the position of Moore's volcanoes? asked Featherstone. It is difficult to make it out accurately said the doctor. Moore gives no data. In fact he had none to give. He couldn't take any observations. The fact is said Malik it is not a sailor's yarn at all. No sailor would ever express himself in that way. That's what struck me from the first. It has the ring of a confounded sensation monger all through. The doctor alirated his eyebrows but took no notice of this. You see he continued addressing himself to the others. Desolation Island is in 50 degrees south latitude and 70 degrees east longitude. As I make out Moore's course led him over about 10 degrees of longitude in a southwest course. That course depended altogether upon the ocean currents. Now there is a great Antarctic drift current which flows round the Cape of Good Hope and divides there. One half flowing past the east coast of Africa and the other setting across the Indian Ocean. Then it unites with a current which flows around the south of Van Diemen's land which also divides and the southernmost current is supposed to cross the Pacific until it strikes Cape Horn around which it flows dividing as before. Now my theory is that south of Desolation Island I don't know how far there's a great current setting toward the South Pole and running southwest through degrees of longitude 60 degrees, 50 degrees 40 degrees, 30 degrees 20 degrees and 10 degrees east of Greenwich. And finally sweeping on it would reach Moore's Volcanoes at a point which I should judge to be about 80 degrees south latitude and 10 degrees west longitude. There it passes between the volcanoes and bursts through the vast mountain barrier by a subterranean way which has been formed for it in past ages by some primeval convulsion of nature. After this it probably sweeps around the Great South Polar Ocean and emerges at the opposite side not far from the volcanoes Erebus and Terror. Here the doctor paused and looked around with some self complacency. Oh said Melec if you take that tone you have us all at your mercy. I know no more about the geography of the Antarctic Circle than I do of the Moon. I simply criticise from military points of view and I don't like his underground cavern with a stream running through it. It sounds like one of the voyages of Sinbad the Sailor nor do I like his description he evidently is writing with great effect. Besides his style is vicious he is too stilted finally he has recourse to a dull device of a sea serpent. A sea serpent repeated the doctor well for my part I feel by no means inclined to sneer at a sea serpent its existence cannot be proved yet it cannot be poo pooed Every schoolboy knows that the waters of the sea were once filled with monsters more tremendous than the greatest sea serpent that has ever been imagined The plesiosaurus make like head if it existed near would be called a sea serpent Some of these so called fossil animals may have their representatives still living in the remote parts of the world Think of the recently discovered Olnithor Hinkus of Australia If you please I'd really much rather not said Malek with a gesture of despair I haven't the honour of the gentleman's acquaintance Well what do you think of his notice of the sun in the long light and his low position on the horizon Oh that's alright said Malek Anyone who chose to get up this thing would of course read up about the polar day and all that Everyone knows that at the poles there is a six months day followed by a six months night You are a determined skeptic said the doctor How is it about the polar day asked Feather Stan Well said the doctor There is one day of six months during which the sun never sets and one night of six months during which he never rises In the spaces between the polar circles the quantities of the continuous day and continuous night vary in accordance with the distance from the pole At the north point of Nova Zambia 75 degrees north latitude there is uninterrupted light from May the 1st to August the 12th and uninterrupted darkness from November the 8th to February the 9th At the Arctic Circle at the summer solstice the day is 24 hours long at the Antarctic Circle at the same time the night is 24 hours long Upon this Malek filled the doctor's wine glass with a great deal of ceremony After all those statistics he said you must feel rather dry and take a drink before venturing any further The doctor made no reply but raised the glass to his lips and swallowed the wine in an abstracted way The thing that struck me most said Oksenden in all that has been read thus far is the flatness of the south pole and the peculiar effect which this produces on the landscape I must say, said Malek that the writer has got hold of a very good idea there and has taken care to put it forward in a very prominent fashion What is the difference? asked Oksenden between the two diameters of the earth the polar and the equatorial is it known? By Job said Featherstone that's the very question I was going to ask I've always heard that the earth is flattened at the poles but never knew how much is there any way by which people can find out The doctor drew a long breath and beamed upon the company with a benevolent smile Oh yes, said he I can answer that question if you care to know and won't feel bored Answer it then, my dear fellow by all means said Featherstone in his most languid tone There are two ways, said the doctor by which the polar compression of the earth has been found out One is by the measurement of Oks on the earth's surface the other is by experiments with pendulums or weights with regard to the earth's gravity at different places The form of these methods is perhaps the more satisfactory Measurements of Oks have been made on a very extensive scale in different parts of the world In England, France, Lapland, Peru and India Mr Ivory who devoted himself for years in an exhaustive examination of the subject has deduced that the equatorial radius is over 3962 miles and the polar radius over 3949 miles This makes the depression at either pole upward of 13 miles A depression of over 13 miles as you must plainly say should produce strange results in the scenery at the poles Of course, if there are mountains no difference would be noticed between this and any other part of the surface But if there is water why we ought to expect some such state of things as more describes The gravitation test has also been tried reviewing nearly the same result The surface of the earth at the equator being farthest from the central gravity indicates the least weight in bodies but at the poles where the surface is nearest to the central gravity and in fact that the weight of bodies increases in passing from the equator to the poles By experiments made in this way the polar confession is ascertained to be the same as I have mentioned What effect would this have on the climate at the poles asked Oxenden That's a complicated question said the doctor In answer to that we must leave ascertained facts and trust to theories unless indeed we accept as valid the statements of this remarkable manuscript For my own part I see no reason why it should not be as Moore says Remember this polar world is 13 miles nearer to the centre of the earth whether this should affect the climate or not depends upon the nature of the earth's interior That interior according to the popular theory of the present day is a mass of fire This theory affirms that the earth was once a red hot mass which is cooled down but the cooling process has only taken place on the surface leaving the interior still a molten mass of matter in a state of intense heat and combustion At the poles the surface is thus 13 miles nearer to these tremendous fires Of course it may be supposed that the earth's crust is of about equal thickness on all parts Yet still even if this be so the poles ought to make some difference Now at the North Pole there seem to be causes at work to counterbalance the effects of the internal heat chiefly in the enormous accumulation of polar ice which probably hems it in on every side and though many believe in an open polar sea of warm water at the North Pole yet still the effect of vast ice masses and of cold submarine currents must be to render the climate severe But at the South Pole it is different the observations of Ross and of Moore show us that there is a chain of mountains of immense height which seem to encircle the pole If this be so and I see no reason to disbelieve it then the ice of the outer seas must be kept away altogether from that strange inner sea of which Moore speaks Ross saw the volcanoes Eribus and Terra saw Terra others How many more there may be it is impossible to say But all this shows that the effect of the Earth's internal fires is very manifest in that region and Moore has penetrated to a secluded world which lies apart by itself free from the influence of ice masses left to fill the effect of the internal fires and possessing what is virtually a tropical climate there is no theory however wild and fantastic which some man of science will not be ready to support and to fortify by endless arguments all of the most plausible kind For my own part I still believe Moore and his South Polar World to be no more authentic than Sinbad the Sailor But the others evidently sympathize with the Doctor's view and regard in Melek as carrying his skepticism to an absurd excess How large do you suppose this South Polar Ocean to be asked Featherstone It is impossible to answer that question exactly said the Doctor It may be as Moore hints a thousand miles in extent or only 500 or 200 For my own part however I feel like taking Moore's statements at their utmost value and the idea that I have gathered from his narrative is that of a vast sea like the Mediterranean surrounded by impassable mountains by great and fertile countries peopled with an immense variety of animals with a fauna and flora quite unlike those of the rest of the world and above all with great nations possessing a rare and unique civilization and belonging to a race altogether different from any of the known races of men Well said Melek that at least is the idea of which the writer of this manuscript tries to convey By this time they had finished dinner and now, said Featherstone let's have some more of the manuscript Melek is tired of it, I dare say I would relieve him but I am an infernally bad reader Doctor, what do you say will you read the next instalment With all my heart said the Doctor briskly Very well then said Featherstone we will all be your attentive hearers and now the Doctor took up the manuscript and began to read End of Chapter 7 Chapter 8 of a strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Eddie Winter A strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 8 The Cave Dwellers The cavern into which the chief led me was very spacious but had no light except that which entered through the portal It was with difficulty that I could see anything but I found that there were many people here moving about all is intent upon their own pursuits as those which one encounters of their cities As we went on farther the darkness increased until at last I lost sight of the chief altogether and he had to come back and lead me After going a little farther we came to a long broad passageway like a subterranean street about 20 feet in width and as many in height Here there were discernable a few twinkling lamps which served to make the darkness intense and enabled me to see the shadowy figures around These were numerous and all seemed busy though what their occupation might be I could not guess I was amazed at the extent of these caverns and at the multitude of the people I saw also that from the nature of their eyes the sunlight distressed them and in this cavern gloom they found their most congenial dwelling place From what I had thus far seen these extraordinary people shrank from the sunlight and when they had to move abroad they passed over roads which were darkened as much as possible by the deep shadows of mighty ferns while for the most part they remained in dark caverns in which they lived and moved and had their being It was a puzzle to me whether the weakness of their eyes had caused this dislike of light or the habit of cave drying had caused this weakness of eyes Here in this darkness where there was but a faint twinkle from the feeble lamps their eyes seemed to serve them as well as minded in the outer light of day and the chief who outside had moved with an uncertain step and had blinked painfully at objects with his eyes almost closed now appeared to be in his proper element and while I hesitated like a blind man who groped along with a faltering step he guided me and seemed to see everything with perfect vision At length we stopped and the chief raised up a thick heavy mat which hung like an unwieldy curtain in front of a doorway this the chief lifted at once a blaze of light burst forth gleaming into the dark and appearing to blind him his eyes closed for me to pass through I did so he followed and then groped his way slowly along while I accompanied and assisted him I now found myself in a large grotto with an arched roof from which was suspended an enormous lamp either golden or gilded all around were numerous lamps the walls were adorned with rich hangings couches were here with soft cushions and and ottomans soft mats were on the floor and everything gave indications of luxury and wealth other doors covered with overhanging mats seemed to lead out of this grotto to one of these the chief walked and raising the mat he led the way into another grotto like the last with the same bright lights and the same adornments but of smaller size I was sure someone who at once took up all my attention it was a young maiden her face and form but especially her eyes showed her to be of quite a different race from these others to me she was of medium height yet she was taller than any of the people that I had hitherto seen her complexion was much lighter her hair was dark luxuriant and wavy and arranged in a coiffure secured with a golden band her features were of a different cast from those of the people here for they were regular in outline and of exquisite beauty her nose was straight she had a short upper lip arched eyebrows finely penciled thin lips and well rounded chin but the chief contrast was in her eyes these were large dark liquid with long lashes and with a splendid glow in her lustrous depths she stood looking at me with her face full of amazement and as I caught the gaze of her glorious eyes I rejoiced that I had at last found one who lived in the light and loved it one who did not blink like a bat but looked me full in the face and allowed me to see all her soul revealed the chief still pained by the glare of light kept his eyes covered and said a few hasty words to the maiden after this he hurried away leaving me there the maiden stood for a moment looking at me as the chief spoke to her a change came over her face she looked at me in silence with an expression of sad and mournful interest which seemed to increase every moment at length she approached and said something in the same strange language which the chief had used I shook my head and replied in English whereupon she shook her head with a look of perplexity then anxious to conciliate her I held out my hand she looked at it in some surprise upon this I took her hand and pressed it to my lips feeling however somewhat doubtful as to the way which she might receive such an advance to my great delight she accepted it in a friendly spirit and seemed to consider it my foreign fashion of showing friendship and respect she smiled and nodded and pointed to my gun which thus far I had carried in my hand I smiled and laid it down then she pointed to a seat I sat down and then she seated herself close by we looked at each other in mutual wonder and mutual inquiry I was full of amazement at thus meeting with so exquisite a being and lost myself in conjectures as to her race her office and her position here who was she or what she was unlike the others and reminded me of those oriental beauties whose portraits I had seen in annuals and illustrated books her costume was in keeping with such a character she wore a long tunic that reached from the neck to the ground secured at the waist with a golden girdle the sleeves were long and loose over this she had a long mantle on her feet were light slippers white and glistening all about her in her room and in her costume spoke of light and splendour and luxury to these others who shrank so from the light she could not be related in any way the respect with which she was treated by the chief the peculiar splendour of her apartments seemed to indicate some high rank was she then the queen of the land was she a princess I could not tell at any rate whatever she was she seemed anxious to show me the utmost attention her manner was full of dignity and sweet graciousness and she appeared particularly anxious like herself understood at first she spoke in a language that sounded like that of the chief and was full of gutturals and broad vowels afterward she spoke in another that was far more euphonious I on the other hand spoke in English and in French but of course I was as unintelligable to her as she was to me language was therefore of no use it was necessary to go back and make use of signs or try to gain the most elementary words of her language so first of all I pointed to her and tried to indicate that I wanted to know her name she caught my meaning at once and pointed to herself she looked fixedly at me and said Alma Alma I repeated these words after her saying Alma Alma Alma she smiled and nodded to me with a look of inquiry that plainly asked for my name I said Adam Moore she repeated this and it sounded like Adam Moore but as she spoke this slowly her smile died away she looked anxious and troubled and once more that expression of wandering sadness came over her face she repeated my name over and over in this way with a mournful intonation and excited for boldings of evil Adam Moore Adam Moore and always after that she called me Adam Moore but now she sat for some time looking at me with a face full of pity and distress at this I was greatly astonished for but a moment before she had been full of smiles and it was as though something in my name had excited sorrowful thoughts it's how could that be since she could never by any possibility have heard my name before the beautiful Alma seemed to be not altogether happy or why should she be so quick to sadness there was a mystery about all this which was quite unaccountable it was a singular situation and one which excited within me feelings of unutterable delight this light and splendour this warmth and peace what a contrast it offered to the sins through which I had but lately passed those scenes of horror of ice and snow of storms and tempest of cold and hunger of riven cliff and furious ocean stream and above all that crowning agony in the bleak iron land of the cannibals from all these I had escaped I had been drawn down under the earth to experience the terrors of that unspeakable passage and had at last emerged the light and life to joy and hope in this grotto I had found the culmination of all happiness it was like a fairy realm and here was one whose very look was enough to inspire the most despairing soul with hope and peace and happiness the only thing that was now left to trouble me was this mournful face of Alma why did she look at me with such sad interest and such melancholy meaning did she know of any evil fate in store for me yet how could there be any evil fate to be feared from people who had received me with such unparalleled generosity no it could not be so we resolved to try to bring back again the smile that had faded out of her face I pointed to her and said Alma she said Atomor and the smile did not come back but the sadness remained in her face my eager desire now was to learn her language and I resolved at once to acquire as many words and phrases as possible I began by asking the names of things such as seat table, mat, coat hat, shoe, lamp floor, wall and all the common objects around she gave all the names and soon became so deeply interested that her sadness departed and the smile came back once more for my own part I was always rather quick at learning languages I had a correct ear and a retentive memory in my wanderings around the world I had picked up a smashing of many languages such as French, Italian, Spanish Arabic, German Hindustani and a few others the words which I learned from Alma had a remote resemblance to Arabic and in fact my knowledge of Arabic was actually of some assistance though how it was that these people should have a language with that resemblance was certainly a mystery and I did not try to solve it the beautiful Alma soon grew immensely interested in my efforts to learn and also in the English words which I gave when I pointed to any object thus I pointed to myself and said man then pointed to her I said woman she laughed and pointing to me said is and pointing to herself said isa then I pointed to the row of lights and said light she did the same and said or then her face grew mournful and she pointed to me saying there was some chance resemblance between or the word meaning light and one of the syllables of my name as she pronounced it and that this might cause her sadness but as I could make out nothing of this I dismissed the thought and went on with my questions this took up the time until at length someone appeared who looked like a servant he said something were upon Alma arose I did so and we went to a neighbouring apartment where there was spread a bounteous repast here we sat and ate and Alma told me the names of all the dishes after dinner we returned to the room it was a singular and delightful position I was left alone with the beautiful Alma who herself showed the utmost graciousness and the kindest interest in me I could not understand it nor did I try to it was enough that I had such a happy lot for hours we thus were together and I learned many words to ensure remembrance I wrote them down in my memorandum book with a pencil and both of these were regarded by Alma with greatest curiosity she felt the paper, inspected it touched it with her tongue and seemed to admire it greatly but the pencil excited still greater admiration I signed to her to write in the book she did so but the characters were quite unlike anything that I had ever seen they were not joined like our writing and like Arabic letters but were separate like our printed type and were formed in an irregular manner she then showed me a book made of a strange substance it was filled with characters like those which she had just written the leaves were not at all like paper but seemed like some vegetable product such as the leaves of a plant or the bark of a tree they were very thin very smooth all cut into regular size and fastened together by means of rings this manuscript is written upon the same material I afterward found that it was universally used here and was made of a reed that grows in marshes here in these vast caverns there is no way by which I could tell the progress of time but Alma had her own way of finding out when the hours of grateful life were over she rose and said Salonla this I afterward found out to be a common salutation of the country I said it after her she then left me shortly afterward a servant appeared who took me to a room which I understood to be mine here I found everything that I could wish either for comfort or luxury and as I felt fatigue I flung myself upon the soft bed of down and soon was sound asleep I slept for a long time when I awoke I heard sounds in the distance and knew that people were moving here in these caverns there was no difference between day and night but by modes of which I was ignorant a regular succession was observed of waking times and sleeping times End of Chapter 8 Chapter 9 of A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder This is a LibriVox Recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Eddie Winter A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 9 The Cavern of the Dead On going forth into the Outer Grotto I saw the table spread with a sumptuous repast and the apartment in a blaze of light Alma was not here and those from servants made signs for me to eat yet I could not until I should see whether she was coming or not I had to wait for a long time however and while I was waiting the chief entered with his hand from the painful light he bowed low with the most profound courtesy saying Salonla to which I responded in the same way he seemed much pleased at this and made a few remarks which I did not understand were upon anxious to lose no time in learning the language I repeated to him all the words I knew and asked after others I pointed to him and asked his name this however I afterward found was not a name but a title the Cavern did not remain long for the light was painful after his departure I was alone for some time and at length Alma made her appearance I sprung to meet her full of joy and took her hand in both of mine and pressed it warmly she smiled and appeared quite free from the melancholy of the previous day we ate her breakfast together after which we went out into the world of light groping our way along through the dark passages amid the busy crowd Alma could see better than I in the darkness but she was far from seeing well and did not move with that easy step and perfect certainty which all the others showed like me she was a child of light and the darkness was distressing to her as we went on we were seen by all who were apparently not considered prisoners on the contrary all looked at us with the deepest respect and bowed low or moved aside and occasionally made little offerings of fruit or flowers to one or the other of us it seemed to me that we were treated with equal distinction and if Alma was their queen I their guest was regarded with equal honour whatever her rank might be however she was to all appearance the most absolute mistress of her own actions and moved about among all these people with the independence and dignity of some person of exalted rank at length we emerged into the open air here the contrast to the cavern glooming side gave to the outer world unusual brightness and splendour so that even under the heavy overarching tree-phones which had seemed so dark when I was here before it now appeared light and cheerful Alma turned to the right and we walked along the terrace but few people were visible they shank from the light and kept themselves in the caverns then after a few steps we came to the base of a tall half pyramid the summit of which was above the tops of the trees I pointed to this as though I wished to go up Alma hesitated for a moment and seemed to shrink back but at length overcoming her reluctance began the ascent a flight of stony steps led up on reaching the top I found it about 30 feet by 15 wide with a high stone table in the middle at that moment however I scarce noticed the pyramid summit and I only describe it now because I was faded before long to see it with different feelings what I then noticed was the vast and wondrous display of all the glories of nature that burst at once upon my view there was that same boundless sea rising up high toward the horizon as I'd seen it before and suggesting an infinite extent there were the blue waters breaking into foam the ships traversed in the deep the far encircling shores green in vegetation the higher rampart of ice bound mountains that shut in the land making it a world by itself there was the sun low on the horizon which it traversed on its long orbit lighting up all these scenes till the six month day should end and the six month night begin for a long time I stood feast in my eyes upon all this splendour and at length turned to see where the armour shared my feelings one look was enough she stood absorbed in the scene as though she were drinking deep drafts of all this matchless beauty I felt amazed at this I saw how different she seemed from the others and could not account for it but as yet I knew too little of the language to question her and could only hope for a future explanation when I had learned more we descended at length and walked about the terrace and up and down the side streets all were the same as I had noticed before terraced streets with caverns on one side massive stone structures on the other I saw deep channels which were used as drains to carry down mountain torrents I did not see all this at first walk but I inspected the whole city in many subsequent walks until its outlines were all familiar I found it about a mile long and about half a mile wide constructed in a series of terraces which rose one above another in a hollow of the mountains round a harbour of the sea on my walks I met with but few people on the streets and they all seemed troubled with light I saw also occasionally some more of these great birds the name of which I had learned from Alma it was Upcook at some time my life went on most delightfully I found myself surrounded with every comfort and luxury Alma was my constant associate and all around regarded us with the profoundest respect the people were the mildest most gentle and most generous that I had ever seen the current seemed to pass most of his time in making new contrivances for my happiness the strange people in their dealings with me and with one another seemed animated by a universal desire to do kindly acts and the only possible objection against them was their singular love of darkness my freedom was absolute no one watched me Alma and I could go where we chose so far as I could perceive we were quite at liberty if we wished to take a boat and escape over the sea it seemed also quite likely that if we had ordered out a galley and a gang of oarsmen we should have been supplied with all that we might want in the most cheerful of manner such a thought however was absurd flight why would I think of flying I had long ago lost all idea of time and here where it was for the present perpetual day I was more at a loss than ever I supposed it was somewhere in the month of March but whether at the beginning or the end I could not tell the people had a regular system of wake time and sleep time for which they altered their lives but whether these respective times were longer or shorter than the days and nights at home I could not tell at that time though I afterward learned all about it on the whole I was perfectly content nay more perfectly happy more so indeed than ever in my life and quite willing to forget home and friends and everything in the society of Alma while in her company there was always one purpose upon which I was most intent and that was to master the language I made rapid progress and while she was absent I sought out others especially the Curran with whom to practice the Curran was always most eager to aid me in every conceivable way or to any conceivable thing and he had such a gentle manner and showed such generous qualities that I soon learned to regard him with positive affection Alma was always absent for several hours after I rose in the morning and when she made her appearance it was with the face and manner of one who had returned from some unpleasant task it always took some time for her to regain that cheerfulness which she usually showed I soon felt a deep curiosity to learn the nature of her employment and office here and as my knowledge of the language increased I began to question her my first attempts were vain she looked at me with indescribable mournfulness and shook her head this however only confirmed to me in my suspicions that her duties whatever they might be were of a painful nature so I urged her to tell me and asked her as well as I could if I might not share them or help her in some way to all this however she only returned sighs and mournful locks for an answer it seemed to me from her manner and from the general behaviour of the people there was no express prohibition on my learning anything doing anything or going anywhere and so after this I besought her to let me accompany her some time but this too she refused my requests were often made and as I learned more and more of the language I was able to make them with more earnestness and effect until at length I succeeded in overcoming her objections it is for your own sake said she that I have refused at a more I do not wish to lessen your happiness but you must know all soon and so if you wish to come with me and see what I have to do why you may come the next John this meant the next day John being the division of time corresponding with our day at his promise I was so full of gratitude that I forgot all about the dark suggestiveness of her words the next John I rose sooner than usual and went forth I found Arama waiting for me she looked troubled and greeted me with a mournful smile you'll find pain in this said she but you wish it and if you still wish it why I will take you with me at this I only persisted them all and so we set forth we went through the cavern passages few people were there all seemed asleep then we went out of doors and came into the full blaze of that day which here knew no night but prolonged itself into months for a while Arama stood looking forth between the trees to where the bright sunlight sparkled to the sea and then with a sigh she turned to the left I followed on coming to the next portal she went in I followed and found myself in a rough cavern dark and dim traversing this we came to an inner doorway closed with a heavy mat this she raised and passed through while I went in after her I found myself in a vast cavern full of dim sparkling lights which serve not to illuminate it but merely to indicate its enormous extent far above rose a vaulted roof to a height of apparently 100 feet under this half pyramid with stone steps all around as far as I could see in the obscure light there were niches in the walls each one containing a figure with a light burning at its feet I took them for statues Arama pointed in silence to one of these which was nearest and I went up close so as to see it the first glance that I took made me recoil in horror it was no statue that I saw in that niche it was a shriveled human form a hideous sight it was dark and dried it was fixed in a sitting posture with its hands resting on its knees and its hollow eyes looking forward on its head was the mockery of a wreath of flowers while from its heart they projected the handle and half of the blade of a knife which had been thrust there what was the meaning of this knife it seemed to tell me of a violent death I know as must surely be a mark of honour a violent death with honour and the embalmed remains these things suggested nothing else than the horrid thought of a human sacrifice I looked away with eager and terrible curiosity I saw all the niches hundreds upon hundreds all filled with these fearful occupants I turned again with a sinking heart to Arama her face was full of anguish this is my duty every job I must come here and crown these victims with fresh flowers a feeling of sickening horror overwhelmed me Arama had spoken these words and stood looking at me with a face of woe this then was the daily task from which she was wont to return in such sadness an important task to her a one to which familiarity had never reconciled her what was she doing here what dark fate was it that thus bound this child of light to these children of darkness and why was she thus compelled to perform a service from which all her nature revolted I read in her face at this moment a horror equal to my own and at the sight of her distress my own was lessened and there arose within me a profound sympathy and a strong desire to do something to alleviate her misery this is no place for you continued Arama go and I will soon join you no said I using her language after my own broken fashion no I will not go I will stay I will help if you all permit she looked me honestly and seemed to see that my resolution was firmly fixed and that I was not to be dissuaded from it very well she said if you do stay and help me it will be a great relief with these simple words she proceeded to carry out her work at the foot of the pyramid there was a heap of wreaths made out of fresh flowers and these were to be placed by her on the heads of the embalmed corpses this work said she is considered here the highest and most honorable that can be performed it is given to me out of kindness and they cannot understand that I can have any other feelings in the performance and those of joy and exhortation here among the dead and in the dark she thought followed and watched her carrying the wreaths and supplying her she went to each niche in succession and after taking the wreath off each corpse she placed a fresh one on saying a brief formula at each act by keeping her supplied with wreaths I was able to lighten her task so much so that whereas it usually occupied her more than two hours on the present occasion it was finished in less than half an hour she informed me that those which she crowned were the corpses of men who had been sacrificed during the present season by season meaning the six months of light and that though many more were here yet they wore crowns of gold at the end of ten years they were removed to public sepulchres the number of those which had been crowned by her was about a hundred her work was only to crown them the labour of collecting the flowers and weaving the wreaths and attending to the lamps being performed by others I left this place with Alma sad and depressed she had not told me why these victims had been sacrificed nor did I feel inclined to ask a dark suspicion had come to me that these people underneath all their amiable ways concealed thoughts, habits and motives of a frightful kind and that beyond all my present brightness and happiness there might be a fate awaiting me too horrible for thought yet I did not wish to borrow trouble what I had seen and heard was quite enough for one occasion I was anxious rather to forget it all nor did Alma's words on manner in any way reassure me she was silent and sad and preoccupied it was as though she knew the worst and knowing it did not speak as though there was something more horrible which she did not reveal for my part I feared it so that I dared not ask it was enough for me just then to know that my mild and self-denying and generous entertainers were addicted to the abhorrent custom of human sacrifices End of Chapter 9 A strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 10 The Sacred Hunt On that very job the cohen informed me that they were about to sit forth on the sacred hunt an event which always occurred toward the end of the season and he kindly invited me to go I, eager to find any relief from the horrible thoughts that had taken possession of me and full of longing for active exertion had once accepted the invitation I was delighted to hear Alma say that she too was going and I learned at the same time that in this strange land the women were as fond of hunting as the men and that on such occasions was expected The sacred hunt was certainly a strange one I saw that it was to take place on the water for a great crowd numbering over a hundred went down to the harbour and embarked on board a galley on which there were a hundred others who served as rowers The hunters were alarmed with long, light javelins and short swords Some of these were offered to me and I opposed that my rifle and pistol were instruments of destruction or anything else than ornaments My refusal to accept their weapons created some surprise but with their usual civility they did not press their offers further It was evident that this hunting expedition was only made in obedience to some hallowed custom For the light of the sun pained their eyes and their actions were made with uncertainty and hesitation With these, a hunt by sunlight is the same as a hunt by night would be with us There was the same confusion and awkwardness The cohen was in command At his word the galley started and the rowers pulled out to sea with long, regular strokes I was anxious to know what the expedition was aimed at and what were the animals expected to get but I could not make out Alma's explanations Her words suggested something of vague terror vast proportions and indescribable ferocity but my ignorance of the language prevented me from learning anything more We went along the coast for a few miles and then came to the mouth of a great river which seemed to flow from among the mountains The current was exceedingly swift and as I looked back it seemed to me that it must be the very stream which had borne me here into this remote world I afterward found out that this was so that this stream emerges from among the mountains flowing from an unknown source It was over this that I had been born in my sleep after I had emerged from the subterranean darkness and it was by this current that I had been carried into the open sea As we crossed the estuary of this river, I saw that the shores on either side were low and covered by the rankest vegetation giant trees of fern vast reeds and grasses all arose here in a dense growth impassable to man Upon the shallow shores the surf was breaking and here in the tide I saw objects which I at first supposed to be rocks afterward found out to be living things They looked like alligators but were far larger than the largest alligators known to us besides being a far more terrific aspect Toward these the galley was directed and I now saw with surprise that these were the objects of the sacred hunt Suddenly as the galley was moving along at half speed there arose out of the water a thing like the foals of a giant hairy serpent which however proved to be the long neck of an incredible monster whose immense body soon afterward appeared above the water With huge fins he propelled himself toward us and his head twenty feet in the air was poised as though about to attack The head was like that of an alligator The open jaws showed a fearful array of sharp teeth the eyes were fiercely glowing and the long neck was covered with a coarse shaggy mane while the top of the body which was out of the water was encased in an impenetrable queras of bone Such a monster as this seemed unassailable especially by men who had no missile weapons and whose eyes were so dim and weak I therefore expected that the galley would turn and fly from the attack for the monster itself seemed as large as our vessel but there was not the slightest thought of flight On the contrary every man was on the alert some sprang to the bow and stood there awaiting the first shock others a midship stood waiting for the orders of the cohen Meanwhile the monster approached and at length with a sweep of his long neck came down upon the dense crowd at the bowels a dozen frail lances were broken against his horny head a half dozen wretches were seized and terribly torn by those remorseless jaws still none fled all rushed forward and with lances, axes knives and ropes they sought to destroy the enemy Numbers of them strove to seize his long neck In the ardor of the fight the rowers dropped their oars and hurried to the scene to take part in the struggle The slaughter was sickening but not a man quailed Never had I dreamed of such blind and desperate courage as was now displayed before my horror-stricken eyes Each sought to outdo the other They had managed to throw ropes around the monster's neck by which he was held close to the galley His fierce movements seemed likely to drag us all down under the water and his long neck, free from restraint writhed and twisted among the struggling crowd of fighting men in the midst of whom was the cohen as desperate and as fearless as any All this had taken place in a very short space of time and I had scarce been able to comprehend the full meaning of it all As for Alma she stood pale and trembling with a face of horror At last it seemed to me that every man of them would be destroyed and that they were all throwing their lives away to no purpose whatever Above all, my heart was rung for the cohen who was there in the midst of his people lifting his frail and puny arm against the monster I could endure inaction no longer I had brought my arms with me and now as the monster raised his head I took aim at his eye and fired The report rang out in thunder Alma gave a shriek and amid the smoke I saw the long snake-like neck of the monster sweeping about madly among the men In the water his vast tail was lashing the surface of the sea and churning it into foam Here I once more took aim lightly under the forefin where there was no scaly covering Once more I fired This time it was with fatal effect and after one or two convulsive movements the monster with a low deep bellow let his head fall and gasped out his life I hurried forward There lay the frightful head with its long neck and shaggy mane while all around was a hideous spectacle The destruction of life had been awful Nineteen were dead and twenty-eight were wounded writhing in every gradation of agony some horribly mangled The rest stood staring at me in astonishment not understanding those peals of thunder that had laid the monster low There was no terror or awe however nothing more than surprise and the cohen whose clothes were torn into shreds and covered with blood looked at me in bewilderment I said to him out of my small stalk of words that the wounded ought it once to be cared for At this he turned away and made some remarks to his men I now stood ready to lend my own services if needed I expected to take part in the tender attentions which were the due of these gallant souls who had exhibited such matchless valor these men who thought nothing of life but flung it away at the command of their chief without dreaming of flight or of hesitation Thus I stood looking on in an expectant attitude when there came a moment in which I was simply petrified with horror for the cohen drew his knife stooped over the wounded men nearest him and then stabbed him to the heart with a mortal wound The others all proceeded to do the same and they did it in the coolest and most business-like manner without any passion without any feeling of any kind and indeed with a certain air of gratification as though they were performing some peculiarly high and sacred duty the mildness and benevolence of their faces seemed actually heightened and the perpetration of this unutterable atrocity seemed to affect these people in the same way in which the performance of acts of humanity might affect us For my own part I stood there for a few moments actually motionless from perplexity and horror then with a shriek I rushed forward as if to prevent it but I was too late The unutterable deed was done and the unfortunate wounded without an exception lay dead beside their slain companions As for myself I was only regarded with fresh wonder and they all stood blinking at me with their half-closed eyes Suddenly the cohen fell prostrate on his knees before me and bowing his head handed me his bloody knife A Tim Orr said he give me also the blessing of darkness and death At these strange words following such actions I could say nothing I was more bewildered than ever and horror and bewilderment made me dumb I turned away and went aft to Alma who had seen it all She looked at me with an anxious gaze as if to learn what the effect of all this had been on me I could speak not a word but with a vague sense of the necessity of self-preservation I loaded my rifle and tried in vain to make out what might be the meaning of this union of gentleness and kindness with atrocious cruelty Meanwhile the men all went to work upon various tasks Some secured lines about the monster so as to tow it a stern Others busied themselves with the corpses collecting them and arranging them in rows At length we returned to the monster a stern I could not speak until I was back again in the lighted rooms and alone with Alma Then I told her as well as I could the horror that I felt It was an honor to those brave men, said she Honor, said I What, to kill them? Yes, said she It is so with these people with them death is the highest blessing People love death and seek after it to die for another is immortal glory To kill the wounded was to show that they had died for others The wounded wished it themselves You saw how they all sought after death These people were too generous and kind-hearted to refuse to kill them after they had received wounds At this my perplexity grew deeper than ever For such an explanation as this only served to make the mystery greater Here, said she No one understands what it is to fear death They all love it and long for it But everyone wishes above all to die for others This is their highest blessing To die a natural death in bed is avoided if possible All this was incomprehensible Tell me Alma, I said You hate darkness as I do Do you not fear death? I fear it above all things, said Alma To me it is the horror of life It is the chief of terrors So it is with me, said I In my country we call death the king of terrors Here, said Alma, they call death the lord of joy Not long after the cohen came in looking as quiet, as gentle and as amiable as ever He showed some curiosity at the end of the day and he said He showed some curiosity about my rifle which he called a sepid ram or rod of thunder Alma also showed curiosity I did not care to explain the process of loading it to the cohen although Alma had seen me load it in the galley and I left him to suppose that it was used in some mysterious way I cautioned him not to handle it carelessly but found that this caution only made him the more eager to handle it since the prospect of an accident found an irresistible attraction I would not let it go out of my hands however and the cohen whose self-denial was always most wonderful to me at once checked his curiosity End of Chapter 10 Chapter 11 of A strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Galen Darnell A strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 11 The Swamp Monster A few jobs after I was informed by the cohen that there was to be another sacred hunt At first I felt inclined to refuse but on learning that Alma was going I resolved to go also for Alma, though generally mistress of her own actions had nevertheless certain duties to perform and among these was the necessity of accompanying hunting parties I did not yet understand her position here nor had I heard from her yet how it was that she was so different from the rest of them that was all to be learned at a future time For the present I had to be satisfied with knowing that she belonged to a different nation who spoke a different language and that all her thoughts and feelings were totally different from those of the people among whom she was living She loved the light she feared death and she had never been able to tell herself to the habits of these people This I could readily understand for to me it seemed as though they lived in opposition to nature itself We went out into the daylight and then I saw a sight which filled me with amazement I saw a flock of birds larger than even the op cucks They were called op mahera They seemed as tall as giraffes and their long legs indicated great powers of running Birds were very short and not adapted for flight They were very tractable and were harnessed for riding in a peculiar way Lines like rains were fastened to the wings and the driver who sat close by the neck guided the bird in this way Each bird carried two men but for Alma and me there was a bird apiece An iron prod was also taken by each driver as a spur I could not get out until afterward how to drive At that time the prospect of so novel a ride was such an exciting one that I forgot everything else The birds seemed quiet and docile I took it for granted that mine was well trained and would go with the others of his own accord We all mounted by means of a stone platform which stood by the pyramid The fastest racehorse at home is slow compared with this It was as swift as an ordinary railway train, if not more so For some minutes the novelty of my situation took away all other thoughts and I held the reins in my hands without knowing how to use them But this mattered not for the well trained bird kept on after the others while Alma on her bird was close behind me The pace, as I said was tremendous yet no easier motion can be imagined The bird bounded along with immense steps with wings outstretched but its feet touched the ground so lightly that the motion seemed almost equal to flying We did not confine ourselves to the roads for the birds were capable of going over any kind of country in a straight line On this occasion we passed over wide fields rocky mountain ridges and deep swamps and sand wastes at the same speed Until at length we reached a vast forest of dense tree ferns where the whole band stopped for a short time after which we took up a new direction moving on more slowly The forest grew up out of a swamp which extended as far as the eye could reach from the sea to the mountains Along the edge of this forest we went for some time until at length there came a rushing crackling sound as if something moving there among the trees crushing down everything in its progress We halted and did not have to wait long For soon, not far away there emerged from the thick forest a figure of incredible size and most hideous aspect It looked like one of those fabled dragons such as may be seen in pictures but without wings It was nearly a hundred feet in length with a stout body and a long tail covered all over with impenetrable scales Its hind legs were rather longer than its forelegs and it moved its huge body with ease and rapidity Its feet were armed with formidable claws but its head was most terrific It was a vast massive bone with enormous eyes that glared like fire Its jaws opened to the width of six or eight feet and were furnished with rows of sharp teeth while at the extremity of its nose there was a tusk several feet long like the horn of a rhinoceros curving backward All this I took in at the first glance and the next instant the whole band of hunters with their usual recklessness flung themselves upon the monster For a short time all was the wildest confusion and intermingling of birds and men with the writhing and roaring beast With his huge claws and his curved horn and his wide jaws he dealt death and destruction all around yet still the assailants kept at their work Many leaped down to the ground and rushed up close to the monster thrusting their lances into the softer and more unprotected parts of his body While others guiding their birds with marvelous dexterity assailed him on all sides The birds too were kept well to their work nor did they exhibit any fear It was not until they were wounded that they sought to fly Still the contest seemed too unequal The sacrifice of life was horrible I saw men and birds literally torn to pieces before my eyes Nevertheless the utter fearlessness of the assailants unfounded me In spite of the slaughter fresh crowds rushed on They clambered over his back and strove to drive their lances under his bony caress In the midst of them I saw the cohen By some means he had reached the animal's back and was crawling along holding by the coarse shaggy mane At length he stopped and with a sudden effort thrust his lance into the monster's eye The vast beast gave a low and terrible howl His immense tail went flying all about In his pain he rolled over and over crushing underneath him in his awful struggles all who were nearest I could no longer be inactive I raised my rifle and as the beast in his writhings exposed his belly I took aim at the soft flesh just inside his left foreleg and fired both barrels At that instant my bird gave a wild shrill scream and a vast bound into the air and then away it went like the wind away I know not where That first bound had nearly jerked me off but I managed to avoid this and now instinctively clung with all my might to the bird's neck still holding my rifle The speed of the bird was twice as great as it had been before As the speed of a runaway horse surpasses that of the same horse when trotting at his ordinary rate and under control I could scarcely make out where I was going Rocks, hills, swamps fields, trees sand and sea all seemed to flash past in one confusing assemblage and the only thought in my mind was that I was being carried to some remote wilderness to be flung there bruised and maimed among the rocks to perish helplessly At every moment I expected to be thrown for the progress of the bird was not only inconceivably swift but it also gave immense leaps into the air and it was only its easy motive lighting on the ground after each leap that saved me from being hurled off As it was however I clung instinctively to the bird's neck until at last I came to a stop so suddenly that my hands slipped and I fell to the ground I was senseless for I know not how long When at last I revived I found myself propped up against a bank and Alma bathing my head with cold water Fortunately I had received no hurt In falling I had struck on my head but it was against the soft turf and though I was stunned yet on regaining my senses no further inconvenience was experienced The presence of Alma was soon explained The report of the rifle had startled her bird also which had bounded away in terror like mine but Alma understood how to guide him and managed to keep him after me so as to be of assistance in case of need She had been close behind all the time and had stopped still and come to my assistance The place was a slope looking out upon an arm of the sea and apparently remote from human abode The scenery was exquisitely beautiful A little distance off we saw the edge of the forest The open country was dotted with clumps of trees On the other side of the arm of the sea was an easy declivity covered with trees of luxuriant foliage and vast dimensions farther away on one side rose the icy summits of impassable mountains On the other side there extended the blue expanse of the boundless sea The spot where I lay was overshadowed by the dense foliage of a tree which was unlike anything that I had ever seen and seemed like some exaggerated grass At our feet a brook ran murmuring to the shore In the air and all around were wild birds The situation in which I found myself seemed inexpressibly sweet and all the more so from the gentle face of Alma Would it not be well I thought to remain here? Why should Alma go back to her repulsive duties? Why should we return to those children of blood who love death and darkness? Here we might pass our days together unmolested The gentle climate would afford us warmth We needed no shelter except the trees and as for food there were the birds of the air in innumerable flocks I propose this to her she smiled sadly You forget said she this season of light will not last much longer In a few more jobs the dark season will begin and then we should perish in a place like this Are there no caverns here? Oh no, this country has no inhabitants It is full of fierce wild birds We should be destroyed before one job But must we go back said I? You have a country Where is it? See here are these birds They are swift They can carry us anywhere Come, let us fly and you can return to your own country Alma shook her head These birds said she cannot go over the sea or through these endless forests My country can only be reached by sea Can we not hurry back seize a boat and go I know how to sail over the water without oars We certainly might leave the country but there is another difficulty The dark season is coming and we should never be able to find our way Besides the sea is full of monsters We should never perish At any rate, let us try I have my sepid ram We could never find our way Only tell me said I Where it lies and I will go by the stars The trouble is, said she that even if we did succeed in reaching my land I should be sent back again for I was sent here as a sacred hostage and I have been here four seasons But in the midst of this conversation a sound arrested our attention heavy puffing snorting sound as of some living thing hastily I started up rifle in hand and looked and as I looked I felt my nerves thrill with horror There close by the shore I saw a vast form a living thing full sixty feet in length It had a body like that of an elephant the head of a crocodile and enormous glaring eyes Its immense body was covered with impenetrable armor and was supported on legs long enough to allow it to run with great speed It differed in many respects from the monster of the swamp the legs being longer the tail shorter and thinner and its head and jaws larger and longer I shrank back thinking of seizing Alma and hiding but I saw that she had already taken her arm and with more presence of mind than I she had turned to the birds who were standing near and had made them lie down As I turned she beckoned to me without a word I hurried to her she told me to mount I did so at once she did the same scarce had we mounted then the monster perceived us and with a terrible bellow came rushing toward us Alma drove her goat deep into her bird which at once rose and went off like the wind and mind started to follow the vast monster came on his roar sounded close behind and I heard the clash of his tremendous jaws but the swift bird with a bound snatched me from his grasp and bore me far away out of his reach away I went like the wind Alma was ahead looking back from time to time and waving her hand joyously so we went on returning on our course at a speed almost as great as that with which we had come by this time the novelty had in part worn away and the easy motion gave me confidence I noticed that we were traveling a wild uninhabited and rocky district by the seaside before me the country spread far away interspersed with groves terminating in forests and bounded in the far distance by mountains the country here was so rough that it seemed as if nothing could pass over it except such creatures as these the opmaheras at length we arrived at the spot which we had left the scene of the hunt we could see it from afar for the opmaheras stood quietly around and the men were busy everywhere as we drew nearer the last body of the monster they had succeeded in killing it yet oh heavens at what a cost one half of all the party lay dead the rest were unharmed and among these was the cohen he greeted me with a melancholy smile that melancholy smile however was not caused by the sad fate of his brave companions but as I afterward learned simply and solely he himself had not gained his death when I saw that there were no wounded a dark suspicion came over me that the wounded had again been put to death I did not care to ask the truth was too terrible to hear and I felt glad that accident had drawn me away it was all a dark and dreadful mystery these people were the most gentle the most self-sacrificing and the most generous in the world yet their strange and unnatural love of death made them capable of endless atrocities life and light seemed to them as actual evils and death and darkness the only things worthy of regard Alma told me that they were going to bring the monster home and had sent for op cooks to drag it along the dead were also to be fetched back there was no further necessity for us to remain and so we returned at once on the way Alma said do not use the sepid ram again you can do no good with it you must not make it common keep it the time may come when you will need it you are not fond of death I shuttered never forget she said that here death is considered the chief blessing it is useless for you to interfere in their ways you cannot change them some more jams passed the bodies were embalmed and Alma had more victims to crown with garlands in the horrible shedter nebulin End of Chapter 11 Chapter 12 of a strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Galen Darnell a strange manuscript found in a copper cylinder by James DeMille Chapter 12 The Baleful Sacrifice I resolved to go on no more sacred hunts I was sickened at the horrible cruelty the needless slaughter the mad self-sacrifice which distinguished them I was overwhelmed with horror merciless destruction of brave comrades whose wounds so gallantly received should have been enough to inspire pity even in a heart of stone the gentleness the incessant kindness the matchless generosity of these people seemed all a mockery what availed it all when the same hand that heaped favors upon me the guest could deal death without compunction upon friends and relatives it seemed quite possible the cohen to kill his own child or cut the throat of his wife if the humor seized him and how long could I hope to be spared among a people who had this insane thirst for blood some more jumps had passed and the light season had almost ended the sun had been sinking lower and lower the time had at last come when only a portion of his disc would be visible for a little while and then he would be seen no more for six months of our time this was the dark season and as I had already learned its advent was always hailed with joy and celebrated with solemn services for the dark season freed them from their long confinement permitted them to go abroad to travel by sea and land to carry on their great works to indulge in all their most important labors and favorite amusements the cohen asked me to be present at the great festival and I gladly consented there seemed to be nothing in this that could be repellent as I was anxious to witness some of their purely religious ceremonies I wished to go when I told Alma she looked sad but said nothing I wondered at this and asked her if she was going she informed me that she would have to go whereupon I assured her that this was an additional reason I went with Alma the cohen attended us with his usual kind and gracious consideration it seemed almost as though he was our servant he took us to a place where we could be seated although all the others were standing Alma wished to refuse but I prevailed upon her to sit down and she did so the scene was upon the semicircular terrace in front of the cavern and we were seated upon a stone platform beside the chief portal a vast crowd was gathered in front before us arose the half pyramid of which I have already spoken the light was faint it came from the disc of the sun which was partly visible over the icy crest of the distant mountains far away the sea was visible rising high over the tops of the trees while overhead the brighter stars were plainly discernible the cohen ascended the pyramid and others followed at the base there was a crowd of men with emaciated forms and faces and coarse squalid attire who looked like the most abject paupers and seemed the lowest in the land as the cohen reached the summit there arose a strange sound a mournful plaintive chant which seemed to be sung chiefly by the paupers at the base of the pyramid the words of this chant I could not make out but the melancholy strain affected me in spite of myself there was no particular tune and nothing like harmony but the effect of so many voices uniting in this strain was very powerful and altogether indescribable in the midst of this I saw the crowd parting asunder so as to make way for something and through the passage thus formed I saw a number of youths in long robes who advanced to the pyramid singing as they went then they ascended the steps two by two still singing and at length reached the summit where they arranged themselves in order there were thirty of them and they arranged themselves in three rows of ten each and as they stood they never ceased to sing while the paupers below joined in the strain and now the sun was almost hidden and there was only the faintest line from the upper edge of his disc perceptible over the icy mountain tops the light was a softened twilight glow it was to be the last sight of the sun for six months and this was the spectacle upon which he threw his parting beam so the sun passed away and then there came the beginning of the long dark season at first however there was rather twilight than darkness and this twilight continued long all this only served to heighten the effect of this striking scene and as the light faded away I looked with increasing curiosity upon the group at the top of the pyramid Alma was silent I half turned and said something to her about the beauty of the view she said nothing but looked at me with such an expression I was filled with amazement I saw in her face something like a dreadful anticipation something that spoke of coming evil the feeling was communicated to me and I turned my eyes back to the group on the pyramid with vague fears in my soul those fears were but too well founded for now the dread ceremony began the cohen drew his knife and placed himself at the head of the stone table one of the youths came forward stepped upon it and lay down on his back with his head toward the cohen the mournful chant still went on then the cohen raised his knife and plunged it into the heart of the youth I sat for a moment rooted to the spot then a groan burst from me in spite of myself Alma caught my hand in hers which were as cold as ice be firm she said or we are both lost be firm atem or I must go said I and I tried to rise don't move she said for your life we are lost if you move keep still, restrain yourself shut your eyes I tried to do so but could not there was a horrible fascination about the scene which forced me to look and see all the cohen took the victim and drawing it from the altar threw it over the precipice to the ground beneath then a loud shout burst forth from the great crowd Sibgu, Sibgun Rene Niu, Hodu Lykosk which means sacrifice the victims rejoice give thanks to darkness then another of the youths went forward amid the singing and laid himself down to meet the same fate and again the corpse was flung from the top of the pyramid and again the shout arose all the others came forward in the same manner oh horrible, horrible thrice, horrible spectacle I do not remember how I injured it I sat there with Alma trying to restrain myself as she had entreated me more for her sake than for my own I prayed to every feeling of horror, anguish and despair how it all ended I do not know nor do I know how I got away from the place for I only remember coming back to my senses in the lighted grotto with Alma bending anxiously over me after this there remained a dark mystery and an ever-present horror I found myself among a people who were at once the gentlest of the human race and the most bloodthirsty the kindest and the most cruel this mild, amiable and self-sacrificing cohen how was it possible that he should transform himself to a fiend incarnate and for me and for Alma what possible hope could there be what fate might they have in reserve for us of what avail was all this profound respect, this incessant desire to please this attention to our slightest wish this comfort and luxury and splendor this freedom of speech and action was it anything better than a mockery might it not be the shallow kindness of the priest to the victim reserved for the sacrifice was it after all in any degree better than the kindness of the cannibal savages on those drear outer shores who received us with such hospitality but only that they might destroy us at last might they not all belong to the same race dwelling as they did in caverns shunning the sunlight kindness with cruelty it was an awful thought yet I had one consolation Alma was with me and so long as she was spared to me I could endure this life I tried for her sake to resist the feelings that were coming over me I saw that she too was prey to ever deepening sadness she felt as I did and this despair of soul might wreck her young life if there were no alleviation and so I sought to alleviate her distress and to banish her sadness the songs of these people had much impressed me and one day as I talked about this with Alma she brought forth a musical instrument of peculiar shape which was not unlike a guitar though the shape was square and there were a dozen strings upon this she played singing at the same time songs of a plaintive character an idea now occurred to me to have an instrument made according to my own plans which should be nothing less than a violin Alma was delighted at the proposal and at once found a very clever workman who under my direction succeeded in producing one which served my purpose well I was a good violinist and in this I was able to find solace for myself and for Alma for many a long hour the first time that I played was memorable as the tones floated through the air they caught the ears of those outside and soon great numbers came into the apartment listening in amazement and in rapt attention even the painful light was disregarded in the pleasure of this most novel sensation and I perceived that if the sense of sight was deficient among them that of hearing was sufficiently acute I played many times and sometimes sang from among nations but those which these people like best were the Irish and Scottish melodies those matchless strains created by the genius of the Celtic race and handed down from immemorial ages through long generations in these there was nothing artificial nothing transient they were the utterance of the human heart and in them there was that touch of nature which makes all men can these were the immortal passions which shall never cease to affect the soul of man and which had power even here the strains of love, of sadness and of pathos were sweet and enticing to this gentle race for in their mild manners and their outburst of cruelty they seemed to be not unlike the very race which had created this music since the Celt is at once gentle and bloodthirsty I played Tara in June the last rose of summer the land of the leal old Langzine LeCaubre they stood entranced listening with all their souls they seemed to hunger and thirst after this music and the strains of the inspired Celtic race seemed to come to them like the revelation of the glory of heaven then I played more lively heirs some I played a second time singing the words I was eager to have the same one played often at last a grisly thought came to me it was that they would learn these sweet strains and put their own words to them so as to use them at the awful sacrifices after that I would play no more it is a land of tender love and remorseless cruelty music is all powerful to awaken the one but powerless to abate the other and the eyes that weep over the pathetic strains of LeCaubre can gaze without a tear upon the death agonies of a slaughtered friend End of Chapter 12