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these strange people and their wonderful city？〃 asked Tarzan。
〃Waziri； our chief； was there；〃 replied Busuli。 〃He was
a very young man then； but he accompanied Chowambi；
who was his father。〃
So that night Tarzan asked Waziri about it； and Waziri； who
was now an old man； said that it was a long march； but that
the way was not difficult to follow。 He remembered it well。
〃For ten days we followed this river which runs beside
our village。 Up toward its source we traveled until on the
tenth day we came to a little spring far up upon the side of a
lofty mountain range。 In this little spring our river is born。
The next day we crossed over the top of the mountain； and
upon the other side we came to a tiny rivulet which we
followed down into a great forest。 For many days we
traveled along the winding banks of the rivulet that had now
become a river； until we came to a greater river； into which
it emptied； and which ran down the center of a mighty valley。
〃Then we followed this large river toward its source； hoping
to come to more open land。 After twenty days of marching
from the time we had crossed the mountains and passed out of
our own country we came again to another range of mountains。
Up their side we followed the great river； that had now
dwindled to a tiny rivulet； until we came to a little cave
near the mountain…top。 In this cave was the mother of the river。
〃I remember that we camped there that night； and that it
was very cold； for the mountains were high。 The next day
we decided to ascend to the top of the mountains； and see
what the country upon the other side looked like； and if
it seemed no better than that which we had so far traversed
we would return to our village and tell them that they had
already found the best place in all the world to live。
〃And so we clambered up the face of the rocky cliffs
until we reached the summit； and there from a flat
mountain…top we saw； not far beneath us； a shallow valley；
very narrow； and upon the far side of it was a great village
of stone； much of which had fallen and crumbled into decay。〃
The balance of Waziri's story was practically the same as
that which Busuli had told。
〃I should like to go there and see this strange city；〃 said
Tarzan； 〃and get some of their yellow metal from its fierce
inhabitants。〃
〃It is a long march；〃 replied Waziri； 〃and I am an old
man； but if you will wait until the rainy season is over and
the rivers have gone down I will take some of my warriors
and go with you。〃
And Tarzan had to be contented with that arrangement；
though he would have liked it well enough to have set off the
next morninghe was as impatient as a child。 Really Tarzan
of the Apes was but a child； or a primeval man； which is
the same thing in a way。
The next day but one a small party of hunters returned to
the village from the south to report a large herd of elephant
some miles away。 By climbing trees they had had a fairly
good view of the herd； which they described as numbering
several large tuskers； a great many cows and calves；
and full…grown bulls whose ivory would be worth having。
The balance of the day and evening was filled with preparation
for a great huntspears were overhauled； quivers were
replenished； bows were restrung； and all the while the
village witch doctor passed through the busy throngs disposing
of various charms and amulets designed to protect the possessor
from hurt； or bring him good fortune in the morrow's hunt。
At dawn the hunters were off。 There were fifty sleek； black
warriors； and in their midst； lithe and active as a young
forest god； strode Tarzan of the Apes； his brown skin
contrasting oddly with the ebony of his companions。 Except for
color he was one of them。 His ornaments and weapons were
the same as theirshe spoke their languagehe laughed
and joked with them； and leaped and shouted in the brief
wild dance that preceded their departure from the village； to
all intent and purpose a savage among savages。 Nor； had he
questioned himself； is it to be doubted that he would have
admitted that he was far more closely allied to these people
and their life than to the Parisian friends whose ways；
apelike； he had successfully mimicked for a few short months。
But he did think of D'Arnot； and a grin of amusement
showed his strong white teeth as he pictured the immaculate
Frenchman's expression could he by some means see Tarzan
as he was that minute。 Poor Paul； who had prided himself on
having eradicated from his friend the last traces of wild savagery。
〃How quickly have I fallen！〃 thought Tarzan； but in his heart
he did not consider it a fallrather； he pitied the poor
creatures of Paris； penned up like prisoners in their silly
clothes； and watched by policemen all their poor lives；
that they might do nothing that was not entirely artificial
and tiresome。
A two hours' march brought them close to the vicinity in
which the elephants had been seen the previous day。
From there on they moved very quietly indeed searching for
the spoor of the great beasts。 At length they found the
well…marked trail along which the herd had passed not many
hours before。 In single file they followed it for about half
an hour。 It was Tarzan who first raised his hand in signal
that the quarry was at handhis sensitive nose had warned
him that the elephants were not far ahead of them。
The blacks were skeptical when he told them how he knew。
〃Come with me；〃 said Tarzan； 〃and we shall see。〃
With the agility of a squirrel he sprang into a tree and ran
nimbly to the top。 One of the blacks followed more slowly
and carefully。 When he had reached a lofty limb beside the
ape…man the latter pointed to the south； and there； some few
hundred yards away； the black saw a number of huge black
backs swaying back and forth above the top of the lofty
jungle grasses。 He pointed the direction to the watchers below；
indicating with his fingers the number of beasts he could count。
Immediately the hunters started toward the elephants。
The black in the tree hastened down； but Tarzan stalked； after
his own fashion； along the leafy way of the middle terrace。
It is no child's play to hunt wild elephants with the crude
weapons of primitive man。 Tarzan knew that few native
tribes ever attempted it； and the fact that his tribe did so
gave him no little pridealready he was commencing to
think of himself as a member of the little community。
As Tarzan moved silently through the trees he saw the
warriors below creeping in a half circle upon the still
unsuspecting elephants。 Finally they were within sight of the
great beasts。 Now they singled out two large tuskers； and at
a signal the fifty men rose from the ground where they had
lain concealed； and hurled their heavy war spears at the two
marked beasts。 There was not a single miss； twenty…five
spears were embedded in the sides