按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
it seems to me that I passed many marvels； saw many glorious vistas in
those nameless forests； many spreads of colour； many incidents that； could
I but remember them more distinctly； would supply material for making
my fortune as a descriptive traveller。 But what would you？ I have
forgotten； and am too virtuous to draw on my imagination； as it is
sometimes said other travellers have done when picturesque facts were
125
… Page 126…
GULLIVER OF MARS
deficient。 Yes； I have forgotten all about that day； save that it was sultry
hot； that I took off my coat and waistcoat to be cooler； carrying them； like
the tramp I was； across my arm； and thus dishevelled passed some time in
the afternoon an encampment of forest folk； wherefrom almost all the men
were gone； and the women shy and surly。
In no very social humour myself； I walked round their woodland
village； and on the outskirts； by a brook； just as I was wishing there were
some one to eat my solitary lunch with； chanced upon a fellow busily
engaged in hammering stones into weapons upon a flint anvil。
He was an ugly…looking individual at best； yet I was hard up for
company； so I put my coat down； and； seating myself on a log opposite；
proceeded to open my wallet； and take out the frugal stores the woodman
had given me that morning。
The man was seated upon the ground holding a stone anvil between
his feet； while with his hands he turned and chipped with great skill a
spear…head he was making out of flint。 It was about the only pastime he
had； and his little yellow eyes gleamed with a craftsman's pleasure； his
shaggy round shoulders were bent over the task； the chips flew in quick
particles； and the wood echoed musically as the arti… ficer watched the
thing under his hands take form and fashion。 Presently I spoke； and the
worker looked up； not too pleased at being thus interrupted。 But he was
easy of propitiation； and over a handful of dried raisins communi… cative。
How； I asked； knowing a craftsman's craft is often nearest to his heart；
how was it such things as that he chipped came to be thought of by him
and his？ Whereon the woodman； having spit out the raisin…stones and
wiped his fingers on his fur； said in substance that the first weapon was
fashioned when the earliest ape hurled the first stone in wrath。
〃But； chum；〃 I said； taking up his half…finished spear and touching the
razor…fine edge with admiring caution； 〃from hurling the crude pebble to
fashioning such as this is a long stride。 Who first edged and pointed the
primitive malice？ What man with the soul of a thousand unborn fighters in
him notched and sharpened your natural rock？〃
Whereon the chipper grinned； and answered that； when the woodmen
had found stones that would crack skulls； it came upon them presently that
126
… Page 127…
GULLIVER OF MARS
they would crack nuts as well。 And cracking nuts between two stones
one day a flint shattered； and there on the grass was the golden secret of
the edgethe thing that has made man what he is。
〃Yet again； good fellow；〃 I queried； 〃even this happy chance only
gives us a weapon； sharp； no doubt； and cal… culated to do a hundred
services for any ten the original pebble could have done； but still
unhandled； small in force； imperfectnow tell me； which of your amiable
ancestors first put a handle to the fashioned flint； and how he thought of
it？〃
The workman had done his flake by now； and wrapping it in a bit of
skin； put it carefully in his belt before turning to answer my question。
〃Who made the first handle for the first flint； you of the many
questions？ She didshe； the Mother；〃 he suddenly cried； patting the earth
with his brown hand； and working himself up as he spoke； 〃made it in her
heart for us her first…born。 See； here is such as the first handled weapon
that ever came out of darkness；〃 and he snatched from the ground； where it
had lain hidden under his fox…skin cloak； a heavy club。 I saw in an
instant how it was。 The club had been a sapling； and the sapling's roots
had grown about and circled with a splendid grip a lump of native flint。 A
woodman had pulled the sapling； found the flint； and fashioned the two in
a moment of happy inspiration； the one to an axe…head and the other to a
handle； as they lay Nature…welded！
〃This； I say； is the firstthe first！〃 screamed the old fellow as though I
were contradicting him； thumping the ground with his weapon； and
working himself up to a fury as its black magic entered his being。 〃This
is the first： with this I slew Hetter and Gur； and those who plundered my
hiding… places in the woods； with this I have killed a score of others；
bursting their heads； and cracking their bones like dry sticks。 With this
with this〃 but here his rage rendered him in… articulate； he stammered
and stuttered for a minute； and then as the killing fury settled on him his
yellow teeth shut with a sudden snap； while through them his breath
rattled like wind through dead pine branches in December； the sinews sat
up on his hands as his fingers tightened upon the axe…heft like the roots of
the same pines from the ground when winter rain has washed the soil from
127
… Page 128…
GULLIVER OF MARS
beneath them； his small eyes gleamed like baleful planets； every hair upon
his shaggy back grew stiff and erectanother minute and my span were
ended。
With a leap from where I sat I flew at that hairy beast； and sinking my
fists deep in his throttle； shook him till his eyes blazed with delirious fires。
We waltzed across the short green… sward； and in and about the tree…trunks；
shaking； pulling； and hitting as we went； till at last I felt the man's vigour
dy… ing within him； a little more shaking； a sudden twist； and he was lying
on the ground before me； senseless and civil！ That is the worst of some
orators； I thought to myself； as I gloomily gathered up the scattered
fragments of my lunch； they never know when they have said enough； and
are too apt to be carried away by their own arguments。
That inhospitable village was left behind in full belief the mountain
looming in the south could be reached before nightfall； while the road to
its left would serve as a sure guide to food and shelter for the evening。
But； as it turned out； the morning's haze developed a strong mist ere the
afternoon was half gone； through which it was impossible to see more than
twenty yards。 My hill loomed gigantic for a time with a tantalising
appearance of being only a mile or two ahead； then wavered； became
visionary； and finally disap… peared as completely as though the forest mist
had drunk it up bodily。
There was still the road to guide me； a fairly well… beaten track twining
through the glades； but even the best of highways are difficult in fog； and
this one was compli… cated by various side paths； made probably by
hunters or bark…cutters； and without compass or guide marks it was
necessary to advance with extreme caution； or get helplessly mazed。
An hour's steady tramping brought me nowhere in particu… lar； and
stopping for a minute to consider； I picked a few wild fruit； such as my
wood…cutter friend had eaten； from an overhanging bush； and in so doing
slipped； the soil having now become damp； and in falling broke a branch
off。 The incident was only important from what follows。 Picking
myself up； perhaps a little shaken by the jolt； I set off again upon what
seemed the plain road； and being by this time displeased by my
surroundings； determined to make a push for 〃civilization〃 before the
128
… Page 129…