If we fell
we were prodded with a sharp point. Our companions in chains did
not stumble. They strode along proudly erect. Occasionally they
would exchange words with one another in a monosyllabic language.
They were a noble-appearing race with well-formed heads and perfect
physiques. The men were heavily bearded, tall and muscular; the
women, smaller and more gracefully molded, with great masses of
raven hair caught into loose knots upon their heads. The features
of both sexes were well proportioned--there was not a face among
them that would have been called even plain if judged by earthly
standards. They wore no ornaments; but this I later learned was
due to the fact that their captors had stripped them of everything
of value. As garmenture the women possessed a single robe of
some light-colored, spotted hide, rather similar in appearance to
a leopard's skin. This they wore either supported entirely about
the waist by a leathern thong, so that it hung partially below the
knee on one side, or possibly looped gracefully across one shoulder.
Their feet were shod with skin sandals. The men wore loin cloths of
the hide of some shaggy beast, long ends of which depended before
and behind nearly to the ground. In some instances these ends were
finished with the strong talons of the beast from which the hides
had been taken.
Our guards, whom I already have described as gorilla-like men,
were rather lighter in build than a gorilla, but even so they were
indeed mighty creatures.
Pages:
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56