s to the country from which I came, its peoples and their
customs. He seemed much mystified by the fact that we could walk
abroad by day or night without fear of being devoured by wild beasts or
savage reptiles, and when I told him of the great armies which we
maintained, his simple mind could not grasp the fact that they existed
solely for the slaughtering of human beings.

"I am glad," he said, "that I do not dwell in your country among such
savage peoples. Here, in Caspak, men fight with men when they
meet--men of different races--but their weapons are first for the
slaying of beasts in the chase and in defense. We do not fashion
weapons solely for the killing of man as do your peoples. Your country
must indeed be a savage country, from which you are fortunate to have
escaped to the peace and security of Caspak."

Here was a new and refreshing viewpoint; nor could I take exception to
it after what I had told Altan of the great war which had been raging
in Europe for over two years before I left home.

On the march to the Kro-lu village we were continually stalked by
innumerable beasts of prey, and three times we were attacked by
frightful creatures; but Altan took it all as a matter of course,
rushing forward with raised spear or sending a heavy shaft into the
body of the attacker and then returning to our conversation as though
no interruption had occurred. Twice were members of his band mauled,
and one was killed by a huge and bellicose rhinoceros; but the instant
the action was over, it was as though it never had occurred. The dead
man was stripped of his belongings and left where he had died; the
carnivora would take care of his burial. The trophies that these
Kro-lu left to the meat-eaters would have turned an English big-game
hunter green with envy. They did, it is true, cut all the edible parts
from the rhino and carry them home; but already they were pretty well
weighted down with the spoils of the chase, and only the fact that they
are particularly fond of rhino-meat caused them to do so.

They left the hide on the pieces they selected, as they use it for
sandals, shield-covers, the hilts of their knives and various other
purposes where tough hide is desirable. I was much interested in their
shields, especially after I saw one used in defense against the attack
of a saber-tooth tiger. The huge creature had charged us without
warning from a clump of dense bushes where it was lying up after
eatin