Damon.
"No, it's one of their war drums," explained Mr. Durban. "The
natives make large ones out of hollow trees, with animal skins
stretched over the ends, and they beat them to sound a warning, or
before going into battle. It makes a great noise."
"Do you think they want to fight us?" asked Ned, looking anxiously
at Tom, and then toward where his rifle stood in a corner of the
cabin.
"No, probably that drum was beaten by some of the native priests,"
explained the hunter. "The natives are very superstitious, and
likely they took us for an evil spirit, and wanted to drive us
away."
"Then we'll hustle along out of their sight," said Tom, as he went
to the pilot house to increase the speed of the airship, for he had
been letting it drift along slowly to enable the adventurers to view
the country over which they were passing. A few minutes later, under
the increased force of the machinery, the Black Hawk left the native
village, and the crowd of frightened blacks, far behind.
The travelers passed over a succession of wild stretches of forest
or jungle, high above big grassy plains, over low but rugged
mountain ranges, and big rivers. Now and then they would cross some
lake, on the calm surface of which could be made out natives, in big
canoes, hollowed out from trees.
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