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〃Come！〃 said the ape…man； and started back in the direction
from which they could hear the snarling and growling
of the feasting pack。 Mugambi drew back。
〃They will kill us；〃 he said。
〃I think not；〃 replied Tarzan。 〃They are mine。〃
Still the black hesitated； fearful of the consequences of
approaching the terrible creatures that were dining upon the
bodies of his warriors； but Tarzan forced him to accompany him；
and presently the two emerged from the jungle in full view
of the grisly spectacle upon the beach。 At sight of the
men the beasts looked up with menacing growls； but Tarzan
strode in among them； dragging the trembling Wagambi with him。
As he had taught the apes to accept Sheeta； so he taught
them to adopt Mugambi as well； and much more easily； but
Sheeta seemed quite unable to understand that though he had
been called upon to devour Mugambi's warriors he was not
to be allowed to proceed after the same fashion with Mugambi。
However； being well filled； he contented himself with
walking round the terror…stricken savage； emitting low；
menacing growls the while he kept his flaming； baleful
eyes riveted upon the black。
Mugambi； on his part； clung closely to Tarzan； so that the
ape…man could scarce control his laughter at the pitiable
condition to which the chief's fear had reduced him； but at length
the white took the great cat by the scruff of the neck and；
dragging it quite close to the Wagambi； slapped it sharply
upon the nose each time that it growled at the stranger。
At the sight of the thinga man mauling with his bare
hands one of the most relentless and fierce of the jungle
carnivoraMugambi's eyes bulged from their sockets； and
from entertaining a sullen respect for the giant white man
who had made him prisoner； the black felt an almost
worshipping awe of Tarzan。
The education of Sheeta progressed so well that in a short
time Mugambi ceased to be the object of his hungry attention；
and the black felt a degree more of safety in his society。
To say that Mugambi was entirely happy or at ease in his
new environment would not be to adhere strictly to the truth。
His eyes were constantly rolling apprehensively from side to
side as now one and now another of the fierce pack chanced
to wander near him； so that for the most of the time it was
principally the whites that showed。
Together Tarzan and Mugambi； with Sheeta and Akut； lay
in wait at the ford for a deer； and when at a word from the
ape…man the four of them leaped out upon the affrighted animal
the black was sure that the poor creature died of fright
before ever one of the great beasts touched it。
Mugambi built a fire and cooked his portion of the kill；
but Tarzan； Sheeta； and Akut tore theirs； raw； with their
sharp teeth； growling among themselves when one ventured
to encroach upon the share of another。
It was not； after all； strange that the white man's ways
should have been so much more nearly related to those of
the beasts than were the savage blacks。 We are； all of us；
creatures of habit； and when the seeming necessity for
schooling ourselves in new ways ceases to exist； we fall
naturally and easily into the manners and customs which long
usage has implanted ineradicably within us。
Mugambi from childhood had eaten no meat until it had
been cooked； while Tarzan； on the other hand； had never
tasted cooked food of any sort until he had grown almost to
manhood； and only within the past three or four years had
he eaten cooked meat。 Not only did the habit of a lifetime
prompt him to eat it raw； but the craving of his palate as well；
for to him cooked flesh was spoiled flesh when compared
with the rich and juicy meat of a fresh； hot kill。
That he could； with relish； eat raw meat that had been
buried by himself weeks before； and enjoy small rodents and
disgusting grubs； seems to us who have been always 〃civilized〃
a revolting fact； but had we learned in childhood to
eat these things； and had we seen all those about us eat them；
they would seem no more sickening to us now than do many
of our greatest dainties； at which a savage African cannibal
would look with repugnance and turn up his nose。
For instance； there is a tribe in the vicinity of Lake Rudolph
that will eat no sheep or cattle； though its next neighbors
do so。 Near by is another tribe that eats donkey…meata
custom most revolting to the surrounding tribes that do not
eat donkey。 So who may say that it is nice to eat snails and
frogs' legs and oysters； but disgusting to feed upon grubs
and beetles； or that a raw oyster； hoof； horns； and tail； is less
revolting than the sweet； clean meat of a fresh…killed buck？
The next few days Tarzan devoted to the weaving of a barkcloth
sail with which to equip the canoe； for he despaired of being able
to teach the apes to wield the paddles； though he did manage to get
several of them to embark in the frail craft which he and Mugambi
paddled about inside the reef where the water was quite smooth。
During these trips he had placed paddles in their hands；
when they attempted to imitate the movements of him and
Mugambi； but so difficult is it for them long to concentrate
upon a thing that he soon saw that it would require weeks of
patient training before they would be able to make any
effective use of these new implements； if； in fact；
they should ever do so。
There was one exception； however； and he was Akut。 Almost from
the first he showed an interest in this new sport that
revealed a much higher plane of intelligence than that
attained by any of his tribe。 He seemed to grasp the purpose
of the paddles； and when Tarzan saw that this was so he took
much pains to explain in the meagre language of the anthropoid
how they might be used to the best advantage。
From Mugambi Tarzan learned that the mainland lay but
a short distance from the island。 It seemed that the Wagambi
warriors had ventured too far out in their frail craft；
and when caught by a heavy tide and a high wind from offshore
they had been driven out of sight of land。 After paddling
for a whole night； thinking that they were headed for home；
they had seen this land at sunrise； and； still taking it for
the mainland； had hailed it with joy； nor had Mugambi been
aware that it was an island until Tarzan had told him that
this was the fact。
The Wagambi chief was quite dubious as to the sail； for
he had never seen such a contrivance used。 His country lay
far up the broad Ugambi River； and this was the first occasion
that any of his people had found their way to the ocean。
Tarzan； however； was confident that with a good west wind he
could navigate the little craft to the mainland。 At any rate；
he decided； it would be preferable to perish on the way than to
remain indefinitely upon this evidently uncharted island to
which no ships might ever be expected to come。
And so it was that wh