Quest of The Dawn Man

by J. H. Rosny

  All the Lemurians had followed Aoun. They watched their enemies’ movements with feverish anxiety, gazing between the interstices of the brushwood. At intervals a shudder of fear crept over them. The oldest among them remembered wild flights, and saw again in imagination their companions being killed by spear-thrusts or blows from a hatchet.

  As they looked, Aoun was able to take in the scene better.

  The Men-of-the-Fire were preparing portions of game and roasting them at the flames. There were seven of them, all males. No doubt they formed one of those hunting expeditions which were frequent among the Oulhamrs, the Red Dwarfs, the Kzamms and in old days among the Wahs. One of them was warming the point of a spear at the fire so as to harden it. It did not seem as if they were aware of the presence of another fire. Their encampment was situated lower down than that of Aoun and Zouhr. The brushwood formed an almost impenetrable curtain. Soon, however, Aoun guessed that they had noticed something. Now and then one or the other would turn towards the rock plateau and look hard at it.

  "They see the light of our fire,” said Zouhr.

  Their calm surprised him. Perhaps they thought that the encampment was occupied by men of their horde. He interrogated Wao. She pointed to the river, then to the descent on their side and the ascent on the other, and made him understand that there was no way of getting across, unless by going round a long way. The current was so strong that no man or beast could swim across the river. It would be necessary to walk till day-break to reach the enemy's camp. Security for both sides was complete for the moment.

  Aoun observed these beings for a long time. They were nearer to his race than the Lemurians, and yet they more resembled the Kzamms than the Oulhamrs. Despite the distance he could see their short legs, and note that their bodies were thicker than they were broad, but he could not make out their heads, which were narrower than those of the Men-Devourers, their heavy jaws, and their enormous arched eye-brows.

  "The Men-of-the-Fire will not attack us tonight!" affirmed Aoun, "Will they dare to attack us to-morrow?"

  His bellicose heart did not shrink from battle; he was confident of victory. Though the Lemurians might be weaker than their enemies, they outnumbered them, and the Oulhamr counted on his own strength and Zouhr’s cunning.

  He asked, "Have the Men-of-the-Fire, spears and javelins?”

  The question was put to Wao by the son of Earth; she took some time to understand it, then she enquired of one of the oldest of her companions.

  ‘They fling stones,” said Zouhr when he had unravelled the meaning of the Lemurian’s gesticulation.

  “And they do not know how to extract fire from stonesl" exclaimed Aoun joyously.

  He had succeeded in making out two small fires, at a little distance from the big fire, which burned in cages of stone. If their fire were extinguished by their enemies, as had happened to the Oulhamrs before Naoh brought back the secret from the Wahs, they would be forced to return to their horde.

  The night was peaceful. Aoun, who took the first watch, found his task of observing the enemy all the easier because the moon set later than the evening before. Two Lemurians watched with him. They had learnt the need for vigilance and they relieved one another naturally when any danger threatened. Nothing alarmed them more than the proximity of the Men-of-the-Fire.

  When it was Zouhr’s turn to watch the moon had set and the fire on the opposite bank only threw pale glimmers. All the warriors were asleep except one, who could be seen walking up and down in the half light. Soon Zouhr could no longer see him, but the nyctalopic eyes of Rah continued to follow him despite the distance. . . . The night wore on. Hundreds of stars had set in the west, others continued to shine, mounting ever higher in the sky. One red star only remained motionless in the north. Towards dawn the mist formed on the river and gradually veiled the opposite slope. The encampment of the Men-of-the-Fire became invisible.

  The fog remained until after day-break, when the morning breeze made rents in it, and the sun evaporated it. Gradually they could see the opposite shore. First only the crest was visible, then the mist rolled back, in long trails, and allowed the whole slope to come into view once more.

  The Lemurians gave a kind of wail; there were no more Men-of-the-Fire! Only a few ashes and blackened marks shewed where they had camped.

  THE INVISIBLE ENEMY

  Aoun, Zouhr and the Lemurians spent a great part of the day fortifying the cave in such a manner as to render it impregnable. The precautions which sufficed to defend it against carnivores, who would always end by going away, were insufficient as a defense against men. The Oulhamr and the Wah knew well that the Red Dwarfs or the Kzamms were capable of besieging their enemies for weeks together. If they shut themselves up in a cave, surrounded by numerous adversaries, it meant condemning themselves to death. Against a dozen enemies however—and they had only seen seven on the previous evening—the cave might serve as a trap.

  They killed several antelopes in the afternoon, the flesh of which was to be dried by the fire and in the sun; the Lemurians collected provisions of vegetables.

  At the same time they all kept a good look out. It came naturally to them as it did to the dholes and jackals. The position was a difficult one to invade: to the South there was the river and the rocks; to the East a long moor, and to the West marshy ground. There was only one way which was really accessible, that of the forest, which stretched away backward, but which left space between it and the cave which was easy to watch. In fact no surprise attack was possible. In order to reach the shelter the Men-of-the-Fire would have to traverse from five to nine hundred paces of open ground, which could be swept by arrows, javelins and spears.

  Until evening no suspicious smell presented itself to give warning of an enemy’s approach. At twilight the Lemurians dispersed in a radius of about three thousand ells. Aoun climbed on to the highest rock, but could not discover anything. If the enemy had returned he must still be at a great distance.

  The Oulhamr began to be reassured. He said to Zouhr, "The Men-of-the-Fire were only seven; they have gone away.”

  He meant to convey that the existence of so great a fire must have made their pursuers think that they were a group of men numerous enough to defend themselves. Zouhr remained anxious. He had more foresight than the Oulhamr, and even perhaps than all other men of his day, and was a prey to undying distrust on account of the annihilation of his race by the Red Dwarfs. He replied, "If they have not returned it is because they have gone to fetch the warriors of their horde!”

  "Their horde is far away,” said the Oulhamr unconcerned, “Why should they return?”

  “Because the Men-of-the-Forest do not know how to light a fire. They will want to know what new men are in the forest.”

  Aoun was impressed by this answer, but having disposed the watchers so as to guard against all surprises he was reassured. As usual he took the first watch. The waxing moon, which grew ever bigger and gave increasing light, would not set till about the middle of the night. This circumstance, which was important to Aoun, mattered little to the nyctalopic Lemurians, who had rather the advantage in the darkness. Nothing beyond the occasional sound of some wild beast hunting broke the stillness in the depth of the night. Aoun, seated by the fire, neither thought nor dreamed; only his senses were alert. The three Lemurian watchers were still more somnolent, but the slightest suspicious odour would have made them start up . . . Their sense of hearing and of smell, which was as infallible as that of the dholes, stretched over their surroundings like a network of fine wires.

  The moon had accomplished two-thirds of its course when Aoun lifted his head. He saw that the fire was reduced to red embers, and mechanically he threw on an armful of wood. Then, sniffing the air uncertainly, he looked at the watchers. Two of them had sat up and the third soon followed their example.

  A faint scent came from the forest. It so much resembled the smell of the Lemurians that Aoun thought it must mean that some of the prowlers of that race were nea
r. He walked towards Rah; Rah was listening with all his ears, his wide nostrils were distended, and his shoulders shivered nervously. When Aoun got near to him, he extended his hand towards the forest, stammering incomprehensible syllables. Aoun understood that the Chellian* men were there!

  * Name given by the French anthropologist G. de Mortillet, to the first epoch of the Quaternary period. The word is derived from the town of Chelles, in the Department of Scine-et-Marne, where human remains of that epoch have been found.

  Hidden in the dense thickets, they could see the fire, they could see the Oulhamr, while they themselves remained invisible.

  An immediate surprise did not, however, seem possible. All round the cave there was short grass, the even expanse of which was only broken by an occasional isolated tree or a thin clump of bushes.

  Aoun’s sharp eye could see all the details of the position as it lay in the grey light of the moon. He was bursting with daring, and had great difficulty in restraining himself from giving his war-cry. Hate boiled up within him, because the Men-of-the-Fire had crossed the river and skirted the moor in order to attack the encampment. They had thus displayed their tenacity, courage and hostility.

  Before awakening Zouhr he prowled round the area which surrounded the cave, trying to locate the emanations and to make out the number of the enemy. He held a bow in his hand, two javelins and a harpoon were hung round his shoulders. He desired to entice the Chellians out of the forest; for as they only knew how to throw stones with their hands, he could kill or wound several of them before they were near enough to wound him in return.

  The Lemurians came out of the cave one by one, having become aware of an unwonted presence, Zouhr accompanied them. Thanks to Wao, he at once knew the danger.

  The great Oulhamr gazed alternately at his allies and the moving bushes. Those who were concealed in them could not number more than seven. He had eight men on his side, four women who were almost as good as the men, besides himself and Zouhr. If the Lemurians displayed courage, the chances were on the side of the allies. It was however obvious that the greater number of them were so terrified that they would not stand before a determined attack. Only the thick-set one, Rah, Wao and a young man with eager eyes shewed any courage.

  "Are there as many warriors as there were round the fire yesterday?” asked Zouhr.

  "There are no more!” replied Aoun, "Should I shout my war-cry?”

  Zouhr preferred an alliance to a battle. He said finally, "The forest is vast. . . . The prey is sufficient for all. May Zouhr speak to the Men-of-the-Fire?”

  Despite his irritation Aoun accepted the proposal, and Zouhr lifted up his voice and spoke in musical tones, which made his utterance even more gentle than usual, "The son of Urus and the son of Earth have never fought with the Men-of-the-Fire! They are not their enemies.”

  The forest remained silent. Aoun called to them in his turn, “Aoun killed the tawny beast! Aoun and Zouhr killed the tiger . . . They have clubs, and spears and javelins! If the Men-of-the-Fire desire war, not one of them will live to return to the horde."

  Only the gentle sough of the breeze was heard. Aoun took a hundred steps towards the forest and his voice rang out more loudly, “Will not the Men-of-the-Fire reply?”

  Now that he was closer to them their smell became plainer. Knowing that he was being watched, he was seized by a growing fury. Beating his chest with his fist, his cry went up like the sound of wolves howling.

  “Aoun will slit your bodies from top to bottom; he will give your carcases to the hyenas.”

  A kind of growl re-echoed from the sombre arches. The Oulhamr took another hundred steps. He was now only three hundred ells from the edge of the forest. He called to Zouhr not to follow him, and threatened, "The son of Urus will crush your faces!”

  He hoped that the enemy, seeing that he was isolated from his band, would take the offensive.

  For a moment the smell of the aggressors seemed to come closer, then it seemed farther off. Aoun, having advanced another hundred-and-fifty ells, drew himself up to his full height. He could have sent an arrow into the wood.

  A cry of alarm rang out. Three men appeared suddenly from behind an advanced bush. They started to run across the open space in a transverse direction, so as to cut off Aoun’s retreat. The wanderer saw them. . . . With a defiant laugh, he retired slowly, having slipped an arrow into his bow. ... At the same moment three other men appeared on the right. . . . Terror made the hearts of the Lemurians sick. Half the band scattered, but Rah, Wao, the adolescent, the thickset man and a grey headed one stood firm. Wao even ran to call back a woman who was escaping to the forest.

  The six Chellians tried to join forces, so as to cut off the Oulhamr's retreat. The bow twanged, an arrow was planted in the shoulder of an aggressor; Zouhr and Rah feigned an attack. Surprised at the distance from which the Oulhamr had struck, marvelling to see the Wah leading the Lemurians, and fearing a surprise, the Men-of-the-Fire retreated.

  Those on the right had captured Wao.

  PART IV

  The truce was short lived. Rah gave vent to furious lamentations; the abduction was intolerable to Aoun, to whom it seemed like a defeat; even Zouhr forgot all prudence. Five of them began a pursuit.

  The scent had disappeared, as the abductors had gone down wind. For a little while it was impossible to detect it. When the pursuers winded it again the Men-of-the-Fire had a long start; the trail which the Oulhamr's band picked up among the thickets and marshes was difficult to follow and only became clear after they had made many detours.

  A fierce ardour animated the big Oulhamr. Confident in his own strength he advanced far ahead of his companions. Zouhr and Rah tried to follow him; the thick-set Lemurian displayed endurance and tenacity. . . .

  At last the scent became stronger, and the trail, after leading them into the forest, took the direction of the river. Then it diverged and the son of Urus hesitated, finally choosing the trail in which the smell of Wao mingled with that of her captors.

  The trees grew more sparsely; a plain covered with dry grass spread out before them, and a flame shot up which ran along the open space. Aoun was forced to retreat towards Zouhr. A sharp cry was heard, and after leaping up in several places the fire died down. Aoun and his companions continued their way Southwards; all trace of the trail was lost.

  When they emerged from the forest the moor stretched drearily before them, and at a distance of two thousand ells they saw the light of a fire. Seated on a stone a man was watching. He rose to his feet as he caught sight of the pursuers. Six other men appeared at almost the same moment; they were dragging Wao along, and one of them was walking painfully, holding his hand to his shoulder. . . .

  Aoun began to run forward again. He bounded along for about fifteen hundred ells, then stopped with a cry. A gulf lay before him, a deep fissure in the ground, at the bottom of which raged a torrent. . . . The Men-of-the-Fire hooted at him and laughed derisively.

  The distance which separated Aoun from the fire was four times greater than the flight of an arrow. Deep disappointment took possession of the wanderer; he met the mocking laugh of his adversaries with shouts of hate.

  They arrayed themselves in force, superior in numbers and full of disdain for Aoun’s allies. The Lemurians were less to be feared than wolves; Zouhr with his barrel-like body and short arms seemed despicable to them; only the big Oulhamr surprised them. Were they not, however, in their unconquered might, themselves endowed with the strength of the bear? . . . Less tall than Aoun, their chief had a broad chest and long arms, strong enough to suffocate a panther . . . He turned his enormous face towards the son of Urus, and laughed in a sinister fashion.

  Large blocks of stone lay scattered round the fire, thus strengthening the position of the Chellians. All the advantage was on their side, excepting the missile weapons. Aoun saw this plainly and Zouhr was even better aware of it, but they were both over-excited. The Wah had conceived a kind of tenderness for the Lemurian woman; Aoun was
smarting under a sense of defeat. They remained on the alert, however. . . . Darkness was coming on. The red disc of the moon was already disappearing in a cloud which grew ever larger in the West. A rough wind blew in gusts. Suddenly the son of Urus made up his mind. He skirted the edge of the abyss and returned to the forest. At the end of about two thousand steps, the fissure contracted, then it disappeared.

  “I will go first," said Aoun to his companion. “You will follow me at a distance, until the fire is in sight. The Men-of-the-Fire will not take me by surprise. Their pace is not as rapid as mine.”

  When he emerged again upon the moor the Chellians had not moved. Three of them stood among the interstices of the boulders and gazed into the distance; the others were near the fire. They all had javelins, hatchets and stones ready to throw. When they saw Aoun appear, they howled like dholes and the chief, lifting his spear, made as if to attack him. The Oulhamr slackened his pace. He knew well it was useless to think of an assault; he cried out, “If you will give up Wao to us, we will let you return to your hunting grounds.”

  They could not understand his words, but his gestures, which were the same as those of all nomads, made them aware that he was reclaiming their captive. A surly laugh was the reply. The broad chested chief seized Wao by the hair and felled her to the ground by a blow on the head with his fist. Then, pointing in turn to her prostrate form the fire and his own jaws, conveyed to Aoun that the Chellians would roast and devour the woman’s body. . . .

  Aoun bounded like a leopard. The Men-of-the-Fire disappeared behind the boulders. Meanwhile Zouhr was approaching. When the companions were within an arrow’s Bight of the enemy the Wah said, “Let Aoun go to the right, some of those who are hiding will become visible.”