"H. Warner Munn - The Ship from Atlantis" - читать интересную книгу автора (Munn H Warner)

of the World's Edge was to set forth eastward to discover the world. From
the dragon's head with golden mane at the stem post, to the tail at the
stern decorated with glittering mica plates, it blazed with color. The hull
was striped with red and white, fox tails hung for standards and weather
vanes and a burnished copper band encircled the single mast.

The oar holes were provided with shutters to keep out the sea when
under sail, as were the tiny windows in the commander's cabin at the
poop and the arsenal and stores hold just forward. To the crowd, which
continually milled and shifted along the shore, the Feathered Serpent was
a great wonder.

They were as motley in appearance as their dwellings and their canoes.
Many tribes and nations were represented here upon this gala day. Yonder
strode caciques of the Az-teca with saw edged, obsidian toothed swords
hanging by their sides. Feather fringed shields adorned their arms and
plumed helmets graced their heads. Among them walked scarred fighters
from the western moorlands armed with stone knife and tomahawk, short
horn bows upon their backs. Some of these wore bison headdresses; others
wore warbon-nets betokening the taking of many coups.

Those who had come north from the great swamps bore blowpipes
made of cane and carried slings and a pouch of stones, while the
representatives from the Long House of the Five Nations looked with
arrogance upon their smaller brothers in arms. These were tall men,
distinguished by a single eagle feather fastened into a central roach of
hair, and they had come far south from their homeland to attend the
gathering. They were a fierce people, these Hodenosau-nee, but none wore
war-paint for they had brought peace belts into the red land of Tlapallan
where once they had marched under the battle standard of Merlin the
Enchanter, to aid in the destruction of the hated Mian mound builders
and their cruel empire.

Policing them all, the Dog Soldiers kept order in the camp, but there
was little for them to do. It was a happy throng. There was laughing and
feasting for all. There was smoking in council and storytelling for the old,
using the universal sign language common to the many nations. The
young men strove together. In competition they wrestled and leaped and
threw the tomahawk, lance br atlatl dart. They bent the long bow at the
archery butts, darted like fish through the river or hurled the racing
canoes along its surface.

Many a maiden's dark eyes glistened with enjoyment and pride at the
sight and many a moccasined foot would tread a new trail to a new home
when the celebration was over. As ever, happiness was mingled with
regret. Slim girls looked toward the high stepped mound near the river
and sighed in vain desire, gazing upon the unattainable, and would not be
consoled.

Here stood a strong young man whose brown hair and lighter skin set