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mind of man can scarce conceive the plethora of carnivorous life in this lost
world; and their prey, of course, is even more abundant.
The second day we marched about ten miles to the foot of the cliffs. Passed
through dense forests close to the base of the cliffs. Saw manlike creatures and a
low order of ape in one band, and some of the men swore that there was a white
man among them. They were inclined to attack us at first; but a volley from our
rifles caused them to change their minds. We scaled the cliffs as far as we could;
but near the top they are absolutely perpendicular without any sufficient cleft or
protuberance to give hand or foot-hold. All were disappointed, for we hungered
for a view of the ocean and the outside world. We even had a hope that we might
see and attract the attention of a passing ship. Our exploration has determined
one thing which will probably be of little value to us and never heard of beyond
Caprona's walls--this crater was once entirely filled with water. Indisputable
evidence of this is on the face of the cliffs.
Our return journey occupied two days and was as filled with adventure as usual.
We are all becoming accustomed to adventure. It is beginning to pall on us. We
suffered no casualties and there was no illness.
I had to smile as I read Bradley's report. In those four days he had doubtless
passed through more adventures than an African big-game hunter experiences in
a lifetime, and yet he covered it all in a few lines. Yes, we are becoming
accustomed to adventure. Not a day passes that one or more of us does not face
death at least once. Ahm taught us a few things that have proved profitable and
saved us much ammunition, which it is useless to expend except for food or in
the last recourse of self-preservation. Now when we are attacked by large flying
reptiles we run beneath spreading trees; when land carnivora threaten us, we
climb into trees, and we have learned not to fire at any of the dinosaurs unless we
can keep out of their reach for at least two minutes after hitting them in the brain
or spine, or five minutes after puncturing their hearts--it takes them so long to
die. To hit them elsewhere is worse than useless, for they do not seem to notice it,
and we had discovered that such shots do not kill or even disable them.
September 7, 1916: Much has happened since I last wrote. Bradley is away
again on another exploration expedition to the cliffs. He expects to be gone
several weeks and to follow along their base in search of a point where they may
be scaled. He took Sinclair, Brady, James, and Tippet with him. Ahm has
disappeared. He has been gone about three days; but the most startling thing I
have on record is that von Schoenvorts and Olson while out hunting the other
day discovered oil about fifteen miles north of us beyond the sandstone cliffs.
Olson says there is a geyser of oil there, and von Schoenvorts is making
preparations to refine it. If he succeeds, we shall have the means for leaving
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