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Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930
·
Various
11
The
current
was
strong,
but
the
water
gradually
became
shallower
as
they
ascended
the
sloping
rock.
After
half
an
hour
they
saw
ahead
of
them
the
loom
of
the
forest,
and
with
some
trepidation
they
entered
the
gloom
cast
by
the
towering,
fernlike
trees,
whose
tops
disappeared
in
murky
fog.
Tangled
vines
impeded
their
progress.
Quagmires
lay
in
wait
for
them,
and
tough
weeds
tripped
them,
sometimes
throwing
one
or
another
into
the
mud
among
squirming
small
reptiles
that
lashed
at
them
with
spiked,
poisonous
feet
and
then
fell
to
pieces,
each
piece
to
lie
in
the
bubbling
ooze
until
it
grew
again
into
a
whole
animal.
Several
times
they
almost
walked
under
the
bodies
of
great,
spheroidal
creatures
with
massive
short
legs,
whose
tremendously
long,
sinuous
necks
disappeared
in
the
leafy
murk
above,
swaying
gently
like
long-stalked
lilies
in
a
terrestial
pond.
These
were
azornacks,
mild-tempered
vegetarians
whose
only
defense
lay
in
their
thick,
blubbery
hides.
Filled
with
parasites,
stinking
and
rancid,
their
decaying
covering
of
fat
effectively
concealed
the
tender
flesh
underneath,
protecting
them
from
fangs
and
rending
claws.
Deeper
in
the
forest
the
battering
of
the
rain
was
mitigated.
Giant
neo-palm
leaves
formed
a
roof
that
shut
out
not
only
most
of
the
weak
daylight,
but
also
the
fury
of
the
downpour.
The
water
collected
in
cataracts,
ran
down
the
boles
of
the
trees,
and
roared
through
the
semi-circular
canals
of
the
snake
trees,
so
named
by
early
explorers
for
their
waving,
rubbery
tentacles,
multiplied
a
millionfold,
that
performed
the
duties
of
leaves.
Water
gurgled
and
chuckled
everywhere,
spread
in
vast
dim
ponds
and
lakes
writhing
with
tormented
roots,
up-heaved
by
unseen,
uncatalogued
leviathans,
rippled
by
translucent
discs
of
loathsome,
luminescent
jelly
that
quivered
from
place
to
place
in
pursuit
of
microscopic
prey.
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