a princess of mars-第1章

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A　PRINCESS　OF　MARS



by　Edgar　Rice　Burroughs








CHAPTER　I









ON　THE　ARIZONA　HILLS





I　am　a　very　old　man；　how　old　I　do　not　know。　　Possibly　I　am

a　hundred；　possibly　more；　but　I　cannot　tell　because　I　have

never　aged　as　other　men；　nor　do　I　remember　any　childhood。

So　far　as　I　can　recollect　I　have　always　been　a　man；　a　man

of　about　thirty。　　I　appear　today　as　I　did　forty　years　and

more　ago；　and　yet　I　feel　that　I　cannot　go　on　living　forever；

that　some　day　I　shall　die　the　real　death　from　which　there　is

no　resurrection。　　I　do　not　know　why　I　should　fear　death；

I　who　have　died　twice　and　am　still　alive；　but　yet　I　have　the

same　horror　of　it　as　you　who　have　never　died；　and　it　is

because　of　this　terror　of　death；　I　believe；　that　I　am　so

convinced　of　my　mortality。



And　because　of　this　conviction　I　have　determined　to　write

down　the　story　of　the　interesting　periods　of　my　life　and　of

my　death。　　I　cannot　explain　the　phenomena；I　can　only　set

down　here　in　the　words　of　an　ordinary　soldier　of　fortune　a

chronicle　of　the　strange　events　that　befell　me　during　the　ten

years　that　my　dead　body　lay　undiscovered　in　an　Arizona

cave。



I　have　never　told　this　story；　nor　shall　mortal　man　see　this

manuscript　until　after　I　have　passed　over　for　eternity。　　I　know

that　the　average　human　mind　will　not　believe　what　it　cannot

grasp；　and　so　I　do　not　purpose　being　pilloried　by　the　public；

the　pulpit；　and　the　press；　and　held　up　as　a　colossal

liar　when　I　am　but　telling　the　simple　truths　which　some　day

science　will　substantiate。　　Possibly　the　suggestions　which　I

gained　upon　Mars；　and　the　knowledge　which　I　can　set　down

in　this　chronicle；　will　aid　in　an　earlier　understanding　of　the

mysteries　of　our　sister　planet；　mysteries　to　you；　but　no

longer　mysteries　to　me。



My　name　is　John　Carter；　I　am　better　known　as　Captain　Jack

Carter　of　Virginia。　　At　the　close　of　the　Civil　War　I　found

myself　possessed　of　several　hundred　thousand　dollars

（Confederate）　and　a　captain's　commission　in　the　cavalry　arm

of　an　army　which　no　longer　existed；　the　servant　of　a　state

which　had　vanished　with　the　hopes　of　the　South。　　Masterless；

penniless；　and　with　my　only　means　of　livelihood；　fighting；

gone；　I　determined　to　work　my　way　to　the　southwest　and

attempt　to　retrieve　my　fallen　fortunes　in　a　search　for　gold。



I　spent　nearly　a　year　prospecting　in　company　with　another

Confederate　officer；　Captain　James　K。　Powell　of　Richmond。

We　were　extremely　fortunate；　for　late　in　the　winter　of

1865；　after　many　hardships　and　privations；　we　located　the

most　remarkable　gold…bearing　quartz　vein　that　our　wildest

dreams　had　ever　pictured。　　Powell；　who　was　a　mining　engineer

by　education；　stated　that　we　had　uncovered　over　a　million

dollars　worth　of　ore　in　a　trifle　over　three　months。



As　our　equipment　was　crude　in　the　extreme　we　decided

that　one　of　us　must　return　to　civilization；　purchase　the

necessary　machinery　and　return　with　a　sufficient　force　of

men　properly　to　work　the　mine。



As　Powell　was　familiar　with　the　country；　as　well　as　with

the　mechanical　requirements　of　mining　we　determined　that

it　would　be　best　for　him　to　make　the　trip。　　It　was　agreed　that

I　was　to　hold　down　our　claim　against　the　remote　possibility

of　its　being　jumped　by　some　wandering　prospector。



On　March　3；　1866；　Powell　and　I　packed　his　provisions　on

two　of　our　burros；　and　bidding　me　good…bye　he　mounted

his　horse；　and　started　down　the　mountainside　toward　the

valley；　across　which　led　the　first　stage　of　his　journey。



The　morning　of　Powell's　departure　was；　like　nearly

all　Arizona　mornings；　clear　and　beautiful；　I　could　see

him　and　his　little　pack　animals　picking　their　way　down　the

mountainside　toward　the　valley；　and　all　during　the　morning　I

would　catch　occasional　glimpses　of　them　as　they　topped　a　hog

back　or　came　out　upon　a　level　plateau。　　My　last　sight　of

Powell　was　about　three　in　the　afternoon　as　he　entered　the

shadows　of　the　range　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　valley。



Some　half　hour　later　I　happened　to　glance　casually　across

the　valley　and　was　much　surprised　to　note　three　little　dots

in　about　the　same　place　I　had　last　seen　my　friend　and　his

two　pack　animals。　　I　am　not　given　to　needless　worrying；　but

the　more　I　tried　to　convince　myself　that　all　was　well　with

Powell；　and　that　the　dots　I　had　seen　on　his　trail　were

antelope　or　wild　horses；　the　less　I　was　able　to　assure　myself。



Since　we　had　entered　the　territory　we　had　not　seen　a

hostile　Indian；　and　we　had；　therefore；　become　careless　in　the

extreme；　and　were　wont　to　ridicule　the　stories　we　had

heard　of　the　great　numbers　of　these　vicious　marauders　that

were　supposed　to　haunt　the　trails；　taking　their　toll　in　lives

and　torture　of　every　white　party　which　fell　into　their

merciless　clutches。



Powell；　I　knew；　was　well　armed　and；　further；　an

experienced　Indian　fighter；　but　I　too　had　lived　and　fought

for　years　among　the　Sioux　in　the　North；　and　I　knew　that　his

chances　were　small　against　a　party　of　cunning　trailing

Apaches。　　Finally　I　could　endure　the　suspense　no　longer；

and；　arming　myself　with　my　two　Colt　revolvers　and　a

carbine；　I　strapped　two　belts　of　cartridges　about　me　and

catching　my　saddle　horse；　started　down　the　trail　taken　by

Powell　in　the　morning。



As　soon　as　I　reached　comparatively　level　ground　I　urged

my　mount　into　a　canter　and　continued　this；　where　the　going

permitted；　until；　close　upon　dusk；　I　discovered　the　point

where　other　tracks　joined　those　of　Powell。　　They　were　the

tracks　of　unshod　ponies；　three　of　them；　and　the　ponies　had


been　galloping。



I　followed　rapidly　until；　darkness　shutting　down；　I　was

forced　to　await　the　rising　of　the　moon；　and　given　an　opportunity

to　speculate　on　the　question　of　the　wisdom　of　my　chase。

Possibly　I　had　conjured　up　impossible　dangers；　like

some　nervous　old　housewife；　and　when　I　should　catch　up

with　Powell　would　get　a　good　laugh　for　my　pains。

However；　I　am　not　prone　to　sensitiveness；　and　the　following

of　a　sense　of　duty；　wherever　it　may　lead；　has　always　been　a

kind　of　fetich　with　me　throughout　my　life；　which　may　account

for　the　honors　bestowed　upon　me　by　three　republics　and　the

decorations　and　friendships　of　an　old　and　powerful　emperor

and　several　lesser　kings；　in　whose　service　my　sword　has

been　red　many　a　time。



About　nine　o'clock　the　moon　was　sufficiently　bright　for

me　to　proceed　on　my　way　and　I　had　no　difficulty　in　following

the　trail　at　a　fast　walk；　and　in　some　places　at　a　brisk

trot　until；　about　midnight；　I　reached　the　water　hole　where

Powell　had　expected　to　camp。　　I　came　upon　the　spot　unexpectedly；

finding　it　entirely　deserted；　with　no　signs　of　having　been

recently　occupied　as　a　camp。



I　was　interested　to　note　that　the　tracks　of　the　pursuing

horsemen；　for　such　I　was　now　convinced　they　must　be；　continued

after　Powell　with　only　a　brief　stop　at　the　hole　for　water；

and　always　at　the　same　rate　of　speed　as　his。



I　was　positive　now　that　the　trailers　were　Apaches　and　that

they　wished　to　capture　Powell　alive　for　the　fiendish　pleasure

of　the　torture；　so　I　urged　my　horse　onward　at　a　most

dangerous　pace；　hoping　against　hope　that　I　would　catch　up

with　the　red　rascals　before　they　attacked　him。



Further　speculation　was　suddenly　cut　short　by　the　faint

report　of　two　shots　far　ahead　of　me。　　I　knew　that　Powell

would　need　me　now　if　ever；　and　I　instantly　urged　my

horse　to　his　topmost　speed　up　the　narrow　and　difficult

mountain　trail。



I　had　forged　ahead　for　perhaps　a　mile　or　more　without

hearing　further　sounds；　when　the　trail　suddenly　debouched

onto　a　small；　open　plateau　near　the　summit　of　the　pass。　　I

had　passed　through　a　narrow；　overhanging　gorge　just　before

entering　suddenly　upon　this　table　land；　and　the　sight　which

met　my　eyes　filled　me　with　consternation　and　dismay。



The　little　stretch　of　level　land　was　white　with　Indian

tepees；　and　there　were　probably　half　a　thousand　red　warriors

clustered　around　some　object　near　the　center　of　the　camp。

Their　attention　was　so　wholly　riveted　to　this　point　of　interest

that　they　did　not　notice　me；　and　I　easily　could　have

turned　back　into　the　dark　recesses　of　the　gorge　and　made

my　escape　with　perfect　safety。　　The　fact；　however；　that　this

thought　did　not　occur　to　me　until　the　following　day　removes

any　possible　right　to　a　claim　to　heroism　to　which　the　narration

of　this　episode　might　possibly　otherwise　entitle　me。



I　do　not　believe　that　I　am　made　of　the　stuff　which

constitutes　heroes；　because；　in　all　of　the　hundreds　of　instances

that　my　voluntary　acts　have　placed　me　face　to　face　with

death；　I　cannot　recall　a　single　one　where　any　alternative

step　to　that　I　took　occurred　to　me　until　many　hours　later。

My　mind　is　evidently　so　constituted　that　I　am　subconsciously

forced　into　the　path　of　duty　without　recourse　to　tiresome

mental　processes。　　However　that　may　be；　I　have　never　regretted

that　cowardice　is　not　optional　with　me。



In　this　instance　I　was；　of　course；　positive　that　Powell　was

the　center　of　attraction；　but　whether　I　thought　or　acted　first

I　do　not　know；　but　within　an　instant　from　the　moment　the

scene　broke　upon　my　view　I　had　whipped　out　my　revolvers

and　was　charging　down　upon　the　entire　army　of　warriors；

shooting　rapidly；　and　whooping　at　the　top　of　my　lungs。

Singlehanded；　I　could　not　have　pursued　better　tactics；　for

the　red　men；　convinced　by　sudden　surprise　that　not　less

than　a　regiment　of　regulars　was　upon　them；　turned　and　fled

in　every　direction　for　their　bows；　arrows；　and　rifles。



The　view　which　their　hurried　routing　disclosed　filled　me

with　apprehension　and　with　rage。　　Under　the　clear　rays　of　the

Arizona　moon　lay　Powell；　his　body　fairly　bristling　with　the

hostile　arrows　of　the　braves。　　That　he　was　already　dead　I

could　not　but　be　convinced；　and　yet　I　would　have　saved　his

body　from　mutilation　at　the　hands　of　the　Apaches　as

quickly　as　I　would　have　saved　the　man　himself　from　death。



Riding　close　to　him　I　reached　down　from　the　saddle；

and　grasping　his　cartridge　belt　drew　him　up　across　the　withers

of　my　mount。　　A　backward　glance　convinced　me　that　to

return　by　the　way　I　had　come　would　be　more　hazardous

than　to　continue　across　the　plateau；　so；　putting　spurs　to　my

poor　beast；　I　made　a　dash　for　the　opening　to　the　pass　which

I　could　distinguish　on　the　far　side　of　the　table　land。



The　Indians　had　by　this　time　discovered　that　I　was　alone

and　I　was　pursued　with　imprecations；　arrows；　and　rifle　balls。

The　fact　that　it　is　difficult　to　aim　anything　but　imprecations

accurately　by　moonlight；　that　they　were　upset　by　the　sudden

and　unexpected　manner　of　my　advent；　and　that　I　was　a

rather　rapidly　moving　target　saved　me　from　the　various

deadly　projectiles　of　the　enemy　and　permitted　me　to　reach

the　shadows　of　the　surrounding　peaks　before　an　orderly

pursuit　could　be　organized。



My　horse　was　traveling　practically　unguided　as　I　knew

that