"My God, Perry, where are we?" I exclaimed. "This thing is beginning
to get on my nerves."
"I think that I may state quite positively, David," he commenced,
"that we are--" but he got no further. From behind us in the vicinity
of the prospector there came the most thunderous, awe-inspiring
roar that ever had fallen upon my ears. With one accord we turned
to discover the author of that fearsome noise.
Had I still retained the suspicion that we were on earth the sight
that met my eyes would quite entirely have banished it. Emerging
from the forest was a colossal beast which closely resembled a
bear. It was fully as large as the largest elephant and with great
forepaws armed with huge claws. Its nose, or snout, depended nearly
a foot below its lower jaw, much after the manner of a rudimentary
trunk. The giant body was covered by a coat of thick, shaggy hair.
Roaring horribly it came toward us at a ponderous, shuffling trot.
I turned to Perry to suggest that it might be wise to seek other
surroundings--the idea had evidently occurred to Perry previously,
for he was already a hundred paces away, and with each second his
prodigious bounds increased the distance. I had never guessed what
latent speed possibilities the old gentleman possessed.
I saw that he was headed toward a little point of the forest which
ran out toward the sea not far from where we had been standing,
and as the mighty creature, the sight of which had galvanized him
into such remarkable action, was forging steadily toward me.
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