A Journey in Other Worlds [54]
for turtle soup," said Bearwarden, "we
must attach a lightning--rod, and wait for a thunderstorm to
electrocute him."
CHAPTER VIII.
SPORTSMEN'S REVERIES.
Feeling grateful to the huge tortoise for the good service he had
rendered, they shot a number of the great snakes that were
gliding about on the ground, and placed them where he would find
them on awaiting. They then picked their way carefully towards
stretches on which the grass was shortest. When they had gone
about two miles, and had already reached higher ground, they came
to a ridge of rock running at right angles to their course. This
they climbed, and on looking over the edge of the crest beheld a
sight that made their hearts stand still. A monster, somewhat
resembling an alligator, except that the back was arched, was
waddling about perhaps seventy- five yards from them. It was
sixty feet long, and to the top of its scales was at least
twenty-five feet high. It was constantly moving, and the
travellers noticed with some dismay that its motion was far more
rapid than they would have supposed it could be.
"It is also a dinosaur," said the professor, watching it sharply,
"and very closely resembles the Stegosaurus ungulatus restored in
the museums. The question is, What shall we do with the living
specimen, now that we have it?"
"Our chairman," said Ayrault, "must find a way to kill it, so
that we may examine it closely."
"The trouble is," said Bearwarden, "our bullets will explode
before they penetrate the scales. In the absence of any way of
making a passage for an explosive ball by means of a solid one,
we must strike a vital spot. His scales being no harder than the
trunk of a tree, we can wound him terribly by touching him
anywhere; but there is no object in doing this unless we can kill
him, especially as there is no deep stream, such as would have
delayed the mastodon in reaching us, to protect us here. We must
spread out so as to divert his attention from one to another."
After some consultation it was decided that Cortlandt, who had
only a shot-gun, should remain where they were, while Bearwarden
and Ayrault moved some distance to the right and left. At a
signal from Cortlandt, who was to attract the monster's
attention, the wings were to advance simultaneously. These
arrangements they carried out to the letter. When Bearwarden and
Ayrault had gone about twenty-five yards on either side, the
doctor imitated the peculiar grunting sound of an alligator, at
which the colossal monster turned and faced him, while Bearwarden
and Ayrault moved to the attack. The plan of this was good, for,
with his attention fixed on three objects, the dinosaur seemed
confused, and though Bearwarden and Ayrault had good angles from
which to shoot, there was no possibility of their hitting each
other. They therefore advanced steadily with their rifles half
up. Though their own danger increased with each step, in the
event of their missing, the chance of their shooting wild
decreased, the idea being to reach the brain through the eye.
Cortlandt's part had also its risks, for, being entirely
defenceless with his shot-gun against the large creature, whose
attention it was his duty to attract, he staked all on the
marksmanship of his friends. Not considering this, however, he
stood his ground, having the thumb-piece on his Winchester
magazine shoved up and ready to make a noisy diversion if
necessary in behalf of either wing. Having aroused the monster's
curiosity, Cortlandt sprang up, waving his arms and his gun. The
dinosaur lowered his head as if to charge, thereby bringing it to
a level with the rifles, either of which could have given it the
fatal shot. But as their fingers pressed the triggers the
reptile soared up thirty feet in the air. Ayrault pulled for his
first sight, shooting through the lower jaw, and shivering that
member, while Bearwarden changed his aim and sighted straight for
the heart. In an instant
must attach a lightning--rod, and wait for a thunderstorm to
electrocute him."
CHAPTER VIII.
SPORTSMEN'S REVERIES.
Feeling grateful to the huge tortoise for the good service he had
rendered, they shot a number of the great snakes that were
gliding about on the ground, and placed them where he would find
them on awaiting. They then picked their way carefully towards
stretches on which the grass was shortest. When they had gone
about two miles, and had already reached higher ground, they came
to a ridge of rock running at right angles to their course. This
they climbed, and on looking over the edge of the crest beheld a
sight that made their hearts stand still. A monster, somewhat
resembling an alligator, except that the back was arched, was
waddling about perhaps seventy- five yards from them. It was
sixty feet long, and to the top of its scales was at least
twenty-five feet high. It was constantly moving, and the
travellers noticed with some dismay that its motion was far more
rapid than they would have supposed it could be.
"It is also a dinosaur," said the professor, watching it sharply,
"and very closely resembles the Stegosaurus ungulatus restored in
the museums. The question is, What shall we do with the living
specimen, now that we have it?"
"Our chairman," said Ayrault, "must find a way to kill it, so
that we may examine it closely."
"The trouble is," said Bearwarden, "our bullets will explode
before they penetrate the scales. In the absence of any way of
making a passage for an explosive ball by means of a solid one,
we must strike a vital spot. His scales being no harder than the
trunk of a tree, we can wound him terribly by touching him
anywhere; but there is no object in doing this unless we can kill
him, especially as there is no deep stream, such as would have
delayed the mastodon in reaching us, to protect us here. We must
spread out so as to divert his attention from one to another."
After some consultation it was decided that Cortlandt, who had
only a shot-gun, should remain where they were, while Bearwarden
and Ayrault moved some distance to the right and left. At a
signal from Cortlandt, who was to attract the monster's
attention, the wings were to advance simultaneously. These
arrangements they carried out to the letter. When Bearwarden and
Ayrault had gone about twenty-five yards on either side, the
doctor imitated the peculiar grunting sound of an alligator, at
which the colossal monster turned and faced him, while Bearwarden
and Ayrault moved to the attack. The plan of this was good, for,
with his attention fixed on three objects, the dinosaur seemed
confused, and though Bearwarden and Ayrault had good angles from
which to shoot, there was no possibility of their hitting each
other. They therefore advanced steadily with their rifles half
up. Though their own danger increased with each step, in the
event of their missing, the chance of their shooting wild
decreased, the idea being to reach the brain through the eye.
Cortlandt's part had also its risks, for, being entirely
defenceless with his shot-gun against the large creature, whose
attention it was his duty to attract, he staked all on the
marksmanship of his friends. Not considering this, however, he
stood his ground, having the thumb-piece on his Winchester
magazine shoved up and ready to make a noisy diversion if
necessary in behalf of either wing. Having aroused the monster's
curiosity, Cortlandt sprang up, waving his arms and his gun. The
dinosaur lowered his head as if to charge, thereby bringing it to
a level with the rifles, either of which could have given it the
fatal shot. But as their fingers pressed the triggers the
reptile soared up thirty feet in the air. Ayrault pulled for his
first sight, shooting through the lower jaw, and shivering that
member, while Bearwarden changed his aim and sighted straight for
the heart. In an instant