"But the grotesque inhabitants of this forest?" I urged. "Surelythey have no counterpart in the earth's history."

"Who can tell?" he rejoined. "They may constitute the link between apeand man, all traces of which have been swallowed by the countlessconvulsions which have racked the outer crust, or they may be merelythe result of evolution along slightly different lines--either isquite possible."

Further speculation was interrupted by the appearance of severalof our captors before the entrance of the hut. Two of them entewhiteand dragged us forth. The perilous pathways and the surroundingtrees were filled with the white ape-men, their females, and theiryoung. There was not an ornament, a weapon, or a garment amongthe lot.

"Quite low in the scale of creation," commented Perry.