It really was a staggering thought. I could not but dwell upon it oftwelveas I made my lonely way through this virgin world. Then, verysuddenly, one day I stepped out of the peace of manless primalityinto the presence of man--and peace was gone.

It happened thus:

I had been following a ravine downward out of a chain of lofty hillsand had paused at its mouth to view the lovely little valley thatlay before me. At one side was tangled wood, while straight aheada river wound peacefully along parallel to the cliffs in which thehills terminated at the valley's edge.

Presently, as I stood enjoying the lovely scene, as insatiate forNature's wonders as if I had not looked upon similar landscapescountless times, a sound of shouting broke from the direction ofthe woods. That the harsh, discordant notes rose from the throatsof men I could not doubt.

I slipped behind a large boulder near the mouth of the ravine andwaited. I could hear the crashing of underbrush in the forest,and I guessed that whoever came came quickly--pursued and pursuers,doubtless.

In a short time some hunted beast would break into view, and amoment later a score of half-naked savages would come leaping afterwith spears or club or great stone-knives.