Science took
vast strides. This was especially true of the sciences which we
know as biology and eugenics. Finally a certain female scientist
announced the fact that she had discovered a method whereby eggs
might be fertilized by chemical means after they were laid--all
true reptiles, you know, are hatched from eggs.
"What happened? Immediately the necessity for males ceased to
exist--the race was no longer dependent upon them. More ages elapsed
until at the present time we find a race consisting exclusively
of females. But here is the point. The secret of this chemical
formula is kept by a single race of Mahars. It is in the city of
Phutra, and unless I am greatly in error I judge from your description
of the vaults through which you passed today that it lies hidden
in the cellar of this building.
"For two reasons they hide it away and guard it jealously. First,
because upon it depends the very life of the race of Mahars, and second,
owing to the fact that when it was public property as at first so
many were experimenting with it that the danger of over-population
became very grave.
"David, if we can escape, and at the same time take with us this
great secret what will we not have accomplished for the human race
within Pellucidar!" The very thought of it fairly overpowered me.
Why, we two would be the means of placing the men of the inner world
in their rightful place among created things. Only the Sagoths
would then stand between them and absolute supremacy, and I was
not quite sure but that the Sagoths owed all their power to the
greater intelligence of the Mahars--I could not believe that these
gorilla-like beasts were the mental superiors of the human race of
Pellucidar.
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