Quest of The Dawn Man by J. H. Rosny

Author:J. H. Rosny
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

THE MEN-OF-THE-FIRE

For several weeks Aoun, Zouhr and their allies wandered in the forest. They lived a life of abundance and ease. The Lemurians were clever at discovering springs of fresh water, detected the presence of wild beasts a great way off, and knew how to dig up edible roots and extract the pith of the sago palm. Round the fire in the evening a sense of complete security reigned. The little horde defied attack; Aoun and Zouhr had cut axes and clubs for their companions, which after a time they wielded skillfully. They all seemed ready to defy the carnivores, under the able leadership of the Oulhamr. They were of a gregarious nature like the entellus monkeys, and became formidable when inspired with confidence. Little by little Aoun gained complete ascendency over them. They had a naïve love and admiration for his colossal chest and irrestible arms; his thunderous voice moved them to laughter; in the evening, when the coppery gleam of the fire danced on the grass and under the arches of the trees, they crowded round the Oulhamr shouting for joy. Everything that terrified them about the Men-of-the-Fire was changed to a sense of security. . . . Zouhr’s presence was almost equally agreeable to them. They realized his ingenious cunning and knew that the giant listened to his counsels; he understood their signs and confused speech. There was, however, a kind of equality between Zouhr and them; they liked him in almost the same manner that they liked one another, while their predilection for Aoun was more in the nature of worship for a superior being. . . .

As they advanced further towards the south, the Lemurians displayed hesitation, which almost took on the appearance of fear. Wao explained that they were nearly at the end of the forest. The plateau sloped down hill; the heat became greater; palm trees, lianas, banyans and bamboos began to be more numerous again.

One afternoon they were stopped by a declivity which was almost perpendicular. A torrent ran through a narrow valley. On the other side the bank sloped upward without attaining so great a height as that on which the wanderers stood. They could distinguish a large savannah interspersed with groups of trees.

The Lemurians, who had remained crouched among the bushes, looked at the savannah with shifting eyes. Zouhr having interrogated Wao, said to the son of Urus, It is the land of the Men-of-the-Fire!”

Aoun gazed at it with fierce curiosity.

Zouhr added, “When they come into the forest, they kill the hairy men and eat them, as if they were spotted deer or antelopes.”

Then anger rose in the Oulhamr's breast, for he remembered the Kzamms, who were men-devourers, from whom Naoh had reconquered the secret of fire.

The place was well suited for their encampment There was a long cave in the rock, easy to defend against wild beasts or men, and a clear space in front of it where a fire could be lit which the thick brushwood would render invisible from the other bank.

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