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"
The third night I took refuge in a large cave in the cliffs at the edge of my own
country; upon the following day I would cross over into the Kro-lu country, where
I felt that I should be reasonably safe from the Wieroo, though menaced by
countless other dangers. However, to a cos-ata-lo any fate is preferable to that of
falling into the clutches of the frightful Wieroo, from whose land none returns.
"I had been sleeping peacefully for several hours when I was awakened by a slight
noise within the cavern. The moon was shining brightly, illumining the entrance,
against which I saw silhouetted the dread figure of a Wieroo. There was no
escape. The cave was shallow, the entrance narrow. I lay very still, hoping
against hope, that the creature had but paused here to rest and might soon
depart without discovering me; yet all the while I knew that he came seeking me.
"I waited, scarce breathing, watching the thing creep stealthily toward me, its
great eyes luminous in the darkness of the cave's interior, and at last I knew that
those eyes were directed upon me, for the Wieroo can see in the darkness better
than even the lion or the tiger. But a few feet separated us when I sprang to my
feet and dashed madly toward my menacer in a vain effort to dodge past him and
reach the outside world. It was madness of course, for even had I succeeded
temporarily, the Wieroo would have but followed and swooped down upon me
from above. As it was, he reached forth and seized me, and though I struggled, he
overpowered me. In the duel his long, white robe was nearly torn from him, and
he became very angry, so that he trembled and beat his wings together in his
rage.
"He asked me my name; but I would not answer him, and that angered him still
more. At last he dragged me to the entrance of the cave, lifted me in his arms,
spread his great wings and leaping into the air, flapped dismally through the
night. I saw the moonlit landscape sliding away beneath me, and then we were
out above the sea and on our way to Oo-oh, the country of the Wieroo.
"
The dim outlines of Oo-oh were unfolding below us when there came from above
a loud whirring of giant wings. The Wieroo and I glanced up simultaneously, to
see a pair of huge jo-oos" (flying reptiles--pterodactyls) "swooping down upon us.
The Wieroo wheeled and dropped almost to sea-level, and then raced southward
in an effort to outdistance our pursuers. The great creatures, notwithstanding
their enormous weight, are swift on their wings; but the Wieroo are swifter. Even
with my added weight, the creature that bore me maintained his lead, though he
could not increase it. Faster than the fastest wind we raced through the night,
southward along the coast. Sometimes we rose to great heights, where the air
was chill and the world below but a blur of dim outlines; but always the jo-oos
stuck behind us.
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