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Tarzan was yet too far away to note the marks of ruinto
him it appeared a wonderful city of magnificent beauty；
and in imagination he peopled its broad avenues and its huge
temples with a throng of happy； active people。
For an hour the little expedition rested upon the mountain…
top； and then Tarzan led them down into the valley below。
There was no trail； but the way was less arduous than the
ascent of the opposite face of the mountain had been。
Once in the valley their progress was rapid； so that it
was still light when they halted before the towering walls
of the ancient city。
The outer wall was fifty feet in height where it had not
fallen into ruin； but nowhere as far as they could see had
more than ten or twenty feet of the upper courses fallen away。
It was still a formidable defense。 On several occasions
Tarzan had thought that he discerned things moving behind
the ruined portions of the wall near to them； as though
creatures were watching them from behind the bulwarks of
the ancient pile。 And often he felt the sensation of unseen
eyes upon him； but not once could he be sure that it was more
than imagination。
That night they camped outside the city。 Once； at midnight；
they were awakened by a shrill scream from beyond the great wall。
It was very high at first； descending gradually until it
ended in a series of dismal moans。 It had a strange effect
upon the blacks； almost paralyzing them with terror while
it lasted； and it was an hour before the camp settled
down to sleep once more。 In the morning the effects of it
were still visible in the fearful； sidelong glances that the
Waziri continually cast at the massive and forbidding structure
which loomed above them。
It required considerable encouragement and urging on
Tarzan's part to prevent the blacks from abandoning the
venture on the spot and hastening back across the valley
toward the cliffs they had scaled the day before。 But at length；
by dint of commands； and threats that he would enter the
city alone； they agreed to accompany him。
For fifteen minutes they marched along the face of the
wall before they discovered a means of ingress。 Then they
came to a narrow cleft about twenty inches wide。 Within； a
flight of concrete steps； worn hollow by centuries of use；
rose before them； to disappear at a sharp turning of the
passage a few yards ahead。
Into this narrow alley Tarzan made his way； turning his
giant shoulders sideways that they might enter at all。
Behind him trailed his black warriors。 At the turn in the
cleft the stairs ended； and the path was level； but it wound
and twisted in a serpentine fashion； until suddenly at a sharp
angle it debouched upon a narrow court； across which
loomed an inner wall equally as high as the outer。 This inner
wall was set with little round towers alternating along its
entire summit with pointed monoliths。 In places these had
fallen； and the wall was ruined； but it was in a much better
state of preservation than the outer wall。
Another narrow passage led through this wall； and at its
end Tarzan and his warriors found themselves in a broad avenue；
on the opposite side of which crumbling edifices of hewn granite
loomed dark and forbidding。 Upon the crumbling debris along the
face of the buildings trees had grown； and vines wound in and
out of the hollow； staring windows； but the building directly
opposite them seemed less overgrown than the others； and in
a much better state of preservation。 It was a massive pile；
surmounted by an enormous dome。 At either side of its great
entrance stood rows of tall pillars； each capped by a huge；
grotesque bird carved from the solid rock of the monoliths。
As the ape…man and his companions stood gazing in varying
degrees of wonderment at this ancient city in the midst
of savage Africa； several of them became aware of
movement within the structure at which they were looking。
Dim； shadowy shapes appeared to be moving about in the
semi…darkness of the interior。 There was nothing tangible
that the eye could grasponly an uncanny suggestion of life
where it seemed that there should be no life； for living
things seemed out of place in this weird； dead city of the
long…dead past。
Tarzan recalled something that he had read in the library at
Paris of a lost race of white men that native legend described
as living in the heart of Africa。 He wondered if he were not
looking upon the ruins of the civilization that this strange
people had wrought amid the savage surroundings of their
strange and savage home。 Could it be possible that even now
a remnant of that lost race inhabited the ruined grandeur that
had once been their progenitor？ Again he became conscious
of a stealthy movement within the great temple before him。
〃Come！〃 he said； to his Waziri。 〃Let us have a look at what
lies behind those ruined walls。〃
His men were loath to follow him； but when they saw that
he was bravely entering the frowning portal they trailed a few
paces behind in a huddled group that seemed the personification
of nervous terror。 A single shriek such as they had
heard the night before would have been sufficient to have
sent them all racing madly for the narrow cleft that led
through the great walls to the outer world。
As Tarzan entered the building he was distinctly aware of
many eyes upon him。 There was a rustling in the shadows
of a near…by corridor； and he could have sworn that he
saw a human hand withdrawn from an embrasure that
opened above him into the domelike rotunda in which he
found himself。
The floor of the chamber was of concrete； the walls of
smooth granite； upon which strange figures of men and beasts
were carved。 In places tablets of yellow metal had been set
in the solid masonry of the walls。
When he approached closer to one of these tablets he saw
that it was of gold； and bore many hieroglyphics。 Beyond this
first chamber there were others； and back of them the building
branched out into enormous wings。 Tarzan passed through
several of these chambers； finding many evidences of the
fabulous wealth of the original builders。 In one room were
seven pillars of solid gold； and in another the floor itself
was of the precious metal。 And all the while that he explored；
his blacks huddled close together at his back； and
strange shapes hovered upon either hand and before them
and behind； yet never close enough that any might say that
they were not alone。
The strain； however； was telling upon the nerves of the Waziri。
They begged Tarzan to return to the sunlight。 They said that
no good could come of such an expedition； for the ruins were
haunted by the spirits of the dead who had once inhabited them。
〃They are watching us； O king；〃 whispered Busuli。 〃They are
waiting until they have led us into the innermost recesses of
their stronghold； and then they will fall upon us and tear
us to pieces wit